Halloween frights and fun - What's happening in the lead up to Halloween?

A father and daughter work on a Halloween craft in this undated stock image. (Daisy Anderson/Pexels.com)

Halloween is approaching and there are plenty of family-friendly and spectacularly spooky events planned to keep everyone entertained. Here are some of the ghostly goings-on.

ONGOING

Fear Farm at Snyder’s Farm

• Oct. 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Oct. 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
• Oct. 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
• Oct. 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• 936685 Blenheim Road, Bright
• Tickets must be purchased online in advance (no ticket sales at the door)
• Seven “nightmarish” haunt attractions, hayrides and more.

Screampark at Bingemans

• Oct. 24 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• Oct. 25 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Oct. 26 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
• Oct. 27 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
• 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener (Behind the Ballroom and Marshall Hall buildings)
• Purchasing tickets online in advance is recommended.
• Six attractions that are sure to “horrify” visitors.
• Not recommended for children under 12 years of age.

OCT. 23

The Craft with A Witches Night Market

• 5:45 p.m.
• 141 Ontario Street North, Kitchener
• Local artists take part in a vendor’s market followed by a screening of The Craft at Apollo Cinema.

OCT. 25

Wicked Witches Halloween Market

• 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
• 57 Watson Parkway South, Guelph
• A two-night vendors market and sip ‘n shop event featuring trick-or-treating at all vendor booths. Includes a costume contest, Halloween photo booth and raffle.

The Hydrocut Halloween Ride

• 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
• 1522 Glasgow Street, Kitchener
• King Street Cycles presents The Hydrocut Halloween Ride. Participants are encouraged to charge up their lights and ride ‘the haunted trails.’ Parking lot party to follow including prizes and a costume contest.

OCT. 26

Halloween Party for a Cause

• 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.
• 65 Hanson Avenue, Kitchener
• United Filipino-Canadian Society of Waterloo Region hosts a party featuring a costume contest, pumpkin carving contest, karaoke contest and Zumba dance party. All proceeds will go to support Ray of Hope Feeding Project.

Schneider Haus 5th Annual Halloween Kids Party

• 2 p.m. – 7 p.m. (60 minute sessions)
• 466 Queen Street South, Kitchener
• Schenider Haus’ outdoor kids party returns. Explore the haunted garden, trick-or-treat through the historic outbuildings, make a personalized magic wand and read spooky stories by the campfire. Suitable for children 12 and under.

5th Annual Halloween Party for Food4Kids

• 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. (kids’ dance), 8 p.m. – 1 a.m. (adults’ dance)
• 647 Franklin Boulevard, Cambridge
• A spooktacular evening at the French Club supporting Food4Kids Waterloo Region. Costumes encouraged. Dancing, raffle table and more.

Wicked Witches Halloween Market

• 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• 57 Watson Parkway South, Guelph
• A two-night vendors market and sip ‘n shop event featuring trick-or-treating at all vendor booths. Includes a costume contest, Halloween photo booth and raffle.

To Hell with the 90’s dance party

• 7 p.m. – 11 p.m.
• 10 Huron Road, Kitchener
• The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region museum hosts a 90s horror dance party including a live band, cash bar and costume contest.

Halloween Kids Day at the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market

• 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
• 878 Weber Street north, Woolwich
• Kids can take part in free Halloween crafts and trick-or-treating.

Howloween Pooch Party

• 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• 44 Gaukel Street, Kitchener
• Dog Friendly KW hosts the 4th annual Pooch Party on the Gaukel Block in downtown Kitchener. Humans (and their dogs) are encouraged to dress up and take part in a costume pack walk parade.

Pumpkinpalooza!

• 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• St. Jacobs
• Halloween events held throughout town from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. followed by a Pumpkin Parade and trick-or-treat event from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Waterloo Vampire Hangout

• 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• 75 King Street South
• Waterloo’s vampires are coming out to play at the first ever Vampire Hangout in Waterloo Public Square. Music and vampire fashion show.

Sensitive Halloween

• 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• 60 Curtis Ave North, Paris
• Jason’s Wheelhouse is hosting a trick-or-treat adventure geared toward higher needs individuals and their siblings of all ages. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes and wander through an indoor neighbourhood, collecting treats. Registration required to reduce overcrowding.

Stage Frights 2024: Halloween Cabaret Fundraiser

• 7:30 p.m.
• 48 Broadway Street West, Paris
• Paris Performer’s Theatre presents a series of spooky scenes, monologues, poems and performances in support of the community theatre company. Costumes encouraged.

Pumpkin Plunge

• 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• 254 North Park Street, Brantford
• The Wayne Gretzky Spots centre hosts a special Halloween swim featuring spooky music and a chance to pick your own pumpkin. Free for facility or pool members, regular swim admission rates apply for non-members.

Spooky Stables

• 4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Family-friendly), 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. (Scarier experience)
• 7445 Wellington County Rd 21, Centre Wellington
• Grand River Raceway Stables hosts the annual Spooky Sables event in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Centre Wellington.

OCT. 27

Creepy Critters and Spooky Spirits

• 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
• 10 Huron Road, Kitchener
• The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum welcomes critter enthusiasts of all ages to get up close to scaly, slithery reptiles presented by Sciensational Sssnakes. Costumes encouraged.

Halloween Mini Maker Market

• 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• 10 King Street West, Kitchener
• Young entrepreneurs take part in a vendors market at THEMUSEUM.

Halloween Fun Fair

• 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
• 94 Tutela Heights Road, Brantford
• The Bell Homestead National Historic Site invites everyone out for a free day of spooky games, crafts and tasty treats. Donations for future events gratefully accepted.

OCT. 29

The Gaslight District Trick-or-Treat Trail: Presented by the Rego Team

• 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• The Gaslight District, Cambridge
• Trick-or-treat at huts setup throughout the Gaslight District and then watch Hotel Transylvania and The Haunted Mansion on the big screen.

OCT. 31

THEMUSEUM’s Annual Tot Parade

• 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• 10 King Street West, Kitchener
• Children create their own goodie bag and parade through downtown Kitchener, showing off their costumes. This event is best suited for children under the age of three.

Halloween Walk

• 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• 51 William Street, Paris
• Children six-years-old and younger are invited to the Syl Apps Community Centre for a free Halloween walk.

Halloween Costume Dance Party

• 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
• 100 Norfolk Street, Guelph
• Guelph Public Library hosts a Halloween costume dance party! The event also includes music, crafts and a scavenger hunt. Suitable for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

NOV. 1

Pumpkin Walk 2024

• 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• 71 Cowan Boulevard, Cambridge
• Bring carved pumpkins to the Fiddlesticks Community Centre for an encore performance! Drop off carved pumpkins in a marked area at the park by Fiddlesticks between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. The pumpkins will be arranged for the community to enjoy between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The pumpkins will then be donated to a farm as animal feed.