Calendar of Events - Family Friendly Events

All events were scheduled at the time of posting. Please confirm with event hosts before making plans.

Sarah's Family Friendly Event Picks

October

15

Movies on Main. Make it a night the whole family will love! Enjoy a free, family friendly film under the open sky - this month the movie is Hocus Pocus! Perfect for a relaxing night out. Bring your crew and lawn chairs, grab a spot and enjoy the show. FREE admission. 6:30PM (sunset). Hunt Valley Towne Center, 118 Shawan Rd., Cockeysville. https://www.shophuntvalley.com/events/movies-on-main/

Urban Astronomy. Take a tour of the stars above Baltimore! City lights might make stargazing seem impossible, but with the right tools and expert guidance, you may be surprised to find out what is visible in the nighttime sky above our urban center. Using the Maryland Science Center’s rooftop observatory and a few smaller telescopes, you will have the chance to view planets, bright stars, and other celestial highlights that shine through urban light pollution. This is a facilitated experience intended for adults and children ages 8+. Expert guides will point out visible constellations, share tips for stargazing in the city, and explain what makes the autumn sky unique. $25. 7:30PM-8:30PM. The Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St., Baltimore. https://www.mdsci.org/events/urban-astronomy/

17-18

63rd Annual Havre de Grace Art Show. Enjoy the region’s oldest outdoor art show! Featuring juried artists and craftsmen, live entertainment, food, and children’s art activities. Held in Tydings and Concord Point Parks with a connecting promenade overlooking the Susquehanna River and the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. No admission fee, free parking, free trolley. Presented by ArtUnion and sponsored by Concord Point Lighthouse to benefit Friends of Concord Point Lighthouse and local cultural arts activities. FREE admission. 10AM-5PM. Tydings Park, 908 S Washington St., Havre de Grace. https://hdgartshow.org/

Danny Joe's Haunted Tree House Live. Halloween is coming and Teddy Bear has a lot of big questions about what is real and what is pretend on Halloween night. Thankfully, his favorite preschool teacher, Danny Joe, knows just how to explain the sometimes scary and sometimes silly traditions of Halloween through the language of play. Join for a not-too-spooky, super-silly Halloween on-stage episode of Danny Joe’s Tree House, live from Creative Alliance! They’re taking a Rocky Horror Picture Show meets Svengoolie-inspired approach to make this an extra-interactive Halloween spectacular with singing, dancing, games, silliness, and plenty of opportunities to join in the fun. One lucky little monster will get the chance to spin Tubeystein’s Wheel of Spooky Tricks & Treats! Kids + grownups: Come in Costume! Dress like a monster, witch, ghost, superhero, princess, dinosaur, or whatever your wonderfully weird imagination dreams up. So grab your costume, bring your favorite grownup, and get ready for some tricks, treats, tunes, and totally kid-friendly Halloween fun. No tricks, just treats at Danny Joe’s Tree House! $17 Adults; $12 Children; Discount for Members. 11:30AM-1PM. Creative Alliance at the Patterson, 3134 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/danny-joes-haunted-tree-house-live/

Clay & Sound: A Family Rattle Making Workshop. Explore the magic of sound and clay in this hands-on, intergenerational rattle-making workshop for children ages 7+ and their parents or caregivers. Together, participants will discover ancient musical instruments of the Americas and explore how rattles have long been used for storytelling, celebration, and connection across cultures and time. Working side by side, caregivers and children will learn easy, step-by-step hand-building techniques and experiment with sound, texture, and form to create their own unique instruments. This welcoming, collaborative workshop invites families to slow down, make together, and create handmade rattles that carry ancient history and a shared creative memory. No prior experience with clay, instruments or music is needed. All materials, tools and instrument firing included. $18; $15 Members. 12PM-2PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/clay-sound-family-rattle-workshop-spanish/

Hispanic Heritage Festival. A celebration of Hispanic heritage, community and culture! Celebrate the diverse and vibrant cultures of Latino and Hispanic heritage at this family-friendly event showcasing live music performances, vendors, delicious food trucks, and fun activities for all ages. Concessions, including alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase on-site. Lawn chairs are available for rent ($5), or you may bring your own. FREE admission. 12PM-4:30PM. The Chrysalis, Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods, 10431 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/howard-county-hispanic-heritage-festival-festival-de-la-herencia-hispana-tickets-1998916571274

Lantern Making. Come create your favorite Patterson Park animal lantern with Creative Alliance! Maybe a duck, squirrel, or Oriole bird? Create a glowing lantern in these special workshops at Creative Alliance, then bring them to march in Baltimore’s only Great Lantern Parade in Patterson Park! All ages welcome, all supplies provided. FREE; $5-$10 suggested donation. 12PM-3PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/lantern-making/2026-10-18/

Lantern Making. Come create your favorite Patterson Park animal lantern with Creative Alliance! Maybe a duck, squirrel, or Oriole bird? Create a glowing lantern in these special workshops at Creative Alliance, then bring them to march in Baltimore’s only Great Lantern Parade in Patterson Park! All ages welcome, all supplies provided. FREE; $5-$10 suggested donation. 4PM-7PM. Creative Alliance Creativity Center, 3137 Eastern Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/lantern-making/2026-10-21/

23-25

ZooBOO! Celebrate the fall season with the Maryland Zoo's annual ZooBOO! festival! This year’s festivities will span several weekends throughout the month of October and will include exciting seasonal activities. Enjoy an inflatable corn maze, pumpkin patch, seasonal crafts, sack races, costume contests, food trucks and vendors, face painting, trick-or-treating throughout the Zoo, visits from Zoo mascots, and more! Halloween costumes are encouraged all month long! ZooBOO! is included with Zoo admission. FREE. 10AM-4PM each day. The Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Pl., Baltimore. https://www.marylandzoo.org/special_events/zoobooo/

24-25

Maryland Renaissance Festival. The Maryland Renaissance Festival, a tradition for the entire family, begins its 50th season August 29th and runs Saturdays and Sundays and Labor Day Monday through October 25th for nine weekends of thrills, feasting, handmade crafts, entertainment and merriment in Crownsville, near Annapolis. The 27 acre Village of Revel Grove comes to life each autumn with more than 200 professional performers on ten stages, a 3,000 seat arena with armored jousting on magnificent steeds and streets filled with village characters. Join His Most Royal Highness King Henry VIII in the forests and glades with over 140 artisans exhibiting crafts in their own renaissance shops, five taverns featuring cool libations, 42 food and beverage emporiums providing a vast array of succulent and sweet treats to sate even the most hearty of appetites. $31 Adults; $27 Senior; $17 Children (ages 7-15); FREE for children 6 & under (ticket still required). 10AM-7PM each day. Maryland Renaissance Festival, 1821 Crownsville Rd., Annapolis. https://rennfest.com/

Fright Reads Book Festival. Terrify yourself at Fright Reads Book Festival! Veteran-owned and operated, this festival of horror, science fiction, fantasy, dystopia, and thrillers will have you screaming with delight! Featuring authors, actors, artists, and creators of all kinds, this event is family-friendly and full of spine-tingling fun! $25 General Admission Saturday; $20 General Admission Sunday; $40 General Admission Weekend Pass; $65 VIP Saturday; $60 VIP Sunday; $110 VIP Weekend Pass; FREE for children 12 & under. 12PM-6PM both days. Howard County Fairgrounds, 2210 Fairgrounds Rd., West Friendship. https://www.frightreads.com/

BARCStoberfest. Support BARCS during their annual festival and fundraiser. Help save the lives of more than 12,000 homeless pets and have lots of pet-friendly fun with the Howl-o-Ween pet costume contest, Barkin’ Beer Garden vendors, the “Ready, Set, SNIFF!” 5K run, and more. FREE admission; $54 5K Run registration; $50 minimum donation to participate in the Pet Parade. 8AM-2PM. Patterson Park, E Baltimore St. at S Patterson Park Ave., Baltimore. https://www.barcstoberfest.org/

Fall, Fun, and Frights. Experience family-friendly autumn charm at Baltimore County’s working farm with hayrides, cuddly critters, and — for those who dare — the haunted barn. FREE. 10AM-4PM. Ag Center and Farm Park, 1114 Shawan Rd., Cockeysville. https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/recreation-and-parks/events/fall-fun-and-frights-ag-center-and-farm-park-0

The Great Baltimore Lantern Parade & The Dia de los Muertos Festival. With over 20 years of monumental lantern making and spectacle-creating under their belts, the diverse communities of Baltimore come together each year to create The Great Baltimore Lantern Parade and Festival in Patterson Park! Festival begins at 4PM, Parade is at 7PM. FREE. 4PM. Patterson Park, Pulaski Monument, Eastern Ave. at S Linwood Ave., Baltimore. https://creativealliance.org/event/the-great-baltimore-lantern-parade-the-dia-de-los-muertos-festival/

ArBOOretum. Celebrate the Halloween season with your family at Cylburn “ArBOOretum”, a family-friendly event that celebrates the spirit of season in the heart of a beautiful public garden. This event brings together the community for guided moonlit nature walks, spooky trails, and memorable moments in front of the Cylburn mansion decorated in Halloween splendor. This is a candy-free Halloween event to prevent wrappers from littering the grounds. Every visitor will receive a glowstick! $5 in advance; $10 at the door. 5PM-7:30PM. Cylburn Arboretum, 4915 Greenspring Ave., Baltimore. https://cylburn.org/programs-events/arbooretum/

30-31

Trail or Treat. Gather treats as you venture deeper into the Marshy woods. Encounter frights along the way. Costumes are welcome! $3 per person. 11AM-1PM. Marshy Point Nature Center, 7130 Marshy Point Rd., Middle River. https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/recreation-and-parks/events/trail-or-treat-marshy-point-nature-center

Tricks and Treats on the Ridge. Dress up in your best costume and stroll through the woods and meadow to learn about the tricks plants and animals have up their “leaves”. Participants will get a treat at each stop so bring your treat bag. Hike is approximately one-half mile. Advance registration is required. Groups will leave from the Nature Center in 15-minute intervals. $3. 5PM-9PM. Oregon Ridge Nature Center, 13401 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville. https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/recreation-and-parks/events/tricks-and-treats-ridge-oregon-ridge-nature-center

Breakfast with the Elephants: Halloween. Join the Zoo for this special Halloween edition of their famous breakfast series! Guests will enjoy a breakfast buffet alongside the elephant exhibit while the elephants receive some fun Halloween enrichment treats. During breakfast, guests will be treated to a special keeper chat. Don’t forget to bring your camera to this unique dining event! $75; $70 Members; FREE for children under 2 (ticket still required). 9AM-10:30AM. The Maryland Zoo, 1 Safari Pl., Baltimore. https://www.marylandzoo.org/event_series/breakfast-with-the-animals/breakfast-elephants-pumpkin-smash/

Sarah's Family Friendly Event Picks

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October