It’s officially spooky season! While we suspect that most kids would say that Christmas is their favourite holiday, we also bet that for many of them, Halloween is a close second. And adults, how many of you love the excuse to dress up, eat candy, and be entertained by the darker side of life? Halloween continues to grow as a holiday and with that growth comes bigger and better seasonal events, including more than a few that are genuinely family friendly. Below we round up over 13 events and attractions for Halloween in Toronto that we think will get your whole family in the Halloween spirit, without any major scares.
Don’t forget to also look into whether your local park hosts a pumpkin parade. Most pumpkin parades take place on November 1, but some spots might use an alternate date.
Best Bets for Halloween Fun in Toronto
Farm Fun
On Now
Various Locations
Sure, you could grab a pumpkin from your local grocery store, or you could make a day out of picking out the perfect gourd by visiting one of the GTA’s many local fun farms. Pumpkinfest at Downey’s Farm, out in Caledon, features an eight-acre corn maze, a petting zoo, live entertainment, and more. Tickets start at $17, with pumpkins being extra. Another beloved local farm option is Brooks Farm. In addition to its playland, farm animals and delicious marketplace, this spot has themed weekends like the Princess Halloween Party on October 22 and 23. And then there’s After Dark Spooky Festival, which includes an all-ages trick-or-treat forest walk and some creepy elements, like the quarantine zombie pit, best viewed by kids 10 and up. The fun starts at $20 (kids under two are free) and After Dark kid visitors get a free pumpkin pie. Personally, we’re fans of Synder’s Family Farm. Home to the Fear Farm at night, this kid-friendly-by-day spot lets adults check out the creepy haunted houses while kids enjoy play areas, a giant bouncy pillow, pedal cars, and lots more. The farm’s alter-ego also means that the tractor ride is a bit more interesting and spooky than your typical tour through the fields (watch out for the giant spider!).
Pumpkins After Dark
On Now until October 30
Country Heritage Park 8560 Tremaine Rd., Milton
Get into a Halloween frame-of-mind with Pumpkins After Dark, an award-winning outdoor walk-through event. This year’s edition is bigger and better than ever with over 6,000 hand-carved pumpkins and over 80 per cent new display content. There will also be live pumpkin carving demonstrations, fall treats and sweets and other forms of Halloween fun. All tickets must be purchased in advanced and are available for a starting price of $18, with a four-ticket family pack available for around $75
Spooktacular Light Show
On Now until October 31
Meadowvale GO Station, 6845 Millcreek Dr., Mississauga
Richmond Hill GO Station, 95 Newkirk Rd., Richmond Hill
Does a drive-through light show work better for your family? Then explore this vehicle-only option, which takes place at two GTA locations. The two-kilometer-long drive will take you past over two million lights arranged in Halloween-themed 2D and 3D displays, through a pumpkin-filled tunnel and alongside beloved (and sometimes spooky) characters. While you cruise, your family can listen to the show’s dedicated radio station that only plans Halloween-related tunes. Tickets are sold on a per car basis, costing around $35 for a vehicle that seats up to eight people.
Camp Spooky
1 Canada’s Wonderland Dr., Vaughan
On Now until October 30
Before the night sets on Wonderland and brings out the zombies, ghouls, and other creepies that inhabit the Halloween Haunt, the GTA’s largest amusement park hosts a kinder, gentler Halloween event that’s perfect for the under-12 set. In addition to the usual rides and games, there’s trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, and Halloween-themed entertainment. There’s even a costume parade and yes, kids are encouraged to dress up. All the fun is covered by your Wonderland ticket, which costs $60 (but kids under three are free).
Legends of Horror
On Now until October 31
Casa Loma, 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto
Just like over at Wonderland, this attraction offers family-friendly hours earlier in the day. From 5pm to 6:30pm, while it’s not too dark out, Legends of Horror turns down the scare factor by not running any live actors and leaving a few lights on. But you’ll still have the opportunity to see the creepily decked rooms and gardens of Toronto’s very own castle. While this might still be too much for really young kids (and note that strollers aren’t allowed), many school-aged kids will get a thrill out of it. All tickets, which start at around $37, are timed and advance purchase is highly recommended.
Halloween Night of Lights
On Now until October 31
Sherway Gardens, 25 The West Mall, Toronto
Halloween Night of Lights is back with an expanded format that now includes Pumpkinville, “a fun fair located at the end of the Nights of Lights trail featuring larger than life pumpkin sculptures and village.” This walk-through event also features 1.5 million LED and RGB lights set to a Halloween score. Expect to spend around 45 minutes exploring the trail and then who knows how long in Pumpkinville, which includes carnival rides, tons of photo ops and even a beer garden, complete with food trucks. Tickets for the whole experience start at $15 (kids under two are free) and admission to just Pumpkinville, which is open weekend afternoons, can be purchased for $12 per person.
Crafts and Spooky Stories at your Local Library
Various Dates
Various Locations
Several library branches are hosting Halloween in Toronto fun. On October 25, the Riverdale Library will guide kids ages three and up through creating paper bag monsters while on October 29, your little ones can build a Q-Tip skeleton at the Brentwood branch. For a look at all of the Toronto Public Library’s October kids’ programming, head here. Halloween fun isn’t restricted to the Toronto library system. Vaughan Public Libraries is hosting its Halloween Howl party on various dates and historically, other GTA libraries have also organize kid-friendly events that celebrate October 31.
PumpkinFest Toronto
October 8-10, 15-16, 22-23
Downsview Park, 35 Carl Hall Dr., Toronto
This Halloween-focused festival has been such a success in the past that it’s expanding to cover three weekends! Families love this event because it has everything needed for a fantastic day out: Food trucks, carnival rides and games, a pumpkin patch, and even pony rides! Tickets cost around $30 per person, and you’ll need them to access any of the rides.
Pumpkin Patch Family Fest & Train Ride
October 15-16, 22-23, 29-30
York-Durham Heritage Railway, 19 Railway St., Uxbridge
Train-loving kids will adore this Halloween in Toronto outing, which includes a trip out to a pumpkin patch in a train hayride set in an open-air baggage car. Once you’ve completed your train trip, check out this event’s many family-friendly activities, including a hay mazes, jumping castles and a petting zoo! Multiple train trips run each day and tickets start at around $10.
Halloween at the Village
October 15, 22, 29 & 30
Black Creek Pioneer Village, 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy, Toronto
Get ready for some old fashion spooky fun at Black Creek Pioneer Village. In addition to the usual historical actors and presentations, there will be all kinds of Halloween-themed extras including a “petrifying puppet show,” fortune telling games and the opportunity to learn “the wicked skills of witchcraft and wizardry, including the recipe for concocting a powerful witches’ brew.” Kids are encouraged to dress in costume, even if they don’t exactly suit the Village’s 1860s setting. Tickets start at $18, with kids two and under being free.
Bloorcourt Pumpkins
October 23
Westmoreland Parkette, 760 Dovercourt Ave., Toronto
Hey residents of Bloorcourt and surrounding neighbourhoods, come and claim your free pumpkin, courtesy of the Bloorcourt BIA. The organization is giving away large pumpkins while also hosting live music and sharing some treats and sweets provided by local businesses. This event is scheduled to run from 1pm until 4pm or until it runs out of pumpkins, so come early!
Truck Or Treat Halloween Food Truck Festival
October 29 & 30
Variety Village, 3701 Danforth Ave., Toronto
Variety Village is teaming up with Canadian Food Truck Festivals to throw a Halloween-themed event built around food trucks. Besides a variety of refreshments, there will also be live entertainment, kids’ activities and even a beer garden. Variety Village will also be hosting an open house of its facilities, which you can try out first-hand. Entrance to the festival is free but you’re encouraged to donate some cash to Variety Ontario, which will use your donation to fund programming for individuals with disabilities. Oh, and don’t forget your costume!
Jr. Forest Explorers: Spooky Forest
October 31
Downsview Park, 70 Canuck Ave., Toronto
Join the Jr. Forest Explorers for “some creepy crawler outdoor activities” over at Downsview Park. Aimed at toddlers, the Jr. Forest Explorers program features games, a craft and even a snack! Kids are encouraged to wear a costume, and adults, you can feel free to wear one as well. The fun starts around 10am and is free to attend but does require advance registration.
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Category: halloween,events,attractions