Where to Celebrate Halloween Around Austin (2026)

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, which means Austin is going all out — and you don't have to fight your way down Sixth Street to join in. I pulled together my favorite spooky-season plans in every corner of town and out into the suburbs, from kid-friendly trick-or-treat trails to costume parties and live shows.

A few quick tips before you go: double-check times on each event's page (things shift last-minute), book rideshares early for Saturday night, and if you're heading out with little ones, the daytime and early-evening events are your sweet spot.

East Austin

My home turf, and honestly the best mix of free family fun and grown-up haunts in the city.

First up, a shameless plug: Night Market, Porch Pour & Vampire Blood Drive at Open House Austin — Wed, Oct 28, at our community space (1204 Salina St). Roll up a sleeve with We Are Blood, then shop local makers, catch live music, grab a bite from food vendors, try the typewriter social, and enjoy a complimentary drink. Come in costume, and come see us!

• Trick or Treat on the Trail — Fri, Oct 30, 6–8 PM, Boggy Creek Greenbelt (1114 Nile St). Free. A car-free trail lit with luminaries, 20+ candy stations, and a blacklight Monster Mash dance party. Walk or bike if you can.
• Hallo's Eve at Pan American Rec Center — Fri, Oct 30, 6–8 PM. A neighborhood carnival with games, candy, and a costume contest in the "Spooky Gymnasium."
• Neighborhood Fright Night at Metz Park — Thu, Oct 29, 6–8 PM. Free trunk-or-treat, a kids' costume contest, and a haunted house in the rec center. Bring cash for games and concessions.
• Fear Fair at Sign Bar — through Nov 1 (9909 FM 969). A haunted clown maze built inside a bar full of rescued Austin signs. The full cast of scare actors is in the maze every night Oct 26–31. Matinee $6.50, live-actor maze $14.50. 21+ after 7 PM.
• Ventana Ballet's Undead: Haunted House of Dances — Oct 22–31 at East Side Performing Arts. An immersive Halloween dance show with pre-show haunts. Perfect if you want spooky and artsy.
• Freaky Deaky: The Revival — Oct 30–31 at the Travis County Expo Center. Texas's biggest Halloween EDM festival, with ILLENIUM and SLANDER headlining.
• Lefty's Shop of Horrors — Lefty's Brick Bar on East 6th goes full freak show every October, with themed cocktails and photo ops. An easy pre-party stop.

South Austin

South Austin is where Halloween gets weird in the best way: a big outdoor concert and the most over-the-top bar decor in town.

• KUTX Presents: Halloween at The Far Out Lounge — Sat, Oct 31, 5–11:45 PM, 8504 S Congress. The Jesus and Mary Chain, Protomartyr, Holy Wave, DAIISTAR, Blushing, Commercial Breaks, and DJ Tropicana Joe. All ages. There's also a VIP + hotel package with a night at the Home2 Suites across the street, a VIP viewing area, and a shorter bar line. Parking is limited, so rideshare.
• Gibson Street Bar's Twisted Carnival — 1109 S Lamar. Gibson goes all out every year, and this year's theme is a creepy carnival with themed cocktails and decor you can see from the street. New this year: DJs every Saturday in October from 10 PM to 1 AM. Halloween night is DJ Teeks, Oct 31, 10 PM–1 AM, and they're teasing a few surprises. No cover.

Pro tip: do the Far Out show early, then roll up South Congress to Gibson for the late-night DJ set.

North Austin

North (and Northeast) Austin has the city's two biggest seasonal attractions, both wrapping up Halloween weekend.

• Pumpkin Nights at Pioneer Farms — nightly through Sat, Oct 31 (10621 Pioneer Farms Dr). A half-mile trail of 10,000+ carved pumpkins, plus a fire show and food in Pumpkin Village. Not very scary, so great for kids. Timed tickets only, from $20, and Halloween night can sell out.
• House of Torment — through Nov 8 (2632 Ridgepoint Dr). The big scare. This year includes an officially licensed Friday the 13th walkthrough, plus axe throwing, mini escape games, and a hidden 21+ bar. From $19.99; buy a Fast Pass for Halloween night.
• Pins & Wheels Halloween Party — Sat, Oct 31, 10 AM–3 PM (8822 McCann Dr). Skating, bowling, trick-or-treating through the building, a DJ, and a costume contest. $25 kids, $12 adults. A perfect daytime plan before neighborhood trick-or-treating.
• Neighborhood trick-or-treating in Avery Ranch — wide sidewalks and streets that go all out. Start around dusk (it gets dark around 6:45 PM).

West Austin

West Austin and the Lake Travis side keep it relaxed: daytime candy trails, a cozy movie night, and story time.

• Hill Country Galleria Halloween Treat Trail — Sat, Oct 31, 11 AM–2 PM (12700 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave). Free. Grab a pumpkin bag at Central Plaza, then trick-or-treat at 80+ shops. Get there right at 11; bags and candy go fast.
• BookPeople Presents: Trick-or-Read — Sat, Oct 31, 2 PM at BookPeople (6th & Lamar). A Halloween story time at Austin's favorite indie bookstore. Pair it with a walk down West 6th to see the decorated bars.
• Eat the Film: Hocus Pocus at Hotel Viata — Fri, Oct 30, 7:30 PM (West Lake Hills). Watch the movie while you eat dishes inspired by it. $54. A fun Halloween-eve date night.

Pflugerville, Round Rock & Georgetown

The north suburbs are packed with free, city-run events, so you can stack a few across the week.

• Haus of Terror at Austin Picklehaus (Pflugerville) — a kid-friendly haunted experience at Pflugerville's newest indoor pickleball club, 18629 Weiss Ln, Building 2, right by Lake Pflugerville. Check their socials for times.
• Fall Fun Festival (Round Rock) — Wed, Oct 28, 9–11:30 AM at Old Settlers Park. Carnival games for toddlers and preschoolers, hayrides, and prizes. Free; bring a canned good for the Round Rock food pantry.
• Georgetown Trick or Treat Trail — Thu, Oct 29, 5–7 PM at San Gabriel Park, then a movie at the Legacy pavilion at 7. Free.
• Hometown Halloween (Round Rock) — Fri, Oct 30, 3–7 PM in downtown Round Rock. Trick-or-treat the historic downtown shops.
• IKEA Round Rock Halloween Party — Sat, Oct 31, 4–6 PM in the Swedish Restaurant. An easy, low-key stop before heading out in the neighborhood.

Cedar Park & Leander

• Haunted Shores at Volente Beach — through Sat, Oct 31 (16107 FM 2769, Leander). Lake Travis's waterpark turns into an "abandoned" park with light scares, so it works for families. On Friday and Saturday you can add a spooky boat ride around Starnes Island at 7:30, 8:30, or 9:30 PM (50 people max per ride). From $25; book your time slot ahead.
• Halloween Double Feature at Milburn Park (Cedar Park) — Fri, Oct 30, movies start at dusk. Free. Bring blankets, chairs, and your own snacks (no glass), or buy concessions there.

Manor & Hutto

Smaller-town Halloween with a big community feel, and some of the easiest parking you'll find all weekend.

• Candy Crawl (Manor) — Fri, Oct 30, at The Home Depot in Manor. A trunk-or-treat with decorated car setups, candy, and costumes.
• Boo-Ling Bash at Hooky Entertainment (Hutto) — Sat, Oct 31. Pumpkin decorating, a cake walk, a costume contest, a live DJ, and a trunk-or-treat with local car clubs.
• Halloween at the Bookshop (Hutto) — Sat, Oct 31, 10 AM at 202 US-79. A sweet morning stop in Old Town Hutto.

Buda & Kyle

Hays County might have the best Halloween night lineup outside the city this year.

• Bat City Scaregrounds (Buda) — through Sat, Oct 31 (14101 S Turnersville Rd). Fifteen mostly outdoor acres with three haunted houses, fire performers, and sideshow acts. On Halloween night, Austin horror-punk band The Immortalz plays the main stage, included with admission. From $27.81, ages 12+, free parking.
• Ghostland Observatory at Buck's Backyard (Buda) — Sat, Oct 31. The Austin duo's annual Halloween laser dance party is a local tradition, and the costumes are next level. Tickets are going fast.
• Trick or Treat at the Hays Communities YMCA (Buda) — Wed, Oct 28, 9–11 AM and 4:30–6:30 PM. Free; RSVP online. A great option for little ones.

Dripping Springs & Wimberley

Hill Country Halloween means afternoon parties, small-town trick-or-treating, and an excuse for a scenic drive.

• Downtown Wimberley Trick-or-Treating — Fri, Oct 30, 4–7 PM. Trick-or-treat the shops around the Wimberley square. Grab dinner in town after.
• Spirited Halloween at Dripping Springs Distilling — Sat, Oct 31, 11:30 AM–5 PM (5330 Bell Springs Rd). An afternoon party for the grown-ups, with psychic readings, a tattoo pop-up, and 21+ "trick-or-treating."
• Halloween Fall Market at Jester King — Sat, Oct 31, from 1 PM. Free. Local makers, farmhouse beer, and the brewery's gorgeous Hill Country grounds.
• Trick or Treat at the Springs Family YMCA (Dripping Springs) — Wed, Oct 28, 9–11 AM and 4:30–6:30 PM. Free; RSVP online.
• Dripping Springs Methodist Church Fall Fest — Sat, Oct 31. A Drip family tradition; check the church calendar for hours.

Bonus: Downtown on Halloween

If you want the big-city costume scene, downtown has you covered:

• Sixth Street closes to cars from Brazos to I-35 starting at 6 PM on Oct 31. It turns adults-only after 11 PM, so anyone under 17 should head home by then.
• Texas Capitol "Rest in Peace" tour — free ghost-story tours at 10 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, and 3 PM on Oct 31. Meet at the south entrance.
• Park & Scream at P6 — a free '70s horror party on The LINE's rooftop, 7–10 PM. RSVP required.
• Fairmont Haunted Rooftop — 9 PM–2 AM with four DJs across three spaces. From $37.

Wherever you land, take a photo and tag me @jenn_sells_austin. I want to see the costumes! Happy Halloween, y'all.

Event details were current as of Oct 26, 2026. Always double-check the event's own page before you head out.