10+ Reasons Why the Gaver Farm Fall Festival in Mount Airy Packs in the Fun!

Gaver Farm

The Gaver Farm Fall Festival in Mount Airy, MD should definitely be on your list of Fun Things to Do With Kids in Maryland this fall!

The fall season has always been fun… but when did it get totally amazing? When did brilliant farmers decide to open their fields up for the country version of an amusement park every September and October? I never remember anything like this when I was growing up.

I mean, when I was a kid fall fun festivals like the one at Gaver Farm in Mount Airy just didn’t exist.  However, now it seems that no childhood would be complete without an annual trek to a fall fun festival. The Gaver Farm Fall Fun Festival is definitely a fantastic experience and should be near the top of any family’s list of Fall Festivals in the Maryland-DC area.

10+ Reasons Why Gaver Farm is Really Loads of Fun!

Gaver Farm in Mount Airy, MD is a serious about ensuring you and your kids have a blast on their farm. Every year, the Gaver family plans a huge list of fun activities that are suitable for a wide range of ages, from toddler through adult.

According to their website, the Fall Fun Festival boasts over 65 attractions, including a huge corn maze, sunflower fields, pick your own apples and pumpkins, and more!

I have to tell you, my daughter and I could have easily spent all day here. There were at least 10 attractions that held her attention for more than 10 minutes. I literally had to peel her away from many of the activities just so we would have time to see everything. As a Mom of an active kid, I have to tell you– that is an awesome problem to have!

Related: Check out the 30+ best pumpkin patches in Maryland!

1. Jumping Pillow!

gaver farm jumping pillow

The fun starts the moment you pay the admission fee. A huge jumping pillow is the first attraction you will encounter. There are two jumping pillows for older and younger kids. The number of kids are limited so that it remains safe and fun!

2. Corn Cribs!

corn crib gaver farm

There are some super fun corn cribs at Gaver Farm. These are great for digging or just wading in the corn. Just remember to get all the corn out of your shoes and socks when you get out!

Related: The 20+ Best Corn Mazes to get lost in in Maryland!

3. So many super fun slides!

There are many, many slides at Gaver Farm. There are hill slides, silo slides, tube slides, and everything in between. The double barrel tube slide was a huge hit.

gaver farm double barrel slide

I think the double barrel slide is my personal favorite. It’s pretty fast and thrilling for younger kids. But older kids (and middle aged adults like me) will also easily be able to navigate this slide!

4. Tons of smaller play structures for kids of all ages.

One of the things I loved about the Gaver Farm Fun Fall Festival was that they had strategically placed smaller play structures and attractions in between some of the bigger ones. Here is a sampling of just a few of those attractions:

gaver farm spider web
gaver farm
gaver farm

Related: Summers Farm is a fantastic fall festival in Frederick County, MD!

5. Farm animals and goat feeding!

The Fall Fun Festival includes a rather large petting farm area. I particularly liked the goat area because it was shaded and very pretty actually. For $2.50 you can buy a big cup of feed for the goats, ducks, alpacas, rabbits, and many other animals that are on the farm.

Related: Clark’s Elioak Petting Farm is great year round, but they also have a pumpkin patch!

6. Rubber Duckies!

gaver farm

Speaking of ducks, there are plenty of rubber ducky activities for kids to enjoy. In addition to the traditional rubber ducky races, kids can also do a little rubber ducky ‘gem mining.’

7. Adorable Cow Train.

At the top of the Fall Fun Festival attraction hill sits the cow train. I love this cow train for three reasons:

  • It is really cute (most cow trains are though).
  • There are two cow barrels side-by-side. This makes it really easy for Mom or Dad to ride along.
  • The cow train ride goes through the Gaver Farm Christmas Tree fields. This ride is totally gorgeous!
gaver farm cow train

Actually, all of Gaver Farm is gorgeous. That is one of the things I think I love the most about this particular fall festival. Yes, the attractions are concentrated on the side of the hill.

However, there are numerous sweeping vistas of the Christmas tree farms, pumpkin patches, sunflower fields, and surrounding farm land. It is really beautiful and totally peaceful.

Related: The Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Lancaster County, PA is a fall festival totally worth the drive!

8. Corn Mazes for all ages too!

gaver farm corn maze

Every year, the Gaver family sets out to create a fantastic corn maze you can spend a few hours getting lost in. This year is no different. Since there was no way I was prepared to spend a few hours in a corn maze with a 3-year old, we chose the much smaller Kiddie Maze adjacent to the large maze.

We got just lost enough that it was a perfect adventure for a preschooler. It took us about 10 to 15 minutes to figure it out.

corn maze

Related: Butler’s Orchard in Montgomery County, MD is one of the best fall destinations in the region!

9. Hayride to the Pumpkin Patch

Then, of course Gaver Farm is a great place for pumpkins. If you just want to pick pumpkins, the hayride out to the pumpkin patch is free. It is also included in the admission fee for the fall fun festival.

gaver farm

At the beginning of the season (except 2023 because of the drought), you can also take the wagon to pick sunflowers!

sunflower field

Related: The Best Sunflower Fields in Maryland and the DC Region!

10. Pedal carts

gaver farm

There are multiple types of pedal carts. Younger kids have a fairly easy one. There are larger carts that take 4 people and need an adult or older kid to pedal. And there are carts for older kids that can go a little faster than the younger kid version.

Related: Fantastic Easy Hikes in Maryland that are Perfect for Kids!

11. Challenge Obstacle Course

A newer addition in the past few years is the wooden challenge obstacle course. This is great for kids of all ages. Older kids in particular will really love trying it out though!

challenge obstacle course

12. Singing Chickens

Ok, have you even been to Gaver Farm if you haven’t enjoyed the singing chickens? These animatronic chickens are hilarious. Definitely take a break and enjoy their show!

gaver farm singing chickens

Related: The 75+ Best Playgrounds in Maryland (sorted by location)

13. Fun Farm Games

There are a lot of fun games ranging from checkers to basket toss and more! They are sprinkled throughout the farm so you will always have some fun options!

gaver farm games

14. Yummy Treats… really yummy treats.

Once you have had your fill of festival fun, you just have to top off at the main barn. We indulged in fresh cider donuts, cider slushies, and homemade fudge.

gaver farm donuts

Related: The Ultimate Guide to the Best Ice Cream Places in Maryland

Know Before You Go FAQ!

When is the Gaver Farm Fall Fun Fest open?

The Fall Fun Festival is open and fully operational every day from 10AM-6PM from September 1st until October 31st. That means, you do not have to brave this festival on the weekend with the hordes of humanity.

What is the best time to visit Gaver Farm?

If you stay home with your kids you should consider checking out this festival during the week. If you work outside the home, I would seriously consider taking some time off to take your kids to the festival during the week. I can only imagine this festival is super busy on weekends in October. If you decide to visit on an October weekend, either arrive right at opening time or wait until about 4pm to visit.

How much does admission cost to the Gaver Farm Fall Fun Fest?

Fall Fun Fest Admission is $18.75 per person on September weekends, $21.00 per person on October weekends and $13.50 per person on weekdays. Kids under 24 months are free. Tickets are available online and in person at the farm.

What pick your own experiences does Gaver Farm offer?

Gaver Farm doesn’t just offer pumpkin picking. The Apple Harvest Festival kicks off apple picking season. Apple picking is available on weekends in October. Like the pumpkin picking, the hayride out to the orchard is free and as long as you purchase an apple picking bag ($25 per peck), admission to the orchard is also free. In the past few years they also added sunflower fields. Oh my goodness.. it’s like the Trifecta of fall awesomeness! The cost for pumpkins is $.65 per pound over 5 pounds, $3.50 each 2-5 pounds and $2.00 each under 2 pounds.

Are there restrooms at Gaver Farm?

Yes! There are port-a-potties at the entrance and throughout the farm.

What is the address for Gaver Farm?

5501 Detrick Rd, Mt Airy, MD 21771
Click here for Google Map directions

What is the website for Gaver Farm?

http://www.gaverfarm.com/

gaver farm pumpkins

Love Gaver Fun? Check out these fall fun ideas too!

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4 Comments

    1. Hi Veronica! I am so excited that you got some great ideas from my site! Welcome! What types of fall activities are you most interested in?

      1. Anything fall related! From watching the leaves change colors to visiting farms for apples cider and pumpkins. I love this time of year through Christmas. After Christmas I’m ready for the beach haha!

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