Halloween is such an exciting holiday for kids, but you don’t want to leave all of the fun to just one night!
At Out and About Mom, we love to find even more opportunities for our kiddos to get dressed up in their favorite costume and get into the Halloween spirit. So once again, we have put together a list of Halloween events happening in Connecticut and provided you with a quick and easy guide to find the perfect event(s) for your family to enjoy.
Now we know there are quite a few Halloween events happening in our state, but we’ve kept our list to just the venues we’ve personally visited and written about to ensure you have as much information to help you have a great family outing. While we haven’t attended every one of these special Halloween events, we have personally been to each of these destinations, which means that you can use our “OAAM Venue Previews” to get that signature OAAM virtual tour of each place before you head out on your Halloween adventures.
And don’t forget to check out our 2016 Fall Fun Guide: 8 Family Outings for Fall in (and around) Connecticut, for even more outing inspiration!
Enjoy!
Shawna & Mandy
Children’s Museums
We love children’s museums the other 364 days of the year too, but on (or around) Halloween, they are even more fun! Many offer special parties or events with activities like trick-or-treating, crafts, pumpkin decorating, and the opportunity to wear your Halloween costume, of course. Here are a few events to get you started, but be sure to check out other museums near you as well to see if they have anything special planned.
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Stepping Stones Museum in Norwalk, CT hosts their annual Monster Mash. Saturday, October 22nd from 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm. Registration and additional fees required. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
The New Children’s Museum in West Hartford, CT hosts their annual Spooktacular. Friday, October 28th; 5:00pm-8:00pm. Members $5; Nonmembers $10. Preregistration strongly encouraged. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut in Niantic, CT hosts Spooky Science. Saturday, October 29th; 11:00am-1:00pm. Free with museum admission. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
The Connecticut Science Center in Hartford, CT celebrates with their annual event, Spooktacular Science Weekend. October 22nd & 23rd; all day. All activities are included FREE with Connecticut Science Center Membership or the purchase of General Admission. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Nature Centers, Farms & Aquariums
Kids always seem to love visiting with animals, so it just makes sense to combine one of their favorite activities with one of their favorite holidays. Below are a few haunted events to get you started, but you’re sure to find more if you check with similar venues across the state.
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Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton, CT hosts the Hobgoblin Fair for children ages 3-8. Saturday, October 29th; choose between morning (10:00 am – noon) or afternoon (1:00 pm – 3:00 pm) session. Costs for adults is $4 and children is $8. Registration is required. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Stamford Museum and Nature Center in Stamford, CT hosts a special Halloween Trick-or-Treat with the animals at Heckscher Farm. Sunday, October 30th from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. The price of general admission includes all activities. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, CT hosts AquaScarium. The event runs October 22nd – 23rd and 29th – 30th during normal museum hours. Special activities are included with general admission. Kids in costume get in FREE (one free child admission per paying adult). OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam, CT is offering Not-So-Scary Hayrides from October 14th – 15th, 21st – 22nd, and 28th – 29th. Each night the rides will be offered from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm at a cost of $7 per person. Tickets can be purchased online. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Town Parties & Trick-or-Treating Alternatives
Maybe you want to let your kiddos get some extra mileage out of those costumes or maybe you’re looking for a more family-friendly alternative to traditional trick-or-treating (not every little one loves dark streets and chilly temps!). Either way, these local events at places like community centers, shopping plazas, and town greens fit the bill. And best of all, many of them are FREE! Check out these great events below, or see what your town may have planned for the spookiest day/night of the year.
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FREE EVENT! Stew Leonards in Newington, CT hosts a variety of Halloween-themed activities all month long including a Halloween-themed movies at the hay bale theater on Friday evenings, storewide trick-or-treating with Stew’s characters on Wednesday, October 26th from 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm, a pumpkin carving demo on Saturday, October 8th, and more. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! The Shoppes at Farmington Valley in Canton, CT host their annual event: Give a Treat, Get a Treat, a food drive and trick-or-treating event for kids ages 10 and under. This year it will be held on Monday, October 24th from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm. The event is FREE, but please bring a non-perishable food item to donate. OAAM PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! Blue Back Square/West Hartford Center hosts the annual Moms & More Halloween Stroll on Saturday, October 29th from 10:30 am -12:30 pm. Trick or Treat at participating merchants, enjoy live music, a Halloween photo booth, and more! OAAM PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! The Town of New Milford, CT hosts Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 31st from 5:30pm-7:30pm. The event is free but it is requested that you bring a bag of candy to New Milford Parks & Recreation at 47 Bridge Street by Oct. 31st or drop a bag off at the sidewalk on the Green, across from the Post Office at the “Graveyard.” OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Mystic Seaport in Mystic, CT hosts a special Trick or Treat event for children ages 10 and under on Monday, October 31st starting at 3:00 pm. The event will kick off with Halloween stories, balloon twisting, and games followed by trick or treating through their 19th-century seafaring village starting at 4:00 pm. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! The Town of Putnam, CT celebrates with the annual Great Pumpkin Festival on Saturday, October 22nd starting at 10:00 am. Also check out Trick-or-Treat Street on Friday, October 28th. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Libraries & Bookstores
If you follow our blog, you know that we are always raving about the wonderful children’s programs offered by so many of our local public libraries– and Halloween is no exception! We’ve also found some great storytime events at local bookstores. Check out these haunted happenings from some of our favorites (and check with your local library/children’s bookstore to see if they have anything fun planned too!). Did we mention these are all FREE?!
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FREE EVENT! The Farmington Library celebrates Halloween with music and a costume parade at the Tots & Tunes Halloween Parade. Best suited for children ages birth to 3. The event takes place on Friday, October 28th with three sessions: 9:30, 10:15, and 11:00. Choose one parade, please. No registration required. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! The West Hartford Library (Main Branch) is hosting Boo at the Zoo on Monday, October 31st. Bring your preschooler in costume for some spooky fun at this Halloween show! There are two shows that day: 10:30 am and 11:30 am. Tickets are free but you must have a ticket to attend. They will be available at the library starting October 15th. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! The Wethersfield Library hosts their famous Pumpkin Judging Contest and Costume Parade on Thursday, October 27th at 6:00pm. Registration is required and began October 3rd for residents and October 19th for nonresidents. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! The Rocky Hill Library hosts a Preschool Halloween Party. Wednesday, October 26th from 10:15 am-11:00 am. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
FREE EVENT! Jack & Allie’s Bookstore in Vernon, CT will offer a special Halloween party on Saturday, October 29th at 11:00 am. OAAM VENUE PREVIEW
Looks like there are a lot of fun, family friendly Halloween events happening in Connecticut over the next few weeks. We hope you find a few for you and your family to enjoy!
We know this list doesn’t cover everything happening across the state, so we would love for you to share your favorite Halloween event with us and our readers by commenting below.
Happy Halloween!
Shawna & Mandy
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I came across this one at the Edward Smith Library in Northford yesterday!
Tuesday, Oct. 25th: 6th Annual Fall Festival
Come one, come all! Come celebrate Fall at the Library. Bring your costume and enjoy–
Food Trucks- 5:00-8:00pm
A Place Called Hope- Raptors @ 6:30pm
More information coming soon! Tell your friends and family. Get your costumes ready
Thank you so much for sharing!