Celebrate the season of fall and Halloween by attending one of the Front Range's many animal encounters, family workshops, trick-or-treat streets, or boos at the zoo ... just to name a few! Events are listed chronologically.
Family By Day Fright Fest: Weekends September 30-October 29 ~ 12:00-5:00 PM
(Elitch Gardens, Denver) Halloween festivities invade the park throughout the day each weekend, plus all your favorite Theme Park rides too. Little ghosts and goblins can enjoy Free Candy on the Trick or Treat Trail and partake in several Halloween themed interactive challenges. All Ages. Adults: $39.99; Children Under 48": $34.99 (when purchased online).
Pumpkin Fest: September 30 & October 1, 7, & 8 ~ Various Departure Times
(Georgetown Loop Railroad, Silver Plume Depot) The Pumpkin Fest train includes a train ride, face painting, games, a bounce castle, holiday characters, and best of all, children will receive a FREE pumpkin to take home. These excursions are a great way for families to spend quality time together. All Ages. Adults: $27.95-$37.75; Children (3-15): $19.95-$28.95.
Festival of Scarecrows: October 7 ~ 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
(Olde Towne Square, Arvada) Olde Town Square will become a pumpkin patch and scarecrows of all shapes and sizes will stand guard. Bring costumed kids for the parade, enjoy a free hayride, navigate the corn maze (bring a non-perishable food item for free entry), and find a perfect pumpkin. All Ages. FREE admission; charge for pumpkins and some activities.
Pumpkin Harvest Festival: October 7-8 ~ 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
(Four Mile Historic Park, Denver) Celebrate the arrival of autumn with old-fashioned fun! Build your own scarecrow, select your favorite pumpkin from the patch, and tour the Park in a horse-drawn wagon. Explore how 19th-century Coloradans lived and prepared for the season, with historic demonstrations and tours of the Four Mile House Museum. All Ages. FREE admission; charge for pumpkins, refreshments, and some activities.
Punkin Chunkin Colorado: October 7-8 ~ Hours Vary
(Arapahoe Park Racetrack, Aurora) Punkin chunkers come from all around to compete in the yearly games. This festival also has kids' crafts, live entertainment, a pumpkin patch, fall market, food vendors, and a beer garden. $5 for ages 5 and up; children 4 and under are free. Some activities require tickets ($1/ticket).
Pumpkin Festival: October 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, & 22 ~ Hours Vary
(Tagawa Gardens, Centennial) Decorate a pumpkin, see strolling puppets, and enjoy various fun activities and entertainment. The last Sunday is the special "Kids Grapestomping" during which kids stomp grapes to make next year's batch of Little Feet Merlot (a portion of the proceeds benefit the Children's Hospital Foundation). See the different activities and entertainment taking place on Weekend 1, Weekend 2, and Weekend 3. All Ages. FREE admission; some activities require tickets.
HallowTeen Lounge: October 13 ~ 7:00-10:00 PM
(Denver Museum of Nature & Science) Get ready for a haunted good time at this fifth annual evening of wild costumes, scary stories, and spooky fun. Enjoy pizza, ghost stories, ghoulish games, and creepy-crafty stuff. Costumes strongly recommended for a contest. Teens (13-17) only. FREE!
Arapahoe County Fall Festival: October 14 ~ 10:00AM - 4:00 PM
(17 Mile House, Centennial) Enjoy live music, picking out your favorite pumpkin and a scenic hayride. Festival goers also can try their luck at gold panning, milking June the cow or learning the art of blacksmithing. Learn from Trapper Johnny and enjoy tasty food. See the Nature’s Educator’s Birds of Prey and take a tour of the farmhouse. All Ages. FREE admission (pumpkins and food available for purchase).
Haunted Trail Adventure: October 14 ~ 4:00-7:00 PM
(Bear Creek Lake Park, Lakewood) Experience an evening of ghostly trails and tales. Walk along the Owl Trail and discover the critters of the night. Enjoy carnival games, an encounter with our favorite paleo-puppeteer Mr. Bones, and visit Wild Wings Environmental Education and a few live owls. Pumpkins are available for purchase. Warm your toes by the fire at the amphitheater and enjoy roasting marshmallows and sipping hot chocolate. Come hungry and purchase food to benefit the park’s new nature play area by Lakewood Kiwanis. All Ages. $5 (3 and under are free).
Glow at the Gardens ~ October 18, 19, 25, & 26 from 5:30-9:30 PM
(Botanic Gardens at York Street, Denver) Luminaria-lined pathways wind through the grounds to reveal larger-than-life pumpkin displays. In addition, enjoy a wide array of activities including live music, costume contests, storytelling, scavenger hunt, face painting, hands-on crafts, and more. Seasonal food and beverages are available for purchase. All Ages. Adults: $16; Children (3-15): $12.
Boo at the Zoo: October 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, & 31 from 4:00-8:30 PM
(Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs) It'll be all treats and no tricks for your little pirates and princesses at this fun event for families with young children to trick-or-treat and enjoy Halloween festivities in a safe environment! All Ages. Online Advance Pricing: $17.75; At the Gate: $20.75. Discounts for Zoo members, military, and seniors. Ages 2 and under are just 75¢.
Boo at the Zoo: October 21, 22, 28 & 29 ~ 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
(Denver Zoo, Denver) The 33rd annual Boo At The Zoo offers trick-or-treat stations, creepy crawly animal demonstrations, and exciting family-friendly entertainment under the canopy of the fall foliage of Denver Zoo. All Ages. Activities included with admission of $17 for adults and $12 for children (3-11).
Bug-a-Boo: October 21, 22, 28, & 29 ~ 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
(Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster) As part of the month-long Halloween celebration known as BUGTOBER, this year you can enjoy TWO weekends of Bug-a-Boo featuring indoor trick-or-treating, a costume parade, invertebrate exploration, and fun family entertainment! All Ages. Activities included with admission of $11 for adults and $7 for children (2-12).
Haunted Hay Rides ~ October 27-28 from 6:00-9:00 PM
(South Platte Park, Littleton) Storytellers narrate a fun tale while you rumble down a trail inhabited by spooky Pirates of the Caribbean for 30 minutes of family Halloween fun. Enjoy food concessions and a petting zoo inside the barn before or after your ride. Must check in 30 minutes prior to ride time. Rides go rain or shine! All ages welcome; youth 16 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult. $12/person.
Family Overnight: Halloween at the Museum ~ October 27 starting at 6:00 PM
(Denver Museum of Nature & Science) It's all treats in this overnight of ooey-gooey activities, spooky fun, and trick-or-treat trivia! See an IMAX film, explore the temporary exhibit Ultimate Dinosaurs, and sleep in the diorama halls. Includes pizza dinner, evening snack, hot breakfast, and of course … candy!
Families with K-8th Graders only. Adults: $80; Children: $70.
Live Bats for All Ages ~ October 28 at 12:00 PM & 2:00 PM
(Denver Museum of Nature & Science) Step into the mysterious world of bats and explore their lives, habitats, and nocturnal strategies. Encounter a big brown bat from North America and hear its high-pitched echolocation with a "bat detector," meet fruit bats from Africa and Asia, and come face-to-face with the largest bat in the world! All Ages. Adults: $15; Children: $10.
Bat Encounter: Live! ~ October 29 at 1:00 PM & 2:30 PM
(Denver Botanic Gardens at York Street) In this family-friendly, live animal program, you'll come face-to-face with different bats from around the world. Learn how bats impact humans and keep our environment healthy. Presented by Rob Mies, Director of the Organization for Bat Conservation at Michigan's Cranbrook Institute of Science. All Ages. Adults : $15.50; Children (3-15): $8 (includes admission to the Gardens).
Trick or Treat Street: October 27-29 ~ 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
(Children's Museum of Denver at Marisco Campus) For three days, the Children’s Museum will host the most boo-tiful fall festival in town, full of pumpkins, straw bales, delicious goodies and the cutest costumed kids you’ve ever seen! Note: This is a safe, friendly event for small children — no scary costumes and leave your strollers in the car please! All Ages. $15.
Hauntings at the Hangar: October 29 ~ 12:00-4:00 PM
(Wings Over the Rockies, Denver) This Halloween, Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum will transform into a fun, spooky haunted hangar. Get an early start to your Halloween with trick-or-treating, carnival games, bouncy house, jumbo slide, pedal planes, Star Wars characters and super heroes, and more! All Ages. Adults: $15; Children (4-16): $8.50.
Trick or Treat Train: October 28-29 ~ 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
(Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden) Catch a ride behind a historic Denver & Rio Grande Steam Locomotive in vintage passenger cars hosted by conductors and engineers in full costume. Fill your treat bags at all the Town's special stops and tickle your funny bones including the “not so spooky” Haunted Railcar and the Olde Railroaders Silly Graveyard. Finally, get a great picture of your costume as you pose in front of our Pumpkin Patch cart. Adults: $15; Children: $5.
Halloween Kids Fest: October 28-29 ~ 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
(Downtown Aquarium, Denver) Join Sharkey and his friends for a fun day of games, crafts and more. Kids in costume get half-price exhibit tickets with adult purchase! Most activities included with admission. All Ages. Adults: $20.50; Children (3-11): $14.50.
