Through millennia, fall has been well known as a season of festivities. From the Celtic tradition of Samhain to the Mexican Dia de los Muertos, harvest season is the perfect time to celebrate chilly weather and the fun activities that go along with it. Although some of these ancient traditions have declined or changed through the years, one thing will always be sure: Loudoun County loves to celebrate fall. With a plethora of key fall locations ranging from family farms to heartfelt fall festivals, there is no excuse to not partake in the fun.
For Wegmeyer Farms, it all started in 2002 when a small crop of pumpkins was sold at a local farmers market. Eventually becoming one of the most well-loved Loudoun County farms, it later expanded to five locations, including Wayside Farm of Fun. The co-owner of this beloved farm, Harriet Wegmeyer, describes the farms as “magical and authentic,” with the environment that the farm provides further adding to its phenomenal experience. “You wouldn’t be able to tell whether it was 2024 or 1850 in that barn,” the farm co-owner exclaims.
According to Wegmeyer, U-Pick Pumpkins, the farm’s iconic pumpkin picking experience, provides fun and memorable experiences for the whole family. “Part of the appeal is that everyone has a different idea of a perfect pumpkin, which they get to find and pick themselves,” she explains. At Wegmeyer Farms, it is about more than just the pumpkins, but rather the impact that the experience has left on people’s souls.
Joshua’s Hands, a fall festival with a lasting impact, sits just off of Route 9 at the Guthrie family farm. With a multitude of games, crafts, auctions, and other activities to choose from, the festival may seem like any other. Joshua’s Hands, however, represents something much more. The Guthrie family, who were well-known in their community for hosting fall festivals run by their large family, lost their 16-year-old son Joshua in a tragic car accident in 1998. According to his mother, Joyce, Joshua was a talented gymnast with a gentle soul, who highly valued servitude. She shared a dear experience that she will never forget, saying, “We had an open mic at his funeral service, and people talked about him for four hours. Everyone talked about the things that he did for them. Some things I knew, but some I did not.”Joshua dedicated his life to serving others, which is exactly what the foundation stands for. In honor of his love for helping others, Joyce Guthrie started the Joshua’s Hands organization in 1999, which transformed the humble family festival into an iconic symbol of community and fall fun throughout the Western Loudoun area.
After Joshua’s Hands made its jump start, it later joined forces with the annual fall festival taking place at the Guthrie farm. The efforts that Joshua Guthrie made in his community will now have attachments to him forever. Joyce Guthrie, Joshua’s mother and the founder of Joshua’s Hands, speaks about the festival and the impact it has left on not only her family, but the community at large. She expresses that the community can expect “to be entertained, have a lot of fun, and to feel like you are in a safe, fun environment to celebrate the change of seasons”.
The festival is not just to appeal to having fun and celebrating the joyous fall weather, but also the lasting impact that you can leave behind. Joyce explained how Joshua was an individual with a high value of servitude. Joshua’s hands wants to allow teens in the community to develop these skills, which is exactly what the festival promotes. Joyce says, “A big part of what we do is encouraging and mentoring community servants.” Joshua’s hands offers various activities for fall fun, but also a sentimental experience, giving you the chance to leave an impact on your community. The 39th fall festival held by the Joshua’s Hands foundation will be taking place on October 19, 2024.