October is the month of all things pumpkin, ghost stories, and frightful fun to scare the pants off of you. We’ve rounded up all the spooky events and experiences that Vancouver has to offer – here’s the latest Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Vancouver in 2016.
Pumpkin Patches
Richmond Country Farms Pumpkin Patch
12900 Steveston Hwy, Richmond BC | Oct 1-31, 2016 | Tickets are $9-$12
A annual fall staple, this farm has been family-owned and operated for 37 years. It’s a whole production: wagon ride, festive scenes, an animal farm, corn maze, and lots of pumpkins to pick from. Pro-tip: The line-ups are long on the weekend – go early! And don’t forget to pickup a free Spartan apple on your way out.
Southlands Heritage Farm Pumpkin Patch
6767 Balaclava Street, Vancouver | Oct 1-31, 2016 | Admission by donation, $5/pumpkin
Explore this farming oasis in the city. Meet horses, go on a self-guided tour, and pick a pumpkin from the Old Apple Orchard. Pro-tip: Go on a Saturday and catch their weekly Farm Market while you’re there.
Loutet Farm Pumpkin Patch
East 14th Street & Rufus Ave, North Vancouver | October 15, 2016 | $5-$10/pumpkin
Take a farm tour, watch apple press demos, and enjoy all the family fun. Pumpkin sales benefit Edible Garden Project’s programs. Pro-tip: This is one day only so go early for the best selection of pumpkins.
Other pumpkin patches in Metro Vancouver
- Vancouver |Hastings Sunrise Pumpkin Patch (October 15)
- North Vancouver | Maplewood Farms Pumpkin Event (October 29)
- Abbotsford | Maan Farms Pumpkin Festival
- Abbotsford | Taves Family Farm Apple Barn Pumpkin Patch
- Abbotsford | Willow View Farms Pumpkin Patch
- Chilliwack | The Chilliwack Corn Maze & Pumpkin Farm
- Chilliwack | Petey’s Pumpkin Patch
- Delta | Westham Island Herb Farm Pumpkin Patch
- Langley | Aldor Acres Family Farm Pumpkin Patch
- Maple Ridge | Laity Pumpkin Patch
- Surrey | Bose and Son Family Farm Pumpkin Patch
- Surrey | Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch
- Surrey | Rondriso Farms Pumpkin Patch
Haunted Houses
Fright Nights at the PNE
Playland | October 7-31, 2016 | Tickets $22-$29 | Kids 13 and up
Hands-down one of the most thrilling events of Halloween season. Seven haunted houses, 15 rides, and two exhilarating live shows. Pro-tip: Get your tickets online to save a few bucks. If you’re going on a Friday or Saturday night, splurge on the Rapid Pass to skip the queues. Ticket giveaway at the bottom of this post!
The Valley Haunt
1311 Appin Rd, North Vancouver | October 15-31, 2016 | Admission by donation | Kids 8+
Each year, this little neighbourhood ups the ante. In addition to spooky decorations from spirited neighbours, there will be walk-through shipping containers. All donations will go the BC Professional Firefighters’ Burn Fund.
Potters’ House of Horrors
12530 72nd Avenue, Surrey | October 1-31, 2016 | Tickets $10-$40 | Kid-friendly options
Run by the passionate folks of Potters’ Farm & Nursery, two buildings decked out in ghoulish props and custom-built features are transformed into the Monstrocity and The Swampin’ Slaughterhouse, plus something for li’l haunters. Twisty turns and horrific surprises await. Pro-tip: Enter our giveaway for free tickets (see below).
Spooktacular Fun (Kid-friendly)
Halloween Carnival at The Roundhouse
181 Roundhouse Mew | October 31, 2016 | Tickets $6/child | For kids
Dress up and explore “Creepy Hollow” forest, join in ghoulish games and make spooky crafts. Children must be supervised by an adult. Registration required. Pro-tip: Go Trick-or-Treating in Yaletown first (pick up a route map at front desk), and then end with the Carnival to maximize the fun.
Stanley Park Ghost Train
October 8-31, 2016 | Tickets $6/person | For all ages
Each year the Stanley Park Ghost Train takes riders on a journey through a mystical, magical world, themed by Halloween and other creepy tales. Pro-tip: The train is covered, but dress warmly.
Halloween Parade & Expo
Downtown Vancouver | October 16, 2016 |For all ages
This is the 3rd annual Vancouver Halloween Parade. Put on your best costume and get ready to flaunt it at 11am on Sunday, October 16th. There are also other arts and culture events planned starting from October 13th, check the website for details.
Haunted Village at the Burnaby Village Museum
October 27-30, 2016 | Tickets $9-$14 | For kids
Witches, ghosts, and all sorts of storybook and fairy tale characters come to life at this year’s Haunted Village. Spooktacular fun for the whole family. Pro-tip: Wear comfy shoes for impromptu dance parties in the village and bring a bag for trick-or-treating.
The Parade of Lost Souls
October 29, 2016, 7-10pm | For all ages
This family-friendly parade will commence at a secret location revealed the midnight before, and is a family-friendly affair. The Lost Souls After-Party is the adults only party directly following parade from 9pm-2am at The Legion on Commercial Drive.
VanDusen Botanical Garden: Glow in the Dark
October 24-31 | Tickets $8-10 |For all ages
The Garden comes to life with spellbinding lights, ghoulish music, and glowing pumpkin characters created by award-winning carvers. Kids can enjoy creating indoor crafts, parents can pick up a pumpkin and hot apple cider at the Taves Family Farms pop-up shop on the plaza.
River District Halloween Drive-In
3650 E. Kent Ave S., Vancouver | October 21, 22, 28, 29, 2016 | $20 per car | For all ages
Load the car up with friends and family and come enjoy a spooky Halloween movie under the stars in a fun, retro drive-in setting. Screening: Beetlejuice, Scream, Alien, Blair Witch Project, and more.
Haunted Vancouver Trolley Tours
October 14-31, 2016 | Tickets start at $28+| Kids 13+
The Vancouver Trolley Company and Vancouver Police Museum are partnering for a haunted evening of murderous tales and infamous Vancouver ghost stories onboard haunted Vancouver trolley tours. Pro-tip: Don’t miss our ticket giveaway at the bottom of this post!
Eerie Experiences (Adults only)
Parade of Lost Souls After Party
Commercial Drive | October 29, 2016, 9pm | Adults
After the Parade of Lost Souls, send the kids home and head to the adults-only After Party from 9pm-2am at The Legion on Commercial Drive. No ticket sales at door, so plan ahead and buy your online tickets now!
The Lost Souls of Gastown
Gastown, Vancouver | October 6, 6-8, 11, 13-31, 2016 | Tickets $22-$25 | Adults
A captivating walking tour and theatre piece hosted by master storytellers from Forbidden Vancouver. You’ll learn about the history of Gastown – including documented tales of a devastating fire, smallpox outbreaks, and unsolved murders. Pro-tip: Wear comfy walking shoes and a bring a friend to hang on to.
The Zombie Syndrome: Dead in the Water
Granville Island, Vancouver | October 4-31, 2016 | Tickets $12.50-$50 | Adults
Join in on this interactive theatre adventure on Granville Island. Immersive, spine-tingling experience that will challenge you to travel by land and sea while running away from zombies and vampires. Produced by The Virtual Stage. Pro-tip: Cheap tickets on their preview nights and most Tuesdays.
Science World After Dark: Night School Nightmare
October 21 & 28, 2016 | Tickets are $35+ | Adults
A professor has been murdered, and all the faculty are suspects. Gather clues, interrogate the suspects, enjoy a drink or two and participate in interactive science demos before solving the crime. Pro-tip: Book early as they will sell out. Wear your best costume to win prizes.
Vancouver Aquarium After Hours: Eat, Drink and Be Scary
October 27, 2016 | Adults
Get ready for a frightfully good time at the Aquarium with a beer or glass of wine in hand. Arrive in costume and learn about the spooktacular animals that call the aquarium home.
Where to Trick-or-Treat in Vancouver
Here’s our list of hotspots to go trick-or-treating with the kids. These are all free to join:
- Halloween in Yaletown – Pick up a map from Roundhouse Community Centre and roam the streets from Homer Street to Pacific Boulevard.
- Halloweenie at Kids Market on Granville Island – Perfect for the wee ones – free trick-or-treating at many of the shops and kid-friendly activities.
- Trinity Street – The houses between 400 – 2900 Trinity Street in Vancouver come alive on Halloween night (same neighbourhood for the infamous Christmas lights). A fun hot spot for trick-or-treating.
- Halloween Hunt at City Square – face painting, pumpkin decorating, a science show, and trick-or-treating in the food court.
- Pacific Centre, Metrotown, Oakridge, Richmond Centre, Aberdeen – Good indoor options if the weather isn’t cooperating, or for those who want to do a short daytime roam.
Have more to add?
Do you have an event or experience to add to our Guide to Halloween in Vancouver? Comment below or find us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Happy Halloween!
Giveaways
We have spooktacular prizes up for grabs. To enter, leave a comment below and tell us your best Halloween costume idea. Two random winners will be chosen on October 13th, 2016.
- A pair of tickets to Potters House of Horrors (up to $80 value)
- A pair of tickets to Haunted Vancouver Trolley Tours ($56 value)
My best Halloween costume was cousin It from the Adams Family. This year I will be Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Both are my best consumers ever.
My best halloween costume were when I was little red riding hood who killed the big bad wolf and had his head in my basket along with a torn up costume and my other was a voodoo preistess!
My best costume idea is dressing as an avatar! Blue body suit with drawn on stripes and the hair and makeup!
My best Halloween costume idea is a family of superheroes. Daddy and superman, mummy as Wonderwoman, kids as Batman, Hulk, Iron Man, and Supergirl!!!
One year I was a toothbrush and my husband was a bottle of mouthwash!
My best halloween costume was The Ghost of Meek Mills. I wore all white and wings. The white top i had Drake lyrics written on it dissing Meek Mills along with blood dripping down as bullet wounds.
One year my partner and I were “sweater weather”. I wore a dress covered in leaves and snow flakes and he wore a giant stuffed sweater that covered his head and almost his whole body. Witty and comfy!
My best Halloween costume was when my boyfriend and I showed up to a college house party together dressed as B1 and B2 from the cartoon Bananas in Pajamas. Best part – there were stairs down to enter the party so we entered singing “bananas in Pajamas are coming down the stairs”
Dress up as the kids from Stranger Things!
Eleven: A doll dress, blonde wig, and red food colouring under your nose
Mike: Bowl hair cut, stripped t-shirt, cordoroy pants
Dustin: Trucker Hat, curly wig, t-shirt and jeans
Lucas: Camo Bandana, a corduroy jacket and a walkie-talkie
Bonus if you arrive to your party on bikes!
Me and my boyfriend are going to be Danny and sandy from Grease ! Lots of leather and big hair
The banana costumes always make me laugh!
My best costume idea was being the jigsaw doll from saw!
My best friends and I all dressed up as a foosball table! I LOVE Halloween!! ?
My best Halloween costume idea is dressing up as Rachel Green from Friends (one of my all-time favourite shows). I am planning to wear a plaid skirt and white mock neck top and pair it with knee high socks and Oxford shoes :)
I sewed my own costume and made my own props. I was Wilma flintstone!
My best halloween costume idea would be having half my face painted as a devil and the other half an angel. Makes it look like im from both depending on which side you look like and would make a cool contrast!
My favorite Halloween costume have been dressing up as a futuristic alien. Another one ideal is to use makeup to create a scale effect and going as a mermaid.
A few years ago my then-girlfriend and I dressed up as ketchup and mustard
A few years back, my girlfriend and I dressed up as hotdog and wiener with Alex and his girlfriend.
Everybody wanted to pictures of us
Going as a doctor…human or zombie…..
Always joke about everyone dressing up as our office manager for the Halloween
My favorite costime ideas are usually cartoon inspired. Pebbles from the Flinstones, Gretchen from Recess, Arthur from Arthur, sailor squad. It’s always so much fun to reminisce and dress up as something from an animated world!
My best and most fun costume was Tina Turner!!
Thanks for all your entries and awesome costume ideas. Congrats to Brittany and Jocelyn – enjoy your free passes!