Top pickVillage at Leesburg · Leesburg · 1602 Village Market Boulevard SE, Leesburg, VA 20175
Saturday 24 October · 1pm–5pm
FreeAll ages
Professional pumpkin carvers, trick-or-treating through the shops, cookie decorating, face painting and a costume contest on the Main Stage, all free. The widest net of the weekend.
- Parking
Free, and every garage and surface lot is open except the main plaza, which is where the party is. Go straight into a garage.
- Arrive
At 1 for the pumpkin carving. By 3:15 if anyone's entering the costume contest, which runs 3:30 to 4:30. There's no sign-up, but you need a number first.
- What it costs
Free. The only spend is whatever the plaza's restaurants talk you into.
- Crowds
Village at Leesburg doesn't publish numbers. The contest draws the biggest crowd, so do the carving and cookies first.
What to know before you go
No advance sign-up for the contest: check in at the Village at Leesburg tent and collect a number for your division (kids 14 and under, families and groups, or pets, so the dog can come). It runs rain or shine. The Sheriff's Office runs Child Safety Day on the plaza at the same time. The pumpkin carvers are professionals. Don't show them your kitchen-table jack-o'-lantern.
Lovettsville Community Park · Lovettsville · 39550 Lovettsville Park Drive, Lovettsville, VA 20180
Saturday 24 October · 5:30pm–8:30pm
FreeAll agesOutdoor
Lovettsville gives you a whole free Halloween evening: trunk-or-treat at the community center at 5, then a spooky trail through the community park as the sun goes down.
- Parking
The county doesn't publish parking for either stop, and it's building a recycling center in the park this fall, so follow the event signs and allow a few extra minutes.
- Arrive
Trunks at 5, while the candy's plentiful. Then over to the park for the trail, which runs 5:30 to 8:30 and is best once it's dark.
- What it costs
Free, both of them, and families don't register.
- Crowds
Not published. It's small-town Lovettsville and the trail runs three hours, so there's room to spread out.
What to know before you go
The trunk-or-treat runs rain or shine. Got a dog? The park's free Howl-o-ween party runs 12 to 1 the same day. Activities 102700-01 and 176705-03.
Hal & Berni Hanson Regional Park · Aldie · 22831 Hanson Park Dr, Aldie, VA 20105
Saturday 24 October · 11am–12:30pm
$15Ages 8+Outdoor
Kids ride skateboards down Hanson Park's forest trails like a bobsled team, gear and instruction included. The one in this issue your 12-year-old won't roll their eyes at. They'll roll something else.
- Parking
Hanson is a big park and the county doesn't say where the class meets, so allow ten minutes to find the Nature Center and ask there.
- Arrive
Ten minutes early for gear. It starts at 11 sharp.
- What it costs
$15, gear and instruction included.
- Crowds
It's a registered class, so the cap is the crowd. Register before Saturday.
What to know before you go
Ages 8 and up, no experience needed. Activity 174738-04 in PRCS Connect. Make a day of it: the free Hanson Halloween Hunt runs in the same park until 7.
One Loudoun · Ashburn · 20365 Exchange St, Ashburn, VA 20147
Saturday 24 October · 12pm–3pm
FreeAll ages
A costume contest, adoptable dogs from local rescues, dog caricatures, a photo booth and a trick-or-treat trail. Bring the dog, or come for everyone else's.
- Parking
One Loudoun's garages are off Exchange Street. It doesn't publish event-day parking, so earlier is easier.
- Arrive
At noon. Bartaco has bandanas for the first 50 dogs.
- What it costs
Free. A few One Loudoun shops have freebies too, listed on the event page.
- Crowds
One Loudoun doesn't publish numbers. Come early for the bandanas, stay as long as the dog's patience holds.
What to know before you go
Outdoors at 20626 Easthampton Plaza. One Loudoun hasn't posted contest or trail times yet. There are kids' activities too, so it isn't only for dog people.
Trunk-or-Treat · Lovettsville Community Center · Lovettsville · Saturday 24 October · 5pm–7pm · Free · All ages
Rain or shine. Families just show up; only the trunk hosts register.
See full eventHowl-o-ween at Lovettsville Community Park · Lovettsville Community Park · Lovettsville · Saturday 24 October · 12pm–1pm · Free · All ages
Costumes suggested, for the dog.
See full eventSkateboarding 102 · Hal & Berni Hanson Regional Park · Aldie · Saturday 24 October · 2pm–3pm · $15 · Ages 8+
Tricks and faster footwork for kids who already have the basics. Gear provided.
See full eventGreat Pumpkin Fun Run · Hal & Berni Hanson Regional Park · Aldie · Saturday 24 October · 4pm–5pm · $25 adult, $15 youth · register · All ages
A multi-terrain 3K, costumes strongly encouraged.
See full eventPumpkin Swim · Dulles South Recreation & Community Center · South Riding · Saturday 24 October · 9am–10:45am · $9 · Ages 3+
Pick a pumpkin from the floating patch. Choose the 9 or 10 o'clock session.
See full eventHanson Halloween Hunt · Hal & Berni Hanson Regional Park · Aldie · Through 4 Nov · Mon–Sat, 7am–7pm · Free · All ages
Still on through 4 November. Grab the sheet at the Nature Center.
See full event 
