Markoff's Christmas Farm Brings Holiday Magic to Life in Poolesville
POOLESVILLE, MD — Markoff’s Haunted Forest is renowned for the legendary degree of immersion that the haunted attraction offers during the month of October. A longtime staple of the DMV, Markoff’s has won industry awards for its craftsmanship and performance art. Still, even after decades of delivering a world-class haunt experience, Nick and Mary Markoff felt that something was missing. Mere months later, Markoff’s Christmas Farm - a holiday village with bonfires, s’mores, dance parties, carnival games, arts and crafts and so much more - was born. Although we missed out on the event’s debut last year, we had the honor of being invited out to cover the event’s second iteration…and it did not disappoint!
Markoff’s Christmas Farm offers the perfect blend of cozy Christmas vibes and holiday magic, making it an excellent way to turn the page on Thanksgiving and begin the holiday season in earnest. The festival midway, a hub for upcharge experiences during haunt season, is alive with family-friendly experiences that are one hundred percent free. Carnival style games like “Antler Toss” and “Ralphie’s Gallery” offer tests of both luck and skill, with small prizes available for anyone who is able to score the needed points. There is also a kid’s craft area and story hour, where attendees can listen to the matriarch and patriarch of the Markoff family recount the tale of the Christmas Farm. A certain ‘jolly old elf’ also makes an appearance in his traditional sleigh, which offers families a great opportunity for a meet and greet and get a free photo with Santa Claus. Tucked in the back is a small Christmas market with local vendors which provides a perfect opportunity to shop “small” for Christmas gifts. Families also have the option to purchase a live Christmas tree at the event, and the Markoff’s team is ready to bail and secure any purchases for safe transit. But it wouldn’t be a Markoff’s event without some of those incredible builds for which the haunted attraction is so well-known.
Above: The Markoff’s team did an incredible job bringing Christmas favorites like ‘Dickens Village’ to life. Photo by Rania Peet.
For an added fee of $30 per person (kids under 5 being free), guests are also given the chance to walk the wildly immersive Christmas Trail, which brings classic holiday stories like A Christmas Carol, The Polar Express, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to life with a level of detail that simply takes the breath away. Patrons on the Christmas Trail can expect to meet Meet Yukon Cornelius and Bumble, stroll through Dickens Village, marvel at a full-scale locomotive and so much more. Pictures and photos are allowed an encouraged so you can capture the memories for years to come, and best of all, there is a free scavenger hunt which challenges guests to spot as many owls as they can on the trail - and, without giving anything away, there are way more than you’d think. Although tickets are for timed entry, guests are welcome to enjoy all the offerings in the midway while waiting for their time on the trail. We’d strongly advise purchasing trail tickets ahead of any planned visit, as this limited offering routinely sells out before the night’s festivities have ended. The trail is also almost entirely outdoors, so comfortable (durable) footwear is recommended for visitors of all ages.
Another thing that has always made Markoff’s stand out (regardless of season) is that food is prepared fresh onsite. Concessions are available during the event, but are limited to only a handful of booths and items - luckily, the smash burger sliders were among them, and we can vouch for both their freshness and their flavor. Hot and cold beverages, fries, and raclette - a Christmas Market staple - were also on the menu. Something to be aware of, however, is that because the food is made fresh onsite, it takes a few minutes to prepare each order and the concessions line can get quite long. The end result is always worth it, but make sure to pack your patient pants if dining in is part of your plan for the evening.
Above: Katie shares a moment with the “Farting Grinch”, a hilarious interactive photo op positioned in the Markoff’s Christmas Farm Midway.
Based on the amount of foot traffic and the number of smiles, we think it’s safe to say that Markoff’s Christmas Farm is a tremendous success. The Markoff family has outdone themselves once again, turning a site well-known for its Halloween-season atmosphere into a festive Christmas destination for local families with less than four weeks between the two. The speed and scale of the seasonal overhaul is striking, to say nothing of the amount of planning and production that must go into reimagining the space in such a short window. Markoff’s Christmas Farm offers a community-focused holiday experience built around family-friendly entertainment, seasonal activities and a warm, approachable atmosphere. Its mix of festive charm and immersive presentation positions it as an event that could easily become a yearly tradition for many returning guests. The event is expected to return in 2026, so be sure to check out https://www.markoffschristmasfarm.com/ for tickets and information as we get into the colder months of the year. In the meantime, you can watch our experience vlog below to get a closer look at everything that Markoff’s Christmas Farm offers - and to see our first-hand reactions in real time! Special thanks to Brit Nussear for the event invitation and the guided tour, and to Rania Peet for the beautiful photos used in our video thumbnail and in our blog post.
