There’s always something fun going on in the DMV, whether it’s a food festival, a holiday parade or a celebration of culture! We’ve compiled some of the best family-friendly annual events throughout the year, so your family will always have something to look forward to.
Arts & Culture
Capital Art and Craft Festival — Fairfax, VA | capitalartandcraftfestivals.com
The largest arts and crafts festival in Northern Virginia, this event is a great place to discover local artists and buy gifts! There are usually three festivals each year, one in the spring (March), one in the fall (October) and one in the winter (December).
Gaithersburg Book Festival — Gaithersburg, MD | gaithersburgbookfestival.org
Calling all bookworms! This free festival in May sees local and nationally-renowned authors coming to Gaithersburg to take part in book signings and workshops for children and adults.
More to Explore
- Capital Art Book Fair (April – Washington, D.C.)
- Rockville Arts Festival (May – Rockville, MD)
- Tephra ICA Arts Festival (May – Reston, VA)
- Pottery on the Hill (November – Washington, D.C.)
- Art All Night (December – Washington, D.C.)
Fun & Unique
Rockville Science Day — Rockville, MD | rockvillesciencecenter.org
A Rockville tradition celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2026, Rockville Science Day is the largest science festival in the area and features plenty of fun and educational activities for families in April!
Passport DC — Washington, D.C. | eventsdc.com/passportdc
Take a trip around the world without leaving D.C.! Held annually in May, this monthlong event consists of several festivals, open houses and more from D.C.’s embassies, including the famous Flower Mart.
Heritage Days — Locations throughout Montgomery County | heritagemontgomery.org
This annual event, held on the last weekend of June, celebrates Montgomery County’s history with activities and special programs at more than 30 museums, parks and historical sites across the county.
More to Explore
- Chocolate Lovers Festival (February – Fairfax, VA)
- Lemonfest (April – Laurel, MD)
- Montgomery County GreenFest (April – Germantown, MD)
- The Giant National BBQ Battle (June – Washington, D.C.)
- Smithsonian Folklife Festival (July – Washington, D.C.)
Parades
National Cherry Blossom Festival — Washington, D.C. nationalcherryblossomfestival.org
Traveling to D.C. to see the cherry blossoms is a popular tradition for many families, and cherry blossom season is full of fun arts and culture events! The festival takes place during cherry blossom season, this year March 20 to April 12, with the parade in D.C. April 11.
WorldPride DC — Washington, D.C. | worldpridedc.org
One of the largest pride celebrations in the world, WorldPride holds events focused on the LGBTQ+ community from May through June, with its most well-known event being its pride parade.
More to Explore
- MLK Day Holiday Parade (January – Washington, D.C.)
- Saint Patrick’s Day Parade (March – Washington, D.C.)
- A Capitol Fourth (July – Washington, D.C.)
- Montgomery County Thanksgiving Parade (November – Silver Spring, MD)
State and County Fairs
Bluemont Fair — Bluemont, VA | bluemontfair.org
A local fair dating back to the 1970s, this September event promises rides and games for children, art exhibits, a vendor fair and plenty of food!
More to Explore
- Fairfax County Carnival & Fair (July – Fredericksburg, VA)
- Loudoun County Fair (July – Leesburg, VA)
- Montgomery County Agricultural Fair (August – Gaithersburg, MD)
- Prince William County Fair (August – Manassas, VA)
- DC State Fair (September – Washington, D.C.)
Seasonal
Cox Farms Fall Festival — Centreville, VA | coxfarmsva.com
Cox Farms opens for visitors during the fall every year from September to November, offering fun fall activities like hayrides, a corn maze, pumpkin picking and meeting friendly farm animals.
Harvest Festival — Derwood, MD | montgomeryparks.org/events/harvest-festival/
Held annually at Agricultural History Farm Park, this October fall festival features live entertainment, seasonal activities like hayrides and pumpkin painting and opportunities to meet and learn from the Park Police.
DMV Winter Lantern Festival — Tysons, VA | winterlanternfestival.com/tysons
Doubling as both a holiday festival and a cultural festival, the DMV Winter Lantern Festival in December and January populates Tysons with larger-than-life Chinese lanterns made by local artisans. Additional attractions include live performances and a vendor fair.
More to Explore
- Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival (April – Leesburg, VA)
- Flower Mart at the Washington National Cathedral (May – Washington, D.C.)
- Mosaic Fall Festival (September – Fairfax, VA)
- Vienna Oktoberfest (October – Vienna, VA)
- Leesburg Animal Park Christmas Village (December – Leesburg, VA)
