Costumes, curious creatures, glowing pumpkins and a little woodland magic: Halloween season around Milwaukee offers plenty of adventures before October 31.
This guide includes nature-center celebrations, zoo events, neighborhood festivals and pumpkin displays, with options close to the North Shore and a few outings farther afield.
Updated September 18, 2026. All times are local. Check the linked organizers before leaving home for ticket availability, weather updates and schedule changes.
For neighborhood candy collecting, see our separate Greater Milwaukee trick-or-treat hours guide.
Thiensville trick-or-treating is Sunday, October 25, 2026, 3–6 p.m. Mark this early date for neighborhood candy collecting before Halloween. See our Thiensville trick-or-treat guide and the village’s official announcement.
Find your Halloween adventure 🎃
12 family events around Milwaukee, the North Shore and nearby communities. Search, filter and choose a pin for the details.
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Checked September 18, 2026. All times are local. Pins show venue or address reference points, not parking entrances. Two venues have multiple events. Confirm tickets and schedules with organizers; free admission does not include purchases or parking.
North Shore and Ozaukee County
1. Species Spooktacular at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Sunday, October 18, 2026 | 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
Where: 1111 E. Brown Deer Road, Bayside
Admission: $12 for members; $18 for nonmembers; children 2 and younger free. Parking included.
Come in costume and meet the animals behind some of Halloween’s biggest myths. Snakes, tarantulas, turtles and raptor ambassadors help families discover why supposedly spooky creatures matter.
The adventure continues outdoors with games and crafts at stations around the grounds. Children who visit all the stations receive a sweet treat, and everyone can vote for a favorite costumed taxidermy animal.
This self-guided event welcomes all ages and runs rain or shine. Arrive before 2 p.m. to allow enough time to explore; children must attend with an adult.
Get Species Spooktacular details and tickets.
2. Whitefish Bay Business Trick-or-Treat
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 10 a.m.–noon
Where: Participating businesses along Silver Spring Drive, Whitefish Bay
Give those costumes an extra outing with a morning of candy collecting along Silver Spring Drive. Participating merchants welcome children and families for the downtown district’s Halloween celebration.
This is a separate event from residential trick-or-treating, so check the business schedule and your community’s neighborhood hours independently.
See the Merchants of Whitefish Bay event calendar.
3. Whitefish Bay Great Pumpkin Festival
Wednesday, October 28–Saturday, October 31, 2026 | 6–9 p.m. nightly
Where: Old Schoolhouse Park, 5240 N. Marlborough Drive
Admission: Free; food and drinks cost extra.
Community-carved jack-o’-lanterns turn the park across from the library into a glowing Halloween gathering place. Music, food and a beer tent round out the evening.
Check the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation’s calendar for pumpkin participation details and updates. Our Great Pumpkin Festival guide has more planning information.
4. Trails & Treats at Riveredge Nature Center
Friday, October 23, 2026 | Sessions begin at 4:30, 5:15 and 6 p.m.
Where: 4458 County Highway Y, Saukville
Admission: $7 for member children; $12 for nonmember children. Supervising adults attend free.
Designed for ages 2–12 with an adult, this adventure follows a 1.5-mile loop with costumed educators and hands-on activity stations. Allow about 60–90 minutes for the route.
Bring costumes and flashlights. A campfire adds to the atmosphere, with cider, cocoa and popcorn available to purchase. Preregister by October 22; walk-ins depend on available space.
Milwaukee and Nearby Suburbs
5. Halloween Haunts at Wehr Nature Center
Thursday, October 15–Saturday, October 17, 2026 | Timed hikes from 6–8:30 p.m.
Where: 9701 W. College Avenue, Franklin
Admission: $16; Friends of Wehr members $12. Nonmember parking is $5.
Follow a pumpkin-lit woodland path and meet costumed characters along the way. Wehr recommends the event especially for families with children ages 4–10.
Advance tickets are required; public sales begin September 21. Arrive 15 minutes before your hike. Strollers are not permitted, and the route includes uneven surfaces and stairs; contact Wehr about accommodations.
See Halloween Haunts registration and visitor information.
6. Boo at the Zoo at Milwaukee County Zoo
October 16–17 and October 23–24, 2026
Fridays: 4:30–9 p.m.
Saturdays: 9:30 a.m.–9 p.m.
Where: 10001 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee
New daytime Saturday hours give families more flexibility for the treat trail, pumpkin activities and entertainment.
Tickets start at $18 for adults and $16 for ages 3–12, including parking. Children 2 and younger are free.
Buy event tickets online. Regular admission and Zoo Pass membership alone do not provide entry on October 17 or 24; members receive a 15% event-ticket discount.
Check Boo at the Zoo tickets and details.
7. Halloween Family Fun at Old Falls Village
Friday, October 16, 2026 | 4–8 p.m.
Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 1–5 p.m.
Where: N96W15791 County Line Road, Menomonee Falls
Admission: $10 per person; check registration for young-child exemptions.
Explore a historic village with costumes, treats, crafts, games and scavenger hunts. The announced activities also include face painting and a chicken fortune teller.
Registration is required, and the fundraiser takes place rain or shine. Saturday’s afternoon session offers a daytime option.
See the Halloween Family Fun schedule.
8. Bay View Pumpkin Pavilion
Wednesday, October 21–Saturday, October 24, 2026
Where: Humboldt Park Pavilion, Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood
Hours: Check the organizer for the daily schedule.
Pumpkin carving, illuminated displays, live music and local food bring neighbors together for this volunteer-powered celebration.
Community Afternoon is Saturday, October 24, from 2–6 p.m., with a costume parade at 4 p.m. Check the organizer for the other days’ carving, lighting and entertainment schedules.
Check Pumpkin Pavilion updates.
9. Halloween Village at Baird Community Commons
October 2026, with extended dates listed as October 1–November 1
Where: 400 W. Wisconsin Avenue, downtown Milwaukee
Admission: Free
Walk through a giant pumpkin and explore interactive lighting displays with familiar Halloween characters. Families can visit during the day or enjoy the illuminated scene in the evening.
Date note: Milwaukee Downtown’s current event list and page details give October 1–November 1, while the event-page headline still says October 2–31. Confirm before planning an opening- or closing-day visit.
See Halloween Village information.
10. Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Where: Baird Community Commons, 400 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Admission: Free
For a downtown outing with scheduled activities, visit during Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee. The family festival brings Halloween entertainment, activities and giveaways to the same location as Halloween Village.
That makes it an easy way to combine a daytime celebration with a look at the seasonal displays.
See Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee details.
Halloween Outings in Racine
11. Boo at the Zoo at Racine Zoo
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Where: 2131 N. Main Street, Racine
Admission: Included with regular admission: adults $11, children ages 3–15 $9, seniors $10. Zoo members and children 2 and younger are free.
Spend the day collecting treats, making a Halloween craft and meeting animal ambassadors. Cookie and pumpkin decorating are also listed, while supplies last.
This is Racine Zoo’s daytime Halloween celebration; its evening pumpkin event requires separate admission.
See Racine Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo details.
12. Jack-O’-Lantern Nights at Racine Zoo
October 1–31, 2026 | Thursdays–Sundays, 6–10 p.m.
Last admission: 9:30 p.m.
Where: 2131 N. Main Street, Racine
Admission: $10 per person; children 2 and younger free.
Follow a paved route through pumpkin displays, Halloween lighting and seasonal photo stops.
Tickets are sold at the door only. This evening experience is separate from daytime zoo admission, and zoo membership discounts do not apply.
Check Jack-O’-Lantern Nights information.
Choose Your Family’s Halloween Adventure
For children who love animals and hands-on exploration, start with Species Spooktacular or Trails & Treats. For an evening woodland adventure, consider Halloween Haunts, keeping its age guidance and trail conditions in mind.
For a free outing, try Whitefish Bay’s Great Pumpkin Festival, Halloween Village or Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee. Daytime options include both zoos’ Boo events, Whitefish Bay business trick-or-treating and Saturday at Old Falls Village.
Dress costumes around comfortable walking shoes and warm layers, and book timed events before planning the rest of your day.
Want to keep the fall adventures going? Explore our guides to pumpkin picking near Milwaukee and Milwaukee-area corn mazes.