There's Still Time To Catch Fall Festivals Near Bethesda

BETHESDA, MD — Fall is a great time to get outside in Bethesda and around Montgomery County and take in the rich offering of festivals.

The changing colors of autumn provide a scenic background for fall and harvest festivals, which have contests ranging from apple bobbing and pumpkin carving to lumberjack contests and Halloween parades. Fall is also the season for corn mazes, pumpkin patches and apple orchard visits.

Here are a few festivals and events in the Bethesda area worth putting on the calendar:

Fall Festival: Saturday, Oct. 15, noon to 3 p.m. Jane E. Lawton Center, 4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD. The Town of Chevy Chase is partnering with the Jane E. Lawton Center to host the 2022 Fall Festival. The event will take place at the Lawton Center parking lot, Town Hall, and inside the Lawton Center. Enjoy an art exhibit, performances by the Bethesda Chevy Chase Jazz Band, pumpkin painting, food trucks, free Ben and Jerry's ice cream, a moon bounce, and so much more. All ages welcome.

26th Annual F. Scott Fitzgerald Literary Festival: Saturday, Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rockville, 100 Welsh Park Drive, Rockville, MD. Founded in 1996 to commemorate the 100th birthday of celebrated American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, who is buried in Rockville along with his wife Zelda and daughter Scottie. The festival includes writing workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, films, short story contests, tours, and as its centerpiece, the presentation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award for Achievement in American Literature.

Halloween Eye Spy Trains: Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m to 6 p.m. Wheaton Regional Park, 2002 Shorefield Road, Wheaton, MD. Take a Halloween-themed ride aboard the miniature trains in Cabin John and Wheaton Regional Parks. Each rider is given an “Eye Spy” card with seasonal items to look for along the tracks during the ride. Great for families of all ages.

The Family Room's Harvest Market: Saturday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Room, 6820 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Laytonsville, MD. A free fall market filled with over 35 local Maryland Makers & creators, yummy local treats, live music and fun for the whole family.

Casey's Halloween Boo Bash: Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to noon. Casey Community Center, 810 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD. Calling all little ghouls and goblins! Come in costume for a frighteningly fun family Halloween event. Enjoy activities, trick or treating, crafts, a costume parade, photo opportunities, and a special performance. This is the perfect, not so scary way to celebrate Halloween with little ones.

You can post your own events, articles and more on Patch. Here's more information to get started.

Fall in Love with Tribute at Black Hill: Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to noon. Tribute at Black Hill, Courtyard 312 Baltusrol Dr., Germantown, MD. Tribute at Black Hill is excited to welcome the community to their fall festival. Enjoy a morning of fall treats, live music, caricature paintings, and furry friends from Echoes of Nature.

Halloween Art Spooktacular for Families: Saturday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. CREATE Arts Center 914 Silver Spring Avenue, Suite 101, Silver Spring, MD. $40 per family ticket. One family ticket provides admission for two adults and up two children for a one-hour time slot, two pumpkins for painting, games, snacks, face painting, and entry to our haunted art studio.

Trick or Treat at Bethesda Row: Wednesday, Oct. 26, 5:30 p.m. Bethesda Row, 4827 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, MD. Reserve your ticket for Trick or Treating at Bethesda Row.

Ross Boddy Fall Harvest Festival and Pumpkin Derby: Saturday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ross Boddy Community Recreation Center, 18529 Brooke Road, Sandy Spring, MD. This event will feature crafts, snacks, games and a pumpkin derby race. The registration fee for the derby is $20 and includes materials and instructions.

Fall Family Festival Coffield: Saturday, Oct. 22, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Gwendolyn Coffield Community Rec Center, 2450 Lyttonsville Road, Silver Spring, MD. Ghouls and goblins come dressed in your Halloween costume to win a prize. Enjoy games, face painting, candy & more. Come check out the Halloween-themed decorated cars and get a treat. Also enjoy the music.

Lil' Pumpkin Festival: Saturday, Oct. 29, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD. The 3rd Annual Lil' Pumpkin Fest at BlackRock Center for the Arts offers the Upcounty community a fun, free, and safe way to enjoy all the fall and spooky festivities. Activities include trick-or-treating, photo booth, lil' pumpkin painting, free pumpkins for children under the age of 11, beer garden, and costume parade. Later that evening, adults can enjoy a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with live cast on MainStage at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Holiday Crafts & Treats Fair: Sunday, Oct. 30, noon to 5 p.m. Veterans Plaza, Silver Spring, MD. Check out arts & crafts vendors, to jewelry and baths and body products, from holiday decor to treats and desserts and much more. The event also will have a children's costume parade with best costume prize from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., as well as a Pets' Halloween Parade from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.