Family Friendly Halloween Events 2013

hallfamilyguide2011

October is a monstrously magical time in Sacramento!

Celebrate all month long with these family friendly events that will provide your kids with safe trick or treating options and plenty of chances to wear those costumes more than once.

Here are the festive activities in our area in date order so that you don’t miss a thing. Make some fun memories!

Throughout October:

Spookamotive Train Rides
When: October 12-27
Where: Old Sacramento; Start at the Schoolhouse Museum where you receive a map of participants
What: Halloween-themed Spookomotive trains decorated for the season depart from the Central Pacific Railroad Freight Depot in Old Sacramento. Join the Skeleton Crew for a fun and delightful (but not frightful) 40-minute ride along the Sacramento River.
Cost: Adults $10.00, Kids age 6-17 $5.o0, 5 and under free
Info: Click here

Spooky Halloween River Cruise
When: October 12 – 31
Where: Leaves from Old Sacramento L Street Dock
What: One-hour cruise on the Sacramento River, Halloween coloring/activity sheets for kids, music, party favor for kids.
Cost: $19.60 per person
Info: Click here

Monster Mini Golf
When: Open year round; T-Th 2-9pm, Fri 2-10pm, Sat 12-10pm, Sun 12-8pm
Where: Monster Mini Golf, 12401 Folsom Blvd., Rancho Cordova
What: 18 holes of Indoor Glow-in-the-Dark Monster Themed Mini Golf.  Golf  in a costume in October and be eligible to win prizes.
Cost: Adults $8.00, Kids $7.00 (Click here for specials)
Info: Click here

Weekend of October 12-13:

Harvest Festival
When: Saturday, October 12; 11am-3pm
Where: Golden Valley Charter School, Orangevale
What: Live Music, Face painting, Harvest Moon Cafe, Marionette Show, Carved Gourd Exhibition, Vendors and more.
Cost: Free admission, some activities $5-10
Info: Click here

Build a Spooky Stacker
When: Saturday, October 12
Where: Lowe’s – all locations
What: Build a wooden project and get a free apron, goggles, patch, and more!
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here

Weekend of October 19-20:

Auburn Community Festival
When: Saturday, October 19; 10am-4pm
Where: Recreation Park, Auburn
What: Costume contest and parade, live music, food, and more.
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here

Halloween Carnival & Pumpkin Patch
When: Saturday, October 19; 1:30-4pm
Where: Cameron Park Lake, Cameron Park
What: Put on your costumes and play old fashioned carnival games with prizes, pumpkin patch maze, crafts, costume parade, food, refreshments and more!
Cost: Free admission; purchase tickets for activities and refreshments
Info: Click here

Monster Bash
When: Saturday, October 19; 6-8:00pm
Where: Sacramento Children’s Museum, Rancho Cordova
What: Get those costumes ready for Halloween with a night of music, dancing, haunted hallway, refreshments, and museum play.
Cost: $15.00 per person
Info: Click here

20th Annual Halloween Haunt
When: Saturday, October 19; 11am-4pm
Where: Safetyville USA, 3909 Bradshaw Rd., Sacramento
What: Costume parade, face painting, Magic with Trevor Wyatt, 50 cent Games, food, and Harvest Maze.
Cost: $6.00 general admission (includes a $2 food or game coupon), Free for kids 2 and under.  Games and most activities are 1-2 tickets.  Tickets 50 cents each.  (Kids receive prize for every game played.)
Info: Click here or call (916) 438-3352

Weekend of October 25-27:

Night of 1000 Pumpkins
When: Friday, October 25; 6-10pm
Where: Sutter Street in Historic Folsom
What: This one of a kind event features a large display of lit up carved pumpkins up and down Sutter Street, trick or treat at local merchants and family friendly Halloween movies outside under the stars on a giant movie screen!
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here or call (916) 985-7452

Fairytale Town Safe and Super Halloween: A Hobbit Adventure
When: October 25-27; 5-9pm
Where: Fairytale Town, Sacramento
What: Trick or treat at 17 candy stations as you journey through Middle Earth on your way to the Lonely Mountain. A costume parade will occur nightly on the Mother Goose stage at 8:30PM and Puppet Art Theater will also be on hand performing the black light spectacular, Winnie the Witch.
Cost: Presale tickets $10.00, increase to $12.00 beginning Oct 25,  kids 1 and under free
Info: Click here

Halloween Ghost Train Ride
When: October 25-30; 7-9pm
Where: Sacramento Valley Live Steamers track in Hagan Park
What:  Take a ride on the haunted railroad through the enchanted grave yard, rat and spider tunnels, flying ghosts, jumping zombies, and many other sights to see along the way.
Cost: $5.00 per kid age 5 and over
Info: Click here

The Haunted Fort at Sutters Fort
When: October 25-26; 6:30-9pm
Where: Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park, 2701 L Street, Sacramento
What: Amid the glow of campfire, daring visitors will go on guided tours through the darkened rooms and hear unusual and intriguing tales of how some of California’s early pioneers perished throughout history.  Some even believe many of the rooms at the Fort are still haunted by the spirits of past inhabitants!  Tours leave every 10 minutes and may not be appropriate for very young children.
Cost: Adults $6.00, Kids $4.00, 5 and under FREE
Info: Click here

Davis Farmers’ Market Fall Festival
When: Saturday, October 26; 8am-1pm
Where: Central Park, Davis
What: Celebrate local food, local agriculture & the harvest with Kids’ Costume Parade, music, kids’ science & craft activities.
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here or call 530-756-1695

Spooky Story Time
When: Saturday, October 26; 1:30pm
Where: Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Carmichael
What: Gear up for Halloween with some spooky stories told by members of the Sacramento Storytellers Guild. Stories guaranteed not to cause nightmares! Suitable for all ages.
Cost: Free, Parking $5.00
Info: Click here

Midtown Trick-or-Treat & Pooch Parade
When: Saturday, October 26; 3pm-6pm
Where: Midtown
What: Trick-or-Treating, booths and activities.
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here

Hallozeum
When: October 26-27; 5-7pm
Where: Discovery Museum, 3615 Auburn Blvd, Sacramento
What: Trick or treat, games and activities, Halloween craft, and show off your coolest costume! Planetarium will be open with a frightfully fun movie, and you never know what creepy crawly surprises you will find inside the museum or lurking on our grounds. A spooky movie will be projected on the dome.
Cost:  $10 per trick-or-treater, $5.00 per non trick-or-treater
Info: Click here

Spooktacular Halloween
When: October 26-27; 10am-6pm
Where: Funderland Amusement Park
What: Walk through the Silly Haunted House and ride the Not So Spooky Train. Costume Contest, pumpkin patch, crafts, and more.
Cost: Bring a game or art supplies to donate to River Oak Children’s Home in exchange for FREE tickets; $3.00 Trick or Treating
Info: Click here or call (916) 456-0115

Enchanted Hallow’s Eve – Star ECO Station
When: Sunday, October 27; 10am-3pm
Where: Star ECO Station, 4465 Granite Dr., Ste. 700, Rocklin
What: Trick-or-Treat Village with an Environmental twist, costume contest, craft project and exotic wildlife encounter.
Cost: Adults $6.00, Kids $5.00, 2 and under FREE
Info: Click here

Frankenswine with Puppet Art Theater
When: Sunday, October 27; 1-3pm
Where: Central Library
What: Enjoy a zany version of the classic Frankenstein tale as told by a cast of puppet pigs. The story takes place on Halloween night with Dr. Frankenswine on a madcap adventure with tons of silliness and audience participation. Program at 2 pm.
Craft activity at 1 pm: Make your own scary creature mask or decorate a treat bag with ArtWorks.
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here

Week of October 29-31:

Boo Bounce
When: Tuesday, October 29; 6-8pm
Where: BounceU
What: Games, Halloween craft, spooky treats, costume contest, bouncing.
Cost: $8.95 per child. Parents and siblings under the age of two are FREE with a paying child. Admission must be prepaid.
Info: Click here

Halloween Family Fun Night
When: Tuesday, October 29; 4-8pm
Where: Vernon Street, Downtown Roseville
What: Trick or Treat in the Streets, magic show, face painting, balloons, clowns, giant slide, bounce house, obstacle course, costume contest.
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here

Halloween Ghost Train Ride
When: October 25-30; 7-9pm
Where: Sacramento Valley Live Steamers track in Hagan Park
What:  Take a ride on the haunted railroad through the enchanted grave yard, rat and spider tunnels, flying ghosts, jumping zombies, and many other sights to see along the way.
Cost:
Info: Click here

Boo Bounce
When: Wednesday, October 30; 6-8pm
Where: BounceU, 7611 Galilee Road, Roseville
What: Games, Halloween craft, spooky treats, costume contest, bouncing.
Cost: $8.95 per child. Parents and siblings under the age of two are FREE with a paying child. Admission must be prepaid.
Info: , Click here

Wee Halloween at the Crocker
When: Wednesday, October 30; 10am-1pm
Where: Crocker Art Museum
What: Children ages 5 and younger and their grownups are invited to come in costume to the Crocker for this special event. Wee trick-or-treaters decorate treat bags before being gently guided in small groups through the galleries (departing every 15 minutes). Along the way, families encounter mini-performances in the form of music, stories, and dance. After these interludes, each child will receive a small gift for their treat bag. The stroll ends with a celebration featuring live music and yummy nibbles.  (Advance registration required, sells out early)
Cost: $15.00 adults and children, Under 18 mos. Free
Info: Click here

Boo at the Zoo
When: Wednesday, October 30 and Thursday, October 31; 5-8pm
Where: Sacramento Zoo
What: Kids can safely trick-or-treat around the lake at 25 different candy stations. Magic shows, costume dance party, and ghoulish games. You can also ride the Spooky Train or Creepy Carousel for an additional fee. The spookiness is appropriate for children under 10 years of age.
Cost: Advance tickets $10 general admission, Free for 1 and under; $12 at the door
Info: Click here or call (916) 808-5888

Spooky Hansel and Gretel
When: Thursday, October 31; 11am-12noon
Where: McKinley Library
What: After regular library storytime, stay for Puppet Art Theater’s spooky version of the classic Hansel and Gretel tale.
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here

Trick or Treat Night at IKEA
When: Thursday, October 31; 5-7pm
Where: IKEA, West Sacramento
What: Stroll throughout the store and stop at various scary spots along the way for treats for your little goblins and ghouls. Join Mad Science of Sacramento for their interactive slime activity at the store’s entrance. For kids ages 3 -12 years old.
Cost: FREE
Info: Click here

Halloween Spooktacular
When: Thursday, October 31; 4:30-6:30pm
Where: Howe Park, 2201 Cottage Way
What: Put on your best and most creative costume and dress up your pup for our wooftastic dog costume contest! Enjoy games, crafts, great food, and of course Candy! Celebrate this fun holiday in an exciting, fun filled safe environment as the children participate in this year’s festivities.
Cost: $2.00 Kids, parents FREE
Info: http://www.fecrecpark.com/wp/special-events/halloween-carnival/

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Written by Keilah Woodard

Keilah Woodard

My love for exploring and creating experiences with my three kids led to the founding of SacramentoSidetracks.com in 2009. I realized that Sacramento has so much to offer and I was excited to share my findings with other parents. Besides simply having fun, these are the other positive side effects of taking my kids on outings that I’ve discovered: we have quality time together away from the distractions at home, we cultivate our curiosity, learn new things, conversations are triggered by what we see and do, we connect and bond as a family, and we create new memories. Ready to get sidetracked, too? Let me be your guide!