Montgomery County’s fall festivities this year feature a variety of activities, including rides, games, carnival food, arts and crafts, pumpkin races and more. The festivals occur on various dates throughout October and November. 

The Latin Rhythms Festival celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month on Oct. 15 at the BlackRock Center for the Arts. It was free and consisted of live performances, a street market and local artists.

Oktoberfest took place on Oct. 9 in the afternoon. Activities included live performances from 18 different local bands, artisan sales from 150 vendor booths, demonstrations of professional pumpkin carving, apple cider pressing and other crafts. The event also provided food trucks and traditional festival foods. 

The Silver Spring Arts and Crafts Fall Fair hosted local vendors who sold arts, crafts, food and drinks. It occurred at the Veterans Plaza in downtown Silver Spring on Oct. 2 from 1-6 p.m. 

The Westfield Wheaton Mall Fall Carnival incorporated a variety of games, kiddie rides, intense rides and carnival food. The wait times for eating and going on rides were relatively short. The carnival ran from Oct. 5 to Oct. 16 in the evening. 

Some of the rides at the Westfield Wheaton Mall Fall Carnival included Samurai, an intense ride with loops; the Casino, a standard tilt-a-whirl with steep spinning angles as it spins; the Zipper, which made younger visitors cry; and UFO Area 51, which is similar to the Casino but spins faster without an angle in an enclosed space.

“[The Casino ride] was really fun. It was a lot less scary than I thought it would be,” Alex, an 8-year-old visitor at the Westfield Carnival, said. Another child, 7-year-old Tyson, indicated that UFO Area 51 was his favorite ride there. 

Freshman Arisa Collins goes to Oktoberfest every year. “It’s good I guess, I go there with my family,” she said. 

Not many RM students attend fall festivals, but some are open to the idea. “Maybe,” freshman Mary Eliason said. “I don’t think I have [gone] yet.”

According to the Bethesda Beat, additional festivities will take place in the county, such as the PIKEtoberfest and the Bethesda Row Arts Festival. Other upcoming events can be found on local news sites.