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Best Seattle Halloween Events for Spooky and Sweet Family Fun in 2023

Our Halloween planner for Seattle and the Puget Sound area

Headshot of author Julie Dodobara, she is pictured from the torso up, standing on a boat with a waterfuall in the distance
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Published on: October 02, 2023

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It’s nearly here! If a chorus of voices at your house has been counting the days until Halloween, thank goodness we are finally in the right month! Here’s our annual king-size list of Halloween events Seattle families will not want to miss.

Tip: Our list is organized by region. First, Seattle and North Sound-area events, then Bellevue and Eastside events, then South Sound-area events.

You can also check out our pumpkin patch guide, trendy costume ideas and silly Halloween pranks. And, if you dare, book yourself a heart attack at a fright-filled haunted house!

Halloween events, Seattle and North Sound

Tuesday–Sunday, Oct. 6–Oct. 31 during café hours: A haunted house filled with Halloween carnival fun awaits you at Seattle’s Stone House Café. Make it to the end and you’ll receive a special discount on ice cream. Free.

Friday, Oct. 13, 5–8 p.m.: Turn up in your costume for a night of fun with face painters, bounce houses and other Halloween happenings at SeaTac’s Great Pumpkin Night. The night ends with a not-too-spooky movie for all. Free.

Thursday–Sunday, Oct. 19–22 and 26–29: Brave the dark, eerie halls of a candy factory on the Seattle Chocolate Haunted Factory Tour. Book your tix asap as this tour fills up quickly. For ages 8 and older. $15 per adult; $12 ages 12 and younger. Preregister.

Friday, Oct. 20, 5:30–8:30 p.m.: Bring your flashlight to the Hamlin Halloween Haunt in Shoreline. Outdoor fun — such as roasting marshmallows, listening to spooky stories and playing games — happens after dark, around a campfire. Free.

Friday, Oct. 27, 6–8 p.m.: Grab your swimsuits and join a haunted celebration at Green Lake Community Center and Evans Pool where you can bounce on inflatables in the gym from 6–8 p.m., then dodge floating pumpkins in the pool from 7–8 p.m. Bring canned food to support local food banks. Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1–5 p.m.: Wear your favorite costume and join the Halloween Takeover, an event taking over the entire Skyway Business District this year! Dance, collect treats, paint a pumpkin and more at various activity stations along the Treat Trail. Free.

Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 28–29, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.: Have your kiddos dress up in their costumes for free entry (limit one per paying adult) to Woodland Park Zoo’s Pumpkin Bash! Watch your favorite animals enjoy their pumpkin snacks while kids trick-or-treat around the zoo. Included with admission ($27 for adults; $16.50 for children); one child 12 and younger in costume enters free with adult; all kids ages 2 and younger free. 

Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 28–29, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.: Meet characters from Nintendo’s Animal Crossing, marvel at underwater pumpkin carving and trick or treat among your aquatic friends. Seattle Aquarium has a full day of Halloween happenings lined up. Don’t forget to wear your costume! Included with admission ($20.45–$32.95; ages 3 and younger free).

Saturday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.: It’s Halloween with the Lights On at Imagine Children’s Museum where kids can dress up and join the costume parade, listen to Halloween stories, do spooky science experiments, hunt for pumpkins and more. Included with admission ($22; ages 1 and younger free).

Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 28–29, times vary: Put on that costume and lace up those skates for a Halloween on ice at the Kraken Community Iceplex. Give pumpkin curling a try then skate to your favorite spooky tunes. Pumpkin curling is free. Skating is $15 per person; kids 3 and younger are free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, noon–4 p.m.: Enjoy spooky trick-or-treating at Burien’s annual Halloween event, Boo in Burien. Dress up in your costume and stop by local businesses for a sweet treat. Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1–6 p.m.: A Capitol Hill Halloween tradition is back for 2023! Hilloween welcomes families for spooky story time, a pet costume contest, entertainment and, of course, trick-or-treating! Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 2–5 p.m.: Don your most creative costume and head to downtown Kent for the city’s Street of Treats. The fun starts at Kherson Park. There you will find kids’ activities, photo ops and more. Free. Preregister.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.: Yikes! The Museum of Flight transforms into The Museum of Fright, inviting guests to get into the Halloween spirit with spooky games and activities. Kids ages 17 and younger in costume receive free admission for the day. Included with museum admission for others ($26 for adults, $18 for children, age 4 and younger free).

Sunday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.: Shiver Me Timbers! Build spooky toy boats, listen to eerie tales and embark on a free boat ride at the Center for Wooden Boats Halloween Bash. Free. 

Sunday, Oct. 29, 11 a.m.–2 p.m., West Seattle Junction hosts Halloween in the Junction for some good old-fashioned trick-or-treating. Gather your little monsters and bring them over to collect some candy. Free.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.: Cruise to Pacific Raceways for a drive-through trunk-or-treat event. Twist and turn along the windy “Road Course of Doom” to make your way to the “Tower of Tricks and Treats” and collect candy along the way. Free, donations welcome.

Tuesday, Oct. 31, 4:30–6:30 p.m.: Enjoy trick-or-treating through Kent Station then admire the Halloween-decorated trunks and collect even more candy during Haunted Boo-Levard. Free.

Tuesday, Oct. 31, 5–9 p.m.: FOCS (Families of Color Seattle) invites one and all to play games, collect candy, dance to live DJ tunes and meet new friends and old at their Halloween Street Party in the Leschi neighborhood. Free.

Eastside Halloween events

Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 14–15, 21–22, 28–29, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.: Suit up in your costume and climb aboard the Halloween Train at either the Snoqualmie or North Bend Depot. The historic coaches will be decked out for a hauntingly good time as you embark on a 2-hour round trip through the upper Snoqualmie Valley. A stop at the Train Shed includes spooky, seasonal fun. $16 per child, $32 per adult, younger than age 2 ride free. 

Friday, Oct. 27, 5:30–8 p.m.: Groove to some spooky beats by a live DJ at this all-ages Monster Mash Halloween Dance at Bellevue’s Northwest Arts Center. The night also features games, contests, crafts and story time. Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.: Come down to Marina Park in Kirkland for Pumpkins in the Park. You will find a pumpkin patch, carnival games, trick-or-treating and more! Arrive dressed to impress for a chance to win the costume contest. Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.: It’s Howl-O-Ween at Issaquah’s Cougar Mountain Zoo so come dressed for spooky fun including a costume contest, scavenger hunt and themed enrichments. Kids between 2 and 12 years old in costume enter free. Included with admission (online tickets are $16 adults; $13 ages 2–12; age 1 and younger free).

Saturday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.: Visit Bellevue Arts Museum for its annual BAM-O-WEEN Free Family Day. Explore the museum, partake in Halloween activities and show off your costume. Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.: Book your timed ticket to Si View Park’s annual Harvest Fest. Check out the petting zoo, carnival games, pumpkin decorating and more. $10 activity wristband per child. Preregister.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1–5 p.m.: Will you dare to enter Shadow Lake Nature Preserve’s Haunted Peat Bog? If you do, enjoy crafts and activities while learning about all the creepy crawlies that call Shadow home. Preregister.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1:30–5:30 p.m.: Creepy crawlers unite and get your zombie on and join a Zombie Walk through downtown Issaquah. Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 5–8 p.m.: Feed farm animals, enjoy fall activities and trick-or-treat from 30 local vendors at Infinity Farm’s Tract-or-Treat event in Issaquah. Free.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m.: Sign up first, then don your costumes to wander through KidsQuest Children’s Museum for take-home treats and all things wild during the museum’s “Where the Wild Things Wander” Halloween Spooktacular. $20 per child; $10 per adult. Preregister.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 4–7 p.m.: Bring the whole crew (pups are welcome too!) to the first-ever Haunted Halls of St. Edward in Kenmore where you will find fearsome fun and games, pumpkin decorating and a costume contest for kids. Free.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 5–9 p.m.: Oozy sensory play, treats with no tricks and carnival games await your littles at Issaquah’s Boo at the Barn. Or, for those who dare, venture down the haunted trail for a little more fright in your night. Yikes! Suggested donation of $5.

South Sound-area Halloween events for 2023

Friday–Saturday, Oct. 13–14, 20–21, 5–9 p.m.: Tour Northwest Trek as night falls and lights twinkle during the annual Hoot n’ Howl event. Play games, meet nocturnal animals, collect candy and more. $14 advanced per person, $18 walk up; tots 2 and younger free.

Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 14–15, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.: Visit Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium during Zoo Boo to show off your costumes, catch sight of resident animals snacking on pumpkins and play ghostly games to earn treats. Included with admission (online tickets are $22 adult; $16 ages 3–12; ages 2 and younger free, increased price at gate).

Saturday, Oct. 21, 2–5 p.m.: Tacoma’s STAR Center invites families for its fall Harvest Fest. Celebrate Halloween by decorating pumpkins then meander through a spooky maze, jump on inflatables, play carnival games and make creepy crafts. Free.

Oct. 21–31: Reserve your time to visit Olympia’s Hands On Children’s Museum during Boo Bash to press apples into cider, catch a silly skeleton show and watch wacky science demos. $16.95 per person; ages 17 months and younger are free.

Wednesday–Sunday, Oct. 25–29, 6–9 p.m.: Book your tickets online and pack up the car for a slightly spooky night out at Haunted Headlights by Pierce County Parks. Stay safe in your car while you drive through Frontier Park in Graham and see spooky sights. $10 per car.

Thursday, Oct. 26, 5–8 p.m. (times vary by location): Costume up and head to a Pierce County family YMCA for Halloween festivities at Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee. Find frightening face painting, monster mash dancing, arts and crafts, bounce houses and more. The all-ages fun is free and open to the public. Membership not required.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 5–6:30 p.m.: Get a kid’s-eye view of a real haunted house during a special, unscary kids’ walk-through at My Morbid Mind in Lacey. $5 per person.

Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 28–29, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.: Check out Northwest Trek’s second Halloween event, Pumpkin Chomp ‘n’ Stomp, where you’ll see animals enjoying the crops of the season. Wear your costume, too! Included with admission; ages 2 and younger free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 1–5 p.m.: Don’t miss fun games, inflatables, BOO-seum frights at the White River Valley Museum and trick-or-treating through Les Gove Park during Auburn’s Halloween Harvest Festival and Trunk-or-Treat. Free.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 3–5:30 p.m.: Put on your costume and head to the Federal Way Community Center to brave the haunted hallway, play carnival games and collect lots of candy. $6 per child, adults free. Preregister.

Sunday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.: Ahoy mateys! Join the all-ages Halloween fun at Tacoma's Foss Waterway Seaport and get creative with spooky crafts and science experiments. Collect candy, and if you dare, set sail on your board or kayak for a costume paddle to remember. Free.

Tuesday, Oct. 31, 4–6 p.m. (all ages); 6:30–9:30 p.m. (for teens): Another opportunity to celebrate Harvest Fest with Metro Parks Tacoma, this time at People’s Community Center. Younger kids can make their way through the inflatable obstacle course, visit with exotic birds, make ghoulish arts and crafts and collect candy. Have a teen? Stay after to join a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, play video games and hang out with friends. Free.

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