Brisk spooky nights and fall festivities are here.

Harambee 360° begins Friday evening at Market Square and continues Saturday at James Monroe High School, bringing together performances, visual art, food vendors, shopping, and family activities. There is history behind the celebration: last year’s edition marked 50 years of Black arts and community in Fredericksburg, with original Harambee 360 members invited to perform. This year’s program is free and planned rain or shine.

Friday, September 25, 6–8 p.m. at Market Square, 907 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg; Saturday, September 26, noon–7 p.m. at James Monroe High School, 2300 Washington Avenue, Fredericksburg. Admission: Free; purchases extra. No registration or age restriction is listed. See the event details.

Follow the smell of food to the Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church, where parish members are preparing Greek dishes and pastries for a two-day festival. Browse the artisans’ marketplace, listen to music, and look for a chance to tour the church. At the 2025 festival, visitors could also watch the Athenian Dancers; check this year’s on-site program before counting on a particular performance or tour time.

Saturday, September 26, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday, September 27, noon–4 p.m. at 12326 Spotswood Furnace Road, Fredericksburg. Admission: Free; food and purchases extra. No registration or general age restriction is listed; alcohol service is limited to adults 21 and older. See the church’s festival page.

Braehead Farm opens its festival weekends with hayrides, a corn maze, a sunflower walk, and room to play. The farm offered a fall festival in 2025, too, with a pumpkin patch and scavenger hunt among its advertised activities. If you want a shorter, cheaper visit this year, you can enter the front pick-your-own fields without an admission fee and pay only for what you harvest.

Saturday and Sunday, September 26–27, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. at 1130 Tyler Street, Fredericksburg. Admission: Front fields free to enter; playgrounds $6 per person plus tax; playgrounds and festival area $15 per person plus tax. Children 2 and under enter free, and pumpkins cost extra. Pay on arrival; no advance ticket is needed. Children 15 and under need an accompanying adult in the festival area. See Braehead’s current festival details.

At Mattaponi Winery on Saturday, the FXBG Fall Fairy and Dragon Festival invites families into an afternoon of costumes, performers, crafts, and fantasy-themed activities. The festival is returning after a two-year break. Its 2023 edition was held at Revatone Farm, so anyone who remembers that outing should note this year’s different address. Children must be supervised, and some activities may cost extra.

Saturday, September 26, 11:30 a.m.–5 p.m. at Mattaponi Winery, 7530 Morris Road, Spotsylvania. Admission at the gate: $20 for adults, $15 for children 5 and older, and free for children 4 and under. Online tickets are available; advance purchase is not required. No minimum age is listed. See the organizer’s event and ticket details.

Go to the FXBG Fall Fairy and Dragon Festival on Saturday. For a few hours, you can trade errands and laundry for fairies, dragons, and the entirely reasonable possibility of seeing a unicorn. Costumes are encouraged, so if you’ve been waiting for an excuse to wear wings in public, this is it.

Last week, we introduced The FXBG Rundown. This week, let’s get out and explore. Across Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, you can spend an evening surrounded by local art, come hungry to a Greek festival, or give the kids a day of pumpkins, fairies, and dragons.

These weekend picks are just one part of the Rundown. In the weeks ahead, we’ll also get to know the people behind our favorite places: the artists, business owners, and neighbors who make this area feel like ours.