There is so much to do and see for Halloween this year that I’m passing on my traditional seven-days/seven-events format and bringing you all the spooky stuff I can find. Hang on, here we go!
First, check out our readers’ Wildcard winners for Best Haunted Attractions from our recent Best Of 2023 edition. The top five choices are Cutting Edge Haunted House (1701 E Lancaster Av, Fort Worth, 817-348-8444), Dark Hour Haunted House (701 Taylor Dr, Plano, 469-298-0556), Hangman’s House of Horrors (4400 Blue Mound Rd, Fort Worth, Hangmans.com), Fright Fest at Six Flags Over Texas (2201 Road to Six Flags East, Arlington, 817-640-8900), and Reindeer Manor Halloween Park (1002 Lone Star Pkwy, Gate 1, Grand Prairie, 214-399-6425). Days and times vary, and tickets could be scarce, so do your research on these before the season passes you by.
Every Weekend
During the Stockyards Ghost Tours that start Thu-Sat at 7pm at Cowtown Winery (128 E Exchange Av, Ste 610, Fort Worth, 817-626-1011), you’ll learn about the unexplained in the area and the detailed history of the Stockyards and its bordellos, hangings, shootouts, and more. Stops include the Cadillac Hotel, Miss Molly’s B&B (as seen on the Discovery Channel), and the Stockyards Hotel, to name a few, and it all starts at the winery. The paranormal activity in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards is some of the spookiest in the whole country and has been written about a ton, so put this event on your local itinerary.
Friday, October 21
If you find yourself in Euless this Friday or Saturday or the next and need a car wash, Tommy’s Express Carwash (250 E Euless Blvd, 817-753-8555) is the place to be. For $20, take your vehicle through the Tunnel of Terror, see some ghouls, and leave with a clean car. For more info, visit tmys.us/uf2Jm.
Friday-Sunday, October 27-29
The only way Boo at the Zoo would be better is if the animals dressed up, too. This annual tradition at the Fort Worth Zoo (1989 Colonial Pkway, 817-759-7555) features animal shows, themed entertainment, and trick-or-treating along the zoo’s winding paths from 10am to 5pm. Everything is included with the basic cost of admission, $13-17 at FortWorthZoo.org/Boo-at-the-Zoo.
Saturday, October 28
For the 11th year in a row, Martin House Brewery will celebrate Halloween with its popular Booery Tour noon-5pm. The event includes bands, beer, costume contests, and food trucks, and there is talk of snakes for what is being billed as an “underwater mermaid zombie party.” Martin House is bringing back its special Sea Witch beer and a limited amount of the Murdermaid. About those slithery reptiles, yes, Daryl Sprout’s Snake Encounters will take the stage at 1pm.
Courtesy Facebook
Now thru Monday, October 30
During Halloween — and then again for Christmas — Howell Family Farms (4016 W Division St, Arlington, 801-432-0139) becomes a mini holiday theme park. Pumpkin Nights features 10-foot-tall Jack-O-Lanterns, the world’s largest pumpkin guitar, a flying 40-foot handmade dragon, a life-size pumpkin pirate ship, and more, all built on-site by artists using 7,500 natural and synthetic hand-carved pumpkins. Visit 6pm-11pm daily thru Sat, Oct 30. Tickets are $20-28 at PumpkinNights.com.
Now thru Tuesday, October 31
For a limited time, your local Krispy Kreme shops in Fort Worth (6700 Westworth Blvd, 817-372-7508), Arlington (2600 S Cooper St, 817-460-0792), and Grapevine (3605 Ira E. Woods Av, 817-329-3605) have some super cute Scooby-Doo Halloween goodies. You can order a mixed dozen, including the Scooby-Dooby Doo, Mystery Machine, Spooky Monster Cookies N’ Kreme, or Jinkies! (orange-sprinkled) donuts or pick and choose individually. For more delicious details, pricing, and the like, visit KrispyKreme.com.
Courtesy Krispy Kreme
Now thru Tuesday, October 31
Your kids may want to join Serafina the Sea Witch at SeaLife for Halloween. According to her fictitious backstory, she “loves looking after her ocean home, and to help keep her fellow sea creatures safer, she’s created some magical challenges to find those who are worthy to join her army of ocean defenders.” Your young ones are invited to learn about some “scary-not-scary” sea creatures while trick-or-treating at SeaLife (3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, 469-444-3050). Admission starts at $19.99 at VisitSeaLife.com.
