October in Milwaukee is brimming with vibrant fall colors, festive activities, and exciting free events for kids and families! 🍂🎃👻
From hiking among scarecrow displays at Retzer Nature Center to dancing at the BAYSHORE BOOgie Bash, this month offers a variety of fun Milwaukee events that are perfect for families. Dive into our curated list of the “Top 5 Free October Events for Kids in Milwaukee”, and make the most of the spooky season with these can’t-miss activities.
Whether you’re carving pumpkins, enjoying local fall festivals, or joining neighborhood trick-or-treating events, October promises unforgettable fun for kids of all ages.
Top Free Events
1. Scarecrow Lane (Friends of Retzer Nature Center)
Open daily September 21 -Oct. 31, 2024, Sunrise to 10 p.m.
Admission: Free!
Located at beautiful Retzer Nature Center, Scarecrow Lane is a family-friendly self-guided hike along the Blue Trail. As you wander, you’ll be greeted by creatively decorated scarecrows crafted by local families and businesses. Each one is unique!
2. Haunted Halloween on Downer
Saturday, October 19, 2024
This family-friendly Halloween event is geared towards participants of all ages! Stroll Historic Downer Avenue, where businesses from Park to Webster will be hand out trick-or-treats for both children and adults.
Find out more about Haunted Halloween on Downer and the best Halloween events for kids around Milwaukee >>
3. BAYSHORE BOOgie Bash & Costume Contest
Friday, October 25, 2024, 5-8 p.m.
Admission: FREE
The free, family-friendly celebration will kick off with The Great Pumpkin Giveaway in The Yard, where the first 500 children ages 2-12 will receive a free pumpkin to decorate in Discover the North Shore’s kid zone during the event.
4. Pumpkin Pavilion in Bay View
Pumpkin Pavilion is a four-day, family-friendly event bringing over 2,000 Bay View residents and Milwaukee neighbors to Humboldt Park Pavilion.
Guests come to carve pumpkins, admire the display of 1,000 lit pumpkins, enjoy live music, eat local food, and embrace the fun that is Halloween.
Find out more about Pumpkin Pavilion and the best Halloween events for kids around Milwaukee >>
5. Jack-O’-Lantern Jubilee (Red Arrow Park)
Saturday, October 26, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Admission: FREE
Usher in Halloween at the 2nd annual “Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee” on Saturday, Oct. 28 in Red Arrow Park, presented by WaterStone Bank.
Ideal for kids ages 2 – 10 and their parents, this pumpkin palooza offers a safe environment to celebrate Halloween, complete with free pumpkins, handfuls of free goodies, and oodles of activities for everyone!
New this year, the event will feature fall-themed produce and sweet treats, including Weston’s Antique Apple Orchard, Doughnuttery Mayfair, Pop’s MarketPlace, and Cottonmouth MKE.
There will be a free pumpkin patch (first-come, first serve), pumpkin decorating with A.W.E., performances by Frogwater, Mariachi Monarcas de Milwaukee, and the Extra Crispy Brass Band, free face painting, character meet & greets, Jolly Giants stilt walkers, bubble playtime, Storytime with the Pocket Lady and Wes Tank, and more.
Top Paid Events
1. China Lights
China Lights at Boerner Botanical Gardens is featuring an ‘Adventure in Lantern Wonderland’ theme, with over 40 larger-than-life themed lanterns, including the Mad Hatter, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, an Illusion Tunnel, and the Queen of Hearts.
At the end of the adventure, visitors will be invited to a tea party for a photo opportunity with all the characters.
The lanterns, which are displayed around a three-quarter mile walking route through Boerner Botanical Gardens, also include eleven interactive light displays, including a light kaleidoscope, an illuminated ‘drumming tree’ and illuminated swings.
A 200 feet long Chinese Dragon will once again take up the lawn at the back of the botanical garden to greet the visitors – the very same dragon that’s been on display since 2016, the inaugural year of China Lights.
The interactive displays zone has been expanded this year to include a total of 12 light up installations that visitors can touch, sense, and play with.
The festival will also celebrate Asian folk-culture, with live performances from professional entertainers on the We-Energies stage each night, and a variety of food and beverage selections.
China Lights runs from Sept 16 – Oct 30, Tuesday through Sunday, from 5:30-10:00 p.m.
Tickets are available online at chinalights.org. This year tickets will be sold for specific dates and time-slots – visitors can choose between a 5:30pm entry and a 7:30pm entry. An e
2. Trick or Treat Trains
New this year, the East Troy Railroad is offering Trick-Or-Treat Trains, running four Fridays in October.
Trains will run October 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th, departing from the historic depot at 5:30 p.m.
Kids are encouraged to come in costume and take a 20-minute train ride from the East Troy Depot down to Byrnes Park. At the park, there will be trick or treat station and fall activities. When you return to the depot in East Troy, each child can pick out the perfect pumpkin to take home.
The whole experience will last approximately one hour and 20 minutes.
Advance reservations required. You can purchase tickets on etix via their website.
3. October Fright Nights
The Milky Way Drive-in is showing a PG-rated Halloween movies every weekend in October at 5:00 p.m. (Think “Casper” and “Hotel Transylvania”.)
Beforehand, you can walk through a Not-So-Scary Halloween Party every Sunday from 2:30-4:45. It’s ideal for kids and families who want to experience The Hill Has Eyes haunted house attractions when it’s not so scary.
Their actors will take you on a guided tour through the attractions and kids will get to Trick or Treat along the way.
Kids are encouraged to dress up and be a part of the fun!
More Free Halloween Events:
Oak Creek Fall Festival
Great Pumpkin Festival
Fall Fest in West Bend, WI
Cedarburg Pumpkin Walk
October 31, 2023
Website
Train in Shorewood
Corner Bakery Shorewood Cafe – 1305 E. Capitol Drive
Admission: FREE
Website
NOTE: The Ghost Train is currently not operating due to a lighting and audio issue.
If you’ve never seen the Ghost Train make its nightly run through Shorewood, you’re going to want to take a pajama ice cream ride and check it out.
The Ghost Train is an artistic sensory experience which enables visitors to travel back in history, imagining the round-trip journey of the ‘Twin Cities 400’ which was operated by the Chicago and North Western Railway from 1935-1963 and crossed Capitol Drive at the Oak Leaf Trail Bridge. The Ghost Train was brought to Shorewood by Public Art Shorewood and designed by Marty Peck, CLD-E.
For more Halloween events and trick-or-treat times, check out our Events Calendar >>
Related Articles:
Halloween Displays
Harvest Festivals
Best Pumpkin Patches
Best Corn Mazes for Kids
What to do With Leftover Halloween Candy
7 Spookiest Haunted Houses in Milwaukee
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
