👻 2025 Family-Friendly Fall Events in Southeastern Wisconsin

Halloween isn’t just about trick-or-treating—it’s about celebrating community, creativity, and a little spooky fun. From pumpkin walks and zoo events to train rides and hayrides that keep things more sweet than scary, Southeastern Wisconsin has plenty of family-friendly options to enjoy this October. Here’s a county-by-county guide for families looking to make the most of the season.

Dodge County

Horicon Marsh — Hike-or-Treat — Horicon

• Address: Palmatory Picnic Shelter (south parking lot), 1210 North Palmatory Street, Horicon, WI

• Date/Time: Friday, October 31, 2025 — 5:00–8:00 p.m.

• Cost/Admission: Small fee or donation typical; check Friends of the Horicon Marsh / DNR event page for registration.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Join the third annual Hike-or-Treat on the Horicon Marsh. Dress in your favorite costume and trick-or-treat your way along an illuminated wooded trail to the Palmatory Picnic Shelter and Palmatory Street Overlook. Learn about the creatures of the night at interpretive stops along the trail, and finish with popcorn and apple cider provided by Friends of the Horicon Marsh.

• Note: This event meets at the south parking lot of the Palmatory Picnic Shelter (not the Horicon Marsh Education & Visitor Center). Advance registration or tickets may be required — confirm on the official event page.

Jefferson County

Busy Barns Adventure Farm (Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch) — Fort Atkinson

• Address: W7675 US Hwy 12, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538

• Dates/Hours: September 13–November 2, 2025 — Saturdays & Sundays, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

• Cost/Admission: Varies by activity; check the Busy Barns website or farmstand for pricing on hayrides, specialty pumpkins, and activities.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Take a walk or hop on a hayride to the patch and select your perfect pumpkin from acres of pumpkins in different colors, sizes, shapes, and textures. Shop pre-picked pumpkins and specialty decorations. Browse a wide variety of gourds and specialty pumpkins in the produce area, and grab corn shocks and straw bales to complete your fall decorating. Busy Barns offers family-friendly attractions including a corn maze, petting farm, and over 40 seasonal activities.

• Food & Music: Stop by the food truck in the morning for warm apple cider donuts, coffee, hot cocoa, or fresh cider. Enjoy live music and lunch later in the day with options like pork mac and cheese, nachos, chili, pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs, caramel apple sundaes, and more

Watertown — Pumpkin Palooza — Watertown

• Address: Downtown Watertown / The Market at 210 S. Water St., Watertown, WI

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025 — 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. (Craft Fair & Trick-or-Treat at The Market: 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.; Downtown Trick-or-Treating: 12:00–3:00 p.m.)

• Cost/Admission: Free community event; hosted by Ixonia Bank.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Downtown trick-or-treating, craft fair at The Market, vendor booths, and family activities.

Kenosha County

Kenosha — Sensory-Friendly Trunk-or-Treat (Bradford High School / Kenosha Clinic) — Kenosha

• Address: Bradford High School parking lot, 3700 Washington Rd, Kenosha, WI 53144

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025 — 12:30–2:30 p.m. (CDT)

• Cost/Admission: Free community event.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Sensory-friendly trunk-or-treat designed primarily for kids with special needs (open to all). Accessible route, 30+ decorated trunks from local businesses and organizations, and community resources. Organizers expect hundreds of families to attend.

Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County Zoo — Boo at the Zoo — Milwaukee

• Address: Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Bluemound Rd., Milwaukee, WI

• Dates/Hours: Two weekends — Friday–Sunday, Oct. 17–19 and Friday–Sunday, Oct. 24–26, 2025 — 5:30–9:00 p.m. each night.

• Cost/Admission: Ticketed event; pre-purchased tickets required (member discounts often available).

• What’s Included / Highlights: Presented by Prairie Farms Dairy for 2025 — Trick-or-Treat Trail, pumpkin-carving demos, light shows, “Creatures of the Night” animal talks, and several animal buildings open for the event. Costumes welcome — a “merry, not scary” family experience.

Wehr Nature Center — Halloween Haunts (37th Annual) — Franklin

• Address: Wehr Nature Center, 9701 W. College Ave., Franklin, WI

• Dates/Hours: Thursday–Saturday, Oct. 16–18, 2025 — evening time slots (walks staggered; check ticket times).

• Cost/Admission: Advance tickets required — $15 per person; $12 for Friends of Wehr members; $5 parking fee payable online for non-members.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Wehr’s woodland becomes an Enchanted Forest with friendly characters, more than 300 jack-o’-lanterns along the trail, educational skits, and playful spooky fun for kids and families. Ticket sales typically end mid-afternoon on event days — get tickets early.

Halloween Glen — Milwaukee Recreation (Hawthorn Glen Outdoor Education Center) — Milwaukee

• Address: Hawthorn Glen Outdoor Education Center, 1130 N. 60th St., Milwaukee, WI

• Dates/Hours: Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025 — evening hike times (check Milwaukee Recreation schedule for specific start times).

• Cost/Admission: $6 per person; $3 Tyke Hike option on Saturday (abbreviated route).

• What’s Included / Highlights: Family-friendly hike with decorated stations and short educational skits — excellent for little ones and families who prefer a gentle, interactive experience.

Halloween Village — Baird Community Commons (Baird Center) — Milwaukee

• Address: Baird Community Commons, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI

• Dates/Hours: Oct. 10–31, 2025 — daytime and nighttime hours (lighting display runs across the month).

• Cost/Admission: Free and open to the public; select programming may require registration.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Lighting displays, a 12-foot walkthrough pumpkin, festive figures and seasonal décor. Jack-O-Lantern Jubilee: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025 — 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at the Commons with free pumpkin giveaways, carve-your-own stations staffed by local artists, giveaways, and kid activities.

Pumpkin Pavilion (Bay View) — Humboldt Park Pavilion, 3000 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee

• Address: Humboldt Park Pavilion, 3000 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee, WI

• Dates/Hours: Wednesday–Saturday, Oct. 15–18, 2025 (multi-night display).

• Cost/Admission: Free community event (vendors may charge for food/activities).

• What’s Included / Highlights: Bay View’s four-day celebration featuring a display of 1,000 lit pumpkins, live music, food vendors, and carve-your-own pumpkin opportunities.

Ozaukee County

Cedarburg — Cedarburg Pumpkin Walk — Cedarburg (Washington Ave. corridor)

• Date/Time: Friday, October 31, 2025 — evening (commonly 5:00–9:00 p.m.; some businesses may offer earlier trick-or-treat hours).

• Cost/Admission: Free.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Community carved pumpkins line downtown streets, participating shops hand out treats, and families enjoy photo ops and live entertainment.

Racine County

Burlington — Spooky City — Downtown Burlington

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025 — daytime festival (activities vary across the day).

• Cost/Admission: Free community event.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Costume parades, hayrides, pumpkin bowling, trick-or-treating, family entertainment, and community programming.

Racine Zoo — Boo at the Zoo — Racine

• Address: Racine Zoo, 2131 N. Main St., Racine, WI

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025 — 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

• Cost/Admission: Boo at the Zoo is INCLUDED with regular Zoo admission. Zoo Members and children 2 years and younger are FREE.

  • Adult: $11

  • Senior (62+): $10

  • Child (15 and younger): $9

  • Military (with ID): $5

• What’s Included / Highlights: Safe, outdoor trick-or-treating with the animals, spooky cookie decorating*, Halloween crafts, pumpkin decorating*, meet-and-greets with creepy, crawly animal ambassadors, bounce houses, food and drinks for purchase, and more family-friendly surprises. *While supplies last. All proceeds benefit the animals and programs of the Racine Zoo.

Walworth County

East Troy Railroad Museum — Trick-or-Treat Trains — East Troy

• Address: East Troy Railroad Depot, 2002 Church St., East Troy, WI

• Dates/Hours: Fridays — October 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2025 (multiple departure times; check the museum schedule for exact train times).

• Cost/Admission: Ticketed (advance purchase recommended).

• What’s Included / Highlights: Bring your kids or grandkids in costume for a themed train ride from the Depot in East Troy to Byrnes Park (formerly Town Hall Park), where children can trick-or-treat, play games, and enjoy the playground before the return trip. Upon returning to East Troy, each child can pick out the perfect pumpkin to take home.

Lake Geneva — Family Ghost & History Tours — Lake Geneva

• Address/Meeting Points: Varies by tour operator (Seminary Park is a common meeting spot; confirm with operator).

• Dates/Hours: Weekends in October with multiple start times.

• Cost/Admission: Ticketed; operator prices vary.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Guided walking tours mixing local history and family-friendly spooky storytelling — ideal for older kids and curious parents.

Washington County

Downtown West Bend — Little Ghosts & Goblins / Downtown Trick-or-Treat — West Bend

• Address: Downtown West Bend (look for participating businesses displaying a pumpkin in the window)

• Date/Time: Friday, October 10, 2025 — 5:00–7:00 p.m.

• Cost/Admission: Free community event.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Kid-centered downtown trick-or-treating — follow the pumpkins in the windows to find participating businesses and family-friendly activities.

Waukesha County

Hartland — Pumpkin Party in the Park (Nixon Park) — Hartland

• Address: Nixon Park, 163 E. Park Ave., Hartland, WI

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 11, 2025 — 4:00–8:00 p.m. (showing of Hocus Pocus at ~6:30 p.m.; bring a chair or blanket)

• Cost/Admission: Free community event; food and drinks available for purchase (proceeds benefit Hartland Public Library children’s area remodel).

• What’s Included / Highlights: Trunk-or-Treat, Pumpkin River Race, haunted trail walk, pumpkin decorating, hay bale maze, bounce house, games, and a family movie.

Menomonee Falls — Old Falls Village / Fall Family Activities — Menomonee Falls

• Address: Old Falls Village Historic Park (see municipal calendar for specifics)

• Dates/Hours: Select mid-October weekend activities (check village calendar)

• Cost/Admission: Small admission or donation typical.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Heritage-site family programming, seasonal crafts, and kid-friendly demonstrations.

Menomonee Falls Public Library — Fall Family Fest — Menomonee Falls

• Address: Menomonee Falls Public Library, W156N8436 Pilgrim Rd, Menomonee Falls, WI

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025 — 10:00–11:30 a.m.

• Cost/Admission: Free community program (registration may be requested).

• What’s Included / Highlights: Morning of autumn crafts, games, and activities perfect for younger children.

Mukwonago — Jack-O-Lantern Jaunt & Halloween Haunt — Mukwonago (Field Park)

• Address: Field Park, 1048–1098 N. Rochester St. (Hwy NN), Mukwonago, WI

• Dates/Hours: Friday, October 17, 2025 and Saturday, October 18, 2025 — 6:00–9:30 p.m. each night.

• Cost/Admission: Low admission (typically $2–$3); confirm on organizer page.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Hundreds of carved pumpkins lighting park paths, family-friendly haunted attractions, walk-in movie, community displays, and local fundraising.

Pewaukee — Halloween Fun Fest (Downtown Pewaukee) — Pewaukee

• Address: Downtown Pewaukee (line-up at North Shore Bank parking lot; parade proceeds to the lake pavilion)

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 18, 2025 — line-up at 11:45 a.m.; dog contest & judging around 12:00 p.m.; Downtown merchant Trick-or-Treating 12:00–1:45 p.m.

• Cost/Admission: Free community event.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Dog costume contest, kids’ parade, merchant trick-or-treating (visit businesses displaying the Trick or Treat sign), crafts to go, and family fun.

Waukesha — Downtown Trick-or-Treat & Costume Parade — Waukesha

• Address: Downtown Waukesha (historic downtown corridor)

• Date/Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025 — 1:00–3:00 p.m. (confirm route and times on city calendar)

• Cost/Admission: Free community event.

• What’s Included / Highlights: Local businesses hand out candy, costume contests, and family activities.

Where Little Memories Begin 🎃

From first hayrides to tiny trick-or-treaters, we love helping families find the neighborhoods where childhood memories take root.

At The Hupke Team, we love highlighting the local events that make our communities special. In 2024, we helped 121 families close on homes, with over $38 million in sales, and we’ve earned more than 115 five-star reviews on Google. Whether you’re buying or selling, we’re here to treat you (no tricks!).

Event details may change—especially outdoor ones. We recommend double-checking with organizers before heading out. We’ll keep updating this guide as new info rolls in!