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Enjoy Halloween Tricks and Treats Throughout West Michigan!

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From chilling haunted attractions to family-friendly Halloween events, West Michigan has something for everyone seeking the thrill of the season. Join us in learning about the best-haunted happenings and eerie experiences that West Michigan has to offer. Whether you’re a fearless thrill-seeker or looking for family-friendly festivities, there is something for everyone.

South West Michigan

Join the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute on October 28th for a family-friendly Halloween adventure. Dress up your little ones for a short trick-or-treat experience on a quarter-mile trail, followed by a 1.5-mile hike through enchanting prairies, forests, and wetlands. Afterward, enjoy snacks, warm drinks, and crafts in the Visitor Center.

Enjoy Halloween at the Gilmore Car Museum’s Trunk or Treat event in Hickory Corners! The event blends cars with classic spooky fun from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This event is FREE, and there’s no need to RSVP. You can enjoy donuts, cider, George & Sally’s Blue Moon Diner, and the Gilmore Bar at Trunk or Treat. It’s a secure environment for family trick-or-treating with Halloween-themed music.

Flick or Treat is a spooktacular collaboration at  Krasl Art Center in St. Joseph, featuring Halloween-themed classic films. On October 13th, get creative with pumpkin decorating, and stay for 13 silent films, complete with live piano accompaniment by Dr. Larry Shanker. Bring your blankets, chairs, and friends for this family-friendly outdoor event on the Oval Lawn. Popcorn, coffee, and hot cocoa from Red Arrow Roasters will be available. 

Skeletor returns to downtown Kalamazoo for the whole month of October! Downtown streets are adorned with skeletons representing great local businesses. From creepy and scary to funny and silly, there’s a skeleton for every taste! There will also be special events and a bar crawl towards the end of the month. 

Every October, on the last Sunday of the month, Crane’s Pie Pantry, Restaurant & Winery in Fennville, holds a fun costume contest with our employees, and the guests who want to participate can vote on their favorite! We encourage all to dress up while our hardworking employees get creative and blow off some fall steam!

Experience a unique Halloween in Saugatuck/Douglas with spooky trails, costumed cruises, special events like Ox-Bow Goes to Heck on October 21, Scary Supper at Ox-Bow on October 27, and more. Explore haunted history at the Felt Estate from October 27-29, enjoy Trick or Treating in downtown Saugatuck on October 28, and the famous Halloween Parade for Adults in Douglas. The Star of Saugatuck paddlewheel boat offers Boos Cruise for adults on October 28th and a Kid’s Halloween Cruise on October 29th. 

Explore Coldwater Country for a spooktacular Halloween season! Join them in Rotary Park for the Haunted Forest on October 13-14 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Enjoy two sessions: one for younger guests (5-7:30 p.m.) and the scarier Haunted Forest later. Plus, experience the Haunted Temple at downtown Coldwater’s Masonic Temple on the last two weekends of October. Don’t miss Halloween parades in downtown Coldwater on October 28 and downtown Quincy on Halloween.

Over 60 Skeletons invade Marshall all month, including a werewolf, 12′ towering Skelly’s, the Great Pumpkin, Spiderman, and more. Families can ride a spooky train, pick pumpkins at several harvest parties, join the Oktoberfest and Costume parties, and more. Choose Marshall for all your fall family fun! 

Join the Garden Grove Inn in Southwest Michigan this fall for all the best autumn fun! The quaint 7-bedroom B&B in Union Pier is central to fall colors, wine harvests, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, fall sunsets, harvest dinners, spooky stuff, and more! The inn offers 10% off 2+ night stays in October and November, so take advantage and check out all the fantastic fall activities in the area! 

Other South West Michigan Spooky Fun:

  • Enjoy the 1993 classic, ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas,’ the 1984 horror masterpiece, ‘A Nightmare On Elm Street,’ and an enhanced showing of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ by Out Front Kalamazoo.
  • Turkeyville’s Haunted Adventure at Cornwells Turkeyville October 7th. 
  • Berrien Springs with the lineup of spooky events:
    • Oct 12 @ 5 PM: Stories Among the Stones Cemetery Tours at Pine Grove Cemetery, New Buffalo ($5 per person, pay at tour)
    • Oct 14 & 28 @ 7:30 PM: Fireside Tales – Monster Mash ($5 per person, RSVP required)
    • Oct 15 @ 2 PM: Fireside Tales, Jr. Edition – Monster Mash ($5 per person, RSVP required)
    • Oct 29 @ 2 PM: Stories Among the Stones Cemetery Tours at Crystal Springs Cemetery, Benton Harbor ($5 per person, pay at tour)
    • Oct 31 @ 5:30 PM: Join us for Trick or Treating at the Museum (volunteers needed)

Central West Michigan

Oddities & Delights, an exhibition of fun, odd, and whimsical artworks, will be displayed at the Muskegon Museum of Art throughout the spooky season. This exhibition celebrates the weird, quirky, and unexpected art from the MMA’s permanent collection, from the historically curious to the visually offbeat. 

The John Ball Zoo Goes Boo in Grand Rapids is October 13-15, 20-22, and 27-29! Members can start the fun from 9 AM to 10 AM, while general admission begins at 10 AM and continues until 5 PM. The event includes rotating villain meet-and-greets, trick-or-treat stations, strolling entertainment, animal experiences throughout the day, and face painting. 

No tricks, just treats! Enjoy 3 spooktacular trick-or-treating events at the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum. Get dressed up and celebrate Halloween at the museum! Get ready for themed crafts, trick-or-treating, and lots of silly, not-too-spooky fun inside the walls, all included with regular museum admission.

The Downtown Ludington Trick-or-Treat is Oct. 28. The event includes a kid-friendly daytime trick-or-treat adventure from 2-4 p.m. at all Downtown Ludington businesses. Another great event in Ludington is the Run for Your Lives 5K/10K on  Oct. 28.  Experience Northern Michigan’s vibrant fall colors on your scenic course through Cartier Park in Ludington. Get into the spirit by dressing up! Single race registration includes a custom die-cast finishers medal and a tri-blend race tee. 

Bring the family to the Holland Museum Slightly Spooky Cemetery tour for the first three Saturdays of October. On the 28th, head to downtown Holland to gather candy and honor your ancestors. From 10 till noon, littles dressed in ghost and Barbie costumes can converge on downtown businesses to Trick or Treat along 8th Street. Then, it’s onto the Holland Armory for music, dance, and art to celebrate Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). 

Other Central Spooky Fun:

 

 

Northern West Michigan & Upper Peninsula

Skeletons Arise in Harbor Springs! Unleash your creativity and community spirit by decorating a skeleton to display in front of your home or business. Starting in October, purchase and decorate your skeleton through the Harbor Springs Chamber of Commerce for $125, which includes a map location and sponsorship sign. If you’ve sponsored one before, you can re-sponsor for $100, gaining a month of advertising in our newsletter and social media and a spot on our Skeletour map. 

Head to Downtown Petoskey with the kiddos for Trick-or-Treating Fun! Or, if you’re looking for adult events, check out Victories in Odawa Casino, Petoskey, for their annual Halloween Bash or Witches Night Out in Petoskey. Check out the PetoskeyArea.com event page for all the spooky happenings. Looking to learn about Petoskey’s ghostly happenings? Check out Petoskey Yesterday’s “Haunted Petoskey” Tour, where you learn about places where unexplainable happenings have occurred and what history may contribute to these occurrences.

Join the Scarecrow Stroll & Contest 2023 in Mackinaw City! Throughout October, downtown Mackinaw City transforms into a captivating scarecrow gallery. Local businesses and groups craft unique scarecrows, turning our streets into a harvest wonderland. Explore the scarecrows, shop at our boutiques, dine in our eateries, and enjoy local attractions. Voting runs from September 30 to October 31. The winner and a lucky voter will be announced on November 2 on the Mackinaw City Chamber of Commerce Facebook page. Take your chance to vote and win $25 in MAC CA$H for Mackinaw City shopping! 

Marquette County has a long and rich history dating back to the mid-1800s. As one of the oldest and most well-known destinations in the Upper Peninsula, Marquette is also home to some of Michigan’s most famous supernatural histories. Hauntings and ghostly activity have been reported in Marquette for decades, and year after year, thrill-seekers make their way to Marquette to tempt a chance encounter with the spirits still lurking about.

Experience the essence of autumn with Crystal Mountains Fall Fun Saturdays in Thompsonville! Mark your calendar for October 14th, 21st, and 28th, where you’ll enjoy a day brimming with fall delights. Cast your vote for the most captivating scarecrow during the Scarecrow Walk, ascend the mountain via chairlift, then race down on the thrilling Alpine Slide. Challenge your archery or laser tag skills with family and friends, or unleash your creativity with Fall Sand Art and Pumpkin Carving. 

The last days of October find the Keweenaw busy with Halloween fun. Folks around town are treated to spooky decorations in shop fronts, smiling scarecrows, and a community lively with anticipation for Halloween events and camaraderie. From pumpkin patches and corn mazes to Treat Street and the great Halloweenie Race, there’s Halloween fun that everyone will enjoy! 

Other UP and Up North  Halloween and Attractions:

Statewide

Bring your ghost stories home through the pages of Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses by Dianna Higgs Stampfler’s Promote Michigan. This historic title features stories from 13 of Michigan’s most spirited beacons, including White River Light Station, Marquette Harbor Lighthouse, Old Presque Isle Lighthouse, and Fort Gratiot Lighthouse—all open for seasonal tours. Or, check out one of the live presentations from the book at libraries and other locations around the state throughout the fall season.