Plan ahead for a great fall weekend in October. There are tons of family friendly activities and events to enjoy in the Lynchburg area this weekend, including Halloween themed events and fall festivals. You'll find indoor and outdoor fun guides and much more on our website.
Here are our top 15+ choices for family fun in the Lynchburg area this weekend. It's a long weekend for some area students, so check out our October Fall Festivals and Fun Guide, our Halloween and Trunk or Treat Guide, and our full event calendar for all of the best local events.
1. Visit an area pumpkin patch in Central Virginia. Dark Leaf Farms in Concord will operate on special hours the weekend of Oct. 11-13. They will be open on Friday, Oct. 11 from 1 PM - 6 PM, CLOSED Sat, Oct. 12 for the Appomattox Railroad Festival, open Sunday, Oct.13 from 1 PM - 5 PM, and open Monday, Oct. 14 from 10 AM - 5 PM (since kids are out of school); Smith's Pumpkin Patch in Lynchburg is open daily; Yoders' Farm Fall Festival in Rustburg is open Tuesday through Saturday; Layman Family Farms Fall Festival in Blue Ridge is open Saturdays and Sundays; Jeter Farm Fall Festival in Roanoke is open Saturdays and Sundays, and White Fall Farm in Gretna is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and for this week only, White Fall Farm will also be open on Monday, Oct. 14 from 9 AM - 7 PM.
2. Altavista Scarecrow Stroll takes place in Altavista all month from Oct. 1 - Oct. 31. Each year Altavista On Track hosts the Altavista Scarecrow Stroll. Businesses, churches, organizations, and residents are invited to make their own scarecrows and post them up in front of their businesses or in the downtown area for visitors and residents to visit and vote on their favorite scarecrow!
3. Family Craft Fridays take place at Lynchburg Public Library on Friday from 10 AM - 4 PM. Kids of all ages and their families are invited to drop in and make a fun craft together! Crafts are most appropriate for ages 3-7, and are available while supplies last. Make a miniature book from recycled materials to use as a sketch book or journal.
4. Spooktacular Art Show and Costume Contest takes place at Madison House of the Arts in downtown Lynchburg on Friday from 6 PM - 10 PM. Enjoy Halloween themed snacks, music, spooky artwork by local artists, an all ages costume contest, a photo booth, edible art, and face painting!
5. Candlelight Tours take place at Old City Cemetery in Lynchburg on Oct. 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26. Professional actors in period costume bring Cemetery residents to life with true stories from local history with multiple tours between 6:10 PM and 8:10 PM. If you haven't ordered tickets yet, there's still hope! Fairweather Candlelight Tour Tickets -- If the weather forecast is good, 70 Candlelight Tickets went on sale Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 9 AM for this weekend's tours on Friday and Saturday nights. Check ticket availability at Eventbrite.com
6. Scaremare opens for the season on Carroll Avenue in Lynchburg this week! Scaremare celebrates more than four decades of entertaining and scaring Lynchburg families. Open Thursday-Saturday nights for three weeks, this is a fun activity for teens but may be too scary for younger kids. This year's dates are Oct 10-12, 17-19, 24-26 from 7:30 PM - 11:00 PM. Thursdays are College and Military Night with discounted ticket prices. Group discounts and Line Slasher tickets may be purchased in advance at the website. Cash admission only at the gate. This event is recommended for ages 13 and older.
7. Run or walk this weekend for a good cause! Care Squared 5k Run/ Walk, One-Mile Walk, and Care Anywhere takes place at University of Lynchburg on Saturday at 8:30 AM. This event benefits the Adult Care Center of Central Virginia, providing supervised daycare services to health-impaired adults. Walk to End Alzheimer's takes place in the Wyndhurst community in Lynchburg on Saturday at 9 AM with registration starting at 8 AM. Desmond T Doss Memorial Run takes place at Riverfront Park in downtown Lynchburg on Sunday at 2 PM. Healthy Kids Running Series takes place at Peaks View Park on Sunday at 3:30 PM.
8. Historic Appomattox Railroad Festival is one of the most popular fall festivals in Central Virginia. This two-day event takes place in downtown Appomattox on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's events begin at 9 AM and include the parade at 9:30, followed by exhibits, live music, contests, and much more. Come back on Saturday night for a street dance at 8 PM (tickets required) with live music and fireworks after dark. Sunday's events begin at noon. Festival ends at 5 PM both days. There's something for everyone including train exhibits, parades, contests, arts & crafts, food vendors and rides for the kids.
9. The 2019 Annual Spooktacular: A Free Kids Carnival takes place on Saturday at LU Softball Stadium in Lynchburg from 10 AM - 12 PM. This free family-friendly festival features carnival games, crafts, and activities run by Liberty University NCAA Division-I Student Athletes. Costumes are encouraged!
10. Buena Vista Mountain Day takes place on Magnolia Street in downtown Buena Vista on Saturday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Enjoy craft demonstrations, live music and dance, local history, fine art, local foods, community organizations, children’s activities, food vendors, and more!
11. Fall Farm Animal Day takes place at Saunders Brothers in Piney River on Saturday. Meet a variety of farm animals up close and personal. There will be cows, sheep, goats, hogs, and other barnyard animals. Event is from 10 AM - 3 PM with live music starting at 11 AM.
12. There's an Open House at Brightwell's Mill in Madison Heights on Saturday from 10 AM - 2 PM. If you'd like to see the old water wheel turning, see inside the mill before it’s decorated for Christmas, see the progress on the restoration of the old Chicken House, drop in and visit. Brightwell’s Mill T-shirts, long and short sleeve and hoodies will be available for you to purchase. All proceeds will go towards restoration projects at the mill.
13. BrooknealFest kicks off its first event in downtown Brookneal on Saturday from 11 AM - 5 PM. Come out and explore the shops of Main Street as well as 40+ vendors of all types. Music will be provided throughout the day. There will be a variety of foods available as well as beer and wine. In addition, there will be an exclusive KidsZone provided by Crossing Pointe.
14. Kids Demo Day and Trunk or Treat takes place at Harley Davidson of Lynchburg on Saturday from 12 PM - 3 PM. The electric balance bikes have arrived! Bring your kids ages 3-7 to Harley-Davidson of Lynchburg to try them out starting at noon. There will be free Chick-Fil-A from noon until it's gone. Truck or treat for the kids is from 1 PM - 3 PM, and there are things going on for the adults, including a decorated bike contest. Decorate your motorcycle for Halloween and you could win a prize from Harley-Davidson of Lynchburg.
15. Family Workshop takes place at Maier Museum on Sunday at 2 PM. The theme is: Beetles, Butterflies and Books. Register in advance, Take a kid-friendly tour, and create art inspired by the exhibition, Children’s Book Illustrations: Visual Storytelling. Workshops are designed for ages 5 – 10 with an adult.
We just couldn't narrow the list down to only 15 things to do this weekend, so here are a few bonus events. Take the kids, enjoy a "date day" with your partner, or get together with a group of friends for these weekend events:
Apple Fest takes place at Bedford Farmers Market on Friday from 8 AM - 1 PM; Central Virginia Home and Garden Showcase will be held at River Ridge Mall in Lynchburg on Friday from 12 PM - 6:30 PM and Saturday from 10 AM - 6:30 PM; Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival takes place at Rebec Vineyards in Amherst on Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM - 5 PM; Art on the Fence in Diamond Hill Historic District in downtown Lynchburg takes place on Saturday from 10 AM - 4 PM; Annual Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service takes place at Miller Park on Sunday at 2 PM; and The Bank Of The James 45th Lynchburg Classic Marching Band Competition will be held at Lynchburg City Stadium on Saturday starting at 2 PM. Enjoy music and marching from many area bands, including exhibition performances by E.C. Glass and Heritage marching bands.
Check our website for additional details about all of these events!
Fall weekends are also a great time find your own fun at one of the parks in our Lynchburg Area Parks Guide or Go Hiking Off the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy the fall scenery.
Follow us on Facebook for lots of shared local events, subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter to be first to know what's happening around town, and check the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid website anytime to Find Your Family Fun® in Lynchburg and Central Virginia this weekend!
