A life-size copy of Stonehenge made entirely of Styrofoam sits on a farm in Virginia, and you can visit it this fall. Honestly, I would plan a whole trip around that one sentence.
November here keeps getting stranger and better. One weekend brings a free fantasy festival where wizards, fairies, and knights stroll past food trucks, while another retells a Thanksgiving story that happened before the Pilgrims ever held their famous feast.
You can sample historic tea blends, meet pirates on a waterfront, or wander under more than half a million twinkling lights. Kids get giant slides, corn mazes, and baby farm animals, while grown-ups get a craft show with over 400 vendors.
I can’t imagine a better excuse to fill a calendar before the holidays hit. So which kind of weekend are you craving: costumes, colonial history, or pumpkins with a side of Brunswick stew?
1. Virginia Thanksgiving Festival
Plymouth gets the fame, but Virginia claims the first official English Thanksgiving in the New World back in 1619. The celebration still happens on the same riverside ground, and it comes with turkey legs.
The Virginia Thanksgiving Festival honors the landing of the Good Ship Margaret, which arrived about a year before the Mayflower.
The day kicks off with a parade led by the Williamsburg Pipes and Drums. After that, you can catch the Chickahominy Tribal Dancers, the Colonial Singers of Williamsburg, the Itinerant Band, and magician Jonathon Austin.
History fans should stick around for the re-enactment of the 1619 landing, moderated by Bill Bevins. It ends with a traditional Friendship Dance led by the Chickahominy Tribal Dancers, which sounds like the best possible closing act.
Kids have plenty to keep them busy. Colonial games, crafts, a petting zoo, and hands-on demonstrations fill the grounds, and a shadow box production tells the first Thanksgiving story in a fresh, creative way.
Now, about lunch. You’ll find smoked turkey legs, Brunswick stew, Virginia ham biscuits, hot dogs, and something called Thanksgiving Dinner in a Glass, which I absolutely need explained in person.
The VA250 Mobile Museum will also be on site, plus a silent auction with artwork, crafts, and gift certificates. Bring a few canned goods along, since the festival hosts a food drive benefiting Feed More.
Address: Berkeley Plantation, 12602 Harrison Landing Rd, Charles City, VA 23030
2. The Dragon Faire: A Tabletop Role-Playing Festival
Wizards, fairies, and the occasional knight in shining cardboard are welcome in downtown Norfolk this November. The Dragon Faire: A Tabletop Role-Playing Festival brings fantasy outdoors, and it costs nothing to get in.
Now in its third year, the free festival runs November 14 and 15, 2026. It takes over The Plot, an outdoor space in Norfolk’s NEON District.
Dungeons & Dragons is the big inspiration here. You can join D&D games and other tabletop adventures, even if you’ve never rolled a twenty-sided die in your life.
Not much of a gamer? No problem, because the lineup also includes live music, comedy, dance, and fantasy performances, with cosplayers and creatures roaming around.
Curious minds can sit in on panels and workshops or try hands-on activities. It’s a smart way to learn the basics before you build a character of your own.
The vendor marketplace leans fully into the fantasy theme. Food trucks handle the hungry adventurers, which matters after a long quest through the dice tables.
Costumes are encouraged, and the event is family-friendly. Dress the kids as tiny knights, show up as a wizard yourself, or simply come as a curious human in a comfy jacket.
Honestly, I love that a city festival invites grown-ups to play pretend in public. Your inner twelve-year-old has been waiting for this weekend, so give them the day off and let them roll.
Address: The Plot, 776 Granby St, Norfolk, VA 23510
3. Autumn in the Air
Pumpkin bowling might be the most underrated sport in Virginia Beach. You can test your skills at Autumn in the Air, a free fall festival at Mount Trashmore Park.
The fourth annual event lands on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from noon to 5 p.m. Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation hosts it, so the focus stays squarely on community fun.
Folk, Americana, and rock bands fill the main stage throughout the afternoon. Spread out a blanket, tap your foot, and let the kids burn energy nearby.
Speaking of energy, the game lineup is packed. Beyond pumpkin bowling, you’ll find ring toss, tic-tac-toe, axe throwing, and a corn maze inflatable.
Toddlers get their own spot at Farmyard Interactive. It’s a nice touch, since the littlest guests don’t always love the big-kid chaos.
Food trucks and local vendors cover snack time in style. The lineup includes 757 Pop, Cast Iron Catering, Nothing Bundt Cakes, Pungo Boys, Poured Coffee Company, Rio Good Food, and Sweet Life Cupcakery.
My favorite part is TreeTopia. This area uses interactive exhibits and hands-on activities to teach visitors why trees matter to the city’s ecosystem.
Even better, proceeds from the festival benefit TreeTopia. So that cupcake you just grabbed is basically helping the local trees, and I’m choosing to believe that math.
Admission is free, which leaves more room in the budget for treats. It also makes an easy last-minute plan when your Saturday suddenly opens up.
Address: Mount Trashmore Park, 310 Edwin Dr, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
4. Yorktown Tea Festival
Tea once got the colonists in hot water, and the Yorktown Tea Festival leans right into that pun. It’s a full day of sipping, learning, and a little revolutionary gossip.
The fourth annual festival happens November 13, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It takes place at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
The main draw is sampling unique herb and tea blends. Along the way, you’ll explore the history, culture, and politics of tea on the eve of the American Revolution.
Think of it as a history class where the homework is tasting things. That’s the kind of school I would have shown up early for.
Lorna Reeves, editor-in-chief of TeaTime magazine, gives the keynote address. She shares tips for hosting a perfect tea party, so take notes before your next family gathering.
Hands-on workshops add even more flavor. One lets you make chocolates while learning about the shared history of tea and chocolate, which feels like a delicious double major.
The day wraps up with Tea with Martha Washington. Few closing acts can top sipping alongside a first lady of the young nation, even a portrayed one.
Plan to pair it with the next day’s waterfront fun nearby. The town’s Maritime Festival follows on November 14, turning Yorktown into a solid two-day getaway with history on both ends.
Address: American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, 200 Water Street, Yorktown, VA 23690
5. Yorktown Market Days – Maritime Festival
Pirates, fifes, and oyster shells walk into a riverfront market. That’s not a joke setup, it’s the Yorktown Market Days Maritime Festival.
The festival happens November 14, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Riverwalk Landing. If the weather turns rough, the market moves to the lower level of the Water Street Parking Terrace.
The whole day celebrates the town’s waterfront with nautical fun. You’ll find seafood, maritime-themed art, and plenty of unique treasures to carry home.
Live music comes from The Clan MacCool Band and The Fifes & Drums of York Town. That’s a soundtrack with serious seafaring spirit.
Arrr, the pirates deserve their own paragraph. Pirate encampments set up for the day, and kids can pose with pirate cut-outs for photos.
Blacksmith guild demonstrations add some sparks to the scene. Kids can also design a wooden boat or decorate an oyster shell, while balloon artists and face painters keep things lively.
Want to learn something too? The Virginia Institute of Marine Science booth teaches visitors about local marine life.
A Tea Dumping Ceremony takes place at the Riverwalk Landing Piers. It’s a fun nod to colonial protest, and a lot less messy for you than it was for the original tea.
Getting around is easy thanks to the free, ADA-accessible Yorktown Trolley. Hop on, save your legs, and save some room for seafood.
Address: Riverwalk Landing, 331 Water Street, Yorktown, VA 23690
6. Cox Farms Fall Festival
Foamhenge is exactly what it sounds like: a life-size Stonehenge made of Styrofoam. It lives at Cox Farms, and it might be the silliest monument in the state.
The Cox Farms Fall Festival runs September 19 through November 8, 2026. It’s open Thursdays through Mondays, with November hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The farm calls it Northern Virginia’s largest and most famous fall festival. With over 90 acres and more than 40 years of fun, that’s a hard claim to argue with.
The giant slides steal the show. Look for the Safari, Volcano, Treetops, and Castle slides, then try not to race the kids back up the hill.
Hayrides and rope swings keep the action rolling. Farm animals and their babies offer a calmer break, especially for younger visitors.
The CORNundrum cornfield adventure is a fun puzzle for brave explorers. Little ones can head to the kiddie zone or pitch in with farm chores, which feels like a parenting win.
Don’t skip the Imaginature Trail. It’s a fun stroll that pairs nicely with your Foamhenge photo shoot.
Snack breaks include local apples, plus other food and entertainment around the farm. Grab an apple for the ride home, because it beats crumbs in the car seat.
Since the season ends November 8, aim for the first weekend of the month. That timing gives you one last big farm day before holiday mode takes over completely.
Address: Cox Farms, 15621 Braddock Road, Centreville, VA 20120
7. Pumpkin Village Fall Fest
A giant pumpkin pillow bounce sounds like something a kid would invent, and yet it exists. You’ll find it at Pumpkin Village Fall Fest at Leesburg Animal Park.
The season runs September 19 through November 8, 2026. It’s closed Tuesdays, except for November 3, when the gates open for extra fun.
More than 20 acres hold family activities. Giant hill slides, moon bounces, wagon rides, and pedal carts give kids plenty of ways to wear themselves out.
Adventurous types can tackle the zip line. Straw tunnels, a spider web crawl, and a corn bin offer more hands-on fun for younger visitors.
Animals are a huge part of the appeal here. The petting zoo and exotic animal exhibits let kids get close, and animal feeding is available for purchase.
Weather not cooperating? An indoor play area gives you a backup plan, which is always smart in November.
Weekends bring live entertainment and professional face painting. Food trucks roll in too, so lunch is easy to sort out.
The sweetest weekend detail might be the fresh apple and pumpkin cookie. That cookie alone could convince a sleepy family to get out the door.
Pumpkin Village is known as one of Northern Virginia’s most popular fall festivals. Plan to arrive early so you have time to try a bit of it all.
The layout seems built with little explorers in mind. Toddlers through tweens can find something sized just right for them.
Address: Leesburg Animal Park, 19246 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg, VA 20175
8. Sinkland Farms Annual Pumpkin Festival
Thirty-five years of pumpkins is a serious commitment. Sinkland Farms celebrates its 35th Annual Pumpkin Festival in 2026.
The farm sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which makes the drive part of the fun.
This year brings America’s Harvest Celebration, a tribute to 250 years of American agriculture. It honors family traditions and rural heritage, a fitting theme for a working farm festival.
The farm has been voted Best Pumpkin Patch in the State. Hayrides carry you out to the patch, where pumpkin picking can turn into a friendly family competition.
Next up, the award-winning corn maze. Bring a sense of direction, or at least a teammate who has one.
On weekends, live music plays on two stages. Local artisans and food trucks round out the day nicely.
Demonstrations add some wow factor. Blacksmithing and chainsaw carving give older kids and adults something to watch with wide eyes.
For younger guests, there are farm animals, arts and crafts, creative face painting, and balloon art. Pumpkins and fall decor make it easy to shop for your front porch while you’re there.
Admission covers parking, one hayride, one corn maze, and kids’ activities. That’s a handy bundle, since you won’t need to keep pulling out your wallet.
Address: Sinkland Farms, 3060 Riner Rd, Christiansburg, VA 24073
9. City of Fairfax Holiday Craft Show
Over 400 vendors in one place turns holiday shopping into a sport. The City of Fairfax Holiday Craft Show brings that marathon to Fairfax High School.
The 40th annual show runs November 21 and 22, 2026. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
It started small back in 1987. Four decades later, it’s billed as a premium arts and crafts festival, which is quite a glow-up.
Vendors include arts, crafts, information booths, food, and gourmet food. That mix means you can cross off the hard-to-shop-for uncle and the snack-loving cousin in one trip.
Three stages of music and entertainment keep the energy up while you browse. Take a break, catch a set, then get back to the hunt.
Kids get their own activities, plus a chance for photos with Santa. Admission is free for children 18 and under, which is great news for bigger families.
When hunger hits, a concession stand serves hot lunch. Refueling midway helps when your shopping list is longer than your patience.
My tip is to make a loose plan before you arrive. With so many booths, a short list keeps you focused, though happy surprises are half the fun.
Timing also works in your favor. Shopping the weekend before Thanksgiving means handmade gifts can be wrapped before the holiday rush even starts.
Address: Fairfax High School, 3501 Lion Run, Fairfax, VA 22030
10. Winter Walk of Lights
More than half a million lights cover a half-mile trail in Vienna, and they switch on before Thanksgiving. The Winter Walk of Lights at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens opens Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
It runs through January 3, 2027. Through December 3, the trail is open nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The self-guided path is paved and easy to follow. It’s wheelchair and stroller accessible, so the whole crew can come along.
Expect lighted trees, nature-inspired displays, and animated lights. Interactive exhibits give kids something to do besides asking how much farther.
The walk typically takes 30 to 90 minutes. Move fast or linger, since nobody is rushing you past the good photo spots.
Hot beverages are available, and so are marshmallows for s’mores. Few things beat a toasted marshmallow surrounded by twinkling trees.
Dog lovers, take note. Special Pup Nights are sometimes offered, letting visitors bring their four-legged friends along for the stroll.
The event is a cherished Northern Virginia tradition now in its 15th year. That’s a long run for a holiday light show, and it keeps shining brighter.
November visits make a smart choice before December plans pile up. Bundle up, grab a hot drink, and let this glowing trail close out your fall festival season in style.
Address: Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Court, Vienna, VA 22182
