Fall has arrived, and brought with it a slew of fun activities to keep you busy this season!
By: Elise Gosselin
Here are some events that we’re particularly excited about:
- Graves Mountain Harvest Festival:
Saturday, October 3rd – Sunday, October 4th, 10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 10th – Sunday, October 11th, 10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 17th – Sunday, October 18th, 10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Pick a weekend in October and head over to Graves Mountain in Syria, Virginia, for their Harvest Festival. Complete with delicious food and family-friendly entertainment, the Graves Mountain Harvest Festival boasts bluegrass music, cloggers, over 70 arts and crafts vendors, hayrides, a hay mountain, a hay maze, horseback and pony rides, and apple butter being cooked in kettles over an open fire. The festival menu includes Brunswick stew, cornbread, apple butter, apple cider, hamburgers, hotdogs, pork barbecue, French fries, and apple pie…
- Massanutten Resort Fall Festival
Saturday, October 10, from 11:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m.
Head down to Massanutten, Virginia, and experience the Massanutten Resort’s Fall Festival. Some highlights include: Diverse food vendors (From upscale grilled cheese to barbeque and Thai cuisine, the Fall Festival is sure to have something to suit every palate!), a beer garden, wine tasting, chair lift rides, arts and crafts vendors, and local bands.
Need additional incentive? The proceeds will benefit the McGaheysville and Elkton Fire and Rescue Squads.
- Thrill on the Hill: Massanutten Resort
Saturday, October 31st: 8:00 p.m.- Midnight
For those over 21 looking for a fun Halloween night, Massanutten Resort is hosting its annual “Thrill on the Hill” Halloween bash. The event will feature a DJ, music, costume contests, a full-service bar, food, and prizes! Tickets are $5 at the door. Costume contests include the categories: Scariest, Most Creative, and Funniest, so come “dressed to impress”!
- Crozet Fall Arts and Crafts Festival
Saturday, October 10th, from 10:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 11th, from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Calling all arts and crafts enthusiasts! The Crozet Fall Arts and Crafts Festival features 120 artisan exhibitors, selected by jury review to participate. The festival will be at the Cladius Crozet Park in historic Crozet, Virginia. Come to see the amazing arts and crafts, and stay to enjoy great food, Virginia beers and wines, and live music.
- Chocolate Festival, 5K Race and Walk
Saturday, October 17th, from 8:15 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
A chocolate festival?! Need we say more?!
The schedule includes:
8:15 a.m.: The 5K race/walk begins!
8:30 a.m.: Breakfast is available in Lee Park.
9:00 a.m.: The chocolate festival opens! Includes games for all ages, a silent auction, and decadent chocolate treats available for purchase. The Kids 4 Kids ½ Mile Race will also begin.
2:00 p.m.: chocolate festival closes
The proceeds will benefit local, national, and international charities. To get involved, you can donate gently used books or CDs to the Used Book Table at the First United Methodist Church & Lee Park, volunteer to work an hour or more during the festival, or simply partake in all of the chocolate goodies on the day of the festival!
- Drumheller’s Orchard Apple Fest
Saturday, October 17th – Sunday, October18th, from 9:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Hosting only 2 apple festivals per year, Drumheller’s goes “all-out” with loads of fun fall activities and yummy treats.
Eat your way through apples, apple butter, apple cider, honey, side meat, country hams, pumpkins, baked goods, barbecue chicken, barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, chips, drinks, vendors selling funnel cakes, pork skins, apple dumplings, and Brunswick stew.
Then head over to the activities! From hayrides to the pumpkin patch, a corn maze, apple sling shots, country music, and even a moon bounce, this apple fest has plenty to keep the entire family entertained.
- Hartland Farm Fall Festival weekends
Every weekend beginning Saturday, September 12th and ending Saturday, October 31st, from 10:00 am- 6:00 pm on Saturday and 12:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m. on Sunday
Another family favorite, the Hartland Farm Fall Festival includes hayrides, caramel apples, kettle corn made on the spot, a corn maze, pig races, jumping pillows, a 60-foot slide mountain, pony swings, duck races, corn hole, a giant chess set, pumpkin bowling, checkers, steer head roping, an apple cannon, farm animals, and stick horse rodeo.
Don’t forget to check out the fresh home baked apple and pumpkin pies. You can also preorder pies to secure other varieties, such as the chocolate chess pie!
- Layz S Ranch Pumpkin Patch and Fall Activities
Beginning Wednesday, September 26th and ending Saturday, October31st, with Saturdays open from 10:00 am- 6:00 pm and Fridays in October open from 4:00 p.m.- 7:00 p.m.
Layz S Ranch’s Fall Activities promises fun for the whole family with a pumpkin patch, hay rides, a hay pyramid, a hay maze, a corn maze, a corn pit, a corn slide, an apple sling-shot, pumpkins, mums, and fall décor for purchase.
Layz S Ranch is located in peaceful Fluvanna County, Virginia. The Ranch is decicated to providing easily-accessible, healthy, local food to the surrounding communities through their community supported agriculture, or CSA, program. Layz S Ranch raises its cattle for 100% grass fed beef.
Chili Cook-Off! Saturday, October 10th, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sign up to compete in Layz S Ranch’s 2nd annual Chili Cook-Off! Or just stop by for the family-friendly activities, craft vendors, and chili tastings!
Haunted Corn Maze! Saturday, October 31st, from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Head over to Layz S Ranch on Halloween to experience an extra spooky corn maze! After dark the maze is reserved for those 12 and up.
- Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, and Farm Market at Liberty Mills Farm
Saturday, September 12th – Saturday, November 7th
Marketed as “The Largest Maze in Virginia”, the Liberty Mills Farm corn maze in Somerset, Virginia, offers four levels of maze difficulty: Take the family through the first level course, a half hour maze. Or, try your luck at the second level 45-minute to an hour course. Feeling bold? Venture on to the third course level estimated to take from two to three hours to complete! And the fourth course level? The fourth level is the labyrinth at the top of the maze. This level has no maps to guide you… you are on your own! One maze ticket allows you to complete one or all four trails. The maze times are approximate, and thus depend upon your strategy, sense of adventure, and the size of your group! Want even more adventure? Wait until evening for flashlight maze admission!
In addition to the maze, Liberty Mills offers a hay wagon ride, activity area, and pumpkin picking.
- A-Maize-ing 5K Race
Saturday, October 3rd: Registration begins at 7:00 a.m., and the race begins at 8:00 a.m.
Looking for a way to partake in the fall festivities, help out a good cause, and break in those new running shoes? Rain or shine, come ready to race for Liberty Mills Farm’s A-Maize-ing 5K! The race proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association. This unique race will wind runners through the Liberty Mills corn maze! Register online or in-person the day of the race.
Liberty Mills Farm will also host a Kids Pumpkin Patch Dash Fun Run and Walk for children 14 and under.
Be sure to check back on the Nest Realty Charlottesville blog for more fun fall ideas!
Elise Gosselin is the Marketing Intern at Nest Realty. In her fourth year of studying English literature at the undergraduate level, Elise hopes to apply her talents in writing, communications, problem solving, planning, and creative arts and design while interning with Nest Realty.