Train Ride, Film Festival and Nature Events Highlight Harford Fall Activities

As the seasons change, you're still looking for fun things to do around Harford County with your friends and family, so here are some events and adventures to consider.

Train Ride at Applewood Farm

Along with hayrides, pumpkins, corn mazes and petting zoos, Applewood Farm in Whiteford offers a train ride around a section of the farm. The train is a 1963 Allen Hershell S-24 that looks like a vintage wood burning steam locomotive and is one of the last of these types of trains still running. The train runs about eight-tenths of a mile around the farm and holds about 30 passengers.

Brad Adelhardt, owner of Applewood Farm, says that kids and adults love the train rides and they are a big draw for the farm. “People come here two or three times in a season sometimes…and some people have been bringing their kids since they were infants. There is tradition associated with this farm.”

Visit Applewood Farm’s website for more information.

Anita C. Leight Estuary Center

Also offering fall activities is the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center in Abingdon. Kriste Garman, the park manager, says the center offers regularly scheduled activities as well as special events during the fall that are both fun and educational.

The center offers regular boat and canoe trips throughout October (including a haunted pontoon cruise on Oct. 28). New this year, the center has introduced its Friday Night Lights Sunset Paddle series in which visitors can take a kayak paddle trip on the water at sunset. There are also regular campfires throughout the fall.

Garman says another fun event this fall at the Estuary Center is its Harry Potter themed Haunted Halloween Hike and Campfire. It is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Saturday.

Garman says, “We try to meet the needs of all different age groups. We have a lot of great family programming year round.”

Visit the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center’s website for more information.

Bel Air Film Festival

The third annual Bel Air Film Festival will be held this year on Oct. 21–23. The goal of the festival is to celebrate movies and filmmaking by offering a variety of films and open discussion. There will also be special guests relevant to each film.

Organizers say they are “proud to present fascinating, high caliber films that might not have been seen in the area," and that this year's movie lineup features “thought provoking, reflective and delightful films from around the country.”

The Film Festival is held at the on Main Street. For ticket information and a list of the complete movie line-up, click here.