Best Halloween Events in Ontario
By Natalie Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Halloween season has arrived in Ontario, bringing haunted houses, glowing pumpkin trails, ghost walks, family-friendly festivals and seriously scary attractions to communities across the province. Whether you’re looking for a terrifying night out, a Halloween event for the kids or something completely unique, there are plenty of ways to celebrate throughout October 2026.
We’ve rounded up some of the best Halloween events in Ontario by region, from massive scream parks in the GTA to Pumpkinferno displays in Eastern, Central and Northern Ontario.
Key Points
- Ontario’s Halloween events run throughout October, with some beginning in late September and continuing into early November.
- For serious scares, check out Halloween Haunt, Screemers, Fort Fright, Saunders Farm FrightFest and Bingemans Screampark.
- Families have plenty of options too, including Boo at the Zoo, Pumpkinferno, Pumpkins After Dark and Halloween Hoot.
- Many popular Halloween attractions require timed tickets and sell out on October weekends, so advance reservations are recommended.
- Use the regions below to find Halloween events near you or plan a spooky Ontario road trip.
Halloween Events in Toronto & the GTA
1. Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland (Vaughan)
One of the biggest Halloween events in Ontario, Halloween Haunt features haunted mazes, scare zones and thrilling rides after dark. For 2026, the park transforms into a massive scream park on select nights from September 25 to November 1, with hundreds of monsters, haunted attractions, sinister live shows and nighttime rides. The event is not recommended for children under 13.
This multi-attraction scream park offers haunted houses, thrilling rides and a terrifying atmosphere. Screemers returns October 9–31, 2026, at Assembly Park in Vaughan with seven haunted walk-through mazes plus unlimited rides on the Midway of Madness included with general admission.
This one is definitely geared toward people looking to be scared rather than a family-friendly Halloween outing.
3. Boo at the Zoo at Toronto Zoo
Looking for Halloween fun for younger kids? Boo at the Zoo returns October 24, 25 and 31, 2026. Kids ages 12 and under who arrive in costume receive 50% off admission when accompanied by a regular-price adult ticket using promo code 50boo. Explore the Discovery Zone filled with trick-or-treat stations, costumed characters, animal encounters, and a lively Monster Mash dance party. For thrill-seekers, the VR Theater ghost train offers an immersive Halloween adventure (recommended for ages 12+) This is a great daytime Halloween event for families with young children.
4. Halloween on Church Street (Toronto)
Every Halloween night, Toronto’s Church-Wellesley Village becomes one of the city’s biggest costume celebrations. On October 31, 2026, Church Street will once again fill with elaborate costumes, music, and entertainment as thousands gather for a night of fun.
Part of Church Street closes to traffic for the event, turning the neighbourhood into a giant pedestrian Halloween party.
5. Halloween Nights of Lights & Pumpkinville – Etobicoke
For something more visual than scary, Halloween Nights of Lights returns September 25–November 1, 2026, at CF Sherway Gardens. Walk through an immersive display featuring more than 1.5 million synchronized LED lights set to Halloween music before exploring Pumpkinville, filled with giant pumpkin sculptures, fall activities and food.
Halloween Events in Ottawa
1. Saunders Farm FrightFest & PumpkinFest(Ottawa)
Saunders Farm offers two completely different Halloween experiences depending on how brave you’re feeling.
PumpkinFest runs during the day from September 26–November 1, 2026, with hedge mazes, hayrides, playgrounds, live entertainment and family-friendly fall activities. Some of the haunted attractions are also open during the day with lighter scares.
After dark, FrightFest takes over from September 26–October 31 with haunted attractions, live entertainment and the farm’s famous Haunted Hayride. If you’re visiting with young children, stick with PumpkinFest — nighttime is definitely when the serious scares come out.
2. Skreamers Proulx Farm (Cumberland)
Proulx Maple & Berry Farm transforms for Halloween from September 19–October 31, 2026. Families can visit during the day for Pumpkin Fest, featuring mazes, wagon rides and farm activities.
At night, things get considerably scarier when Skreamers takes over the farm. Operated by the Kiwanis Club of Eastern Ottawa, the nighttime haunt includes its infamous haunted hayride and is not recommended for children under 10.
Explore the haunted side of Ottawa with a guided ghost walk through some of the city’s most haunted locations. Rather than manufactured haunted-house scares, these walking tours dig into Ottawa’s darker history, ghost stories and supposedly haunted locations.
It’s a great option if you want something spooky that also lets you explore the city and learn some of its stranger history.
Halloween Events in Eastern Ontario
1. Pumpkinferno at Upper Canada Village (Morrisburg)
Pumpkinferno returns October 2–31, 2026, transforming Upper Canada Village with thousands of glowing, hand-crafted artificial pumpkins arranged in spectacular larger-than-life displays. New themes for 2026 include Jungle Giants, Timeless Toys, Postmarked Paradise and PKF1, plus an interactive zone, miniature train and sound-and-light show.
2. Fort Fright at Fort Henry (Kingston)
The historic Fort Henry transforms into a terrifying fortress full of haunted rooms and spooky encounters. Fort Fright runs select nights from October 2–31, 2026, using movie-quality animatronics, professional costumes, immersive sets and special effects to turn the National Historic Site into one enormous haunted attraction.
Thursday Dark Nights crank up the experience even further for visitors looking for maximum scares.
Halloween Events in Southwestern Ontario
1. Bingemans Screampark (Kitchener)
This Halloween event features multiple haunted houses and horror-themed experiences. Screampark returns for 2026 with six haunted attractions included with general admission.
Bingemans warns that Screampark is not recommended for children under 12 or anyone who is easily frightened — so this is one to save for older kids and adults who actually want to be scared.
2. Pumpkins After Dark (Milton & London)
Pumpkins After Dark is one of Ontario’s biggest illuminated Halloween experiences, with thousands of hand-carved pumpkins transformed into enormous sculptures and displays along an outdoor walking trail.
The Milton event runs September 25–October 31, 2026, at Country Heritage Park with more than 10,000 illuminated pumpkins. New displays include a World Tour, Dracula’s Haunted Castle and the Bee Hive Maze, along with live pumpkin carving, entertainment and seasonal treats.
London’s Pumpkins After Dark runs October 2–31 at Storybook Gardens and features thousands of hand-carved pumpkins, live carving demonstrations, costumed characters, a trick-or-treat area and new experiences for 2026 including the Bee Hive Maze and an Asylum Trailer for ages 13+.
3. The Great Pumpkin Trail – Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington
Thousands of pumpkins, gourds and squash take over Hendrie Park at Royal Botanical Gardens this October. The Great Pumpkin Trail runs October 15–18 and 23–25, 2026, with candlelit jack-o’-lanterns, live entertainment and seasonal treats along the trail.
Adults can also experience RBG After Dark: Pumpkin Trail on October 22, an 18+ Halloween night with music, entertainment, food and drinks.
Halloween Events in Niagara
As the crisp autumn air settles in and the leaves begin to fall, Niagara Falls transforms from a world-famous natural wonder into one of Ontario’s ultimate destinations for spine-tingling thrills.
Niagara deserves its own list because there are so many year-round haunted attractions and seasonal Halloween experiences packed into the region. From haunted houses around Clifton Hill to ghostly tours and special October events, you could easily build an entire Halloween getaway around Niagara Falls.
See our complete guide to the Best Haunted Houses & Halloween Events in Niagara Falls here.
Halloween Events in Central Ontario
1. The Stalking Dead Escape Maze (Peterborough)
A Haunted Outdoor Escape Game Experience, this is a thrilling and immersive Halloween attraction that challenges visitors to navigate a creepy, zombie-filled maze. Test your problem-solving skills as you dodge lurking zombies and solve puzzles to escape. NOT Recommended for players 13 years of age and younger.
2. Discovery Harbour’s Pumpkinferno (Penetanguishene)
Pumpkinferno is back at Discovery Harbour from October 1–31, 2026, with more than 5,000 glowing pumpkin-style creations illuminating the historic waterfront after dark.
The 2026 event includes immersive displays, live entertainment, a night market, food trucks and additional spooky experiences. Special event nights include Pup-Inferno, Mini-Monster Bash and Beyond the Veil, while drive-through nights provide another way to experience the displays.
This has become much more than a pumpkin display and is one of the strongest family-friendly Halloween events in Central Ontario this year.
3. Spooky All Hallows’ Eve at Lang Pioneer Village Museum
Step back in time as you explore the eerie 19th-century village on October 23 and 24, 2026, from 6–9 p.m.
The historic village transforms with ghostly graveyards, witches’ lairs and Halloween scenes while visitors learn about the origins of familiar Halloween traditions. Fortune telling, tractor and wagon rides and other activities make this a fun all-ages alternative to a traditional haunted house.
Halloween Events in Northern Ontario
1. Pumpkinferno at Dynamic Earth (Sudbury)
Dynamic Earth transforms into Northern Ontario’s family-friendly Halloween destination from October 2–30, 2026, with Pumpkinferno featuring more than 7,000 themed pumpkins.
Admission also includes access to Dynamic Earth, the Big Nickel Show, spooky science experiments and a Pumpkin Passport scavenger hunt.
New for 2026, Lil’ Pumpkins offers an earlier, less intense experience for young children before the full nighttime lighting takes over. There’s also a special 19+ Adults Night on October 8 with the Pumpkinferno trail, night market, DJ, classic spooky movies, drinks and snacks.
2.Halloween Hoot at Fort William Historical Park (Thunder Bay)
Fort William Historical Park transforms into a Halloween haven for its family-friendly Halloween Hoot on October 17, 18, 24 and 25, 2026.
Explore haunted houses, go trick-or-treating and take part in creepy crafts and ghastly games throughout the historic site. This is a great Northern Ontario option for families looking for Halloween fun rather than intense scares.
3.Blezard Valley Fields of Fear (Blezard Valley)
Dive into a world of terror and thrills at the ultimate Halloween haunt experience! From the Wicked Ware Outdoor Night Market to the heart-pounding haunted attractions, this event will send shivers down your spine. Explore the dark arts, encounter terrifying creatures, with a variety of events for all ages, including a family-friendly PumpkinFest and a spine-tingling NightTires Cruise Night, there’s something for everyone.
4. The Black Tide – A Haunted Ship Experience, Thunder Bay
Here’s one you definitely don’t see at every Halloween event. The historic Alexander Henry ship in Thunder Bay becomes an immersive haunted ship for The Black Tide, running on select Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from October 8–24, 2026.
Visitors make their way through the decks of the ship after dark as part of this unique seasonal fundraiser — adding a completely different kind of haunted experience to Northern Ontario’s Halloween lineup.
Family-Friendly vs. Scary Halloween Events in Ontario
Not every Halloween attraction is designed for the same audience. If you’re visiting with younger children, look at events such as Boo at the Zoo, Pumpkinferno, Pumpkins After Dark, Saunders Farm PumpkinFest, Lang Pioneer Village’s All Hallows’ Eve and Halloween Hoot.
If you’re actually looking to scream, Halloween Haunt, Screemers, Saunders Farm FrightFest, Fort Fright, Skreamers and Bingemans Screampark are much better choices. Always check individual age recommendations before buying tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Halloween in Ontario
What are the best Halloween events in Ontario for families?
Some of the biggest family-friendly events include Pumpkinferno at Upper Canada Village, Discovery Harbour and Dynamic Earth; Pumpkins After Dark; Boo at the Zoo; Saunders Farm PumpkinFest; and Halloween Hoot at Fort William Historical Park.
What are the scariest Halloween attractions in Ontario?
Visitors looking for serious scares have plenty of choices, including Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland, Screemers, Saunders Farm FrightFest, Fort Fright and Bingemans Screampark. Several of these events specifically recommend against bringing younger children.
Are there Halloween events outside Toronto?
Absolutely. Some of Ontario’s biggest Halloween experiences are actually outside Toronto. You’ll find major events in Ottawa, Kingston, Morrisburg, Kitchener, London, Penetanguishene, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Niagara and communities across the province.
When do Halloween events start in Ontario?
Many major Halloween attractions begin in late September, with the largest concentration of events taking place throughout October. Some continue through the first weekend of November. Popular Friday and Saturday nights close to Halloween can sell out, so book ahead.
Still looking for something spooky? Check out our Event Calendar for even more Halloween events, haunted attractions, pumpkin festivals and fall events happening across Ontario.
Happy Haunting!
Natalie
