Events this weekend: Annual Fall Festival, Boo Bash at the Beach and more

Yorktown’s Annual Fall Festival is slated to return to Riverwalk Landing on Saturday.

More than 40 vendors and artists will be selling seasonal favorites like pumpkins, mums, autumn-inspired art, kettle corn and caramel apples during the special extended farmers market. 

The event also features free, family-friendly activities, including face painting, a hay maze, a petting zoo and pumpkin painting. Trick-or-treating will be offered at several Historic Yorktown businesses, so kids are encouraged to wear their costumes. 

The Fall Festival runs from 9 am to 3 pm. Admission is free.

James City County will also host its annual Boo Bash at the Beach at Jamestown Beach Event Park on Saturday from 1 – 4 pm.

There will be fall activities, music, games, pumpkin carving and food for purchase. Onsite trick-or-treating will be available for ages 12 and younger. Costumes are welcome. 

Admission to Boo Bash is $5 per family. Pumpkin carving and decorating costs an additional $5 per pumpkin and is available while supplies last.

Other events to highlight this weekend include a free Movie in the Park at New Quarter Park, featuring the film Ghoster; the Williamsburg Artists Group’s Fall Art Sale; a free Art & Sculpture Festival at Port Warwick and a Halloween-themed Williamsburg Old Time Radio Hour program at the Kimball Theatre.

Events This Weekend

Below is a roundup of local happenings taking place Oct. 12- 13. Click on the bolded, hyperlinked event title for additional details.

Saturday, Oct. 12

Special Events

• National Fossil Day 2024 | Virginia Living Museum | Newport News | Celebrate National Fossil Day by exploring VLM’s fossil collection and searching for fossils to take home. A variety of special events will be held throughout the day. 9 am – 5 pm. 
• Custis Square Community Open House | Custis Square | Colonial Williamsburg | Enjoy a day of archaeology at Custis Square, the home and gardens of 18th-Century local John Custis. Archaeologists will be present, and character interpretation and artifacts will be on display throughout the day. Free and open to the public. Weather dependent. 10 am – 4 pm. 
• Yorktown Market Days: Fall Festival | Riverwalk Landing | Don’t miss the annual Fall Festival at the Historic Yorktown waterfront. This special, extended farmers market will feature more than 40 vendors selling seasonal favorites like pumpkins, mums, autumn-inspired art, kettle corn and caramel apples. There will also be family-friendly activities, including pumpkin painting and a petting zoo. Free. 9 am – 3 pm. 
• Boo Bash at the Beach | Jamestown Beach Event Park | Enjoy a Halloween-themed day at the beach. There will be on-site trick-or-treating, games, crafts, live DJ music, bounce houses, food trucks, candy and pumpkin carving. The Kiwanis Kids Train will also be present. There is a $5 parking fee (cash or check only), and pumpkin carving costs $5 per pumpkin. 1 – 4 pm. 
• Craft Supply Swap | Stryker Center | Trade in unused supplies for new-to-you inspiration for your next project. Donate your supplies to the reference desk at Williamsburg Library or James City County Library between Oct. 4 – Oct. 10 or before the event between 10 am – 12 pm on Oct. 12 at the Williamsburg Library only. Donors of supplies will receive a ticket granting them exclusive entry to the swap between 1:30 – 2 pm. The swap will then be open to the public from 2 – 3 pm. 
• Stargazing and Laser Nights | Virginia Living Museum | VLM will host a free stargazing event at sunset (6 pm). Several telescopes will be set up on the grounds, and staff astronomers will be present to help visitors identify objects in the night sky. Guests can also stay afterward for a planetarium program and several laser shows, which cost $8 (or $5 for VLM members). 
• Movies in the Park: “Ghoster” | New Quarter Park | Williamsburg | Attend a movie in the park featuring the film Ghoster. Concessions will be available; Pelican Snowballs will be on site with snoballs to purchase. Begins 15 minutes after sunset. 1h 30m. Free.

Markets

• Williamsburg Farmers Market | Duke of Gloucester and P4 Parking Lot | Williamsburg | Shop from over 40 local vendors selling fresh seasonal produce, meats, baked goods, honey, cheese, cut flowers, handmade soaps and more. 8 am – 12 pm.
• Toano Open Air Market | 7891 Richmond Road | Toano | Shop for local products, seasonal items and artisan goods from a wide variety of vendors. 9 am – 12 pm. 
• Hilton Village Farmers Market | Historic Hilton Village | Newport News | Local farmers, bakers, artisans and other vendors share their goods every Saturday at the year-round market in Historic Hilton Village. 9 am – 12 pm.

Recycling

• Household Chemical Collections | Warhill High School | VPPSA will host a household chemical collections event on Oct. 12. A variety of paints, fuels, solvents, pesticides, automotive products and other chemicals are accepted from residents of Hampton, Poquoson, Williamsburg, James City County and York County. Click here for more information and a list of acceptable materials. 8 am – 12 pm.

Fitness

• Learn to Row | James City County Recreation Center | Attend an introduction to indoor rowing using indoor rowing machines. This activity incorporates the use of your legs, core and upper body. Free. 10 – 10:45 am.

Kids

• Science Saturday | Tabb Library | Kids will learn fun facts about the human skeleton during this program. Two sessions are available: One for grades K-2 (10:15 – 11 am) and one for grades 3-5 (11:30 am – 12:30 pm). 

Author Talk

• Crime Writers In Conversation: E. A. Aymar & LynDee Walker | Yorktown Library | Crime fiction authors E. A. Aymar and LynDee Walker will discuss their recent books as well as the current trends in the crime genre. A Q&A audience period will follow. Registration is required. Free. 1:30 – 3:30 pm

Food & Drink

• Holiday Preview | Jolly’s Mill Pond | Sample and pre-order holiday specialties, including savory Thanksgiving menu sides and limited edition farmstand pies in seasonal pumpkin, apple and a surprise flavor. See the website to reserve your spot. Free. 2 – 4 pm.

Live Music

• Early Music Vocal Recital | Bruton Parish Church | Williamsburg | Attend a candlelit vocal recital by Sarah Richards, early music soprano currently based in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, accompanied by Rebecca Davy. 8 – 9 pm.

Sunday, Oct. 13

Special Events

• Halloween Williamsburg Old Time Radio Hour | Kimball Theatre | Williamsburg | Attend a “live” 1930s Williamsburg radio broadcast. This special Halloween performance features local legends, ancient superstitions and spooky sound effects. Designed to entertain all ages. Purchase tickets here. Show times are 3 pm or 7 pm.

Kids

• Beanbag Book Club | Williamsburg Library | Kids are invited to attend this reading program featuring story time, a craft and games surrounding the book The Monster Squad by Joe McGee. Includes a copy of the book to keep. Space is limited; reserve a free ticket at the Youth Services desk beginning 30 minutes before the program starts. For ages 5 – 8. 1:30 pm. 
• PAWS to Read | Yorktown Library | Kids will practice their reading skills by reading aloud to a trained therapy dog. Two time slot are available: 1:30 – 2:30 pm and 3:30 – 4:30 pm.
• Rainbow Puppets: The Search for Gold | James City County Library | Kids will watch the show “The Search for Gold” and then learn about a new library book collection with an anti-bullying theme. 3:30 pm. 

Live Music

• Williamsburg Choral Guild Season Opener | Williamsburg Presbyterian Church | Attend the Williamsburg Choral Guild’s seasonal opener. This concert blends timeless favorites with contemporary voices. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students and free for children 12 and under. 4 pm. 

Food & Drink

• Tide to Table | The Social Terrace | Colonial Williamsburg | Attend the 2nd Annual Tide to Table event featuring local brews, oyster farmers, seafood and music. $69/per person; prepaid tickets required. See the website for details. 6 – 9 pm

Multi-Day

Special Events

• Williamsburg Artists Group Fall Art Sale | Bruton Parish Church | Williamsburg | The Williamsburg Artists Group’s popular fall show returns Friday, Oct. 11 (10 am – 3 pm) and Saturday, Oct. 12 (4 – 8 pm). Original fine art by 20 artists will be on display. 
• 20th Annual Port Warwick Art & Sculpture Festival | Port Warwick | Newport News | Enjoy the beautiful fall weather while browsing artwork and sculptures from fine artisans near and far. There will be live music, children’s activities, food trucks and a beer and wine garden. Free. Oct. 12 (10 am – 6 pm) & 13 (10 am – 5 pm). 
• Lighting of the Cressets | Duke of Gloucester Street | Colonial Williamsburg | The 18th-century streets of Colonial Williamsburg will come to life with music during this special event. Free and open to the public. Oct. 10 – 12, 6 – 9 pm. 
• Haunted Trail | Historic Endview | Newport News | This guided Halloween experience features a spooky outdoor walk on trails at Historic Endview. Groups depart every ten minutes. The cost is $10 in advance or $15 at the gate. Oct. 11 – 12, 18 – 19 and 25 – 26. 
• 4th Annual Walk of Terror | 65 Saunders Rd. | Newport News | Attend a spine-chilling experience filled with thrills and scares. Tickets required. $17. Oct. 11 – 12, 18 – 20  and 25 – 27.

Future Event to Note

• Halloween with Heroes | James City County Law Enforcement Center | The JCC Police Department will host its 4th annual Halloween with Heroes event on Oct. 23 from 6 – 8 pm. This event, open to children of all ages, offers a safe, fun environment for trick-or-treating alongside local public safety heroes. New this year, the department will host a sensory-friendly hour from 5 – 6 pm on the same day.