36 Ideas for Halloween Fun and Events in the Portland Area

There are so many fearsomely fun ways to celebrate in Portland that it’s hard to fit them all into one month. But if you’re feeling ambitious, here are 35 spooky and not-so-spooky ideas to get you started.

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Thank you to our Summer Fun Sponsor Bella Organic Farm! We couldn’t do this work without generous sponsors like Bella Organic. Their 100-acre certified organic farm in Portland has so much to offer during peak farming season here in the PNW. Bella isn’t just an organic farm and winery, it’s an experience.

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• Visit a Pumpkin Patch. There’s a reason Portland was named LawnStarter’s Best City for Pumpkin Lovers. Plan to eat fresh apple-cider doughnuts, visit farm animals, go on a hayride, and even launch a pumpkin or two. See our full list of pumpkin patches here. (And if you’d like to see a giant pumpkin drop from a crane into a kiddie pool, mark your calendars for October 5.)

• Attend the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta and Festival. Watch costumed paddlers climb into actual giant pumpkins and race across the Lake of the Commons in Tualatin, visit the vendors, and try your hand at pumpkin bowling or golf. October 20, 2024.

• Shop Consignment. Head to a shop like PDX Parent Reader Favorites winner Beanstalk Children’s Resale to purchase a new-to-you costume for less. 

• Visit a Treat Shop. Cheese & Crack typically offers Eye Scream Cones, and Salt & Straw never disappoints, with seasonal favorites like the Great Candycopia and usually something a little more adventurous (real insects have been known to make an appearance). If you like your treats more cute than creepy, SORO SORO serves dessert with googly eyes year-round, and they’re not the least bit scary. If you’re looking for something savory instead, McMenamins Mall 205 is offering 50% off kids menu items, plus happy hour pricing on beverages on Halloween.

• Escape! Portland is full of family-friendly escape rooms, from not scary at all to absolutely haunted. See our list of favorites here.

• Decorate Your Home. Find spooky decorations at The Lippman Co., or check out The Oddities & Curiosities Expo at the Oregon Convention Center, October 5-6. If you’re feeling crafty, take a class from the pros at Davis Graveyard; you’ll leave with custom tombstones you couldn’t buy in a shop.

• Bake with Pumpkin. It’s time to fill your home with the scent of pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, and Harry Potter-inspired pumpkin pasties. (Or just grab the best pumpkin whoopie pies in town from Baker & Spice.) 

• Make a Halloween Haunted Gingerbread House. Trader Joe’s sells a kit to make this sweet project even easier!

• Make a Healthy Halloween Treat. If you’d like to celebrate without the sugar high, check out these easy recipes.

• See a Show. With fall rains in full swing, October is the perfect time to frequent a local theater. Catch Sweeney Todd at Portland Center Stage, Wicked at Keller Auditorium, a candlelit concert of Halloween classics at the World Forestry Center (October 12), or attend Close Encounters of the Third Kind in Concert at Oregon Symphony (September 28-29). Are your kids a little young for a full length production? Attend the Halloween Ball for kids at The Judy, which includes a costume parade and live storytime.

• Trick-or-Treat on a Train. Whether your child wants to trick-or-treat at a Train Park or spy the Headless Horseman from a railcar, there’s a Halloween train experience for every age. See our list here.

• Plan Your Trick-or-Treat Route. Nextdoor offers a trick-or-treat map where neighbors can mark their homes as stocked with goodies. Pro tip: Look for the homes offering mulled wine and cheese to the grown-ups! And don’t forget to stock your house with allergy-friendly treats.

• Enjoy Daytime Trick-or-Treating. The problem with trick-or-treating is how late it starts! Check out one of the many daytime trick-or-treating events at farmers markets, shopping centers and historic streets.

• Visit Davis Graveyard. The decorations at Davis Graveyard are so spectacular it’s hard to believe it’s free to visit this private home display. The Davis family adds something new every year, and the tombstones are realistic and clever. This year they’re even offering exclusive tours. 8703 SE 43rd Ave, Milwaukie.   
  

• Or Visit a Real Graveyard! Thanks to the popularity of the Tour of Untimely Departures at Lone Fir Cemetery, they are now offering Twilight Tours every Saturday in October. Follow a ghostly guide through the tranquil cemetery and hear the spooky and unusual stories of the departed.
  
• Go on a ghost tour. Speaking of ghostly tours, if your child is over trick-or-treating but not quite ready for a haunted house, a ghost tour might be their Goldilocks zone. Here are five options.

• Visit the Pirates of Pinehurst. Every October, Pinehurst Court in Sherwood transforms from peaceful cul-de-sac into a pirate conclave. See over-the-top decorations, watch 10-minute live shows, and redeem pirate doubloons (hidden in Sherwood parks and trails) for a reward!

• Drive a Halloween Home Display Route. See the best decorations the Portland metro area has to offer in a loop curated by Portland’s favorite pumpkin carving artist, Brook Rice. The route takes 1.5 hours to drive, about three hours total including stops to look at the displays.

• Splurge on High Tea. Local steampunk teashop Clockwork Rose Tea Emporium hosts two weeks of Witching Tea every October. Don your costumes and sip in style.

• Get Inspired at a Pumpkin Display. The artfully carved pumpkins at The Pumpkin Display at West Linn include a wide range of subjects, from Curious George to Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Best part? They’re free to visit! This year’s sensory-friendly quiet night is October 25.

• Carve a Pumpkin. Whether you carve a Timbers ax or a traditional jack-o-lantern, be sure to roast those pumpkin seeds for a delicious snack. Pro tip: Al’s Garden & Home sells pumpkins for $1.99.   

• Wear a Costume and Score Free Treats. Make the rounds, with freebies typically found at Salt & Straw, Krispy Kreme, IHOP, and Mike’s Drive-In on Halloween. Be sure to double-check this year’s offerings, as deals are subject to change. 

• Plan a Halloween Scavenger Hunt. Repurpose Easter eggs on Halloween for kids who prefer to skip trick-or-treating, but still want the candy. To make this even more local, stuff a few eggs with splurgy bonbons from Creo Chocolate.

• Navigate a Corn Maze. No Halloween season is complete without puzzling your way through a corn maze. Sauvie Island is full of them, and Bella Organic boasts a dog-friendly maze.

• Walk Through a Haunted Corn Maze. Impress your teens with an evening trip into Bella Organic’s haunted corn field, complete with costumed ghouls ready to surprise (and chase!) you at every turn. This experience is truly scary, recommended for brave teens and older.

• Attend the Sellwood Monster March. Don’t miss this Southeast Portland tradition! The children’s parade is free, and you won’t want to miss it.

• Brave a Haunted House. Visit a traditional haunted house like Fearlandia, walk through Oaks Park Scaregrounds, or experience a few jump scares from live actors at Cinema of Horrors Drive-In — from the safety of your car, at least. (Best suited for ages 13 and older!) See our full list of haunts here.

• Take a Class at SCRAP Creative Reuse. Every October, SCRAP hosts fun and affordable Halloween crafting events, like a costume-making craft ‘n chill or creepy doll craft night.

• SUP Witches and Warlocks Paddle. This year the Willamette won’t be filled with a coven of floating witches on a special, semi-secret day in October. It has been canceled until a new organizer can be found. But never fear! There’s a similar eerie event happening at Estacada Lake on October 5, 2024.

• Buy a Spooky Book. Portland’s independent bookstores are a huge part of what makes this city great. Keep them in business with a purchase of Creepy Carrots or Room on the Broom. Bonus: It’s a sugar free Halloween treat that will delight your little ones!

• Go to the Oregon Zoo. Don a costume and trick-or-treat at the zoo’s Howloween festivities On October 19-20, and 28-29. And keep an eye on our Kids Calendar for the Squishing of the Squash date!

• Visit a Spooky City. Every year the city of St. Helens turns into a Halloween wonderland during Spirit of Halloweentown, inspired by its appearance in the movies Halloweentown and Twilight.

• Visit the Hood River Fruit Loop. Pick apples, play on farm playgrounds, visit farm animals, and enjoy a perfect fall day in Hood River. For extra fun, plan your trip around The Hood River Valley Harvest Fest.

• Drive-by Holidays on Franklin Street. Five neighbors on Franklin Street in Vancouver put together unforgettable displays with special effects, live music and character appearances.

• Sell Your Candy. Give your kid’s teeth a break and exchange candy for LEGOs at Bricks & Minifigs Beaverton or for cash at select dental clinics, such as PDX Parent Reader Favorites Winner Hollywood Children’s Dentistry.

• Check the PDX Parent Kids Calendar or This Weekend in PDX for in-person events. There’s always something new happening!

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Thanks to Fall Fun Sponsor Bella Organic Farm

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Happy Halloween, Portland!