Quick Summary
- Frying Pan Farm Park, at 2709 West Ox Road in Herndon, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, and admission to the park and Kidwell Farm is free except for select special events, according to the Fairfax County Park Authority.
- The park sits on about 135 acres and keeps roughly 100 animals, according to a 2021 anniversary profile.
- October events include Animal Tea Party, Farmyard Chatter, a family concert and Halloween on the Farm on October 23 and 24.
- The carousel is gone for good after January 2026 storm damage, but wagon ride tours are still offered.
- The 1791 Frying Pan Meeting House nearby is one of the oldest buildings in the area and is open mostly through scheduled tours.
In This Post
- The story behind Frying Pan Farm Park
- What you can actually do at Frying Pan Farm Park
- October at Frying Pan Farm Park
- The old meeting house down the road
- Sources and reporting limits
- FAQ
A Farm That Almost Never Happened: The Story Behind Frying Pan Farm Park
If you grew up around here, or raised kids here, there is a decent chance you have fed a goat at Frying Pan. If you moved here more recently, it can come as a surprise that a working farm exists a short drive from Reston Town Center and the Silver Line. The park’s story goes back to the late 1950s. According to a 2021 profile marking the park’s 60th anniversary, preservation efforts began in 1958, when construction of Dulles Airport put the region’s farmland under pressure. The land was donated to the Park Authority in 1960 by the Fairfax County School Board, and it became known as Frying Pan in 1961.
Up to 750,000 visitors in a single year, per the 2021 profile. That is a lot of people for a place with cows and a schoolhouse.
Today the county describes the park as preserving and interpreting farm life from the 1920s to the 1950s. Kidwell Farm, the part most families head for, recreates the kind of dairy operation that once ran in this corner of Fairfax County. The Kidwell farmhouse dates to the 1890s, per that same profile.
What You Can Actually Do at Frying Pan Farm Park
Most of it is simple, which is the appeal. You walk the farm, meet the animals, look around the visitor center, and let the kids burn off energy. There is a playground, a picnic shelter, an old schoolhouse, a country store and an equestrian center on the grounds, according to the Park Authority. One change worth knowing about. The Park Authority says the carousel was permanently removed after damage from the January 2026 winter storm. Wagon ride tours are still available. If you have a kid who has been talking about the carousel since last year, a heads up before you go will save you a hard conversation in the parking lot. Parking and admission are free for regular visits. Special events can carry fees or require advance registration, so check the event listing first. The big summer event, the Fairfax County Carnival and Fair, ran July 30 through August 2 this year. Its 4-H Fair side has operated for more than 75 years, according to Extension Agent India Pearson. 
October at Frying Pan Farm Park
Fall is when the farm gets busy. Here is what the Park Authority events page lists for the coming weeks, as of this writing:
- Animal Tea Party, October 3 and 10 at 10 a.m., for ages 4 to 7. Bring a stuffed animal.
- Little Hands on the Farm, October 6, 9:45 to 10:30 a.m., for ages 2 to 3, with an adult.
- Farmyard Chatter, October 9, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., ages 6 through adult. A registration fee applies, and a mobile device is recommended.
- Rocknoceros family concert, October 12, 10 to 10:45 a.m.
- Halloween on the Farm, October 23 and 24, ages 2 through adult, with trick-or-treating, crafts, games and a tour of the decorated farmhouse. Registration is required.
Spots at programs like these can go fast, so register early if you plan to go to a registration-required event.
135 acres of preserved farmland and historic buildings, per the Park Authority’s 2021 anniversary coverage.
The Old Meeting House Down the Road
Not far from the farm, at 2615 Centreville Road, sits the Frying Pan Meeting House, built in 1791 by a Baptist congregation. A 2019 Reston Now article notes that it was one of Virginia’s oldest racially integrated Baptist churches, with galleries where African Americans worshipped. The last surviving trustee transferred the property to the Park Authority in 1984, and the building is a Virginia Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds are not regularly open. Guided tours can be arranged through the park, and public tours have typically been scheduled each spring and fall, so call the park to ask about this season’s schedule.
Why This Matters If You Live Around Here
People choose Reston for the lakes, the trails and the walkable town center. Fewer people think about what sits just beyond it. A free, working farm and a house of worship older than the country’s Constitution are the kind of thing that makes a neighborhood feel like it has roots. Families in Reston, Herndon and as far as Oakton tend to treat places like this as part of the weekend routine. If you are exploring what each community offers, our pages on the Reston area and Oakton are a good place to start.
FAQ
Is Frying Pan Farm Park free? According to the Fairfax County Park Authority, admission to Kidwell Farm and the park, plus parking, is free except for select special events. Some programs require registration or a fee. What are the hours? The park lists 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Individual facilities and programs can have different hours, so check before you go. Is the carousel still open? No. The Park Authority says it was permanently removed after January 2026 winter storm damage. Wagon ride tours are still available. Can I visit the Meeting House? The grounds are not regularly open to the public. Tours are arranged through the park.
Sources and Reporting Limits
- Fairfax County Park Authority, Frying Pan Farm Park page (hours, admission, facilities, carousel note), accessed October 1, 2026.
- Fairfax County Park Authority, Frying Pan Farm Park events page (October 2026 programs), accessed October 1, 2026. Dates, ages and fees can change.
- Fairfax County Park Authority news release, Fairfax County Carnival and Fair returns to Frying Pan Farm Park, July 27, 2026.
- “Frying Pan Farm Park Marks its 60th Anniversary,” Our Stories and Perspectives, September 29, 2021 (history, acreage, animal count, visitor figure). These figures are from 2021 and may have changed.
- “History Comes to Life at Frying Pan Farm Meeting House,” Reston Now, April 24, 2019 (Meeting House history and tour information).
- Limits: event listings reflect what was posted on October 1, 2026, and the Park Authority did not list fees for every event. Confirm details with the park before visiting. The Dulles Airport background comes from a single local profile.
Thinking about a move to Reston or the surrounding area? Reach out to Nikki and ask about life near the parks you love. Curious who ranks among the top real estate agents in Reston VA this year? See the full 2026 rankings.