Fall has arrived, which means Halloween lurks just around the corner. For some, this is the most fun time of year – a time to celebrate all that is creepy and odd, to dress up in ways you never would any other time, parties, scary stories, shows, and, of course, candy and treats!
Maybe you like a good ghost story on a chilly evening walk. Or perhaps you love a well-executed haunted house that has you on edge as you creep around each corner. Or perhaps you and your children want to find a fun event for all ages to celebrate the season of scares and bring home a pumpkin or two. Luckily, our region has much to offer!
Family-friendly Fun for Halloween
For those with children, there are many options for family-friendly Halloween fun. In need of a pumpkin? Be sure to check out Wishing Star farm’s Fall Festival, which runs to Oct. 30. They offer hayrides, pony rides, a petting zoo, a giant slide and jump pillow, a hay bale pyramid, games, and much more – just make sure to hit the pumpkin patch on the way out!
You can also visit the Miner’s Pumpkin Patch at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry every Saturday in October. There, you will find games, hayrides, gold panning, a farmer’s market, food trucks and pumpkins.
Still can’t get enough pumpkins. Check out the Jack-o-Lantern Trail at the Fountain Creek Nature Center, where a trail is lit by Jack-o-Lanterns and you can roast marshmallows and listen to stories.
If your pumpkin needs are covered, perhaps a fun event is in order. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers “Boo at the Zoo”, multiple nights of trick-or-treating at the zoo. Aside from trick-or-treating, you can also visit some nighttime animal exhibits, explore a kid-friendly haunted house and spooky graveyard, ride the Sky Ride, and visit different treat stations throughout the zoo, often with their own themes and treats.
Another animal-themed Halloween event can be found at the Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center’s “Howl-o-ween” on Oct. 30. There, visitors can watch wolves devour meat-filled pumpkins and enjoy a bonfire.
For something a little different, check out the Oddity & Fear Fest, held at the Colorado Springs Events Center on Oct. 23-24. This event features vendors selling some of the most unusual and fascinating items you can think of – from bizarre taxidermy to gothic clothing to unique jewelry and art pieces. The festival also includes live performances, including fire breathers, aerial performances, and other circus-type entertainment from Wyldlyfe Fire Circus. You can meet the characters from the local haunted houses, check out ghost-hunting equipment or get tarot card readings.
Perhaps the most well-known Halloween event in the area is the Emma Crawford Coffin Races. An annual tradition for many, this distinctive event takes place in Manitou Springs every October, falling this year on the 29th. The event is based on the story of Emma Crawford (a Manitou Springs resident in the late 1800s) and the journey her coffin went on after flooding in the 1920s.
Come for the hearse parade and stay for the coffin races themselves, where five-person teams (four pushers and one Emma) race themed coffins down the main street of Manitou Springs in heats. Stick around afterward for the excellent food, drink, and shopping options in the area and the general festive atmosphere surrounding the event – not to mention the Coffin Race After Party near the race finish line in Soda Springs Park.
A Haunted Halloween
Are ghost stories your favorite part of Halloween? The Pikes Peak region is full of opportunities for ghost enthusiasts to get their fill of phantoms. Those interested in ghost tours have several opportunities.
Ghost Stories of Old Manitou walking tours run multiple times throughout October; here, visitors learn stories of real people from the city’s history via “spirit guides.” Another option is located in downtown Colorado Springs and blends local history with ghost stories. Both tours are family-friendly.
Another fun and spooky tour can be found at Cave of the Winds with their Lantern Tour, where a guide takes you on a tour of some of the caves with only small, old-fashioned lanterns as they recount ghost stories and legends related to the caves (not recommended for children under the age of 8).
Scares Around Every Corner
Looking for a good scare instead, or simply a more adult-centered experience? While many of the above events are fun for adults as well (especially the coffin races!), there are some truly terrifying options. The perennially popular local landmark Hellscream Haunted House is one of those places. It has received numerous awards over the years and has expanded to also offer an escape room and ghost-hunting tours within the building where it is housed.
A newer haunted house, or rather a group of four haunted houses, is the Fear Complex. This includes the Haunted Mines, The Sanitarium, Carnevil and Sinister Manor, so there is something for every fan of haunted houses.
Out east of the Springs, Scorched Earth Farm is one of the newest arrivals and appears to offer just as many scares as the others.
Boos and Booze
Prefer something with more booze than boos? Some bars offer scary movie nights, such as Red Leg Brewing Company’s “Spooktober Movie Marathon”; while a downtown bar crawl and accompanying costume contest is also an option.
For those interested in the macabre, the annual Coroner’s Ball on Oct. 29 offers curiosities, entertainment and true crime stories told by the County Coroner. The event is family-friendly until 6 p.m., then converts to an adult-only event that includes “Cocktails with the Coroner.”
There is no way to include every event going on in the region, as it seems more are added every year. Feel free to share some of your favorites in the comments if they were not included above!
