The Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Austin
Commemorate the spookiest time of year with these sweet and sinister celebrations
Whether you’re a costume aficionado or just here for the cooler weather, October is undeniably one of the best times of year. In a city that knows how to get in the spirit, we’ve put together a list of our favorite Halloween happenings around Austin with a little something for everyone.
Family-Friendly Treats
Pumpkin Nights
September 17 – October 31 | Pioneer Farms
The great pumpkin is the star of this impressive display spread across the sprawling 90-acre Pioneer Farms. Artists have transformed hundreds of jack-o-lanterns into otherworldly creatures and imaginative structures, and will surely create a sense of wonder for all ages as they stroll through eight varying realms. Snag tickets before they sell out!
Uhland Fall Festival
September 26 – November 1 | 2400 Cotton Gin Road
Visiting a pumpkin patch is a must for Halloween. Formerly known as the Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival, this event features more than 50 fall-inspired games, a courtyard marketplace, live music, seasonal bites, an exotic petting zoo, and endless photo ops for the whole family. Check online for the full schedule of unique weekly activities.
Boo at the Zoo
October 2-24 (Fridays & Saturdays) | Austin Zoo
Come dressed in your Halloween finest and experience the zoo like never before at this annual family-friendly event. Decked out in festive holiday décor, you’ll find a schedule of activities from a Frightfully Fun Animal Show and chilling Haunted Mansion to a 10-minute Haunted Train Ride through the Hill Country.
Halloween Children’s Concert
October 18 | Long Center
The Austin Symphony Orchestra’s annual Halloween Children’s Concert brings dancing skeletons, a daring young hero and soaring dragons to the Long Center. The program features Saint-Saëns’ “Danse macabre,” Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” and John Powell’s “How to Train Your Dragon Suite.” Host Liz Zimmerman narrates Peter’s adventure with theatrical movement, props and custom-made masks, helping young listeners discover the instruments behind each character. Families are encouraged to come in costume and arrive early for pre-concert activities.
H-E-B Free First Sunday: Fall Celebrations
October 4 | Bullock Texas State History Museum
Celebrate fall at the Bullock Museum’s H-E-B Free First Sunday, with free exhibition admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and family activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids can try STEM activities with Girlstart, learn screen printing with Mexic-Arte Museum, explore activities with Pioneer Farms and the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, and search the museum’s exhibitions for spooky skeletons. Austin Public Library will host Día de los Muertos-themed storytimes and crafts at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m.
StrawFest
October 25 | UMLAUF Sculpture Garden & Museum
Dress in your best costume and head to UMLAUF for a free family day filled with seasonal fun at Straw Fest. The festive lineup includes games, fall crafts, a costume parade, straw pit, face painting, character performances, caricatures, educational activities, pumpkin decorating, inflatable games, and treats from H-E-B.
Halloween Carnival
October 25 | Neill-Cochran House Museum
Bring the costume-clad kids out for a Halloween-inspired lawn party at the beautiful Neill-Cochran House. Free to the public, there will be a bouncy house, a Trunk-or-Treat game, a scavenger hunt and Día de los Muertos programs.
RELATED: Plan an Autumn Adventure at These 6 Central Texas Pumpkin Patches
Freaky Film Screenings
Alamo Horror House Series
September 23 – October 31 | Alamo Drafthouse Locations
Austin-based movie theater Alamo Drafthouse is unearthing a chilling series of cult classics for the big screen. Enjoy horror favorites like “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” or join a “Repo! The Genetic Opera” Movie Party, all leading up to a Halloween night screening of, well, “Halloween.”
Spooky Season at Hyperreal Film Club
October 5-30 | Hyperreal Film Club
East Austin microcinema Hyperreal Film Club is playing a month-long lineup of weird, strange, and cult horror classics like “Suspiria” (1977) and “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark.” Screenings are pay-what-you-can, starting at just $8, making it the perfect spot for film lovers to experience unique cinematic gems. Check out the full schedule for October on their website.
Panic at the Paramount
October 2-28 | Bullock Museum IMAX and Bass Concert Hall
Ghouls and goblins are invited to gather ’round for 14 days of horror films at the Bullock Museum IMAX and Bass Concert Hall while the Paramount Theatre undergoes renovations. The lineup includes a “Dracula” and “Frankenstein” double feature, a Master Pancake Theater roast of the 1980s vampire film “The Lost Boys,” and a 30th anniversary screening of “Scream” followed by a conversation with actor David Arquette. See the full schedule for more horror classics and cult favorites.
Roots of J-Horror at AFS
Oct. 6–31 | AFS Cinema
AFS Cinema traces the roots of Japanese horror in its Essential Cinema series this October. The program looks beyond “Ringu” to earlier films that helped shape the genre, from the ghost stories of “Kwaidan” to the teen thriller “Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch.” Check out the full lineup of chilling films and get tickets here.
The Rocky Horror Drag Show
October 28 | Hotel Vegas
Hotel Vegas is back with a classic Halloween tradition. The Vixens of Volstead and friends will bring cult favorite “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” to life on the Hotel Vegas Patio with a live shadow cast performance. Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their boldest looks and join the cast in singing, dancing and, of course, doing the “Time Warp.” There are two shows that night, at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Grown Up Frights
Gibson’s Twisted Carnival
September 17 – November 1 | Gibson Street Bar
Gibson Street Bar is turning into a “Haunted Twisted Carnival” all month long. Embrace the spooky vibes, show off your best costumes, and sip on a variety of specialty Halloween cocktails for a frightfully fun experience!
Black Lagoon Pop Up
October 1-31 | King Bee
Created by lovers of all-things creepy crawly, Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage, Black Lagoon is bringing its cocktail-focused pop-up to classic east side bar King Bee. Immerse yourself in the dimly lit, dungeonous décor with frightfully good drinks in hand and sneaky surprises in tow.
Moe’s Tavern Pop Up
TBA | Nickel City
Nickel City in East Austin transforms into Moe’s Tavern from “The Simpsons” for Halloween, offering a nostalgic, themed experience. Guests can enjoy Duff beers, Krusty Burgers, and cocktails like the Flaming Moe and Spicy Marge margarita. The bar’s decor includes Simpsons character cutouts, neon signs, and a Simpsons arcade game. Delray Cafe, Nickel’s on-site food truck, has also turned into Krusty Burger, serving up more themed treats.
Frankenstein’s Mad Scientist Cocktail Lab
September 24 – October 31 | Wanderlust Wine Co. – Downtown
Bucket Listers and Wanderlust Wine Co. are teaming up for a Frankenstein-themed pop-up bar at Wanderlust’s downtown location. Guests will step inside a spooky laboratory setting, where “mad scientists” guide them through interactive cocktails, eerie experiments and photo ops. General admission starts at $21 and includes a 90-minute reservation and welcome cocktail. Additional drinks are available for purchase, and tarot card readings can be booked on site.
Haunted Rooftop Halloween Party
October 31 | Fairmont Austin
Head to the seventh floor for music from four DJs across three spaces, including the Palm Park Ballroom and the outdoor patio at Rules & Regs. The party runs from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; VIP tickets include access to a prepaid bar at Rules & Regs from 9 to 11 p.m.
Ventana Ballet’s “UNDEAD: Haunted House of Dances”
October 22 – 31 | East Side Performing Arts Center
Local troupe Ventana Ballet is bringing its immersive, adults-only Halloween show to East Side Performing Arts Center. “UNDEAD” will feature professional dance artists, creepy creatures, ghoulish libations and more. While tickets are likely to sell out, there will be some walk-up availability the night of the performance.
Welcome to Terror Terrace: A Halloween Variety Show
October 29-31 and November 1 | Fallout Theater
In “Welcome to Terror Terrace,” a cast of monsters and one human put on a Halloween variety show featuring sketch comedy, drag, burlesque, dance and original music. Tickets are $20 online, plus fees, or $25 at the door. For ages 18 and older.
Freaky Deaky Festival
October 30-31 | Carson Creek Ranch
If dancing is in your blood, don’t miss this two-day festival of electrifying EDM performances. Guests will be dressed to the nines and letting their freak flag fly as more than 60 artists take the stage surrounded by trippy effects and neon décor.
Halloween Spooktacular Silent Disco Party
October 31 | The Pub
This Halloween, The Pub transforms into a fang-tastic dance party with three live DJs battling it out across genres—from Top 40 hits to nostalgic throwbacks and hip-hop grooves. Guests will don Quiet Events headphones to switch between channels, glowsticks to light up the night, and costumes are encouraged.
Haunted Houses
If you prefer a jump scare, don’t shy away from these spine tingling nearby haunted house experiences. Take a trip to Smithville less than an hour out to experience Scream Hollow, try your hand at House of Torment’s frightening attractions, or head to Buda to uncover what Bat City Scaregrounds has in store this Halloween.