It’s October, and we all know what that means — Halloween is almost here! Costumes, candy and pumpkin patches are just a few things that get us in the spooky spirit this time of year. Many places in the Valley are offering Halloween fun this year with decorations, pumpkins, corn mazes, rides and seasonal food and drinks. Here are 10 ways to celebrate Halloween with the whole family.
Howl-O-Ween at Great Wolf Lodge
The Great Wolf Lodge transforms their facilities into a Halloween wonderland and fill it with all kinds of fun family-friendly activities such as a “trick-or-treat trail”, costume contest, pumpkin carving, story time events, dance party and more! And all events have been modified to be COVID-19 friendly so you can have fun and be safe at the same time.
Pumpkin and Chili Party at Schnepf Farms
For the month of October, Schnepf Farms will be having their Pumpkin and Chili party. Here you can make your way through two different corn mazes, play lawn games, visit a petting zoo, check out one of the Schnepf Farms museums, go on a hay ride or experience one of the farm’s many exciting rides like the extreme Hyper Loop, the Schnepf Roller Coaster or the carousel. Certain activities have mask requirements to keep everyone safe as well.
Fall Festival at Vertuccio Farms
Another fun farm you can visit is Vertuccio Farms while they are hosting their Fall Festival this October. On Oct. 17-18, , 24-25 and 31 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can participate in their “pumpkin paint and take” event. Admission to the festival grants access to the corn maze, mini-golf, mini zip-line, giant jump pad and many other fun and active activities kids will love.
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Pumpkin Nights at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess
Through October 31st from 6 to 10 p.m., the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is hosting Pumpkin Nights, a can’t-miss event for the whole family. Some highlights you can look forward to include: the Haunted Plaza; the Patches Pumpkin Farm to choose your pumpkin and plenty of photo opportunities; Jack-O-Lantern Lawn featuring a Hay Maze, rides, campfire fire pits and S’mores kits; Patches Seasonal Shoppe offering seasonal items including pajamas, plush animals, gifts and fall treats; a fireworks display each night, plus many seasonal food and beverage offerings.
Brick or Treat at LEGOland
The Legoland Discovery Center is holding their “Brick or Treat” event through Oct. 31.This year the Discovery Center is boasting a new “play experience” called Lego Hidden Side where kids get to help characters in the store. You can look for clues in their Miniland, help build a LEGO pumpkin and a six-foot-tall dracula.
MacDonalds Ranch
MacDonald’s Ranch is another great place to have fun with fall activities and choose your pumpkin for Halloween. They have a petting zoo, hay-bale maze, pedal cars and lawn games. For additional costs, they also have pony rides, hay rides, a mechanical bull and more.
Fear Farm
If your family has older kids who are wanting to test their nerves, check out Fear Farm! Fear Farm is a haunted house event with a number of different themed attractions this year, which include ones about a creepy plague doctor, an apocalyptic fallout, an alien bunker facility and a haunted corn maze. The haunted attractions can be very intense, however, so make sure your kids can handle it or consider waiting until they are older.
BARKtoberfest
What better way to spend a Saturday morning than in the company of cute animals? Friend for Life Animal Rescue is putting on BARKtoberfest on Oct. 10 where you can adopt an animal, or if you’re wanting to have fun, check out their vendors, live entertainment and enter in a raffle to win a prize. All proceeds raised will go to the nonprofit Friends for Life Animal Rescue.
Monsters Menagerie
Through Nov. 1, the Alwun House, a local art gallery in downtown Phoenix, is hosting the Monster Menagerie, an exhibit to showcase local artists’ works. The event wants to give artists a chance to creatively express themselves through “light and dark creative works of menacing dark fantasies,” If you’re a fan of art and creative expression, you might be able to connect with many of the art pieces too! Even consider participating in it for the $500 juried prize.
Tolmachoff Farms’ Corn Maze and Pumpkin Days
This family farm in Glendale is offering an array of Halloween fun this year for the whole family. Enjoy Tolmachoff Farms’ Corn Maze and Pumpkin Days celebration through Nov. 1 with a huge pumpkin patch, 6-acre family corn maze, a mini corn maze, a haunted corn maze, plus a petting zoo, train ride, hay pyramid, corn box, an adult/child pedal cart track and much more.
