Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2026, and in Old Town Fairfax that Saturday ends several seasons at once. The Fairfax Saturday Farmers' Market and the free walking tours that start at the Historic Courthouse hold their last 2026 dates on October 31, and the Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House holds the last regular tour date of its May-to-October schedule. After that, downtown runs on a smaller calendar. Most of it happens on Main Street sidewalks and in Old Town Square, a good share is organized by the shops themselves, and much of it lands on the first weekend of December.
Here is how the next eight weeks line up, starting with this weekend.
The Weekend Before: Rock the Block and Haunting for Candy
The Halloween stretch starts early. Rock the Block holds its October installment on Friday, October 23, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Old Town Square, 10415 North Street. Two days later, on Sunday, October 25, the square hosts Haunting for Candy from 4 to 6 p.m., with free Halloween games, treats, and prizes.
The two Wright Adventure Company ghost tours on Friday, October 30 are the warm-up for Saturday. Each runs about 90 minutes with just under 20 stops, starting at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Tickets are $26.50 for ages 12 and up and $21.20 for children 11 and under. The tour includes stairs and is not wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, October 31: Four Final Dates and a Full Day
October 31 is the last Saturday of the month, and several Old Town routines are built around last Saturdays. That puts three season finales on Halloween, plus one more stop on a route that runs another month.
| Time | What | Where | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Fairfax Saturday Farmers' Market | 10500 Page Avenue | Final day of the May 9 to Oct. 31 season |
| 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Fairfax Funky Flea | 4031 University Drive | One date left, Nov. 28 |
| 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | Old Town Fairfax Walking Tour | Historic Courthouse, Main St. and Chain Bridge Rd. | Final free tour of the May to October run |
| Noon to 2 p.m. | Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House Tours | 10386 Main Street | Final regular date of the May to October run |
| 1 to 3 p.m. | Spooky Drag Brunch | Commonwealth Brewing Co. | $15 entry, Halloween only |
| 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. | Fairfax City Ghost Tour | Downtown | Halloween night tours |
According to its listing, the farmers' market has about 45 vendors and was started more than 25 years ago by the Downtown Fairfax Coalition. The listing also warns of lines at the most popular stalls and early sellouts. The market's own 2026 schedule shows Saturdays from May 9 through October 31 and nothing after that.
The two historic tours will feel the absence most over the winter. The walking tour run by Historic Fairfax City, Inc. starts at the 1800 courthouse, where the wills of George and Martha Washington are kept, and covers Civil War-era sites tied to John S. Mosby. The organizers ask for reservations through Eventbrite. The Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House is the city's oldest residence within the original six-block Town of Providence. It was built in three phases in 1807, 1824, and 1927, and beyond its regular schedule, its listing says it also opens during select city events.
At Commonwealth Brewing Co., the Halloween brunch features performers Venetian, Tiara Missou, and guest Tijuana Spark, plus a DJ set by Alex Love. Tickets are sold through Eventbrite, and the brewery asks guests to bring small bills.
November Moves the Weekend From Saturday Mornings to Sunday Afternoons
Once the Saturday market closes, the most regular weekend draw downtown is the Fairfax Main St. Market. It runs from noon to 4 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month, April through December. Vendors set up along the Main Street sidewalks between Chain Bridge Road and University Drive, selling vintage finds, handmade goods, jewelry, and home goods. Its next date is Sunday, November 1.
The market is a small-business project, not a city program. It was created by three women-owned Main Street shops: Mode on Main by Mara, Lucy Loves, and Perfect Mistakes. FFXnow reported last December that the Old Town Fairfax Business Association provides some marketing money but does not organize the event. In 2025 the shops expanded it to every Sunday after Thanksgiving, with the last one on December 21. Mode on Main boutique director Danielle Wade explained the decision to FFXnow:
"We chose to do more markets in December very intentionally because holiday shopping is what makes or breaks a small business."
In the same report, Wade said nearby restaurants and businesses had told the organizers they saw more foot traffic and sales on market days. That matters for November, when the market has the Sunday-afternoon slot downtown mostly to itself.
The rest of the month adds a few dated events:
- Saturday, November 7: The Wright Adventure Company food tour runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with about seven stops, at $75 without alcohol or $100 with. The organizers note the tour generally does not suit vegan or vegetarian diets.
- Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22: The City's 40th Annual Holiday Craft Show leaves downtown for Fairfax High School, 3501 Lion Run. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
- Saturday, November 28: The Fairfax Funky Flea closes its April-to-November season from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the lot behind United Bank at 4031 University Drive, one block off Main Street. It lists more than 70 vendors.
With the Page Avenue market done for the year, the closest year-round option is FRESHFARM Mosaic at 2920 District Avenue, open Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It moves to winter hours from January through March 2027.
December 4 to 6: Three Events on One Weekend
The thinner November calendar is followed by the busiest weekend downtown has all year. The City's 10th Annual Holiday Market, the Festival of Lights and Carols, and the year's last Main St. Market all fall between Friday, December 4 and Sunday, December 6.
- Friday, December 4, 5 to 8 p.m.: The Holiday Market opens downtown with more than 30 local artisans and vendors, plus live entertainment.
- Saturday, December 5, noon to 6 p.m.: The Holiday Market runs alongside the Festival of Lights and Carols at Old Town Square. The City lists live holiday music, free s'mores, warm cider, and children's crafts.
- Saturday, December 5, 3 to 5 p.m.: Photos with Santa at the festival.
- Saturday, December 5, 5:30 p.m.: The tree lighting ceremony, with caroling.
- Sunday, December 6, noon to 4 p.m.: The Main St. Market's last 2026 date lines up with the Holiday Market's Sunday hours, noon to 5 p.m., which puts both the shop-run sidewalk vendors and the City's artisan market downtown on the same afternoon.
The City says the festival's performance schedule will be posted in November. For parking, the Old Town Fairfax Business Association says the designated public garages and surface lots are free. Some spaces are limited to evenings and weekends, as marked on its parking map. The Main St. Market listing counts two free garages plus free city lots downtown.
December 11 to 13: The Second Weekend
The Holiday Market comes back for a second weekend with the same hours: Friday, December 11 from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, December 12 from noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday, December 13 from noon to 5 p.m. The vendor lineup rotates between weekends, so the second weekend is not a repeat of the first.
On the morning of Saturday, December 12, the Gingerbread Games competition runs from 10 to 10:45 a.m. at the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Blenheim Boulevard, a short drive from Old Town Square.
The Main St. Market's posted 2026 schedule lists December 6 as its only remaining December date. Last year's weekly Sunday markets after Thanksgiving were added by the founding shops in response to community demand. The market posts updates on Instagram at @ffxmainstmarket and on its Facebook page.
If you want a summer comparison, our guide to summer 2026 in Fairfax City covers the warm-weather calendar that ends this month. More on the city is on our Fairfax neighborhood page.
If you're planning a move around the holidays, or wondering how a December listing in Old Town Fairfax would line up with those two market weekends, the team at Sison Homes and Associates would be glad to talk through the timing with you. Schedule a consultation whenever it suits your calendar.
