Blog > Halloween Events in Austin!
Whether you enjoy Halloween for the creative costumes, the nightmare inducing haunted houses, or the sweet treats there’s no denying that Austin is a great place to celebrate this spooky holiday! Even if you already have plans with your family to head out for some trick-or-treating in your neighborhood on the 31st, there are tons of events in the Austin area to get the festivities going even before Halloween is officially here! The best part is, many events are free to the public, so you can spend more money on finding a Halloween costume that will be a shoe-in for a first place prize in all the costume contests you enter! Here’s a list of just a few of the many awesome Halloween events happening in Austin over the next two weekends!
Pioneer Farms Haunted Halloween
10621 Pioneer Farms Drive
October 20th – 21st & 27th – 28th from 7:00 – 11:00pm (admission closes at 10:00pm)
Three spooktacular trails will weave through the farm this year! A ‘G’ rated trail for kiddos who love Halloween but don’t care for spooky surprises, another ‘PG’ rated trail for those who are prepared for a few ghosts and ghouls, but don’t want to go home with nightmares, and another super scary ‘PG-13’ rated trail for the adventurers and thrill seekers in the family! Spook lights and ghost storytellers will be on hand to add to the fun! It wouldn’t be a party without some delicious Austin food trucks and live music too! Tickets are $15 per person at the gate or you can buy online and avoid the lines!
Boo at the Zoo
10808 Rawhide Trail
October 20th – 21st & 27th -28th from 6:30-9:00pm
Ever wonder what all the animals at the zoo do when the sun goes down? Explore the spooky side of the Austin Zoo and find out! Take a ride on the haunted train, venture into the haunted house (if you dare!) and visit the animals by the glow of special Halloween lights! Tickets are $17.50 per person, and for an additional $3 you can enjoy musical entertainment by ScottyRoo and Christini. Don’t forget to wear your costume! Dress up like your favorite zoo animal and scare other zoo goers who think you’ve escaped from your cage!
Monster Concert & Carnival
Austin High School, 1715 West Caesar Chavez Street
October 21st from 3:30-8:30pm
Austin High’s Monster Concert and Carnival has been a tradition at the school since 1987. The concert features orchestras from Vertical Team elementary and middle schools and various orchestras from Austin High School. This year, orchestras from Crockett High School will also be performing. While the Monster Concert is the main event, you can’t forget about the carnival that students and parents spent weeks preparing for your delight! Roam through their homemade haunted house and enjoy carnival games and delicious snacks! Arrive in style wearing your best costume or snag a Monster Concert t-shirt to support the talented performers! Admission to the concert is free and all proceeds from the carnival go to support the Orchestra program at Austin High School!
Dogtoberfest
3225 Amy Donovan Plaza, Austin
October 21st from 10:00am – 4:00pm
For all the dog lovers in Austin, this one’s for you! The sixth annual Dogtoberfest promises to be “the most awesome-ist pet related event in Austin!” Held in the Domain, Dogtoberfest kicks off with a Dogtober TROT – a one kilometer walk for you and your four-legged friend. After that, the real fun begins! The festival includes a silent auction, canine costume contest, wiener dog races, pet-related demonstrations, and much more! To register for the costume contest, a $5 donation is encouraged. Prizes will be awarded for individual categories including Best Ensemble, Best Duo (dress up with your dog!), Fantasy & Superheroes, and Sports Stars. Dogtoberfest isn’t all just fun and games though! The goal of the event is to raise money for local dog rescue organizations and raise awareness about dog rescue!
Halloween Spelltacular Movie in the Park
Palm Park, 711 East 3rd Street, Austin
October 26th from 5:30pm – 9:30pm
Grab your spell book and start brewing up some magic potion in your cauldron because the ladies of Hocus Pocus are coming to Palm Park on the big screen! Much more than just your average movie in the park, the Halloween Spelltacular features pre-movie activities including a costume contest, Halloween candy walk, pumpkin smashing, and a Halloween dance party! There will also be a Witch’s Cauldron Photo Booth for you to snap some pictures in and food trucks with plenty of spooky snacks! The event is all ages and for the adults it’s also BYOB! Tickets are $20 for adults and $5 for children ages 4 -17. Little ones 3 and under get in for free! Doors will open for the festivities at 5:30pm and the movie will start around 7:00pm.
Spooktacular at the Bullock Museum
1800 Congress Ave, Austin
October 27th from 5:00 – 8:00pm
It’s a real life night at the museum! Maybe the exhibits won’t come to life like in the movie, but you can still explore the museum after hours at this free event! Plus there will be a few extra special treats at the this spooktacular event! You’ll find performances, games, interactive activities, and art that the whole family can enjoy! The gamers in the family can dress up as their favorite video game character and head to the Pong and Pokemon exhibit for activities and demonstrations as well!
Halloween Boo Bash
3208 Red River, Austin
October 27th at 5:30pm
The YMCA of Austin’s annual Halloween Boo Bash will be held the Friday before Halloween and is sure to be fun for the whole family! Activities include arts & crafts, bingo, and pumpkin hockey. There will also be music and sweet treats and plenty of photo opportunities, so don’t miss this opportunity to dress up in your best costume and have some fun! Admission is free for the whole family!
Annual Pumpkin Carving on Carver Dock
George Washington Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina Street, North Parking Lot Dock
October 28th from 11:00am
Head to Carver Dock to carve your jack-o-lanterns just in time for Halloween night! The free event will include face painting, music, games, and more! There’s a limited number of free pumpkins available, so be sure to RSVP by calling (512) 974-4926 to get a pumpkin for your family to carve! Depending on the size of your household you might even be able to score as many as four pumpkins!
Howl-O-Scream
Various Locations
October 31st from 6:30 – 8:30pm
Held at five different district sites, Austin’s Howl-O-Scream welcomes all ages to enjoy treats, carnival games and a haunted house! Admission is just $3 for unlimited fun and games plus a free snack or you can get ten free tickets for the same amount to use on whatever you want! The five locations are as follows: Gus Garcias Recreation Center, Turner-Roberts Recreation Center, Givens Recreation Center, Dove Springs Recreation Center, and Dittmar Recreation Center.