From 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., spend the day with family and friends at North Bethesda’s premier fall festival – PIKEtoberfest. Get into the fall groove Oktoberfest-style with live music and entertainment throughout the day. Enjoy a bountiful harvest of craft beer, eats and treats from the neighborhood’s retail and restaurant partners. Discover artisanal hand-crafted goods at the pop-up Makers Market, play against your friends in exciting games, and get creative with kid's activities. The event is free to attend and dogs are welcome!

Reston Farm Garden Market will host Fall Fest for the farm’s 50th autumn on Baron Cameron Avenue — its annual festival built from the ground up for families with children ages 2 to 12. The festival opens Saturday, September 26, and runs every Saturday and Sunday through Saturday, October 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — five and a half weekends of fun — with a bonus day on Monday, October 12, for Columbus Day. Early Bird child tickets are $16.99 through Sunday, September 13. After that, buy Monday through Friday ahead of your visit and save $1 per child ticket, or pay full price the day of your visit, online or at the gate. To purchase a ticket, click here.

DC Motorsport Community (DCMC) will bring the energy of Spanish race day to Washington, DC with 2026 Lights Out Madrid!, a rooftop celebration of the newest race on Formula 1’s calendar, the Madrid Grand Prix at Realm Rooftop. Beginning at 8:00 a.m., the experience will transform Realm into a high-energy motorsport destination as fans gather to watch the race live at 9:00 a.m. You will be able to enjoy an immersive race experience with large-format race viewing, automotive displays, interactive partner activations, and food and beverages with a VIP Experience option made possible by Merolin Caviar, King Street Oysters and The Macallan. Additional sponsors and activations include Brugal Rum, Heineken, Aria Cocktails, Conniption Gin, Grey Goose Vodka, Patrón Tequila, Segura Viuras Cava, and FORWARD Real Estate. Every overtake, pit stop and battle for position becomes a shared experience as DCMC recreates the excitement and social energy of being trackside in the heart of DC. When the checkered flag drops, the celebration continues. At 11:30 a.m., race morning transitions into the Porrón DJ After-Party with music, flowing porróns and an afternoon celebration inspired by the energy of Madrid. TICKETS!

Samuel Beckett’s Irish Pub at the Village at Shirlington will host its annual Celtic Festival from 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. Come out for traditional Irish music and dance, food and drinks, festivities, and a pop-up makers market. Campbell Avenue will be closed for the celebration, so you can Sip & Stroll your way through the Celtic Festival and around the neighborhood. For more information, click here.

Join Tapori for a special evening of food, community, and solidarity in support of Nepal. In response to the devastating floods affecting communities across Nepal, chefs from Washington, DC and beyond are coming together for a one-night-only collaborative dinner.Chef Erik Bruner-Yang Maketto/ProvidenciaChef Mari Kolchraiber Revelers HourChef Pepe Moncayo Bully/The Talbard InnChef Vishwesh Bhatt Chai PaniChef Kevin Tien Moon RabbitChef Baburam Sharma TaporiChef Suresh Sundas Daru/TaporiTogether, the chefs will prepare a special multi-course menu inspired by their individual kitchens, experiences, and love of food. 100% of dinner proceeds will be donated to the Government of Nepal’s Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, supporting relief and recovery efforts for communities affected by the floods. Book here!

The Prevent Cancer Foundation will host its 32nd Annual Gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme, La Isla del Encanto, will celebrate Puerto Rico and highlight progress in cancer prevention and early detection. CNN’s Sara Sidner will serve as master of ceremonies, while House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Richard Neal will receive Cancer Champion awards. The annual fundraiser brings together nearly 1,000 guests and raises more than $2 million to support cancer research, education, advocacy and community programs. This year, donations made during the Gala will specifically support research for cancers without recommended screening or early detection methods. Click HERE to learn more.

The Wharf will host its third annual ALL IN: Women in Sports, a free, family-friendly celebration on Transit Pier from 2:00–6:00 p.m. The event brings fans together to celebrate women in sports with an afternoon of interactive activities, entertainment, and a live viewing of the US Open Women’s Final on The Wharf’s jumbo screen. You can enjoy Red Ball Tennis with the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation, test their skills in a Fastest Serve Challenge with Howard University’s Women’s Tennis Team, and participate in soccer activities with DC Power FC. Attendees can also discover their NWSL team match through an AI-powered vending machine and receive a free soccer scarf, learn about women’s pickup games and fall leagues with Volo DC, and enjoy music from DJ Heat, the official DJ of the Washington Mystics. The celebration concludes with fans gathering on Transit Pier to watch the US Open Women’s Final live on the big screen. Learn more HERE.

Join Zinnia from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. for their 5th annual Oktoberfest! Enjoy local festbiers, German fare, lawn games, and more. Your ticket includes a take-home beer stein! Tickets cost $45 per person. To purchase a ticket, click here.

This October, the DMV is going to the dogs - and cats – and everyone is invited! From 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at Oronoco Bay Park, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, founded in 1946, will celebrate its 80th birthday and throwing a free public festival Paws in the Park, where vendors, live music, food trucks, behavior demonstrations, 20 rescue groups and a "happy birthday" moment complete with dog cupcakes. Paws in the Park is a FREE, fun-filled day for the whole family (including pets), featuring entertainment and live music, activities, food and drink, vendors, shopping, and adorable adoptable animals!

Lower Georgia Avenue is keeping the spice tradition alive with the 6th Annual Chili Cook-Off. Local businesses will be competing for the coveted People’s Choice Award & other prizes. Join your friends and neighbors for family-friendly fun to sample your fill and pick your favorite. For more information, click here.