Go all-out for Halloween with these October events around Lawrence

Whether you’ve got kids in costumes looking for some mild frights or you’re ready to go all-out with guts and gore on Halloween night, Lawrence has plenty of seasonal festivities this month.

Here’s a roundup of trick-or-treats, pumpkin patches, witches balls and more. The first section has recurring events, followed by festivities for adults and then for kids. 

Please note that event plans may change, so always double-check with the venues before heading out the door. Not all events listed for adults exclude kids, so take care to check any age limits.

Recurring events and festivals

• Schaake’s Pumpkin Patch is officially open for the season and will operate through Friday, Oct. 30. They’re featuring an apple cider dirty soda and a lineup of food and beverage trucks.
→ At Schaake’s Pumpkin Patch, 1791 North 1500 Road in Lawrence

• Lucia’s Halloween pop-up bar, Nightmare on Mass St., is back through Saturday, Oct. 31 with themed food and drinks. They have a month chock-full of Halloween events, including murder mystery dinners, A Night of Hocus Pocus Drag Show, “scaryoke” with Trans Lawrence Coalition and more. Open bar seating and table reservations are available. Book a table and see the full event roster at this link.
→ At Lucia, 1016 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

• McFinnigan Manor is a home haunt attraction where folks can venture into the spirit world. Running multiple nights throughout October, including Halloween, this free fright fest is likely too intense for kids. Donations are welcome and will go to United Way of Kaw Valley. Find all times at this link.
→ At 4520 Grove Drive in Lawrence

• At its (tell-tale) heart, the Lawrence Public Library’s monthlong Booktoberfest is about bringing people together over a shared love of reading. Events like Camp Cryptid still have open registration, and folks can join the waitlist for other activities such as Feminist Fright Night. Read more in this article.
→ Most events at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. in Lawrence; registration is required

• The Haunted Forest at Vinland Valley Nursery is a bring-your-own-beer affair, and folks can wander through the forest to encounter forest spirits and goblins. The haunted forest is open for daytime exploration during the nursery’s typical business hours, plus extra spine-tingling nighttime hours from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, 17 and 24, and Friday, Oct. 30. The nursery will sell Mothman T-shirts, cocoa and cider, Halloween decor, mums and activity kits in the garden and coffee shop.
→ At Vinland Valley Nursery, 1606 North 600 Road in Baldwin City

• School’s Out Days Fall Spooktacular at Vinland Valley Nursery runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Oct. 12 to Oct. 16. Kids can partake in spooky arts and crafts and explore the Haunted Walk (see above) during the day. Costs range from free for pine cone moth-making to $15 and up for Halloween terrariums. Find out more at this link.
→ At Vinland Valley Nursery, 1606 North 600 Road in Baldwin City

• Baldwin City’s Maple Leaf Festival has been a tradition since 1958 and returns again on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17 and 18, this year. The fest will include craft exhibits, quilt shows, performing arts, a parade, live music, food and more. The weekend is free to attend, but non-service animals are not permitted. Learn about vendors and the event schedule at this link.
→ In multiple locations around Baldwin; full festival map at this link

• The Lawrence Arts Center’s Ghosting Lawrence events are theatrical tours of downtown haunts, as actors bring famous local spirits to life. There are multiple tours from Thursday to Saturday, Oct. 22 to Oct. 24. Tickets cost $20 for students and seniors and $25 for adults, plus convenience fees. Get yours at this link.

• “Lizzie” at Theatre Lawrence is billed as part rock concert, part gothic thriller. Running from Thursday to Saturday, Oct. 22 to Oct. 24, the musical is recommended for audiences 16 years and older. Tickets are $28 for adults and seniors, $17 for students 18 and under, and $25 for season passholders. Find your seats at this link.
→ At Theatre Lawrence, 4660 Bauer Farm Drive in Lawrence

Adult events throughout the month

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17: Find your new Oct. 31 outfit during the annual Theatre Lawrence Costume Sale.
→ In the Theatre Lawrence lobby, 4660 Bauer Farm Drive in Lawrence

• 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17: The Hell. Yeah Variety Show is a free, Halloween-themed burlesque, comedy and live music show.
→ At Northside Social, 444 Locust St. in Lawrence

• 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21: The Sunrise Project is celebrating Halloween with a free community meal, replete with Halloween decor and cookies. Feasters are encouraged to come in costume.
→ At Sunrise Project, 245 N. Fourth St. in Lawrence

• 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23: The Cougar Coven’s Witches Ball is a chance for “Shes, Gays & They’s” ages 21 to 121 to enjoy dark beats and sacred sisterhood, according to the Facebook event. Tickets cost $15; get yours at this link.
→ At Maceli’s Banquet Hall & Catering, 1031 New Hampshire St. in Lawrence

• 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23: For witches who identify as women, Be Moved Studio’s Witches Ball is a Halloween party with a twist. There will be opening and closing circles, with a somatic spell dance party in between. Registration is required and costs $25. Learn more at this link.
→ At Be Moved Studio, 2 E. Seventh St. in Lawrence

• 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23: 1313 Mockingbird Lane is hosting Fright Flicks at Liberty Hall featuring “Big Baby,” a masked killer meta-horror. Folks can get there early for trivia and prizes. Tickets cost $10 for children, $11 for seniors and $12.50 for adults. Get your ticket at Liberty Hall or online at this link.
→ At Liberty Hall in the Little Theater, 644 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

• Doors open at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24: Foxy by Proxy Revue’s burlesque “macabaret” is returning in all its “mystical, maniacal, morbid” glory, per a social media post. Attendees are encouraged to dress for the costume contest and photo booth. The show is for people ages 18 and older.
→ At Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

• 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25: While the Lawrence Humane Society’s Petchella doesn’t come with the trappings of typical spooky season fun, pet parents may enjoy the opportunity to enter their fuzzy friends into a costume contest. The event will include animal-themed vendors, live music, food trucks and more. Admission is free.
→ At Rick’s Place, 846 Illinois St. in Lawrence

• 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28: The ADHDIY Craft Cafe is coming to Mass Street Plant Company with a Halloween-themed crafting night. Folks can get snacks and drinks while they craft and watch “Halloweentown.” Tickets cost $10 but do not include the cost of supplies, snacks or drinks. Get tickets at this link.
→ At Mass Street Plant Company, 6 East Seventh St. in Lawrence

• 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30: Enter 1313 Mockingbird Lane’s annual costume contest by wearing yours to the store. Staff will take your photo, and you could win a $100 mystery bag tailored to your interests and a trophy. There will be candy for kids, and $1 of every sale made that day will go to the Lawrence Humane Society.
→ At 1313 Mockingbird Lane, 1027 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

• 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30: Folks aged 21 and older are invited to explore the Watkins Museum of After Dark. “Travel back in time to the Rising Sun Saloon: A mysterious ghost town barroom complete with music, dancing, & spirits…ghostly and otherwise!” the event page reads. Tickets, available at this link, are for folks aged 21 and older. They cost $20 for museum members and $25 for the general public.
→ At the Watkins Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

• Doors open at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31: Emo Nite, a DJ’d dance party for those 18 years and older, is taking over The Bottleneck. Tickets cost $20 in advance. Get them online at this link or at the box office at Lucia.
→ At The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. in Lawrence

• Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1: Folks can get a hair of the dog — or werewolf, in this case — at The Bottleneck’s Halloween Hangover concert. The night will feature OxyToxin, Spare the Dead, Bite and We Are Arya. Cover costs $10 at the door.
→ At The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St. in Lawrence

Kid-friendly events throughout the month

• 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9: Frankentoys at the library is the perfect time for kids ages 5 to 11 to deconstruct and reconfigure abandoned toys. The lab experiment materials (a.k.a. toys) will be provided, but folks can bring their own, too.
→ At the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. in Lawrence

• 2 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10: The second annual Kaw Valley Field Day will feature Split Lip Rayfield, a pumpkin patch, hayrack rides and more. Read about it in this article.
→ At Shirk Farm, 1359 North 1900 Road in Lawrence

• 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14: Party America Lawrence is hosting a Kids’ Costumes and Squish Trading extravaganza. Until the day of the event, folks can turn in gently used and outgrown kids’ costumes without stains, tears or broken accessories. They’ll get a coupon to redeem on Oct. 14 for another traded costume. If none of the accoutrements strike a kiddo’s fancy, folks can use the coupon for 50% off a Halloween purchase. Learn more and read about the squish trade at this link.
→ At Party America Lawrence, 2329 Iowa St. in Lawrence

• 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15: The dead will rise again at the 19th annual Lawrence Zombie Walk. Naturally, there will be makeup and blood bath stations, plus a costume contest. The undead will gather at the South Park gazebo before embarking on their deathly journey at dusk.
→ Meet at South Park, 1141 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

• 4 to 5:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16: Kids ages 8 to 11 are invited to Dr. Frankenstein’s Haunted Mansion at the library. “Operate on Frankenstein’s monster, take a walk through the Haunted Hallway, test your courage in the Haunted Lab, and do so much more!” the event page reads. It’s free, but registration is required. Sign up at this link.
→ At the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. in Lawrence

• 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18: Folks of all ages can learn about nocturnal animals with the Kansas Postdoctoral Outreach Project’s Creatures of the Night session. Drop in to learn about bats and sound waves, create bracelets that send signals without sound and more. The event is at the KU Natural History Museum, which is free with a suggested donation of $7 per adult and $4 per child.
→ At the KU Natural History Museum in Dyche Hall, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd. in Lawrence

• 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22: Fledgling ghosts, goblins, witches and monsters are invited to the Peoples Market’s Haunting Trunk or Treat. The El Zocalo birria truck will be onsite, with spooky crafts and activities for kids. Local artists and makers will have specials on handmade goods.
→ At The Peoples Market, 846 Illinois St. in Lawrence

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• 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23: A dance party for littles (ages 0 to 5) with a spooky theme will have tots doing the Graveyard Smash at the library. Itty bitty spiderlings can come in costume and be ready for bubbles, music and storytellers.
→ At the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. in Lawrence

• 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24: Prairie Moon Waldorf School’s 5K Pumpkin Fun Run will have food trucks, coffee, face painting and running galore. Registration is $10 for kids ages 1 to 17 and $35 for adults ages 18 and older. The kids’ fun run and obstacle course is free. Register by Friday, Oct. 9 for a free race T-shirt.
→ The run starts at Prairie Moon Waldorf School, 1853 East 1600 Road, but packet pickup is in different locations (see this link)

• 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24: Costumed tots can trick-or-treat throughout Hy-Vee with festive activities.
→ At Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway in Lawrence

• 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24: Kiddos can trick-or-treat in the galleries at the Watkins Museum during the Boo-Seum Bash. There will also be seasonal arts and crafts and a jack-o’-lantern scavenger hunt with a prize.
→ At the Watkins Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

• 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. or 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24: Kiddos can come in costume for trick-or-treating on the prairie, weather permitting, during the Spooktacular Night at the Nature Center. They can spot nocturnal critters using red lights and delight in balloon animals, games, a Halloween dance party and a caramel apple bar. Tickets cost $10. Kids younger than 14 need to be with a registered adult. Children aged 2 and under can enter for free with a registered adult. Get tickets at this link.
→ At the Prairie Park Nature Center, 2730 Harper St. in Lawrence

• 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25: Storyteller Priscilla Howe is ready to share her best funny-scary stories for all ages in her backyard, including “The ghost with the one black eye.” Enraptured listeners should bring their own chairs, blankets, drinks, snacks, bug spray and friends. Adults are responsible for the safety of the children they bring. Howe asks folks to park on the street without blocking neighbors’ driveways. Tips are not required but appreciated.
→ At 415 Elm St. in Lawrence

• 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25: In comparison to her 4:30 p.m. event (see above), Howe will dole out some of her creepiest and weirdest tales for grownups and kids ages 12 and older in the evening. Rules are the same as her earlier story session.
→ At 415 Elm St. in Lawrence

• 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26: Girls and boys alike are welcome to Boy Scout Troop 55’s Open House & Trunk-or-Treat to get sweets, play games and learn about scouting. Arrow of Light Scouts, people ages 11 to 17 curious about scouting and families are invited.
→ At West Side Presbyterian Church, 1024 Kasold Drive in Lawrence

• 9 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1: Every kid gets a medal — and another chance to wear their Halloween costumes — at the Kansas Kids Fun Run. The fun run takes place during the Kansas Half Marathon & 5K. It’s free and doesn’t require preregistration.
→ At the playground in South Park, 1141 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

On Halloween: Saturday, Oct. 31

• 7:30 a.m.: Wear your costume to the Lawrence Farmers Market: Trick or Eat edition for a chance to win $20 in market coins. “Many vendors will have treats, and our information booth is your stop to find out what other fun we have available,” the event page reads.
→ At the Saturday Lawrence Farmers Market, 824 New Hampshire St. in Lawrence

• 1 to 3 p.m.: For those who like nautical scares, Haunted Harbor at the Clinton State Park Marina will offer trick-or-treating at trucks and boats, a DJ, The Knot Bar and a costume contest at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free, but people need a $5 vehicle permit to enter the park.
→ At the Clinton Marina, 1329 East 800 Road in Lawrence

• 2 to 3:30 p.m.: Premier Martial Arts’ Trunk or Treat will have candy, costumes and local businesses.
→ From 1520 to 1540 Wakarusa Drive in Lawrence

• 2 to 3 p.m.: Nothing Unique Organization’s Table or Treat ends at 3 p.m. or sooner if the candy runs out. Costumes are encouraged.
→ At 204 W. 19th St. near Cordley Elementary School in Lawrence

• 4 to 6 p.m.: Library Trick-or-Treating will offer candy to kids ages 0 to 17 and non-edible prizes for kids who can’t partake in the sugar, all while supplies last.
→ At the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St. in Lawrence

• 5 to 8 p.m.: Trick-or-treating in downtown Lawrence is the perfect time for kids to strut their Halloween costumes and claim treats from participating businesses.
→ At multiple locations in downtown Lawrence 

• 5 to 8 p.m.: Enjoy Halloween at the Watkins with trick-or-treating and a scavenger hunt for the young ones.
→ At the Watkins Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence

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Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at [email protected].

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