Tickets are going live for D.C.'s biggest fall festivals

Fall's biggest festivals and events are coming up fast, and some tickets are already live.

Why it matters: You can hop on early bird pricing and snag popular passes before they sell out.

On sale soon

🏇 International Gold Cup: Race day in Middleburg (Oct. 26) means steeplechase competitions, tailgates, and fancy hats.

• Tickets (starting at $50) are on sale Wednesday.

👻 Boo at the Zoo: The family-friendly Halloween bash (Oct. 18-20) includes 30 trick-or-treat stations. Maybe the new pandas will make the party?

• Tickets ($35) go on sale Thursday. Member passes ($25) are live.

🎨 National Gallery Nights: The museum's after-hours parties held every second Thursday through November kick off Sept. 12 with "A Night in Paris."

• The lottery system for free passes happens the week before, opening Mondays at 10am (Sept. 2 to start).

On sale now

⚔️ Maryland Renaissance Fair: The huge rennfest near Annapolis starts its festival season on Saturday with select dates through October.

• Tickets start at $14 kids, $26 adults, plus costume rentals .

🍷 Mount Vernon Fall Wine Festival: Taste unlimited Virginia wines and take sunset tours at George Washington's historic estate (Oct. 4-6).

• Tickets start at $54 for the public, $44 for members.

🍻 Snallygaster: D.C.'s biggest beerfest (Oct. 12) takes over Pennsylvania Ave with over 175 breweries, food trucks, and live entertainment.

• Unlimited tasting tickets start at $75.

🦪 Shuck It! The 11th annual oyster and beer festival on the Georgetown Waterfront (Oct. 19) is packed with local brews and bivalves, plus brats, chowder, live music, and more.

• Early bird tickets are $65 (regularly $75).

🦆 Waterfowl Festival: Hunters and bird enthusiasts flock to the Eastern Shore for waterfowl weekend, full of local Chesapeake eats and drinks, exhibitions, and the can't-miss dock dog competition (Nov. 8-10).

• Early bird tickets are $20 through Oct. 1.