From harvest bounty to Halloween haunts, enjoy family friendly themed activities, events and tours this fall.
Photo credit: Canada’s Wonderland
Attend a fall festival and visit operating farms for apple-picking, outdoor mazes, wagon rides and pumpkin patches.
Beyond the pick-your-own pumpkin patches, Ontario celebrates pumpkin season with pumpkin-inspired cuisine, pumpkin fests and carved Jack-o-lantern displays leading up to Halloween. Embark on a guided haunted walk or dare to enter a haunted house or scare park.
Greater Toronto Area & Golden Horseshoe
Fun Fall Festival at Brooks Farm
Let the little ones loose in the Barnyard Playground and treat yourselves to homemade pumpkin pie, before selecting that winning pumpkin for your jack-o’-lantern carving. Fun Fall Festival is open every weekend in September and October.
Location: 122 Ashworth Road, Mount Albert
Pumpkins After Dark at Country Heritage Park
Jack-o’-lanterns come alive at this 2.5-kilometre audio drive-through exhibit with thousands of hand-carved pumpkin sculptures, including an awesome tunnel of lit pumpkins and live carving demonstrations. Event runs September 23 to October 30, book tickets online.
Location: 8560 Tremaine Road, Milton
Halloween Haunt at Canada’s Wonderland
Canada’s largest theme park transforms into a nighttime scream park this haunting season with monsters, scare zones, thrilling night rides and live shows and music. Make reservations in advance, best for kids 13 years and up, select nights between September 23 and October 30.
Location: 1 Canada’s Wonderland Drive, Vaughan
Camp Spooky at Canada’s Wonderland
Family friendly daytime Halloween activities and attractions like trick-or-treating, fun rides, a costume parade, live performances and more are offered each weekend between September 24 and October 30. Get tickets in advance.
Location: 1 Canada’s Wonderland Drive, Vaughan
Legends of Horror at Casa Loma
Casa Loma, the fabled gothic mansion atop the city, opens its doors again this season for Legends of Horror, an hour-long, self-guided sleuth through the mansion, including nooks and crannies not usually open to the public. Look out for their 2022 dates.
Location: 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto
Nature’s Bounty Farm
This beautiful orchard sits on the rolling hills of the Oak Ridges Moraine. Enjoy picking the high-quality apples, pumpkins, squash and sunflowers, and tour the farm to meet their flock of sheep and friendly llama. Nature’s Bounty Farm will be open for visitors beginning September 6.
Location: 651 Scugog Line 2, Port Perry
Pingle’s Farm Market
Pumpkins, strawberries, apples, asparagus and much more are available at this pick-your-own farm market. Multiple events are hosted here, such as Berry Days, Sunflower Experience and Pingle’s Harvest Festival. Pingle’s is open seven days a week, all year round.
Location: 1805 Taunton Road, Hampton
Pumpkinfest at Downey’s Farm
With activities such as wagon rides, farm animals, pedal racetrack, a goat mountain slide and an eight-acre corn maze, there’s no shortage of entertainment for kids and parents alike at Pumpkinfest. This event runs from September 17 to October 31,.
Location: 13682 Heart Lake Road, Caledon
Spooktacular Light Show
Drive your family along a two-kilometre route featuring millions of custom lights in a Halloween-themed interactive light show featuring familiar characters and the perfect music to put everyone in the Halloween mood.
Location: Meadowvale GO station in Mississauga and Richmond Hill GO station in Richmond Hill
Halloween at the Village
Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto gets a menacing makeover for Halloween, with spooky-season activities and a scary spectacle. Put your mad scientist to work in the Slimy Science Show, try your hand at witchcraft and wizardry, and learn all about the grisly history of 19th-century medicine from the Village’s doctor. And don’t miss the bone-chilling puppet show! Takes place October 15, 22, 29 & 30, 2022.
Location: 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto
The Original Haunted Walk of Toronto
For some fresh and freaky insights into the history of Toronto, join the tour that starts at the Hockey Hall of Fame and walks you through the earliest days of the city to its many haunted theatres, unsolved mysteries, spooky graveyards, and frightening events at Mackenzie House. Runs daily until October 31, 2022.
Location: departs from the courtyard in front of the Hockey Hall of Fame, 30 Yonge Street, Toronto
Screemers
This single-ticket event grants you access to seven haunted walk-through mazes that feature more than 120 live actors, poised and ready to give you a Halloween fright. Also enjoy unlimited rides on the Midway of Madness and calm jangled nerves at the food truck eatery and fully-licensed Vampire Lounge. Formerly held at Exhibition Place, Screemers has now moved to Assembly Park in Vaughan. Takes place October 6–9, 13–16, 20–23, 26–31, 2022.
Location: 80 Interchange Way, Vaughan, across the street from Vaughan Metro Subway Station
Southwest Ontario
Screampark at Bingeman’s
Experience bone chilling terror in the six horrifying and haunted themed mazes and trails. Recommended for kids 12 and up. Tickets and packages are available online. Watch out for their 2022 dates.
Location: 425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener
Fall Fun and Fear Farm Snyders Family Farm
Pick out your perfect pumpkins, then stick around for a sunset campfire with your family and friends on weekends in September. Stock up on pumpkin spiced cinnamon buns and pumpkin cutie pies from the bakery.
Scare up even more fun at legendary Fear Farm with wandering zombies, fire eaters, illusionists, fortune tellers and a haunted house. (Note that the haunted house is recommended only for visitors aged 16+.)
Location: 936685 Blenheim Road, Bright
PéPé’s Pumpkin Patch
Enjoy hayrides, a corn maze and pumpkins of all sizes and shapes to choose from. Plus, pick up a super cool PéPé’s Pumpkin Patch face mask this year. Watch for their 2022 dates.
Location: 2651 Front Road, LaSalle, Windsor
Warner Ranch and Pumpkin Farm
Warner’s famous pumpkin patch is open from September 3 to October 31. In addition to pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, they also have corn stalks, hay bales, apples, squash and everything you need to decorate your home for the fall season. Kids will love the petting zoo and horse drawn hayrides.
Location: 7705 Schisler Road, Welland
Howells Farm
Purchase the best pumpkin from the pumpkin patch and spend a day of family farm fun with the young ones at Howells Farm. Visit the adorable farm animals, navigate through challenging corn mazes, experience a scenic ride around the farm on a wagon or enjoy the playground. There are even activities the smallest ones will appreciate.
Location: 2878 Holland Road, Fonthill
Scarehouse
Scare yourself silly at Scarehouse’s four attractions: The Scared Evil Haunted House, the Haunted Darkness Maze, the Zombie Maze and the all new Fun House. Also check out the immersive dinner experience, where you can enjoy a multi-course meal before daring to venture through all four attractions! Runs on select dates between September 16 and October 31, 2022.
Location: 1441 McDougall Street, Windsor
StoryBoo!
A spooky but not-too-scary event for young children up to age 10 and their families, held at Storybook Gardens in London. Decorated and lit specially for Halloween, this year the park also features the pirates of Pirates’ Island, Old MacDonald’s black light maze, and lots of mythical creatures. Don’t forget to wear your (child-friendly) costumes. Runs between Thursdays and Sundays, October 13–30, 2022.
Location: 958 Storybook Lane, London
Boo at the Zoo
Take your trick-or-treating to Safari Niagara, Niagara Falls, and enjoy exhibits, local vendors and activities, and enter the costume contests for a chance to win great prizes. Children 12 and under, dressed in costumes, are admitted free of charge. Takes place October 7–10, 2022.
Location: 2821 Stevensville Road, Stevensville
Creepy Caledonia Ghost Tours
Take a lantern-lit walking tour of historic Caledonia, led by an official Ghost Guide, to learn all about the city’s local ghost stories, legends and folklore. There’s something for everyone in the family, and for locals and visitors alike. The tour leaves from the Caledonia Fairgrounds and runs Saturdays in October (October 8, 15, 22, 29), 2022.
Location: 151 Caithness Street East, Caledonia
Pumpkinfest
It’s pumpkin-mania at Buckhorn Berry Farm! After a fun wagon ride out to the pumpkin patch, pick your pumpkins, jump on some straw bales, and wind your way through the corn mazes. Watch the cannon shoot some pumpkins into the air, and then have a spooky visit to the haunted forest. Calm your nerves with some delicious food truck cuisine. Runs four weekends in October: October 8–9, 15–16, 22–23, 29–30, 2022.
Location: 2055 Berry Road, Buckhorn
The Stalking Dead Escape Maze
Perfect for older kids 13 and up looking for a Halloween thrill, the escape maze challenges you and your teammates to solve a series of games, riddles, puzzles, and locks and keys, before time runs out! This year’s task? That zombie virus from last year is still around, and scientists from around the world are trying to find a cure. Do you dare volunteer to help them out? Remember to dress for the weather since this game is played outside. Takes place October 1–2, 7–9, 14–16, 21–23, 28–30 and November 4–6, 2022.
Location: 156 Cedar Bank Road, Peterborough
Pumpkin Festival
Find your favourite pumpkin of the season at Clovermead Adventure Farm, where you can also launch walnuts from a mini-blaster and giant slingshot. There will be wagon rides, a bee train ride, farm animals, a corn maze, and lots of family photo spots to capture your fun fall memories. Every Saturday from September 17 to October 29, 2022 (including Thanksgiving Monday).
Location: 11302 Imperial Road, Aylmer
Fall Festival
There’s lots of fall fun to be had at Brantwood Farms in Brantford: take a wagon ride, get lost in the corn maze, or have a bounce on the giant jumping pillow. And the fun doesn’t end there! Give yourself a fright in the haunted barn, explore the straw castle, take a spin on the spider web crawler, or enjoy a game of pumpkin bowling. Then take a break to pick your own apples and pumpkins to enjoy at home. Runs every weekend through September and October, 2022.
Location: 251 Powerline Road, Brantford
Eastern Ontario
Pumpkinferno at Upper Canada Village
Returning with new and revived exhibits, this award-winning spectacular exhibit features over 7,000 carved pumpkins lit up along a one-kilometre-long nighttime tour. Times vary between September 30 and October 30.
Location: 13740 County Road 2, Morrisburg
Pumpkin Season and Frightfest at Saunders Farm
Saunders Farm continues the Halloween tradition with its epic mazes, pumpkin picking and other daytime activities like hayrides during the Haunting Season, and Frightfest at night. Book in advance, no walk-ins. Watch out for their 2022 dates.
Location: 7893 Bleeks Road, Munster, Ottawa
Pumpkinferno at Fort Henry
You’ll be mesmerized by spectacular handcrafted, glowing artificial pumpkins set up along a curated self-tour path against the backdrops of the fort’s historic walls. Running September 30 to October 31, 2022, tickets are available online. Note: accessibility nights with an accessibility shuttle run October 6 to 13.
Location: 1 Fort Henry Drive, Kingston
The Haunted Walk
Do you dare to uncover what lurks in the dark? Embark on a spine-tingling guided tour in downtown Kingston, Ottawa or Toronto, while listening to morbid, paranormal and other unsettling tales from the past.
Locations: Ottawa, Toronto and Kingston
Ghost and Mystery Trolley with Kingston Trolley Tours
Take a 90-minute ride through Kingston’s mysterious past to haunted spots like the Rockwood Asylum, the Cataraqui Cemetery and the grave of Sir John A. Macdonald.
Location: 248 Ontario Street, Kingston
Pumpkin Season at Hugli’s Blueberry Ranch
Take a wagon ride to the wide assortment of pumpkins, gourds and squash featured at Hugli’s. Round out your day by racing against your family in pedal carts, sliding down the Blueberry Hill Tunnel Slide and playing tag in the 6-acre corn maze. Open from September 14 to October 31.
Location: 2139 Greenwood Road, Pembroke
Georgian Bay & Central Ontario
Fall Festival at Chappell Farms
Pick out your pumpkin and say hello to the host of farm animals during the Fall Festival at Chappell Farms. Attempt the hay bale run, explore the corn maze and ride the tricycle track. Operating September 10 to October 31.
Location: 617 Penetanguishene Road, Barrie
Drysdale’s Haunted Harvest Village
Search for the Great Pumpkin with your kids while running through corn stalks and hay bales, then take a break with pumpkin picking and decor shopping. Actors will be stationed along the walking trail to enhance your Halloween experience. Drysdale’s is open every weekend from October 2 to 31.
Location: 6635 Simcoe County Road 56, Egbert
Farm Market and Fun Fark Yard at Murphy’s Farm Market
Visit early this season to choose from a selection of small, large and decorative pumpkins to create the perfect jack-o’-lantern for Halloween. Let the kids loose in the fun farmyard playground. And a mouth-watering, made-from-scratch pumpkin pie from the bakery is sure to be a hit.
Location: 5141 Simcoe Road 10, Alliston
Pumpkin Mania at Rounds Ranch
Enjoy the fall season with tractor rides to the pumpkin patches at Rounds Ranch, where you can pick out a free pumpkin of any size and colour. Afterwards, participate in the sack races or compete in a pie eating contest. Open on weekends beginning September 17.
Location: 1922 County Road 22, Elmvale
Halloween Spooktacular Santa’s Village
Come and see Santa’s Village in Bracebridge transformed into a spooky family adventure. Take a ride on the Halloween-themed train, take part in scarecrow decorating, and pick a pumpkin from the patch to take home with you. Be sure to dress up in your Halloween costumes, too. The event runs October 13–14, 20–21, and 26–27, 2022.
Location: 1624 Golden Beach Road, Bracebridge
Howl-o-Ween, Haliburton Forest at the Wolf Centre
Combine a visit to see the incredible wolves at the Wolf Centre with some freaky Halloween fun. View the resident wolf pack through the one-way glass of the observation areas, and then hunt for peanut-free treats throughout the centre. Wear your costume—visitors will have the chance to win a special goodie bag! Also bring your flashlights, to take part in the spooky guided hike through the forest. Takes place October 28, 2022.
Location: 1305 Redkin Road, Haliburton
The Great Pumpkin Trail
If you’re looking for a family-friendly alternative to door-to-door trick-or-treating, this annual community event is great for young kids. Held at Pioneer Village, on the grounds of Muskoka Heritage Place, this Halloween event lets kids run free in a safe, traffic-free and well-lit space. The event takes place on Monday, October 31, 2022.
Location: Muskoka Heritage Place, 8 Brunel Road, Huntsville
Northern Ontario
Pumpkinfest at Gammondale Farm
Come for contactless excitement like Canada’s largest pumpkin catapult, the monster forest maze and barnyard maze, duck races, straw mountain and of course, tons of pumpkins to choose from, all just west of Thunder Bay. Tickets are available online from September 24 to October 30.
Location: 426 McCluskey Drive, Slate River Valley, Thunder Bay
Leisure Farms
Find fresh strawberries, raspberries, pumpkin and corn at this family owned and operated farm. They also offer fun family activities such as outdoor picnics, wagon riding and roasting marshmallows.
Location: 744 Quesnel Road, West Nipissing
Halloween on Queen
Returning this year is Sault Ste. Marie’s “Halloween on Queen” event, for which businesses will be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. There will also be a pet costume contest, so be sure to dress up fluffy in his or her Halloween finest! Takes place Saturday, October 29, 2022.
Location: along Queen Street between Pim Street and Dennis Street, Sault Ste. Marie
Halloween at Dynamic Earth
If you’re looking for Halloween family fun, Dynamic Earth has you covered. Catch a scary story at Strange Storytime, take in a “Creep it Real” Science Show, marvel at the Talon and Bike falconry shows, and creep yourself out at the Creepy Crawly Critter Show. And don’t miss the incredible PumpkinfernoTM, a 30–40-minute spooky, self-guided tour through the outdoor Halloween trail, which features 19 carved pumpkin sets. Reward your courage with a meal or snack at the Copper Cauldron, open until 10:30 p.m.
Runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, October 1–30, 2022.
Location: 122 Big Nickel Road, Sudbury
Check out more family attractions to keep your kids entertained all season long and visit Festivals and Events Ontario to discover more kid-friendly fun near you.
Source: Destination Ontario
