Fall is a wonderful time of year to live or visit Williamsburg, VA and its surrounding towns. There are a ton of fun activities for you and your family to do in October, the weather is nice so its enjoyable to be outside and the leaves are changing which is a beautiful experience. Don’t miss the highlighted events below!
Rhythms on the Riverwalk Concert Series
Thursday, October 6 – Whiskey Rebellion
Thursday, October 13 – Good Shot Judy
Take in outdoor concerts on the waterfront in Yorktown at the Rhythms on the Riverwalk Concert Series! Concerts are on Thursdays from 6:30-8:30pm until through October 13, 2022. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Coolers are allowed and many Historic Yorktown restaurants will be open before and after the concert for dine-in and takeout options. Concerts are FREE. MORE
Yorktown Market Days – Two Themed Markets in October
The Yorktown Market Days has the backdrop of the beach and the picturesque York River. This farmers market also has artisan booths. It is a rain or shine market because they move it into the parking garage if the weather turns bad so you never have to worry about a little rain! They have TWO themed markets this month: Fall Festival, and Paws at the River (see below for more info)
- Yorktown Fall Festival – Oct. 8 from 8 am to 3 pm
This market will also have a petting zoo, pumpkin carving demos, carmel apples, kettle corn, seasonal pies, hay maze and Guess the Weight of the Giant Pumpkin!!! You do not want to miss this one!
- Paws at the River – Oct. 29 from 9 am to 3 pm
This awesome market has a pet parade (costumes…YES!) a spot on the waterfront where you can get your pet portrait or family picture with the pet – it is free! There is a wonderful market that day and many activities for the whole family. You don’t want to miss this themed market
6th Annual Children’s Health Expo & Safe Kids Day at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center –
Saturday, October 8 from 10 am to 2 pm
The event is free and open to the public. Mark your calendars for the Children’s Health Expo & Safe Kids Day at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center.
– Fun Activities for Kids
– Health, Fitness & Nutrition Stations
– Sheriff Department
– Fire Truck & Ambulance
– Medical Helicopter
– Face Painting
– Character Visits
– Certified Pet Therapy
– FREE FLU SHOTS, while supplies last
– Door Prizes
– Safe Kids Injury Prevention Activities: Medication Safety, Water Safety, Fire Safety, Bike Safety, Seat Belt Safety, Car Seat Safety, Distracted Driving Prevention. More Info
Visit Williamsburg Farmers Market
Saturdays 8 am – 12 pm
The Williamsburg Farmers Market is in beautiful downtown Colonial Williamsburg’s historic area. Produce, Meat, and Baked Good vendors along with Flowers, Coffee and more. You can shop and then grab lunch at one of the many eateries in town. MORE
Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream & Counts Spooktacular
Select nights through October 31
Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream is a special event for the fall season. Celebrate Halloween and all things fun during the day and creepy at night. During the day kids will enjoy trick-or-treat stations, dance parties, costume parade, hay maze and more! The park features Haunted Houses, Terror-tories (sections of the park that you walk though…but beware…there are scary characters all about waiting to terrorize you) and Shows, party zones and world-class coasters at night. Parental discretion is advised after 6:00 PM, as events contain amplified scares that are not recommended for children.
Colonial Williamsburg Evening Programs & Lighting of Cressets!
This Fall there are several evening theater productions at Colonial Williamsburg and they are lighting the streets with the fire brimming cressets to give the street the 18th Century glow. They will also have strolling musicians for you to enjoy! Here are a run down on the programs….
1 Cry Witch – You decide! Is Grace Sherwood a witch? Question witnesses. Weigh evidence. Finally, cast your vote for the guilt or innocence of “the Virginia Witch.” Not appropriate for young children due to subject matter and intense emotion.
3. To Hang a Pirate – In late 1718, a Royal Navy expedition, dispatched from Virginia, killed Blackbeard the pirate off the coast of North Carolina. Also at that same time, 15 members of his crew were captured and brought to the Public Gaol in Williamsburg.
4. Revel at Chownings Tavern Garden on Friday Nights – An evening of 18th-century merrymaking in Chowning’s Tavern Garden, weather permitting. You never know who might drop in to converse, con, woo, share stories, ignite a little treason, or (read more)
Fantasy Physics Fest at William & Mary
Saturday, October 8 from 10 am – 3 pm
Journey into the magical world of Physics during the Fantasy Physics Fest! Meet Lords of (Accelerator) Rings, visit the coldest place in Williamsburg, witness the intellectual tournament during the Undergraduate Research Lightning talks, try scientific wizardry and witchcraft in the hand-on demonstrations, enjoy demo shows, dragon egg-drop competition, giant oobleck pool and taste the scientific magic of Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream! More details
2nd Sundays Art & Music Festival
Oct. 9 from 11 am to 5 pm
Stroll the streets of Downtown Williamsburg on Oct. 10 and take in unique handcrafts and live music in a fun and family-friendly atmosphere. Wide range of handcrafts and continuous live music & performances. There’s something to be enjoyed by all! ADMISSION IS FREE. MORE
NEW AND EXCITING! The Haunted Homestead and Weird Woods at Peace Hill – Family Fun with An Eerie Edge (if you dare)
Saturday, October 15 & Saturday, October 22 from 4:30 pm – 9 pm
Don’t worry though this is still an ages event! While their corn maze is up and running, they are busy changing up their haunted maze to do something fantastic! The Haunted Homestead and Weird Woods at Peace Hill.
Here is how it works! The event has three times that have different activities. Your ticket allows you to stay for all three times so you can decide how long to stay. The Weird Woods is on a marked trail and is suggested for kids 8 and older. Though parents know their kids best! TIP** If your party wants to stay till the end but you have some younger children that might get scared of the Weird Woods…they can stay up by the firepit and continue enjoying the goats, games and smores. See full list of events and ticket info here
Boo Bash at the Beach
Saturday, Oct. 15 from 1 – 4 pm
Enjoy a day at the beach with a Halloween twist! Enjoy Trick-or-Treating, hands-on activities, music, games, food for purchase and more! Choose a pumpkin from the patch on the beach to carve and decorate available first-come, first-served while supplies last. Costumes welcome; please, no costume masks. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more info on this event go HERE.
Parking Fee: $5/car (cash or check only), Pumpkin Decorating: $5/pumpkin
Yorktown Day Celebration
Wednesday, October 19
Join in the festivities to commemorate the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 and the Revolutionary War victory that paved the way for America and freedom.
The day begins with a wreath-laying ceremony followed by a patriotic parade down Main Street. Enjoy a performance by the Fifes and Drums of York Town and be sure to visit all of the town’s historic sites, such as…read more here
The FISH Costume Sale!
Thursday, Oct. 20 from 10 am to 5 pm (Twilight Sale Wednesday Oct. 19 from 9 – 11 pm)
This annual event is a local favorite. Clothes that were donated to FISH but were not able to be used make the best Halloween costumes and this sale will not disappoint! The proceeds benefit FISH our local food pantry & clothes closet. There is a twilight sale on Wednesday if you are a night owl (mostly for the WM college kids).
WCA Fall Family Festival
Saturday, October 29 from 4 – 7 pm
Join Williamsburg Christian Academy for an afternoon of fall family fun! They will have trunk or treat, a cake walk, bounce houses, food trucks, hay rides, games and more! Free and Open to the Public!! Stay up to date with their Facebook.
Colonial Williamsburg Ghost Tours
Hopefully you’ve walked through the beautiful streets and buildings of Colonial Williamsburg (if you haven’t add that to your list). Try walking through CW at night with a ghost teller relaying authentic ghost stories from the 1700s. And perhaps they may mention a few creepy recent encounters too. Haunted Williamsburg is the official ghost tour experience of Colonial Williamsburg MORE. If you have younger kids check out Ghost Walk Junior
Don’t forget to bring your Good Neighbors Pass if you are a local resident as you will get a 25% discount. Your Good Neighbor Pass offers discounts on food and beverage and shopping in Colonial Williamsburg stores and resort eateries. If you are a local resident or you teach or work in the area you may qualify for the Good Neighbors pass which gives you unlimited entrance to Colonial Williamsburg museums, historic trade house and discounts on tickets you purchase for friends and family. MORE on all the benefits of this pass!
Ghost Walk Junior of Colonial Williamsburg
Ghost Walk Junior is an interactive storytelling experience for those younger members of the family seeking less fright and more fun! Enjoy this 45-minute tour of traditional ghost stories with a Colonial Williamsburg flavor. MORE
Pumpkin Patches!
Visit one, two, three or more Pumpkin Patches! Pick your own pumpkin, visit with farm animals, hayrides, corn mazes and maybe even indulge in homemade pumpkin ice cream! MORE
Check out all the Halloween Events & Trick-or-Treating Activities!!
Looking for Trunk-or-Treats, Hayrides, Haunted Houses, outdoor Halloween themed movies or maybe just wondering what the county and city Trick-or-Treating hours are? There are so many Halloween events we created a page for it: Halloween Events page!
Free events and activities at Williamsburg Regional Library
We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful and supportive library in our community. Williamsburg Regional Library offers amazing programs and this month is no exception. Check out these in-person activities, Fall Festival and Teens’ Night Out... MORE
Fall Fun – It is our big list of all things fall – from festivals to hayrides to fall leaves – if it has to do with fall – it’s there!
Fall Fun – we just have too many great events in the area to fit in to one post so this page has tons of events that are linked to it – it is a BIG list of Fall Fun Events!
