Halloween Fun for 2023 Last Updated: November 2023
Halloween is around the corner and this year, Connecticut is filled with tricks, treats, and spooky celebrations. From zombie fashion shows, pumpkin festivals and scarecrow contests to ghost tours, haunted hayrides and beyond, there are plenty of fantastic frights to go around. To make sure you make the most of the season, we’ve broken down all the happenings – from kid-friendly events to truly scary experiences. Happy hauntings!
To find even more Halloween events, click here.
Not-So-Scary Halloween Events
Ghost Tours and Legendary Haunts
Fun for the Bravest Souls
Fall Festivities
Not-So-Scary Halloween Events
If you or your little one want festive fun that won’t send shivers down your spine, these events are sure get you in the Halloween spirit.
Zombie Fashion Show, Putnam
October 6
The spectacle begins with zombies of all ages, as they stroll down the putrid runway for prizes.
Great Pumpkin Festival, Putnam
October 21
With an array of family-friendly activities, this event features The Official Great Pumpkin, 12th Annual Scarecrow Contest, Train Excursion, craft and art vendors, fantastic live music, activities for the kids, special pumpkin themed menus and more.
Scarecrows Along Main Street, Old Wethersfield
October 1 – 31
Stroll through downtown Old Wethersfield and admire unique scarecrows lined throughout the street. Discover different themes, photo-ops, and a classic Halloween small town atmosphere.
Pumpkin Patch at the Shoreline Trolley Museum, East Haven
Weekends in October
Take a ride to the Pumpkin Patch! Kids can pick their own sugar pumpkin at the outdoor patch. Take a self-guided tour of our decorated trolley barns
Halloween at The Connecticut Renaissance Faire, Lebanon
October 7
Don your favorite costume and revel in Halloween fun. See jousting knights, armored combat, circus-style entertainment, and more. Shop in New England's largest Medieval Marketplace with thousands of gift treasures. Feast on turkey legs and local craft brews.
Town of Prospect Pumpkin Festival
October 14
Enjoy a family friendly festival celebrating its 19th year with vendors, contests, entertainment, food, games, along with hay bale races with prizes and more.
Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth, Plymouth
September 22 – October 31
The Hollowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth features hundreds of intricately carved Jack-O'-Lanterns that offer a new twist on the magic of the Hollowed Harvest. Experience amazing carvings, a stunning Jack-O'-Lantern tunnel, and playful animations come to life right before your eyes! Please note this version of Hollowed Harvest is a different experience than the outdoor variety.
Pumpkin Passage, Oakdale
September 29 - October 29
Raptor Bay Trail has been taken over by goblins, witches, and mythical creatures, but don’t worry — we’ve made sure this event is fun for all ages. Instead of frights we chose lights. Six different spooky experiences await you on almost a half-mile of trail every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night that are sure to dazzle and delight.
Halloween Glow in the Park at The Adventure Park at the Discovery Museum
October 13 - 28
Not-So-Scary Halloween Scavenger Hunt, South Norwalk
Families with young children can look forward to a Not-So-Scary Halloween Scavenger Hunt, an interactive adventure filled with goofy creatures, bewitching tricks, and a few challenging tasks. Children are invited to come in their Halloween costume (or not) and enjoy this fun escapade.
Jack-o-Lantern Walk, Mystic
October 25 - 29
Stroll along some of the darker, oft-overlooked portions of the Mystic Seaport Museum property and enjoy the spectacle of several hundred lit jack-o-lanterns on display. Then play a lawn game, enjoy some live music, warm up by a roaring fire, create a fall-themed craft, or take a spooky guided tour in which you learn about the darker side of life in a 19th century seaport town.
And find even more family-friendly Halloween events here.
Ghost Tours and Legendary Haunts
Fascinated by the paranormal? Lucky for ghost hunting fans, Connecticut is filled with tales of apparitions – and there’s no better time to explore than near Halloween! Check out these haunted spots or embark on one of the tours below.
Fun for the Bravest Souls
Venture to these attractions… if you dare! From haunted houses to terrifying trails, these Halloween activities aren’t for the faint of heart. Grab your friends and get ready for a night of frightful fun.
Trail of Terror, Wallingford
October 1 - 30
Venture through a four-acre outdoor trail that offers guests a terrifying experience as they make their way through.
Phantom Fall Fest at Lake Compounce, Bristol
Weekends starting September 23
Thrill all day on your favorite rides, then fright all night with even more horror around every corner. Hang on to your friends through more fog, more freaks, more FX- like the new, next-level mayhem of mAlice in Wonderland. Now, your trip down the rabbit hole is included with park admission. Plus, escape the zombie madness in new scare zones like Deadsville.
Nightmare on Main: All Hallows Eve, Creeping Thru Time
October 6 - 21
Nightmare on Main is an annual "haunted house" type of event for folks over ten years old. You will be on a guided tour through time, and spooky places, where you will discover the chilling origins of Halloween starting from ancient times and evil spirits to our current day celebrations of this mystical and frightening holiday.
Dark Manor Haunted House, Baltic
Step into The Manor and experience the ghastly entities that haunt its tormented halls. If you survive the Manor, you are left with no choice but to enter The Graveyard at the Dark Manor Haunted House in Baltic.
Terror at Quassy at Quassy Amusement Park, Middlebury
October 6-29
Get ready for a month of family-friendly freights during Terror at Quassy. As the sun sets and the moon rises, the park transforms into a place for festive fun! Make your way through the haunts, or keep it on the less spooky side and experience the rides and entertainment.
Legends of Fear Haunted Hayride at Fairview Tree Farm, Shelton
September 23 - November 4
Board a tractor-pulled hay wagon into fields and forests of fear for thirty minutes of spine-chilling fun. Expect to be truly terrified!
The Dark Manor House, Baltic
October 1 - 31
Step into The Manor and experience the ghastly entities that haunt its tormented halls. If you survive the Manor, you are left with no choice but to enter The Graveyard at the Dark Manor Haunted House in Baltic.
Rails to the Darkside at the Connecticut Trolley Museum, East Windsor
September 29 - October 28
Discover the untold story of Newberry Road cemetery. During the darkest of the nights, the mournful cries of the abandoned dead are heard around old Newberry Road and the trolley museum's Newberry Siding. Do you dare ride to the dark side?
Evidence of Evil Haunted Attraction at Lyman Orchards, Middlefield
September 29 - November 4
Are you brave enough to enter the woods and face all your worst fears? An all-new interactive haunted attraction is waiting for you. Be prepared, you will be asked to participate in the scares!
Fall Festivities
And of course, Halloween festivities and fall fun go hand-in-hand! This year enjoy autumn activities like pumpkin picking, corn mazes, leaf peeping, and visits to local farms.
In addition to your Halloween candy, treat your sweet tooth to farm fresh pies, apple cider doughnuts and other tasty treats! Find these goodies at places like Old Cider Mill in Glastonbury, Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, Rogers Orchards Shuttle Meadow Farm in Southington, and Beardsley's Cider Mill & Orchard in Shelton.
For more ideas for planning the perfect New England fall, check out these ways to enjoy the season or any of the suggestions below.