From candy crawls to pet costume contests, these family-friendly Arizona Halloween events are brimming with treats, tricks and plenty of spooky (OK, maybe not-so-spooky) surprises for tots to teens.
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Oct. 6 to Oct. 27: Spooky Cinema at Skysill Rooftop Lounge
Skysill Rooftop Lounge at Westin Tempe has launched Spooky Cinema, a family-friend movie event series featuring Halloween-themed cult favorites. Backdropped by panoramic views of Downtown Tempe, guests will enjoy shareable small plates and cocktails, popcorn and a specialty holiday menu: Mummy Hot Dog ($10) with puffy pastry, yellow mustard and fries; Munster Sliders ($18) with Wagyu sliders, munster cheese, arugula, tomato and garlic aioli atop brioche buns with a side of fries; Eyeball Spaghetti ($16) with roasted marinara, meatballs, Ciliegine fresh mozzarella, parmesan cheese, black olive and basil; and Enchanted Chocolate Cake Pop ($8). Upcoming movies featured during this Arizona Halloween event include Ghostbusters, Oct 13; Beetlejuice, Oct. 20; and The Nightmare Before Christmas, Oct. 27.
Cost: Free to attend.
To RSVP: www.eventbrite.com.
Oct. 6 to Oct. 31: Scarizona Scaregrounds and Frights in the Lights
Frightening local favorite, Mesa’s Scarizona, features two haunted attractions and is recommended for those ages 12 and up. Seeking a more family-friendly experience? Scarizona also hosts a Halloween-themed drive-through light show, Frights in the Lights, a separate mile-long event intended for families with young children. This event is open on Oct. 20 to Oct. 22 and Oct. 25 to Oct. 31.
Cost: Prices for the haunted house events start at $24.95 per person and prices for the drive-through light show start at $24.95 per car.
For more information: scarizona.com; frightsinthelights.com. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
Oct. 18 and Oct. 19: Creepy Candy Crawl
Take part in a hauntingly good time at Creepy Candy Crawl, located at Tempe Marketplace (Oct. 18) and Desert Ridge Marketplace (Oct. 19), 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Enjoy trick-or-treating from store to store, costume contests, a festive atmosphere, prizes, live entertainment and more during these Arizona Halloween events.
Cost: Free.
For more information: tempemarketplace.com; shopdesertridge.com.
Oct. 20 to Oct. 22: Glass Pumpkin Patch
For the fourth consecutive year, the Glass Pumpkin Patch will celebrate the spirit of Halloween while raising proceeds for the Holland Community Center, a nonprofit committed to enhancing arts, education and community in the Desert Foothills region. With over 1,000 glass pumpkins handmade by acclaimed artist Gregory Tomb available for purchase, the Glass Pumpkin Patch will be held Friday through Sunday, Oct. 20 to Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Cost: Free to attend.
For more information: hollandcenter.org.
Oct. 27 and Oct. 28: Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival
Spooktacular Hot Air Balloon Festival offers a safe and memorable trick-or-treat experience (with over 4,000 pounds of candy up for grabs!) at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Enjoy over 20 glowing hot air balloons acting as trick-or-treat stations; a free kids’ zone with dozens of unique inflatables; a Spook Trail; the Spooktacular Marketplace for arts, crafts and merchandise; on-site food and drink vendors; and much more.
Cost: General admission tickets are $22 for adults and $17 for kids 3 to 12 years old. Tickets can also be purchased on the day of the event for $27 for adults and $22 for children. Kids 2 and under are free.
For more information: www.azspooktacular.com.
Oct. 27 and Oct. 28: Strange Garden at Desert Botanical Garden
From 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 27 and Oct. 28, Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix invites families and friends to dress in their Halloween best and savor its Strange Garden. Mad botanists, peculiar plants and photo opps fill the fun seasonally inspired experience. Plus, all kids get to take home a free pumpkin from the patch, while supplies last.
Cost: Included with membership or garden admission.
For more information: dbg.org.
Oct. 28: Uptown Plaza
Uptown Plaza in Phoenix invites families to get in the Halloween spirit with trick-or-treating at the plaza on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. A spooky surprise will be roaming the plaza, starting at 6 p.m. Participating businesses include AJ’s Fine Foods, Scoopwell’s Dough Bar, Lou Malnati’s, Huss Brewing Co, Chula Seafood, Hi, skin, Manor, Shake Shack (featuring complimentary custard), LATHER, Boardroom Styling Lounge and Camelback Sports Therapy.
Cost: Free.
For more information: www.uptownplazaphx.com/events.
Oct. 28: Lakeside Bar & Grill’s 15th Annual Spookfest Halloween Party
Peoria’s Lakeside Bar & Grill’s 15th-annual Spookfest Halloween party is set for Oct. 28, from 11 a.m. to midnight. Guests can enjoy all-day happy hour, dueling pianos from 7 to 11 p.m. and seasonally themed cocktails. Plus, kids in costume eat free until 4 p.m.
For more information: lakesidebarandgrillaz.com.
Oct. 28: Bashas’ Annual Halloween Celebration
Bashas’ annual Halloween celebration will take place Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at its more than 40 supermarket locations throughout the state, as well as at the Bashas’ Diné Markets on the Navajo Nation and Eddie’s Country Store in Pinetop. Children of all ages are invited to show off their costumes at these Arizona Halloween events. At 1 p.m., each store will award a $25 grocery gift card and one dozen doughnuts for the best children’s costume. Other fun includes trick-or-treating stations; free cookies and apple juice; lots of photo opps; and much more family-friendly holiday fun.
Cost: Free to attend.
For more information: www.bashas.com.
Oct. 28: Family Howl-O-Ween Twilight Camp at Phoenix Zoo
Join the Phoenix Zoo for a night of spooky family fun. On Oct. 28, from 6 to 9 p.m., grab some eats. meet some of creepy crawly animal ambassadors up close, enjoy crafts and experiments and get toasty by the fire during Family Howl-O-Ween Twilight Camp.
Cost: $99 per child and $129 per adult adult for general public; $79 per child and $109 per adult adult for members. Reservations required.
For more information: www.phoenixzoo.org/camps/.
Oct. 28: Boo & Brew at Scottsdale Quarter
Scottsdale Quarter hosts its annual Boo & Brew event, a festive gathering on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 2 to 7 p.m. Grownups can savor beer specials from the Zinburger Beer Garden, while the youngsters can get in on the holiday action with crafts, character appearances, balloon twisting and face painting. Guests can also wander through the pumpkin patch, watch a master pumpkin-carving demonstration, enjoy seasonal treats and listen to a DJ set followed by an evening performance by Rock Lobster. Scottsdale Quarter’s Candy Crawl takes place from 2 to 5 p.m., for littles to trick-or-treat around the center, collecting candy from participating retailers. Pre-registration on Eventbrite is recommended to secure a bag of treats.
Cost: Free admission.
For more information: scottsdalequarter.com.
Oct. 28: Prescott Gateway Mall Trick-or-Treat Event
Prescott Gateway Mall hosts a fun-filled trick-or-treat event on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 3 to 5 p.m. The Halloween event will include trick-or-treating with participating merchants (while supplies last) as well as trunk-or-treating by Prescott Cars & Coffee. The day’s activities include balloon twisters, superheroes, craft booth, face painters, a bounce house, food trucks, photo opps and much more.
Cost: Free admission.
For more information: shopprescottgatewaymall.com/events.
Oct. 28: Haunting on Main Street
Downtown Mesa hosts the annual Haunting on Main Street on Oct. 28. Area merchants will dispense individually wrapped treats to costumed children beginning at 11 a.m. until all candy is claimed. After you’ve made your way down Main Street, check out the north side of Macdonald for some kid-friendly activities, food and music.
Cost: Free admission.
For more information: downtownmesa.com.
Oct. 28 and Oct. 29: Rancho de los Caballeros’ Halloween Events
This Halloween, celebrate at Rancho de los Caballeros as the dude ranch in Wickenburg hosts Halloween events taking place on Saturday, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29. Featuring an array of family-friendly holiday programming for all to enjoy, the weekend will be full of pumpkin-carving contests, spider s’mores, hot cider, a Halloween parade, a Saturday-night costume contest and more.
Cost: There is a starting rate of $333 for single-occupancy (inclusive of meals and one activity per person per day plus tax and service).
To book: www.ranchodeloscaballeros.com.
Oct. 29: Pedal Haus’ Annual Howl-o-Ween Dog Costume Contest
Let the pooches get in the holiday fun! Pup in costumes will steal the show at Pedal Haus’ annual Howl-o-Ween dog costume contest taking place Oct. 29, noon to 4 p.m., at the brewery’s Tempe and Chandler locations. The best dog costume will be awarded $100 gift card for the best superhero costume, owner-and-dog matching outfits, spooky and movie-themed costumes. Fifty percent of proceeds from Day Drinker Light Lagers and Watermelon Margarita will go to pet-focused charities. The Tempe event will benefit Valley Dogs while the Chandler event will raise funds for One Love Pitbull Rescue. Guests with dogs in costume will get their first beer for $1.
For more information: www.pedalhausbrewery.com.
Through Oct. 31: Vampire Show Stopper Shake
Take time this month to sink your teeth into ZuZu’s vampire-themed Show Stopper Shake. The vampire shake has a base of pistachio ice cream topped with raspberry sauce, a stake-in-the-heart raspberry and pistachio pie, a cranberry juice blood bag, vampire teeth gummies, pistachio bat and coffin cookies, a raspberry sauce syringe, pistachio milk crumb, red sprinkles and whipped cream. Guests can swap the cranberry juice blood bag with a specialty cocktail for an extra $10.
Cost: The shake is $20; $1 of each shake sold in October goes to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central and Northern Arizona.
For more information: www.hotelvalleyho.com.
Through Oct. 31: Howl-O-Ween at Great Wolf Lodge Scottsdale
Families are invited join in for the seasonal excitement during the famous Howl-O-Ween festivities at Great Wolf Lodge Scottsdale. This year’s spooktacular event includes the family-favorite Trick-Or-Treat Trail, Monster Bash Dancy Party, Howl-O-Ween crafts and trivia and much more for resort guests. Plus, kids and kids at heart will have access to the lodge’s famed indoor waterpark.
For more information: www.greatwolf.com/arizona.