Not gonna lie. The first weekend of October is so packed it’s like a month’s worth of events on its own. Almost makes me wish all the stuff was on different weekends. But I don’t make the rules so I guess I’ll be wearing a Harry Potter cloak to see Dave Matthews.
Here’s everything we’re looking forward to in October.
🎬 Movie Nights in the Park – October 2 and 9
The last two free movie nights of the year at Color Burst Park. RSVP ahead to save a spot. It’s The Wizard of Oz on the 2nd (and also Teen/Tween Night) and Toy Story 5 on the 9th. Both showtimes are at 7:15 PM with lawn games and music before to prevent boredom. Yard games beat tablets all day.
⚡ Wizarding Weekend on Magical Main – October 3 and 4
Ellicott City’s ode to the greatest novel series of all time (fight me). There’s a costume contest, themed quests, butterbeer (obviously said in Snape’s voice), wizarding treats, and magical photo ops everywhere. Ok, I’m done being a nerd now.
🎸 Power to the People Festival – Saturday, October 3
Tom Morello's first-year festival puts Bruce Springsteen, the Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Joan Baez, Public Enemy, Jack Black, and the Dropkick Murphys at Merriweather in one day. No wonder it sold out in 15 minutes. Resale tickets are still available (and prices aren’t stupid!).
🎻 The Columbia Orchestra Opens Its 50th Season – Saturday, October 3
Fifty seasons in, and they're leading with the four most famous notes in music. Beethoven's Fifth at the Jim Rouse Theatre, 7:30 PM.
🐴 Draft Horses & Draft Beers – Saturday, October 3
Belgian draft horses from Gentle Giants Rescue come to Manor Hill Farm for petting and photos, along with brick-oven pizza, lemonade, and farm-brewed beer. Part of the proceeds goes back to the rescue.
🎤 Merriweather's Other October Shows – October 4 and 10
Logic and G-Eazy bring The Endless Summer Part II with Juicy J on Sunday the 4th, doors at 5:30 and show at 7 PM. Then beabadoobee closes out the pavilion's season on Saturday the 10th supported by Wisp, doors at 6:30 and show at 8 PM.
Tickets for two 2027 shows (Lizzy McAlpine and Riley Green) go on sale Friday, October 2!
🌈 Howard County PRIDE Festival – Sunday, October 11
Pride is back at Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods from noon, free and family-friendly, with dancers, musicians, artists, and aerialists on the bill plus vendors, food, and games. This year's theme is "Exist, Persist, Love!" Tickets are free, but register ahead.
🎃 The Haunted Experience – October 16, 17, 23, and 24
Rec & Parks turns Rockburn Branch Park West into a haunted walk for ages 7 and up. Fridays run 7 to 10 PM, Saturdays 6:30 to 10. Park in the lot across from Rockburn Elementary and walk toward the lights at Clover Hill Mansion, where there's pizza and hot drinks. Bring cash – no card payments here. Little kids get the Happy Haunted Hayride, billed as fun and not fright, on the 18th and 25th from 2 to 4 PM.
🎒 Fall For All at Howard Community College – Friday, October 16
HCPSS is closed and HCC's quad fills up from 11 AM to 2 PM with a pumpkin patch, an inflatable corn maze, moon bounces, face painting, and candy. Free, no RSVP required.
💃 Hispanic Heritage Festival – Saturday, October 17
Music, dance, performances, food, artisans, and exhibitors at the Chrysalis in Merriweather Park, hosted by the county's Office of Human Rights & Equity and La Alianza Latina. It starts at noon.
🎨 Color Columbia Plein Air Paint Out – Saturday, October 17
About 50 artists set up around Lake Kittamaqundi and Wilde Lake and paint the fall landscape while you watch. Walk the loop and you'll see the same tree four different ways. Plein Air is a fancy art word for outside.
📄 The BIG Shred – Saturday, October 17
The county's fall shredding event runs 9 AM to 1 PM, or until the trucks fill up, at four sites: North Laurel Community Center, the Gary J. Arthur Community Center, Elkridge Landing Middle School, and the Long Gate Park & Ride. Three bags or boxes per resident, and only documents with personal information on them. Junk mail and magazines go in your curbside bin.
🎺 Columbia Orchestra Fall Pops – Sunday, October 18
A free outdoor pops concert at the Chrysalis at 4 PM, with food trucks on site. It moved off October 17, so check the date twice if you saw the old one.
🍻 Wanderland Craft Beverage Festival – Saturday, October 24
Edwin Remsberg
The Brewers Association of Maryland takes over Symphony Woods and walks you through beer, wine, spirits, and cider from all five of Maryland's regions, with food and fall stuff along the way. It runs noon to 5 PM.
🎭 Celebration of the Arts in Howard County – Saturday, October 24
The Arts Council's 29th annual party at the Horowitz Center: tastings from local restaurants, a fine art auction, and performances, 6 to 10 PM.
📚 FrightReads Book Festival – October 24 and 25
Horror, sci-fi, fantasy, and thriller authors take over the Howard County Fairgrounds for the weekend. It's family-friendly, and times aren't posted yet.
🤖 Downtown Columbia Maker Faire – Sunday, October 25
Symphony Woods fills with workshops and demos on robotics, painting, sculpting, and digital art, and the kids can put their hands on most of it.
🏃 Savage 7K – Sunday, October 25
A 7K run and a one-mile guided historic walk out of Carroll Baldwin Hall, with the money going toward restoring the hall. The run goes off at 8 AM and the walk at 8:05. Online registration closes Friday the 23rd at 9 AM, but you can still sign up race morning.
👻 Halloween in the Merriweather District and on Main Street – October 30 and 31
The Spook-tacular at Color Burst Park on Friday the 30th has a costume contest, a trick-or-treat trail through the merchants, and live music. Then on Halloween itself, Historic Ellicott City's shops hand out candy for Trick or Treat on Main Street.
🎻 The Wizard and the Wolf – Saturday, October 31
The Columbia Orchestra's Halloween family concert at the Jim Rouse Theatre, 10:30 AM. Come in costume.
🚜 Fall Farm Season – All Month
Clark's Elioak Farm runs Fall Festival days on October 3, 4, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, and 31, and stays open through November 8, with a Halloween costume parade on the 24th and 25th. Larriland Farm in Woodbine has pick-your-own, a corn maze, the Boo Barn, and live music on fall weekends through the 31st.
SEE YOU OUT THERE
