Davidsonville's first full October weekend began today, October 3, and several of the operators behind its fall calendar are working under different terms than last year. Homestead Gardens canceled its ticketed Fall Family Weekend events for this weekend. The AVFD Station 7 Terror Trail now sends everyone to a parking lot at the Davidsonville Park-and-Ride. Y Worry Farm opened its pumpkin patch on schedule, but it has retired from Christmas tree sales, so no tree season will follow this year.
None of the attractions are new. The changes are logistical: where you park, when a ticket can still be refunded or moved, and which weekends actually run. This year the calendar rewards the household that reads the fine print before leaving the house.
The weekend that held, and the one that moved
Homestead Gardens posted its notice on October 2. It canceled the ticketed Fall Family Weekend events for October 3 and 4 and said its team would contact ticket holders to offer a transfer to another weekend or a full refund. The notice calls this "a difficult decision" and doesn't give a reason. The page header says "postponed," while the text below it says "cancel," so anyone holding tickets for this weekend should wait for Homestead's direct contact rather than assume either outcome.
Plenty is still open on the property. The Garden Center and the Beer Farm stayed open, and food trucks, live music, the playground, the barnyard and face painting are still available this weekend. The Beer Farm is a collaboration between Homestead Gardens and Brookeville Beer Farm, with a brewery, a hopyard, and indoor and outdoor taproom seating. Its contact page lists Wednesday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The FAQ on the same page gives a 9 p.m. close on Fridays and Saturdays and says hours can change by season. If a late stop matters, call ahead.
Homestead lists the season as running weekends from September 26 through November 1, and the remaining ticketed dates are still on its official calendar: October 10 and 11, 17 and 18, 24 and 25, October 31, and November 1. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $15, with $5 off for seniors 55 and older, and children 3 and under get in free. Homestead recommends buying online in advance and says day-of tickets may be limited. The ticket covers hayrides, mazes, pony rides, pumpkin activities, inflatables and barnyard animals. Food and drinks cost extra.
Two other local farms opened on time. Y Worry Farm at 1501 Rossback Road opened October 3, with free admission and October weekend hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Knightongale Farm's Fall Fest has been running on weekends since September 26 and ends October 25.
A farm that started with half an acre
Y Worry Farm planted its first half acre of pumpkins in 1989 and invited people to pick them straight from the field. It now grows about five acres, rotating the pumpkins with wheat, rye or hay to keep the soil healthy. Demand has grown enough that the farm now restocks its fields, so the patch doesn't run out late in the season. Early in October, visitors can still find blossoms and small pumpkins growing on the vine, and in most years they keep growing until the first frost.
Besides the field, there are chickens and goats, a straw pyramid, a cornstalk teepee and a small corn maze. The farm also sells gourds, winter squash, Indian corn, corn stalks and straw for fall decorating. The farm says its patch has become a yearly tradition for many families in Davidsonville, Gambrills, Crofton and Annapolis.
The change is in December. The farm's homepage now carries this notice:
"We want to let all our loyal Christmas tree customers know that after 25 years of selling, we have decided to retire from Christmas tree sales."
The same notice confirms that the fall pumpkin patch will continue. Families who bought their tree at Rossback Road will need a new place this year, and October is now Y Worry's only public season.
Today also has a one-time event at the farm. The Anne Arundel County Farm Bureau Women's Group is hosting free scarecrow-making for children and a farm scavenger hunt from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Supplies of clothing are limited, so the organizers ask families to bring children's clothes if they can.
A different Davidsonville business marked 25 years this season. Killarney House celebrated its 25th anniversary with a kickoff on August 30 and a September program of charity dinners, live music and special menus. The restaurant offered to match fundraiser donations up to $5,000 in total.
Where the Terror Trail parks now
The biggest practical change of the season is at AVFD Station 7. The volunteer-run Terror Trail has moved its parking to the Davidsonville Park-and-Ride at 2701 Davidsonville Road. The organizers ask all patrons to park there and take the free shuttle. Guests with disabilities can use the limited parking at the station.
The shuttle schedule sets the evening's timing:
- Parking opens at 7 p.m.
- Shuttles run from 7:15 to 9:45 p.m.
- The trail opens at 7:30 p.m.
- The last shuttle to the Ticketing Center leaves at 9:45 p.m., and ticket sales end at 10 p.m.
The trail runs nine nights: October 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, and a "Final Fright" on October 31. The full Terror Trail costs $30 and is recommended for ages 8 and up. A Fast Pass adds $10, and only a limited number are sold each night. The Boo Loop costs $10 and is meant for children under 8 and anyone not ready for the full trail. First responders, veterans, teachers, medical professionals and anyone bringing a nonperishable food donation get $2 off. Funnel Fare's food truck is on site this year.
The event is the station's fundraiser. Proceeds pay for new or improved equipment, and past proceeds have gone toward a new fire truck and renovations to the Training Center, which serves as the Ticketing Center during the event. Canned food collected for the discount goes to a local food bank. In rain, organizers sometimes open late or close early, and they post updates on the station's Facebook page. The status line during the season is (301) 678-8228.
October 10 is the busiest Saturday
The new parking plan matters most on one date. With October 3 and 4 canceled, Homestead's next ticketed day is October 10, which was already a full day:
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Station 7 holds its free Open House, with a pumpkin patch, fire, CPR and K-9 demonstrations, face painting, a bounce house, crafts, station tours, and free hot dogs and refreshments.
- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Homestead Gardens resumes its ticketed Fall Family Weekends.
- 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Maryland Corn Maze in nearby Gambrills sells a day-and-night combo ticket for $24.95 online, or a night-only ticket from 7 to 9:30 p.m. for $17.95.
- 7:30 p.m. The Terror Trail opens, with parking at the Park-and-Ride starting at 7 p.m.
Y Worry Farm is open that day as well, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On this Saturday, family farms, a fire station, a garden center and a regional corn maze all draw on the same local roads during the same hours.
The deadlines that come before the events
Some of October's best outings have cutoffs well before the day itself, and each operator sets its own terms.
| Outing | Date | Rule that comes first |
|---|---|---|
| Jug Bay Ghost Paddle | October 17, 5 to 9:30 p.m. | $45, ages 18+, registration required, no refunds after October 10 |
| Great Frogs Winery Sculpt & Sip | October 24 | Registration required, bring a mat |
| Maryland Corn Maze | Through November 8 | Online tickets are nonrefundable but can be moved to another date |
| Homestead Fall Family Weekends | Through November 1 | Advance online tickets recommended, limited day-of tickets |
| JBERD field station cabins | Requests for October 15–18, October 22–25, October 29–November 1 | $65 a night, two-night minimum, requests handled first-come and not guaranteed |
The Ghost Paddle on the Patuxent River includes wildlife watching, local ghost stories, a campfire, cider, dinner, s'mores and popcorn. Its refund cutoff falls a week before the paddle and on the same Saturday as Station 7's Open House, so anyone still deciding next weekend has to commit by then. The field station cabins at Jug Bay are new this fall, and they offer a rare chance to stay overnight on the river this close to home. For day visits, Jug Bay's main site is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission has been $8 per vehicle since January 1, 2026. The sanctuary's site shows that the Chris Swarth Boardwalk at Glendening Nature Preserve is closed until further notice, with no reopening date, so check before planning a walk there.
Not everything requires planning. At Great Frogs Winery today, Daphne Eckman plays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Sophie Bernitt from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., with no cover. No reservations are needed for the first set, and seating for the second is first-come. Tastings, wine and snacks are sold separately. At the Vineyards at Dodon, the rule runs the other way. Tastings are by appointment Friday through Sunday, and the winery asks guests to reserve.
At Sandra K Libby, we follow Davidsonville's calendar the way neighbors do, one weekend at a time. When the season shifts and you start wondering what your own place on these country roads is worth, we're glad to prepare a Complimentary Home Valuation for you, without pressure and on your schedule.