(A sampling of fall festivals throughout Henrico County this month appears below; admission is free unless otherwise noted.)

Oct. 15 – Henrico County’s annual Harvest Festival will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at Meadow Farm, 3400 Mountain Rd., featuring hands-on activities and demonstrations, pony rides, a petting zoo, tethered hot air balloon rides, the Great Pumpkin Patch of Meadow (ages 3-12) and more. For details, call 501-5121.

Oct. 21 – Chickahominy YMCA, 5401 Whiteside Rd., will hold its fall festival from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the pavilion and pool area. There will be an open swim period, as well as a harvest hayride, pumpkin painting, apple cider and roasted marshmallows, a costume contest and more. For details, call 737-9622.

Oct. 23 – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Ave., will host Goblins and Gourds from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Children’s Garden, featuring live music, pumpkin decorating, costumes and more. Admission is free for garden members and $7 to $11 for nonmembers. For details, call 262-9887.

Oct. 28 – Henrico County will host “Monster Mash” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Dorey Park, 4999 Darbytown Rd., featuring arts and crafts, contests and games and monster music, as well as a spooky trail for
guests to travel, sponsored by the Varina H.S. Key Club. For details, call 501-5134.

Oct. 29 – Gayton Crossing Shopping Center will host its 14th annual Pumpkin Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring a petting zoo, balloon animals, juggler Jonathan Austin, the Gayton Trolley, entertainment by Southside Funk and personnel vehicles from local emergency responders, as well as a costume contest for children 12 and younger at 1 p.m. For details, visit http://www.gaytoncrossing.com.

Oct. 29 – The Great Pumpkin Palooza at The Shoppes at Innsbrook & Wilton Square will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring a petting zoo, costume contests, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, crafters and vendors, Thriller and Monster Mash Dance instruction by Rigby’s Jig and more. For details, visit http://www.innsbrook.com.

Oct. 29 – Gayton Road Christian Church, 12050 Ridgefield Pkwy., will hold its annual FallFest from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring a yard sale, crafters, Brunswick Stew, a bake sale, kids’ games and a bouncy castle, face painting and more. For details, call 360-4464.

Oct. 29 – The Short Pump and Central locations of the Children’s Museum of Richmond will host a Spooky Party from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring Halloween-themed activities, games and art projects. The event is free with museum admission. For details, call 474-7000.

Oct. 30 - Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 11220 Nuckols Rd., will hold its Harvest Festival from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be food, games, a cake walk, vendors, trunk or treat and more. Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food items and basic home necessities to donate to the Food Pantry. For details, call 270-6600 x118 or visit http://www.mvbcnow.org/harvestfestival .

Oct. 31 – East End Assembly of God, 3294 Britton Rd., will hold its Harvest Festival from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., featuring inflatables, candy, hot dogs, a dunk tank, cake walk, hay rides and more. For details, call 795-9266.

Oct. 31 – Calvary United Methodist Church, 1637 Williamsburg Rd., will hold its Trunk or Treat event from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For details, call 222-2891.