DMV FUN
By Gina Gallucci-White
EMBRACE THE
Yes, There Are
Things We Can
Do this Fall
Taylor and Brandon Huffman have wanted to
host a sunflower festival at their Thurmont-based Winterbrook
Farms for several years. Yet they were nervous because you’ve
got to time the blooms just right. “We decided to go for it this
year,” Taylor Huffman says. “I personally love sunflowers, and
we thought it was another way to get the public out to the farm
near our (annual) fall festival.”
The Huffmans planted more than 100,000 seeds across 4
acres for their inaugural Sunflower Festival taking place Sept.

12-13 and 19-20. Their Fall Festival runs every weekend from
Sept. 26-Nov. 1. Both feature access to more than 25 activities,
including apple cannons, zip lines, a jump pillow and a corn
maze stretching more than 15 acres. This year’s maze theme is
dedicated to Platoon 22, a nonprofit raising suicide awareness
for military and first responders.

Winterbrook Farms will also be hosting a private ticketed
event, Sippin in the Sunflowers, from 6-8 p.m. on
Sept. 12, in partnership with Catoctin Breeze
Vineyards. Guests may take pictures in the
10 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2020
sunflower fields while listening to live music and enjoying red or
white wine in a souvenir wine glass .

“I think the great thing about our farm is that there really is
something for all ages,” Taylor Huffman says. “Our corn maze
is still the largest in Maryland, and it is still pretty challenging
to go out there and try to find all the check points. I think
(guests) are really just going to have a good time, and I think
that is what everybody needs right now—a little happiness
outside of their house.”
The Huffmans considered cancelling the festivals due to
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic but they decided to proceed
because their activities are outside and spaced out. They cut
their hayrides because people could not social distance prop-
erly and are adding hand sanitizing stations. They’ll also be
spraying a solution that sanitizes each activity and regularly
wiping down surfaces with heavy contact points.

Taylor Huffman hopes the festivals give families something
to look forward to at a time when “it seems like everything
else is cancelling,” she says. (winterbrookfarms.com)
Horses and foliage
Fall is usually one of the busiest seasons for events. Organizers
and patrons enjoy the cooler temperatures, the fall foliage and
getting in fun times before cold temperatures grasp hold of the
region. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, most event
calendars for 2020 have been erased save for a few.

As of mid-August, The Preakness at Pimlico Race Track will
still be held on Oct. 3 though the InFieldFest has already been
cancelled. Traditionally the second race in the Triple Crown,
this year’s event will be the final competition and could be run
without fans in the audience. The Capital Challenge Horse
Show is also still set to take place on Sept. 25-Oct. 4 at the
Prince George’s Equestrian Center, featuring competitions as
well as exhibitors. (preakness.com; capitalchallenge.org)