October is here and so is the spooky fun! Celebrate Halloween all month long with events for the whole family happening across Des Moines.
From family-friendly festivals to adults-only thrills, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Break out those costumes, stock up on candy, and get ready to make some memories. After all, there’s no such thing as too much Halloween fun!
We are proud to partner with New Horizon Academy to bring you this events guide. New Horizon Academy provides exceptional early childhood education and care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers from 6 weeks old through pre-kindergarten. Through research-based curriculum and nurturing care, New Horizon Academy supports the development of cognitive, physical, social, and emotional skills in every child. Visit their website to learn more about our early learning programs, state-of-the-art classrooms, commitment to health and safety, and more. Schedule a tour at one of the NAEYC Accredited schools today or check out this virtual tour.
More Halloween Fun
Halloween Events around Des Moines
September 20–October 26 | Phantom Fall Fest, Adventureland Altoona
Select dates and times
Enjoy your favorite rides during the day, then fright all night with horror around every corner. Hang on to your friends through more fog, more freaks, more FX- starting with four haunted houses.
4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Join in for an evening farmers market at the Ankeny Market & Pavilion. See regular-season vendors, shop pumpkins from the Ankeny Area Historical Society, and Uptown Garage Brewing Co. will be on site with seasonal beer, cider, and more.
4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Join in for a night of trick or treating. Enjoy four full blocks of trunk-or-treating, then stick around for more Halloween frights and delights. Groove to spooky tunes from DJ Big Lare, strut your stuff in our costume contest, ride the Uptown Express, and discover even more bewitching surprises throughout the night.
October 10-12 | Spirits in the Garden at Reiman Gardens
Friday/Saturday: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
Sunday: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: $7 and up
See amazing Jack-O-Lanterns, visit the Candy Factory, and enjoy a magic show! A local community group will be selling prepackaged snacks and warm drinks as a fundraiser near Lake Helen. Advanced tickets are required with a specific entry time window. New this year, visit the auditorium before you leave for the chance to adopt your very own hissing cockroach.
October 11 | Fall Festival & Candy Crawl at Grimes South Sports Complex
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Cost: Free
Enjoy plenty of candy, food trucks, a kid zone, demonstrations, great vendors, and activities for all ages. Costumes are encouraged!
October 11 | Camp-er-treat, Timberline Campground in Waukee
5 pm to 9 pm
Come enjoy activities for all ages, trolley rides, costumes, and candy.
October 17-19, 24-26 | Family Halloween at Living History Farms
Fridays/Saturdays: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sundays: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: $11-$12
Enjoy a fun trick-or-treating experience through the historic businesses in Living History Farms’ 1876 town of Walnut Hill. There will also be games and horse-drawn wagon rides.
October 16-19, 23-26 | Night Eyes, Blank Park Zoo
Roam through life-sized animatronic dinosaurs, enchanted lighted displays, a merry-not-scary treat safari, and enjoy live entertainment and games.
October 19 | Grimes Trunk or Treat, South Sports Complex
2 pm to 4 pm
Book your lane(s) now! Their Kooky not Spooky event includes 2 hours of glow bowling and shoe rental for up to 5 guests per lane, a large single-topping pizza, and a pitcher of soda.
5 pm to 7 pm
Dress up in your favorite costume, bring your candy bags, and join us for an unforgettable evening of frightful fun.
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Cost: Free
Wear your non-scary costumes and enjoy giant inflatables, carnival games, free popcorn, and more! Plus October 19 is a special night for families with special needs.
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Wear your costumes, enjoy bobbing for apples, pumpkin bowling, and more.
$10 for ages 1 – 10, $4 for adults and children over 10. Free for members.
October 23 | Trick or Treat Around the Lake, Copper Creek Lake
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Join in for an evening of trick-or-treating around Copper Creek Lake Park. Businesses will have tables set up for you to visit as they hand out candy and promotional items.
October 23 | Trunk or Treat, Urbandale Police Department parking lot
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Stop by with your friends and family for a safe night of fun.
October 24 | Bootanical Brews, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
7 pm to 10 pm
Enjoy eats, treats, and drinks. 21+.
October 24 | Nature Center After Dark-Halloween, Jester Park Nature Center
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Storytelling, crafts, open Nature Center exhibits, and a short program. Come in costume for this free family-friendly Halloween-themed night.
October 25 | Giver’s Night!, 6th & Euclid Avenues
4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Our take on Beggar’s Night, we invite you to don your costumes and bring along donations for The Supply Hive to swap for a treat! Suggested donations include non-perishable Food Items, fresh food for community fridges, hygiene/personal care products, household paper products, diapers, and formula.
October 25 | Modern Custom Dreamz Halloween Trunk or Treat
6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Bring the kiddos all dressed up with their candy bags ready for a evening of fun and see some creative ideas from all the car clubs around the Des Moines area. Tons of cars and cool lights and costumes.
October 25 | Huxley Spooktacular, Railroad Park
4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Chock full of spooky fun for all ages! Enjoy a variety of food trucks, trick or treat on the Story Walk, live music, beverages, treats, games, and activities for all.
October 25 | Trick or Trees, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
This festive, family-friendly event includes activities, entertainment, and trick-or-treating in the Garden. Visitors can participate in creep-tastic educational activities about trees and spooky botanicals. Costumes are encouraged!
October 25 | GPS Great Pumpkin Hunt at Greenwood Park
10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $10
Learn how to use a hand-held Global Positioning Unit and then will use the GPS to find the “GreatPumpkin” in the park. A series of smaller pumpkins will be hidden in the park and leading the way to “the Great Pumpkin.”
October 26 | Trick or Treat on the Farm, Howell’s Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch
Have some Halloween fun on the farm! Scavenge for treats around the farm, smash some pumpkins, enjoy all our fall activities, and more. Join the costume contest, prizes are awarded by age group and category.
October 25 | Spooky Science, Science Center of Iowa
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Dust the cobwebs off your costumes, and bring the whole family down to enjoy spooky, science-y, and SAFE Halloween fun. There will be hair-raising experiments, creepy-crawly critters, and tons of other spook-ified programming. All activities are included with admission – free for SCI members!
October 25 | Goldie’s Halloween Bash, State Historical Building
3 pm – 5 pm
Costumes encouraged at this free event. Enjoy a scavenger hunt through the exhibit, hands-on crafts (including apple stamp pumpkins and yarn ghosts), not-so-spooky storytime, tasty treats provided by Barattas (while supplies last)!
4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Calling all goblins, ghosts, and ghouls to the RecPlex for a spooky good time in a family-friendly environment. Decorate pumpkins and play fun games and activities like hula hoop pumpkin toss, monster freeze dance, snacks, and more. Space will be limited so don’t miss out.
Find more Halloween and fall activities here.
What are your favorite Halloween activities? Let us know if we missed anything!
We work hard to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, you should always call ahead to confirm dates, times, locations, and other information before heading to an event or activity, since it may change.
