Happy October and happy fall fun season! October in these parts sure is special. The leaves change, the air turns crisp, but it’s still nice enough out to enjoy the plethora of seasonal activities in the Charlottesville area.
This season also welcomes our Family Favorites Awards voting. Join us in recognizing your very favorite local businesses and organizations. Winners will be featured in our Ultimate Go-To Guide.
So, as we usher in a beautiful Central Virginia autumn, here are some things to do, helpful resources, local news info, and more for October in Charlottesville.
Drop us a line if you think of any other fall content you think we should cover as we head deeper into the season!
Top October Events in the Charlottesville Area
Looking for family-friendly things to do in Charlottesville this October? Here are the events we’re most excited about — from harvest festivals to concerts and Halloween happenings.
BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN MAZE – Now–November 8 at Blue Toad Cider
Get lost in the fun at the best Virginia corn maze. New this year – Music in the Mountains every Saturday night from 6–9pm.
RESCUE EXHIBIT – Now–January 17 at Science Museum of Virginia
From air to sea to land, discover ways first responders help those in distress. Dive into a high-intensity experience where science meets real-life heroics in over a dozen immersive zones.
PATCH OF FUN – Now–November 3 at Chiles Peach Orchard
Enjoy a brand new festive fall experience for the whole family! Step into the pumpkin patch for pick-your-own and photo ops, take a hayride out to the apple cannon to try launching fruit at targets, stay and play in the outdoor play area, and try seasonal sips and treats from the drink stand. Open weekends and school holidays, and passes can be reserved at chiles.farm/patch26tix.
CROZET ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL – October 10–11 at Claudius Crozet Park
Central Virginia’s premier, bi-annual, juried arts and crafts event featuring over 125 artists, music, a kids area, prizes and more.
MASSANUTTEN FALL FESTIVAL – October 10 at Massanutten Resort
Join on the slopes to highlight the beautiful Shenandoah Valley with local musicians, food trucks, scenic chair lift rides, and artisans.
MARTHA’S MARKET – October 10 at Dairy Market
A curated marketplace featuring 35+ local and regional vendors alongside beloved downtown merchants. Handmade jewelry, artwork, gourmet treats, home décor, fashion, and gifts sold in support of women’s health initiatives and breast cancer programs in the community.
FALL FAMILY DAY & HARVEST PARTY – October 18 at Eastwood Farm & Winery
Enjoy food trucks, music, kids activities, face painting, juice flights, artisan vendors and more at this fall harvest celebration. All proceeds from face painting will directly benefit Reclaimed Hope Initiative.
THE BIG SERVE PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT – October 18 at Darden Towe Park
Serve up fun, pickleball, community, and the opportunity to support the Bigs, Littles, and families Big Brothers Big Sister of the Central Blue Ridge serves.
VIRGINIA FILM FESTIVAL – October 21–25
Known as one of the premier cultural events in the Mid-Atlantic, the annual five-day festival annually delivers more than 100 films from around the world.
CROZET BOOK FEST – October 24 at Bluebird & Co.
Crozet Book Fest spotlights national bestsellers and local Virginia authors. The attending authors include every genre and age range, from picture books to young adult and adult novels, so there’s sure to be something for the whole family.
CHARLOTTESVILLE MONSTER MASH – October 24 at Ting Pavilion
Enjoy pumpkin painting, crafts, face painting, balloon twisting, bounce houses, and more fun activities. Catch a live magic show, local group performances, story time, and special guest appearances by Glinda and Elphaba.
TREEHOUSE TALES – October 28 at Bennet’s Village @ Pen Park
Join students from the Instructional and Assistive Technology Applications course at the UVA School of Education and Human Development for a fun afternoon of crafts and interactive storytelling as they share favorite fall stories.
BOO BASH – October 29 & 30 at Virginia Discovery Museum
Get in the Halloween spirit at this family-friendly carnival that’s too cute to spook! Dress up in your most creative costumes and join for one of two evenings of frighteningly fun carnival games, activities, and crafts.
SENSORY-FRIENDLY HALLOWEEN – October 30 at Brooks Family YMCA
No tricks, just treats! Join for a Halloween celebration designed with your family in mind featuring a fun, low-stress alternative to traditional trick-or-treating.
Don’t miss a thing — check our full Family Events Calendar → updated daily.
News Fresh From CharlottesvilleFamily.com
This month, we’re covering everything from Halloween to corn mazes, pumpkin pickin’, and the best family events happening around Charlottesville. Plus, local school info and cute crafts to enjoy.
TRICK OR TRATING & HALLOWEEN EVENTS – The best round-up of Charlottesville area Halloween happenings.
ULTIMATE PUMPKIN PATCH GUIDE – Where to pick pumpkins + local fall festival info and more.
CHARLOTTESVILLE AREA FALL FESTIVALS – Your 2026 guide to the best local farm festivals, cultural celebrations and Halloween Fun.
VIRGINIA’S BEST CORN MAZES – Learn all about 13 of the best corn mazes in the state.
HALLOWEEN TREAT RECIPE – See how to make a cute (and yummy!) witch craft.
A LOCAL’S GUIDE TO COFFEE SHOPS – Insider tips to enjoying the best coffee spots in Charlottesville.
OPEN HOUSES & ADMISSIONS EVENTS – Thinking about private school? Admissions events are happening now, and our guide has everything you need to know.
BUMBLE’S FREE LITTLE LIBRARY – Exclusive resources for CharlottesvilleFamily readers, including printable scavenger hunts, activity pages and more.
Charlottesville/Albemarle News
EXPLORE AI & DATA WITU UVA – Middle and high school students can take part in hands-on bootcamps during this school year. Learn more here.
NEW PLAYGROUND NOW OPEN – ReadyKids celebrated the opening of its new playground space with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
NEW BOOK – Local mother, author, and child psychologist Cara Goodwin (AKA @theparentingtranslator) has released her newest book, What to Do When There’s a New Baby in the Family.
CHS CROSS COUNTRY MAKES HISTORY – Charlottesville High School Athletics hosted a home cross-country meet at McIntire Park for the first time in school history.
BURGLARY AT DMR ADVENTURES – The DMR Adventures studio space experienced a burglary. Equipment and tech was stolen, but everyone is safe.
Local Love: Women’s Mental Health Collective
Three Charlottesville therapists have teamed up to launch the Women’s Mental Health Collective (WMHC), a new local practice built to support women and couples through some of the biggest challenges and transitions in a woman’s life—pregnancy, birth, postpartum, infertility and (peri)menopause.
Founders Alexis Azzam, Kristin Morgan, and Jennifer Senator each spent years working one-on-one with women through these life stages, and kept running into the same gap: not enough accessible, specialized support for moments that can feel isolating even though they’re incredibly common. The Collective was born out of a desire to offer more than individual therapy—workshops, groups, and community resources that meet women where they are.
More From the CharlottesvilleFamily Fam
VirginiaSummerCamp.com — We hope you had an excellent summer camp season! Parents can now submit reviews of their favorite camps.
ROANOKEFAMILY – Check out the new and improved RoanokeFamily, and send the link to a Roanoke Valley family you know. Then, follow along on Instagram.
Ready to Read
Our Relocation Guide flipbook is here! This trusted resource is designed to help families, professionals, and newcomers make a smooth transition to life in the area. Whether you’re moving across the country or just across the Blue Ridge, this guide offers info about neighborhoods, schools, and family life in one easy-to-browse digital publication.
The Ultimate Relocation Guide: Where to live, learn & play in Charlottesville
Read our Fall Edition of Bloom Magazine. This special issue is just what you need for the fall season with your family and friends. Here’s why:
SCHOOL INFO & STORIES
40 years of Covenant School, UVA programs for working adults & more.
DARE TO PLAY
How risky play helps kids thrive and grow.
APPLE PICKING + RECIPE
Best local orchards for picking, and a fritter recipe you have to try.
100+ FALL FESTIVALS, EVENTS & DAYTRIPS
All season long, all curated, all local. Your calendar just got a whole lot more fun.
PRIVATE SCHOOL GUIDE
Everything you need to know in your school search for preschool–12th grade.
On Our Minds
From the editors:
Here’s something we’ve been thinking about as we settle into October: the leaves are turning, the mornings are crisp, and the holidays are starting to peek around the corner. That means we’re simultaneously savoring the golden days of autumn and feeling the first hints of the cozy, busy season holiday ahead.
So this month, we’re enjoying it all. Pumpkin patches, sweater weather, and early sunsets, while easing gently into the rhythms of the months to come. Sometimes the best thing we can do for our families is simply meet the season where it is.
Visit RoanokeFamily and VirginiaSummerCamp.com for even more great regional resources.
Coming Up for Parents
Next, be on the lookout for holiday happenings galore. Lights, Santa, recipes and more – we will have it all. Plus, our Ultimate Go-To Guide will feature Family Favorites winners, day trips ideas and more.
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