Must-See Halloween Events and Festivities in Austin 2026

Embrace the spooky season with the thrilling Halloween events in Austin, Texas, for 2026! From spine-chilling haunted houses to festive family activities, the city is buzzing with Halloween excitement.

In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best Halloween events and activities happening across Austin, so you can make the most of this spooky season. Get ready to explore, celebrate, and immerse yourself in the Halloween spirit right here in the heart of Texas!

Must-See Halloween Events in Austin for 2026

Candlelight: Halloween Classics

Experience Halloween in a whole new light with Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at the Historic Sanctuary at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Austin.

What to Expect:

Live, candlelit performance: Enjoy a spooky evening of Halloween favorites performed by the Austin Camerata in a beautiful candlelit setting at St. David’s Episcopal Church.
A spine-tingling setlist: Hear familiar favorites like Thriller, Tubular Bells from The Exorcist, The Addams Family, Beetlejuice, Ghostbusters, Stranger Things, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
A 65-minute concert: The performance lasts about 65 minutes, with doors opening 45 minutes before the show. The experience is recommended for ages 8 and up.

October 23, 2026. Price starts at $33.00. Reserve your spot here!

Haunted Austin Ghost Tours & Pub Crawl by US Ghost Adventures

Explore Austin’s haunted side with US Ghost Adventures! From eerie stories about the city’s past to a haunted pub crawl through some of Austin’s most popular bars, these tours offer a fun way to experience the spooky side of the city.

What to Expect:

Austin’s Spirits and Spirits Haunted Pub Crawl: Visit haunted bars and hear spooky stories about Austin’s past while exploring the city’s famous 6th Street. The tour is 21+ and starts outside The Driskill Bar.
Hauntings, Apparitions & Ashes Ghost Tour: Take a 1-hour walking tour through downtown Austin, visiting 6+ haunted and historic locations while hearing stories of tragic events and reported hauntings.
Evening tour times: The haunted pub crawl starts at 6 PM or 8 PM, while the regular ghost tour starts at 7 PM or 9 PM. Tours run daily, rain or shine.
Real ghost stories: Learn about Austin’s haunted history, including stories connected to places like the Driskill Hotel, Paramount Theatre, and other historic downtown locations.

Tickets start at $26.00 for the ghost tours and $29 for the haunted pub crawl. Book your tour here!

Scream Hollow Wicked Halloween Park

Just outside Austin, Scream Hollow Wicked Halloween Park in Smithville is back for another season of scares. With five haunted attractions, Texas’s only haunted hayride, live music, bonfires, food, and drinks, this Halloween park has plenty to keep you entertained between scares.

What to Expect:

Five Haunted Attractions: Choose from five different haunted experiences, including the all-new Alien Encounter, with each attraction offering its own terrifying theme.
Hollowed Harvest Haunted Hayride: Take a ride through the woods on Texas’s only haunted hayride for an extra dose of Halloween scares.
Food, Drinks & Live Music: Take a break from the haunts with food, drinks, live music, bonfires, and an outdoor beer garden.
Museums & Mystics: Explore the Halloween History Museum and Haunted Artifacts Museum, or visit the fortune tellers for something a little different.

Scream Hollow is open Fridays and Saturdays from 7 PM to midnight and Sundays from 7 PM to 10 PM. The experience is designed for ages 12 and up, with PG-13 themes. Tickets currently start at $27 for one attraction, while a five-attraction ticket starts at $37.83. Purchase tickets here!

Twisted Carnival Pop-Up Bar

Step right up to Gibson Street Bar’s Twisted Carnival, where the South Lamar bar transforms into a creepy, forgotten carnival for the Halloween season. From twisted decorations and creepy photo ops to themed cocktails and DJs, there’s plenty to see while you sip and hang out with friends.

What to Expect:

A twisted carnival atmosphere: Step inside a forgotten carnival filled with creepy decorations, caged attractions, and spooky photo opportunities.
Twisted cocktails: Try the bar’s special Halloween cocktail lineup, with drinks inspired by the carnival theme.
DJs every Saturday: Dance to live DJ sets every Saturday in October, starting at 10 PM.
Cage Rooms: Groups can reserve a private cage room for up to 6 people, with guaranteed seating right in the middle of the carnival.

Twisted Carnival runs from September 17 through November 1, 2026, with free entry for guests 21 and older. Gibson Street Bar is located at 1109 S. Lamar Blvd. in Austin.

Día de los Muertos Exhibition

Celebrate the traditions and stories of Día de los Muertos at the Mexic-Arte Museum in downtown Austin. This year’s Día de los Muertos: Coleccionando Memorias exhibition explores the importance of memory, cultural traditions, and the role of museum collections in preserving the stories and artistic heritage connected to this celebration.

What to Expect:

Día de los Muertos: Coleccionando Memorias: Explore artwork, prints, sculptures, and objects from the Mexic-Arte Museum’s permanent collection that reflect the traditions and cultural practices surrounding Día de los Muertos.
43rd Annual Viva La Vida Festival & Parade: On October 24, 2026, join Austin’s longest-running Día de los Muertos celebration at 4th Street and Congress Avenue. The Grand Procession begins at noon, with festival activities continuing until 6 PM.
Art, Food & Live Performances: Enjoy hands-on art activities, traditional foods, local artists, retail booths, a low-rider exhibition, and live performances throughout the festival.
Free Family-Friendly Festival: The Viva La Vida Festival & Parade is free and open to families, making it a great way to experience Día de los Muertos traditions in Austin.
The Día de los Muertos: Coleccionando Memorias exhibition runs through January 3, 2027.

Halloween Carnival at the NCHM

Put on your favorite costume, superhero PJs, or just come as you are, and head to the Neill-Cochran House Museum for a fun, family-friendly Halloween Carnival! This free event is a great way to enjoy some Halloween fun while exploring one of Austin’s historic house museums.

What to Expect:

Trunk-or-Treat: Young guests can collect candy and goodies during a fun Trunk-or-Treat.
Scavenger Hunts & Games: Kids can explore the museum grounds with scavenger hunts, games, and other activities.
Friendship Bracelets: Get creative and make friendship bracelets with Museum staff and volunteers.
Día de los Muertos Craft: Create paper flowers to add to an ofrenda while learning about Día de los Muertos traditions.

The Halloween Carnival takes place Sunday, October 25, 2026, from 11 AM to 3 PM. The event is free, and free parking is available behind the museum. You can drop in anytime during the event, and the museum will also be open for tours.

Murder by Gaslight Walking Ghost Tour

Step into the dark and eerie past of 19th-century Austin with the Murder by Gaslight Walking Ghost Tour. Designed for adults, this 1.5-hour walking tour takes you through the historic district while sharing chilling stories of grim deaths, hauntings, and unsolved murders. If you want to stay downtown near all the haunted history, you can book your stay at The Driskill.

What to Expect:

A spine-tingling walk through Austin: Explore the spooky side of 19th-century Austin while hearing stories of ghosts, murders, and the city’s darker history.
The haunted Driskill: Visit the iconic Driskill and hear stories of friendly spirits and full-bodied apparitions reported throughout the hotel.
Austin’s moonlight towers: Discover the history and secrets behind the city’s historic moonlight towers, some of the last surviving towers of their kind.
Historic downtown stops: The tour also includes stops near the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown and other historic locations along the route.

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes and is recommended for ages 16 and up. Tickets currently start at $35, with all fees and taxes included.

Pioneer Farms Pumpkin Nights

Get ready for a fun Halloween experience at Pumpkin Nights at Pioneer Farms in Austin! Walk along a half-mile trail filled with more than 10,000 pumpkins arranged into creative displays across nine themed lands, including the Forbidden City and Neon Reef. It’s a fun way to enjoy pumpkins, art, and Halloween without the scares.

What to Expect:

Festive walking path: Wander along a half-mile trail filled with colorful pumpkin displays and creative carvings.
Nine themed lands: Explore different pumpkin-filled worlds, including Forbidden City, Neon Reef, and other unique themed areas.
Pumpkin Village: Take a break at Pumpkin Village for a fire show, food, games, and vendors.
Family-friendly fun: Pumpkin Nights is designed to skip the scares, making it a fun Halloween activity for families and visitors of all ages.

Pumpkin Nights runs from September 17 through October 31, 2026, at Pioneer Farms in Austin. Tickets are available online, and parking is $10. Children under 3 can attend for free.

Sweet Berry Farm: Harvest of Fall Fun

Looking for a fun fall outing with plenty of room to explore? Head to Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls for their annual Harvest of Fall Fun, which opened on September 10, 2026 and runs through the fall season. There’s no entrance or parking fee, so you can simply choose the activities you want to enjoy during your visit.

What to Expect:

Hayrides and farm fun: Take a ride on the Scarecrow Island Hayride, explore the farm, or visit the goats to feed and pet them.
Mazes for all ages: Try the Texas Maze, Barnyard Maze, or Candy Corn Maze for some classic fall fun.
Pumpkins & crafts: Pick out a pumpkin, paint it, or try Sand Art and Stuff-a-Scarecrow.
More fall activities: Enjoy the Barrel Train, Berry Bounce, Goat Racers, Flower Pickin’, and farm-made ice cream.

The farm is open during the fall season with no general admission or parking fee. Activities are purchased separately, and the farm is closed every Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

A woman in pink dress picking straberries on a farm

Austin Pumpkin Festival

Head north of Austin to Texas Pumpkin Fest in Leander for a fun-filled fall day with the whole family. The festival brings together a giant pumpkin patch, carnival rides, live entertainment, photo opportunities, and plenty of activities for kids and adults.

What to Expect:

Giant pumpkin patch: Explore the festival’s massive pumpkin patch, filled with pumpkins, gourds, fall decorations, and fun photo opportunities. Every child also receives a free mini-pumpkin.
Carnival rides: Take a spin on rides like the 60-foot Ferris wheel, Pirate Ship, Pumpkin Spinner, Motorcycle Carousel, and 135-foot Super Slide.
Family-friendly entertainment: Watch professional wrestling and live magic shows, or try activities like the inflatable corn maze, mechanical bull, petting zoo, and pumpkin pie eating contests.
Fall photo ops: Snap photos around the festival with giant pumpkins, hay bales, tractors, a 12-foot Pumpkin Arch, a walk-through inflatable pumpkin, and more.

Texas Pumpkin Fest runs October 10 through November 1, 2026, every Saturday and Sunday, plus October 12 and October 30, from 10 AM to 9 PM. It takes place at 8760 FM 2243 in Leander, Texas. Admission is $15 per person, and parking is free.

More Halloween Fun Across Texas

Texas Haunted Ghost Tours You Have to Experience

Discover Texas’s haunted attractions by joining one of the state’s spine-chilling ghost tours. From old, eerie towns to historic sites filled with ghostly tales, Texas offers some unforgettable paranormal experiences.

Triptych of night scenes: illuminated church, moon, and a graveyard

Where to Celebrate Day of the Dead Across Texas

Honor tradition and celebrate life with vibrant Day of the Dead events happening throughout Texas. From colorful parades to altar displays and family gatherings, each celebration brings together culture, remembrance, and community.

Three vibrant Day of the Dead themed displays

Most Haunted Places to Visit in Texas

Curious about Texas’s haunted history? This guide covers the most infamous haunted house and locations across the state, from eerie hotels to historic sites with unsettling pasts.

Three-panel collage of a cathedral, a diner, and a government building

Halloween Events in Austin, Texas 2026: FAQs

Are there any unique Halloween activities in Austin this year?

Absolutely! In addition to traditional events, Austin has some unique options like “Halloween Black Light Yoga” for a spooky fitness experience and “Dinner with Horror Buffs,” where you can meet fellow horror fans.

What’s the weather typically like in Austin for Halloween?

Austin’s October weather is usually mild, but evenings can be cooler. It’s a good idea to check the forecast and plan a costume that works well in layers if needed.

Where can I find Halloween markets or themed shopping events?

The Halloween Market at The Arboretum is a great choice for seasonal shopping with local vendors. Many neighborhoods and communities also hold pop-up markets with Halloween themes during October.

Halloween Events in Austin, Texas 2026: Final Thoughts

Austin is buzzing with great Halloween events and activities in 2026, offering everything from ghost tours and costume parties to family-friendly Halloween celebration and spooky yoga sessions.

Now that you’ve seen what’s on, it’s time to pick your favorites and get ready for an unforgettable Halloween in Austin! Save this guide, share it with friends, and be sure to grab tickets early for popular events. Let the Halloween weekend fun begin—see you out there!