October is packed with festive, spooky, and family-friendly Halloween events across Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough. Whether you’re looking for haunted thrills, creative pumpkin carving, or fun activities with farm animals, there’s something for everyone! Be sure to check each event page for ticket and registration details.
Carving Pumpkins with Goats
Head over to Spring Haven Farms' Fall Fest for a one-of-a-kind Pumpkin Carving with Goats extravaganza! They've combined the magic of the harvest season with the charm of our adorable and friendly goats to create a truly unique and delightful experience for all ages. The farm will be completely transformed into a magical Halloween wonderland of cornstalks and pumpkins! Take a ride on the tractor train, roast s'mores over the fire and search for gems at the mining sluice! There is so much to do at Spring Haven Farm! Experiences run through October 31st.
And Murder Mystery with Goats
Murder Mystery Night with Goats Satuday October 19, 8-11pm; Step into the intrigue of Spring Haven Farm’s Murder Mystery Night, where suspense meets the charm of farm life! This immersive experience invites you to solve a gripping whodunit while surrounded by the farm’s picturesque scenery and friendly animals. As the sun sets, the farm transforms into a stage for detective work, where you’ll interrogate characters, gather clues, and piece together the mystery. Enjoy food from local vendors and beverages from Durty Bull Brewing Company as you dive into the action. Perfect for those aged 18+, this unforgettable evening promises suspense, fun, and a few furry friends to keep you company. Don’t miss out on Murder Mystery Night with Goats on Saturday, October 19th!
Witch’s Haunted Barn at Firefly Farm
Family fun for kids of all ages - thrills and frights await you as you enter the Witch's Haunted Barn. Candy for every child at the end of the barn (if you survive!) There will be a coffin fitting room, complete with outfits for your eternal rest, A graveyard full of unsettled souls, Aliens, A room of First and Last Aid with a Mad Doctor, Spiders, spiders, and more spiders. Plus A haunted nursery - ring around a rosie, pocket full of posies…, A coffin in the kitchen where the Kitchen Crone is whipping up delectable goodies, Skellies everywhere, The Butcher’s room, Hallway of Horrors (and clowns), The Vault, The Dungeon, A Witches Coven and so much more. In addition to the barn: Visit the pumpkin patch,visit the horses, donkeys, goats and chickens. Every Saturday in October from Noon to 7pm.
Myrtle Grove Haunt
Myrtle Grove Haunt is haunted barn and trail experience located in Hillsborough. Dare to go in to the two-level haunted barn with scares around every corner. The frights begin October 5th and runs every Friday & Saturday plus Halloween night from 6- 11 pm. No scare admission is from 6-7 pm. Haunted Barn spookies begin at 8pm.
Orange County Feargrounds
Smell the fear! If you're ready for something extra spooky, head out to the Orange County Feargrounds at Lloyd’s Dairy Barn in Efland on October 25-26, where chills and thrills await at the 20,000 sq foot haunted barn. For the more faint of heart, hop on the spooky hayride.
Vampires and Such
Chelsea Theater in Chapel Hill is hosting Late Nights, Vampire Weekend & their 2nd annual Halloween Costume Party October 4 – November 24 with perfect selections for the Halloween Season.
Haunted Ghost Tours!
Take a ghost walk each Saturday in October to hear about the ghosts of long dead lovers wandering the woods of Chapel Hill, unexplainable sounds in UNC's memorial hall, and rumors of a spooky secret society lurking in a dreary gothic castle on the outskirts of the college campus. UNC has plenty of spooky campfire stories and lore from the town's history. The best part is: all of the stories are based off of true Chapel Hill myths.
Haunted Hillsborough hosts the Original Historic Ghost Tour features Enoch Pugh (deceased) for a 2.5 hour, 1.5-mile walk around downtown Hillsborough. Visit haunted houses and an execution site, and hear about numerous local "haints," real history, and native and post-colonial legends. And the "Haints" Misbehaving Ghost Tour This two-hour, 1.25 mile tour focuses solely on the local ghost tales and legends. Visit three haunted houses and hear seven other tales of mysterious, spectral happenings. Kids 11 and up will enjoy the Hills-Boo-rough Kids Ghost Tours, that is more on the lighter side of spooky with interesting stories and jokes.
Explore the darker side of Hillsborough. Come face-to-face with ghostly residents to hear the chilling tales of Hillsborough’s spooky past at the annual Hillsborough Halloween Spirits Tours October 18 & 19.
Family Fun Events
For a relaxing yet festive evening, join the fun at Music and Stories Under the Stars on October 18 at Weaver Street Market Lawn in Carrboro. It's a great opportunity to enjoy live entertainment under the autumn sky. Bring a low chair or blanket and check out all the fun costumes.
Carrboro keeps the Halloween spirit alive with its annual Halloween Carnival on October 25 at Carrboro Town Commons, featuring games, costumes, and fun for all ages. Also in Carrboro, My Muses Card Shop is hosting a pumpkin carving party on October 27th.
Over in Chapel Hill, the Haunted Hill Fest on October 26 at the Chapel Hill Community Center is perfect for families, complete with an outdoor movie. For something truly unique, visit the Floating Pumpkin Patch at the Homestead Aquatic Center on the same day.
For Hillsborough locals, the Halloween Spooktacular on October 19 at Central Recreation Center promises a full afternoon of Halloween excitement, from crafts to games, a pumpkin hunt and decorating contest. And on October 25th, the Burwell School hosts Halloween at Burwell with crafts and candy from 5-7pm and a special tour at 7pm.
Find that perfect pumpkin at Chestnut Ridge and Smith Family Fun Farm. Chestnut Ridge hosts a Pumpkin Patch every Saturday in October, offering a charming fall experience for families. And Smith Family Fun Farm has two pumkin patch's, a giant slide for the kids, plus Friday Night Pizza night. They're open daily except Mondays. Elevate your pumpkin picking excursion with a walk (or a run) through a 12- acre corn maze at McKee's Cedar Creek Farm.
(Top photo: Enoch Pugh, Tour Guide (deceased); courtesy of Haunted Hillsborough)
