Best Fall Festivals & Pumpkin Patches

There's nothing quite like fall in Central Maryland — crisp mornings, apple cider, and a weekend trip to pick the perfect pumpkin. Whether you're new to the area or just looking for a fresh spot to try this year, here are five of the best pumpkin patches and corn mazes worth the drive, from just-around-the-corner to a bigger day-trip destination.

1. Gaver Farm (Mount Airy) — Best for a Full Day Out

If you want to make a whole day of it, Gaver Farm is hard to beat. Their Fall Fun Festival runs daily from September 4 through November 1, 2026, 10 AM–6 PM, and includes a 7-acre corn maze, giant slides, a jumping pillow, a zip line, pedal karts, and a full barnyard of animals to feed and pet. Hayrides out to the pumpkin patch are free every day, and you can choose from about 45 pumpkin varieties once you're out in the field. Don't skip the farm market on your way out — the apple cider donuts have a bit of a following.

Weekend-only attractions like the zipline, pedal karts, and gem mining carry an extra fee, and a season pass ($55/person) is worth it if you think you'll visit more than once.

Where: 5501 Detrick Rd, Mount Airy, MD — about 30–40 minutes from most of Howard County
Good for: Families who want a full-day activity park feel, not just a patch
Website: https://gaverfarm.com/

2. Clark's Elioak Farm (Ellicott City) — Best for Younger Kids

This is the local favorite for a reason — it's an easy, low-key outing that's especially good for toddlers and younger elementary-age kids. This year the petting farm and pumpkin patch open for the season on September 19 and run daily through November 8, 2026, with weekend hours extending to 5:30 PM. Beyond the pumpkin patch, kids can explore the Enchanted Forest storybook attractions (a piece of Maryland nostalgia for a lot of parents), take a pony or hayride, and try their hand at the farm's pumpkin catapult — a 20-year tradition where you can launch a pumpkin across the field.

Where: 10500 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD
Good for: A shorter, easy outing with young kids; no long drive required
Website: https://clarklandfarm.com/

3. The Maryland Corn Maze at Sunrise Farm (Gambrills) — Best for the Maze Itself

If the corn maze is really the point of your trip, this is the one to make the drive for. The Maryland Corn Maze has been a Fall Festival tradition at Maryland Sunrise Farm since 2006, with a new maze design cut into the field every year, plus tractor rides, a petting zoo, swings, and food (regulars rave about the kettle corn). It's roughly a 30-minute drive from most of Howard County into Anne Arundel County, and tends to be a bit less crowded than the bigger-name farms. This year’s theme is Toy Story.

Where: 389 Gambrills Rd, Gambrills, MD
Good for: Maze enthusiasts and a slightly quieter alternative to the bigger farms
Website: https://mdcornmaze.com/

4. Butler's Orchard (Germantown) — Worth the Drive for a DC-Area Classic

Butler's Orchard is a Montgomery County institution — a family-run, pick-your-own farm that's been running its Pumpkin Festival for over 45 years. Pumpkins are sold by the pound in the patch, and the festival grounds add a hayride, a hay-bale jumping loft, giant slides, a corn pool, a twisted corn maze, and a barnyard full of animals. Weekends bring extras like a pumpkin cannon and pony rides. It's about 45 minutes to an hour from Howard County depending on where you're starting, but it's a well-loved destination if you want to turn the outing into a bigger day trip.

Where: 22222 Davis Mill Rd, Germantown, MD
Good for: Making a full day of it, and families who don't mind a longer drive for a bigger event
Website: https://www.butlersorchard.com/

5. Summers Farm (Frederick) — Best for a Big, All-Day Festival Feel

Summers Farm's Fall Harvest Festival is one of the region's longest-running, and it leans all-in on variety: a several-acre corn maze (this year's design is a tribute to Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin), two jumping pillows, giant slides, pig races, a pumpkin train, an apple cannon, and a wagon ride out to the pick-your-own pumpkin patch, where pumpkins are sold by the pound. The farm also does "Nights at the Farm" evenings if you want to see it after dark, and weekend extras like live entertainment and fireworks. It runs from mid-September through October 31, so there's a wide window to plan around. It's about 45 minutes to an hour from Howard County, similar in distance to Butler's Orchard but with a bigger, more festival-like scale.

Where: Frederick, MD
Good for: Families who want the "45+ activities" all-day festival experience and don't mind a bit of a crowd
Website: https://www.summersfarm.com/

A couple of practical notes: hours, ticket prices, and weekend-only attractions can shift during the season, so it's worth checking each farm's website or social page the morning of your visit — especially if weather is in the forecast, since outdoor attractions sometimes close for the day.

Want the full rundown of fall in Central Maryland — farms, trails, cozy breakfast spots, and things to do with the kids? Grab my complete Fall Guide here → https://tracyloveshomes.myflodesk.com/howardcounty-fallguide