Feeling a chill in the air? Gather the family to savor all the enchanting moments in store this autumn in the Triangle. From corn mazes and caramel apples to spirited festivals and haunted houses, our hearty selection of fall festivities offers something for everyone.
At press time, not all venues had updated information for 2024, so be sure to check with event organizers before heading out.
Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes
Crossroads Corn Maze
5712 Watkins Road, Wendell
Visit the website for dates, hours and rates. Enjoy hay and rope mazes, hayrides, lawn games and
s’mores. “When the Stalks Go Dark,” a haunted attraction, takes place Fridays and Saturdays in
October, and requires a separate entrance fee.
DJ’s Berry Patch
1223 Salem Church Road, Apex
Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Shop for North Carolina apples,
pumpkins of all varieties and sizes, and other fall produce.
The Family Farm on Avent Ferry
1719 Avent Ferry Road, Holly Springs
Opens September 28; Monday–Friday, 4–6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday 1–6 p.m.
Shop for specialty pumpkins and gourds, and take advantage of family photo opportunities on a
vintage John Deere tractor.
Gross Farms Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch
1606 Pickett Road, Sanford
Open September 14–November 3; visit the website for operating hours and ticket information. Enjoy a corn maze, pumpkin patch, Tom’s Tunnel slide, hayrides and various playgrounds.
Hill Ridge Farms Fall Pumpkin Festival
703 Tarboro Road, Youngsville
Holder Hill Farm
4822 Holder Road, Durham
Open daily September 20–November 3; Monday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Navigate a corn maze, jump on a hayride, visit farm animals, hike a nature trail, experience a play area and explore a pumpkin patch. Admission is $16 per person and includes a you-pick pumpkin.
Huckleberry Trail Farm
143 Pleasant Hill Church Road, Siler City
Open weekends September 28 through October; visit the website for operating hours and ticket
information. Jump on a hayride, visit a pumpkin patch and navigate a corn maze.
Ken’s Korny Corn Maze & Sunflower Field
3175 Benson Road, Garner
Open weekends September 20–November 10; Friday, 4–9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sunday, noon–8 p.m.; visit the website for rates. Run through a 10-acre corn maze, jump on a hayride, explore a corn tunnel, play miniature golf and more. The adjacent sunflower field is available for pictures and flower cutting and requires a separate entrance fee.
McKee Cornfield Maze
5011 Kiger Road, Rougemont
Open weekends September 20–November 2; Friday, 3–7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday, 1–6 p.m. This 12-acre corn maze also features hayrides, a pumpkin patch, sunflower field, play areas and farm animals.
Naylor Family Farm & Giant Maze
6016 U.S. Hwy 401, Fuquay-Varina
Open September 14–November 3; visit the website for operating hours and rates. Enjoy a hayride, farm animals, pumpkin patch, barrel train and more.
Page Farms
6100 Mount Herman Road, Raleigh
Open late September through October; Tuesday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.; Friday–Sunday, 9
a.m.–6 p.m. Explore a 5-acre corn maze, hayride, cow train, farm animals and pumpkins.
Admission is $12–$18 per person.
Phillips Farms Fall Family Fun Park
6720 Good Hope Church Road, Cary
Open September 14–November 2; Thursday, 4:30–7:30 p.m.; Friday, 3–6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Sunday, 1–6 p.m. Admission is $20 for ages 2 and older. Navigate a corn maze, take a wagon ride, see a cow train and explore a sunflower field. A haunted attraction takes place in the evenings and requires a separate entrance fee of $25.
Porter Farms & Nursery
7615 Ten-Ten Road, Raleigh
Open through October 31; Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Shop for pumpkins, mums and fall produce.
Museum of Life & Science Pumpkin Patch Express
433 W. Murray Avenue, Durham
October 5–6, 12–13, 19–20, 26–27; visit the website for hours. Celebrate fall with science activities, games, pumpkin decorating and a ride on the Ellerbe Creek Railway at the Museum of Life and Science. Tickets are $15 per person; free for ages 2 and younger. Museum admission is not included with the ticket purchase.
Ragan & Holly’s Pumpkin Patch
38 Lewter Shop Road, Apex
Open daily, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Mums, pumpkins and fall produce.
Scarecrow Row
2200 Laura Duncan Road, Apex
October 25–31. See community-decorated scarecrows at Apex Community Park. Take a flashlight after sunset. Families can take part in the scarecrow decorating event on October 23; decorating is free but requires online registration. The town provides a post, hay and head for scarecrows; participants only need to bring the decorating materials.
Fall Festivals
BooFest
433 W. Murray Avenue, Durham
October 28–29 and October 31, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Don a costume for hands-on activities in the lab, a pumpkin party station with take-home goodies, and themed enrichment and encounters around the Museum of Life and Science. Activities are included with museum admission.
Clayton Harvest Festival
Downtown Clayton
October 24–27; Thursday, 5–10 p.m.; Friday, 5–11 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–11 p.m.: Sunday, noon–9 p.m. This four-day festival features carnival rides, a talent showcase, kids activities, and car and tractor shows.
Falling for Local
101 Blair Drive, Raleigh
shoplocalraleigh.org/slr-events/falling-for-local-dix-park
October 5, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Take the family for hayrides, inflatables, lawn games, kids activities and a free pumpkin patch on the Big Field at Dorothea Dix Park.
Festifall Arts Markets & More
Downtown Chapel Hill
chapelhillarts.org/calendar/festifall-arts-market-carolina-day
October 26 and November 2; visit the website for hours. Chapel Hill’s annual fall arts festival features three separate markets offering interactive art experiences, entertainment and artisan vendors.
North Carolina State Fair
4285 Trinity Road, Raleigh
October 17–27; visit the website for hours and rates. Rides, music, live entertainment, livestock competitions and every fried food you can imagine highlight this annual fair and agricultural exposition at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds.
Oktoberfest at Lafayette Village
8450 Honeycutt Road, Raleigh
September 28, noon–4 p.m. Enjoy German-inspired foods, fall brews, live music and wiener dog races at Raleigh’s Lafayette Village shopping center.
PoeFest
224 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh
October 12, 1–4 p.m. The Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education hosts PoeFest, a free community festival to celebrate healthy choices. Enjoy food and prizes, interactive theaters, local entertainment and more. Free books and produce will be available.
Triangle Oktoberfest
8003 Regency Parkway, Cary
October 4, 5–10 p.m.; October 5, noon–8 p.m. Celebrate all things Bavarian with live music, authentic cuisine, beer sampling, wiener dog races, a German car show and a KinderPlatz Zone at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Tickets are $15–$25 per person; free for ages 15 and younger.
Wendell Harvest Festival
115 N. Pine Street, Wendell
October 5, 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Usher in fall’s arrival in downtown Wendell with a parade, stage performances, vendors, food trucks and an evening concert.
Family-Friendly Halloween Events
Downtown Clayton Trick-or-Treat
348 E. Main Street, Clayton
October 31, 1–3 p.m. Kids trick-or-treat at participating merchants on Main Street and play games in Horne Square.
Fuquay-Varina Haunted Trails
301 Wagstaff Road, Fuquay-Varina
October 19, 5–6 p.m. and 7–9 p.m. Wear a costume and interact with characters along the sunlit Family Trail, 5–6 p.m. The Full Fright Trail, 7–9 p.m., is a scary journey through the nighttime woods and is not recommended for children under the age of 10. Children between the ages of 10–12 should be accompanied by an adult. Park at the Fuquay-Varina Community Center and take the shuttle bus to Carroll Howard Johnson Environmental Education Park.
Goblin’s Groove Family Dance
237 N. Salem Street, Apex
October 26, 5–7 p.m. Costume contests, cool games, dance contests and a haunted gallery await kids and their parents at Halle Cultural Arts Center. Admission is $5; $2 for ages 2 and younger. Purchase tickets online.
Halloween Boo Bash
301 S. Brooks Street, Wake Forest
October 19, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Attractions in downtown Wake Forest include inflatable slides, live music, food trucks and ghostly games and activities for kids 12 and younger.
Halloween Food Truck Rodeo
501 Foster Street, Durham
November 3, noon–4 p.m. Enjoy more than 35 food and beverage trucks, cuisine from all over the world and family fun for the ultimate Sunday Funday at Durham Central Park.
Holly Springs Haunted Trails
2401 Grigsby Avenue, Holly Springs
October 12, 7–10:45 p.m. Take a spooky walk in the dark and encounter zombies, scary clowns and more at Sugg Farm Park. Recommended for ages 14 and older; younger children should be accompanied by an adult.
“Jekyll & Hyde”
2 E. South Street, Raleigh
October 17–November 3; visit the website for showtimes and tickets. Carolina Ballet’s interpretation of the Robert Louis Stevenson novel explores the haunting duality of Dr. Jekyll and his alter ego, Mr. Hyde.
Magic and Mischief: A Wizard’s Market
820 Clay Street, Raleigh
November 9; visit the website for hours. Young wizards and witches enjoy activities, crafts, music, handmade goods, and magical food and drink at Fred Fletcher Park. Admission is free.
Marbles’ Kooky Spooky Halloween Party
201 E. Hargett Street, Raleigh
October 25, 6–8:30 p.m.; $20 for members and $22 for nonmembers. Experience the magic of Marbles Kids Museum after dark with activities like ghost games, spooky science, a dance party and more. Advance ticket purchase is required online.
Morrisville Boo Bash
1520 Morrisville Parkway
October 26; visit the website for times. Venture down a trail and trick-or-treat for candy, vouchers and coupons from local businesses at Morrisville Community Park.
Halloween Storytime on the Roof at The Durham
315 E. Chapel Hill Street, Durham
October 30, 10:30–11 a.m. The Durham partners with the Durham County Library for a free Halloween-themed storytime. Children can wear a Halloween costume and enjoy complimentary hot chocolate.
Pumpkin Flotilla
801 High House Road, Cary
October 25, 4–7 p.m. Enjoy live music, food trucks and boat rentals from 4–6:15 p.m. at Bond Park Boathouse. At twilight, watch as carved jack-o’-lanterns set sail across Bond Park Lake. Drop off a carved pumpkin at the boathouse from 4–6 p.m. the day before the event. Pumpkins are left floating and relit the next evening to be viewed from the waterfront at the boathouse.
Spellbound
1 Mimosa Street, Raleigh
October 26; visit the website for hours. Encounter mysterious creatures, magicians, fortune tellers and vendors selling handmade items and treats at Mordecai Historic Park. Wear your best Halloween finery to enter the costume contest and parade. Admission is free.
Spooktacular at Sugg Farm Park
2401 Grigsby Avenue, Holly Springs
October 12, 1–4 p.m. Attractions include candy stations, slime-making, a costume contest and s’mores for ages 3–11.
Track or Treat Halloween Express
3900 Bonsal Road, New Hill
October 12, 19 and 26; rides depart at 2:15, 3:30, 4:45, 6:30 and 7:45 p.m.; visit the website for rates and to purchase tickets. Take a ride on the New Hope Valley Railway to view scenes of flying witches, smoking cauldrons, Count Dracula and other friendly creatures on a train ride through the New Hill woods. Passengers can play Mummy Mayhem, a game where riders search for 13 mummies hidden along the train tracks. Listen to songs by the singing pumpkins in the rail yard and watch model trains zip around the Garden Railway.
Trick-or-Treat in Downtown Fuquay-Varina
Downtown Fuquay-Varina
October 25, 2–5 p.m. Trick-or-treat in costume at participating businesses in both downtown districts.
Trick-or-Treat the Trail
2400 Aversboro Road, Garner
October 31, 3–6 p.m. Trick-or-treat along a 1-mile trail at White Deer Park in costume and enjoy creepy crawlies in an exhibit in the nature center. Food trucks available.
The Witch’s Haunted Barn
4911 Hunt Road, Hillsborough
October 5, 12, 19 and 26; noon–7 p.m.; visit the website for rates and to purchase tickets. A witch and other Halloween creatures delight children at Firefly Farm’s haunted barn.
Witches Night Out in Downtown Apex
October 25, 5–9 p.m. Dust off your broomsticks and pointy hats and head to participating businesses along Salem Street for Witches Night Out, featuring magic potions and spellbinding discounts.
Zombiepalooza
327 S. Academy Street, Cary
thecarytheater.com/zombiepalooza
October 25, 7 p.m. Wear a costume and enjoy zombie-themed and family-friendly movies outdoors at Downtown Cary Park’s Great Lawn & Pavilion. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes prior to the film screenings. Admission is free.
Haunted Adventures
Clayton Fear Farm
1620 Loop Road, Clayton
Visit the website for dates, hours and rates. Creatures of the night haunt this farm in Clayton, which adds new horror features each year.
Creepy Crabtree
1400 Aviation Parkway, Morrisville
October 26, 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Visit Lake Crabtree County Park to combine Halloween thrills with hands-on learning about the natural world’s spookiest aspects. Register online for a 60-minute session.
Darkside Haunted Estates
11959 N.C. Highway 222 W., Middlesex
Visit the website for dates and hours. Bring your nightmares to life in an insane asylum, haunted
hotel, mayhem hayride, spooky cemetery and more. Admission fees vary depending on the date.
Edward’s Battle Haunted House
9401 S. Mere Court, Raleigh
facebook.com/edwardsbattlehauntedhouse
Follow Edward’s Battle Haunted House on Facebook for dates and hours about this year’s event. Drive past a haunted yard in Raleigh filled with ghosts, goblins, vampires and other ghouls created by a Raleigh teen who has battled cancer. Donations are accepted and benefit foundations that help kids with cancer.
Ghostly Legends at the Old Hotel
119 Ambassador Loop, Cary
October 26; visit the website for hours and fees. Feel the presence of the past at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, formerly Cary’s grand hotel, with ghostly legends and haunted tales.
Granville Haunt Farm Drive-Thru Drive-In
4534 U.S. Hwy 15, Oxford
Open Fridays and Saturdays, October 4–November 2, and October 31; gates open at sunset. Enjoy thrills and chills from the safety of your car. Admission is per vehicle: $25–$35 for up to 4 passengers, $45–$55 for 5–8 passengers and $65–$75 for 9 or more passengers. Children ages 5 and under are free.
Haunted Forest at Panic Point
2808 Cedar Creek Road, Youngsville
Open September 27–28; Fridays–Sundays, October 4–November 2; and October 31. Gates open at sunset. Explore haunted attractions including a zombie escape hayride, haunted forest, dark trail swamp, creepy corn maze and ominous farm. Visit the website for admission fees. Purchase tickets online or at the gate.
Haunted History Walking Tour
200 N. Blount Street, Raleigh
October 5, 4:45–6 p.m. Learn about the history of some of downtown Raleigh’s most important landmarks as tour guides tell a ghost story at each stop. Admission is pay-what-you-want, cash only; online registration is required. Tour departs from the North Carolina Executive Mansion.
Hillsborough Halloween Spirit Tours
Downtown Hillsborough
Tours usually take place the last weekend in October; visit the website for dates, times and rates. The Orange Community Players lead visitors through the historic district to encounter ghoulish former residents.
Legendary Cary: Living History Meets Paranormal Investigations
facebook.com/groups/thecitydoctorproductions
Tours in October; visit the website for times and tickets. Take an immersive journey to the very places where chilling events occurred, with exclusive access to a new historic location in downtown Cary.
Myrtle Grove Haunt
3510 N.C. Hwy 86 N., Hillsborough
Visit the website for dates, hours and rates. Face your fears in a two-level haunted barn.
Raleigh Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour
Operates year-round Friday–Sunday; tours depart at 7:30 p.m. Ghost stories, history and folklore are interwoven in a 1.5-mile walking tour that stops at several ghost and paranormal sites. Suitable for ages 8 and older. Admission is $20 for adults, $16 for ages 8–14; tickets must be purchased online. Ninety-minute tours depart Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh (exact meeting location provided after ticket purchase).
Spirits of Wake Forest
301 S. Brooks Street, Wake Forest
Thursdays–Saturdays, September 26–October 31; visit the website for times. Learn about the restless spirits that make up a small piece of downtown Wake Forest’s haunted history. Walking tours last 75 minutes.o
