Halloween Events and Spook-tacular Spots

Boo-yah. It's time to wear a costume, watch throwback horror films and shop for Halloween-worthy novelties while eating a terrifying amount of candy! Celebrate all things spooky with these Durham Halloween activities and autumn events, as well as the lesser-known corners of the city that are sure to make your hair stand on end.

Halloween Events in Durham

Trick or treat your family to some sweet and spooky Halloween fun. Pumpkins, candy (lots of candy corn) and yummy fall treats await at these kid-friendly Durham Halloween events.

The events below have passed. For details on 2025 Halloween events, check back closer to the date.

Pumpkin Patch Express at the Museum of Life and Science

Dates: Every Saturday & Sunday in October, beginning September 28
Tickets: $15 per person; kids under 2 are free (plus general admission to the museum)

Jump aboard the Ellerbe Creek Railway at the Museum of Life and Science for a pumpkin-picking expedition. Enjoy arts and crafts, a hay maze and other games, then return home with your perfect Jack O’ Lantern.

DPR Fright Night

Date: Friday, October 11
Time: 5-8 p.m.
Location: Edison Johnson Recreation Center, 500 W. Murray Ave.

Durham Parks and Recreation's Fright Night is a can't-miss opportunity for screams and scares, sure to send shivers down your spine. Head out to Rock Quarry Park for carnival games, costume parades, haunted trails and activities for all ages.

Fruit Flea: Gothtober

Date: Sunday, October 13
Time: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Location: The Fruit, 305 S. Dillard St.

Spend a spine-chilling day of Goth themed fun at The Fruit Flea. With over 40 vendors filling up The Fruit, you're certain to find whatever spooky handcrafted goods you may desire. Sip on a drink, get your picture taken and discover new local makers, all while your favorite horror movies are projected on screen.

Family Night Out at the Museum of Life and Science

Date: Friday, October 18
Time: 5:30-9 p.m.
Location: Museum of Life and Science, 433 W Murray Ave
Tickets: $30 per child, $15 per adult for non-members

The October theme for The Museum of Life and Science's Family Night Out is Creepy Crawly Carnival. Grab the family and gear up for a fun night of activities, crafts, treats and more. This eerily exciting event will include food trucks, an unforgetable animal encounter, and the opportunity to build your own Hex Bug maze.

Bull City Boos Fest

Dates: Saturday, October 19
Time: 4-11 p.m.
Location: Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St.
Tickets: $20 for adults 21+, $10 for teens; $5 for kids 12 and under

It wouldn't be a Durham Halloween without an event for beer lovers! Wear your costume to join The MAKRS Society for a beer and Halloween fest at Durham Central Park with sips from local vendors, plus face painting, food trucks, DJs, decorations and more.

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics

Dates: Thursday, October 24
Time: 9:00-10:15 p.m.
Location: 804 Old Fayetteville Street
Tickets: $30.10

Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations never seen before in Durham. Get your tickets now to discover music inspired by Halloween at Hayti Heritage Center under the gentle glow of candlelight.

Duke Homestead’s Halloween Phantasmagoria

Date: Friday, October 25
Time: 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Location: Duke Homestead, 2828 Duke Homestead Rd.
Tickets: $10 advance/$15 at the door. Kids 3 and under are free.

People of all ages are invited to wander the property to discover what wonders await. No experiences are designed to scare, but some may not be appropriate for young children. The educational event takes place at the 19th-century homestead of the Duke family. BYO flashlight!

BooFest at the Museum of Life and Science

Dates: October 26, 27, & 31
Time: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Tickets: Included with general admission to the museum

Gather your gremlins and head to the Museum of Life and Science for BooFest. Don your costumes and celebrate the season with activities in the lab, a pumpkin party station, spooky encounters around the museum and more Halloween-themed fun.

Barktoberfest

Date: Saturday, October 26
Time: 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Location: Durham Central Park, 501 Foster St.

Join Durham Parks and Rec for an afternoon of doggone good times at Durham Central Park. Local celebrity judges will determine the winner of the pup costume contests, and you can enjoy treats from local food trucks and brewers while watching canine attendees show off their wooftastic tricks.

Handcrafted DURM Fall Fest and Halloween Market

Date: Saturday, October 26
Time: 3-7 p.m.
Location: Durty Bull Breweing Co., 206 Broadway St. Ste 104

Shop fresh autumn decor and funky crafts of all sorts, fall candles and scents, spooktacular vendors, apparel, jewelry and accessories. Handcrafted DURM prioritizes minorities (incl. women)/vendors of color and small mom-and-pop businesses with seasonal offerings and custom crafts and gifts!

Gouls Just Wanna Have Fun Art Market

Created by Creators Club and hosted by The Glass Jug, this art market will be the place to go to get all your locally crafted Halloween decorations, accessories and more. Enjoy a beverage and food from Gator on the Grill while you peruse the stands of 15+ vendors and enjoy live music.

Hallow-Eno

Date: Saturday, October 26
Time: 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Location: West Point on the Eno, 5101 N. Roxboro St.

Campfire stories, hayrides, crafts, face painting and treats all add up to one amazing, family-friendly Halloween celebration in Durham! Bring the kids (12 and under) out for this free event at West Point on the Eno. No guarantees you won’t return home without a sugar high!

Triangle Terror Con

Date: Sunday, October 27
Time: 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Location: The Durham Armory
Tickets: $15

Triangle Terror Con is Durham's only horror themed convention! A family friendly celebration of all things terrifying with vendors and celebrity guests.

Durham's Spookiest Spots

Perhaps the must-see spooky spots of Durham are right under your nose. For those who might be more intrigued by a little mystery and hauntingly historic places, check out these eerie spots.

Arcana Bar & Lounge | It's said that the ground Arcana Bar & Lounge is on is filled with paranormal experiences waiting to be discovered. Erin Karcher, the creative force behind Durham's Arcana Bar and Lounge says, "According to at least one customer, Arcana has a ghost cockatiel that flies around above the sofas." They host spooky and fun events like Goth Prom, a night of sipping craft cocktails, clearing cobwebs, finding clarity in the tarot cards and engaging in dusty rituals of courtship and despair.

MagikCraft - Bull City Magic | This Ninth Street shop specializes in metaphysical products, including incense, candles, tarot decks and alternative healing supplies. Stop in for tarot or palm readings and medium work.

Corpse Reviver Bar & Lounge | We know you are just dying to enjoy a cocktail at Corpse Reviver Bar & Lounge, a cocktail bar serving drinks in, well, an old coffin shop. With a menu showcasing abundant gin cocktails and more, co-founders Melissa and Lee Katrincic are on a mission to "serve drinks strong enough to revive your spirits." Take in the vibes at the bar and enjoy their spin on the classic Corpse Reviver No. 2 cocktail.

Dunnagan Trail/Eno River State Park | If you're into seeing the supernatural in its natural environment, take a stroll by the sinking grave and gravestone of Catharine Dunnagan while hiking the Dunnagan Trail in Eno River State Park. The adventure will be replete with the sounds of the season – try not to be spooked by the crunchy leaves, cobwebs, canopies and fallen timber.

Maplewood Cemetery | The rich history of the Maplewood Cemetery is alive and well with the pasts of many Durham luminaries.

Spooktacular Halloween Built Story Tours | The team from Built Story, the world's first marketplace for self-guided tours based out of Durham, is at it again with a list of self-guided Durham Halloween tours. Download the free app in the Apple Store or GooglePlay store and search for Halloween Homes in South Durham or Durham's Most Terrifying and Mysterious Ghosts, Murders and Legends Tour.

Embrace the Camp

Head to the theater and get into the spirit of the Time Warp with an interactive viewing of the season's most iconic film.

Rocky Horror Picture Show: Halloween Ball

Dates: October 24-25
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $15
Location: The Carolina Theatre

Now in its seventh year, the Carolina Theatre and Retro Film Series present a "fully interactive, theatrical FX-driven, light show-blazing, fog-blowing, call-backing, costume-wearing, motion picture extravaganza" you won't want to miss. Head there for door prizes, grab bags, and concessions specials.

And if you're more into classic horror films than musical theater, check out the Carolina Theatre's monthlong lineup of scary flicks.

Halloween Events at Durham Bars and Breweries

Halloween is a holiday for night owls and late-night aficionados. True to form, Durham's bars and breweries celebrate the season with parties and themed events all month long. Here are a few:

• Edgar Allen Poe Speakeasy at Weldon Mills | October 17 & 19, 6, 8 & 10 p.m. Spooky Cocktail Story Hour.
• Halloween Drag Show at Hi-Wire Brewing | October 19, 8-10 p.m. Hauntingly Glamorous Costumes!
• Gag! to Death at The Fruit & Club ERA | October 26, 9:30 p.m. Dance party with multiple DJs.
• 11th Annual Halloween Costume Party at Mystic Farm and Distillery | October 31, 6:00 p.m. Haunted trail, live music and cocktails.
• Sharknado-ween: Halloween Party at DSSLVR | October 31, 7:00 p.m. Sharknado films, shark costumes, beer and DJs.
• The Deep Creeps Halloween Party at Kingfisher + Queeny’s | October 31, 8 p.m. – midnight. Spooky beverage specials and music by DJ Zac Lor (Kingfisher) and DJ Lolo (Queeny’s). The best original, handmade costume receives a $400 cash prize – entrants must arrive by 10 p.m. $10 at the door and free for service industry friends.

Looking for more autumn activities?
CHECK OUT OUR FALL GUIDE