Fall Festivities & Halloween Hullabaloo in the DFW Area
Oktoberfest, hayrides, crafts, pumpkins, and candy. The fall festival and Halloween season is upon us and right at your doorstep. From cowboy gatherings to beer to zoos to the ubiquitous orange squash, you have only to pack your kids into the car and head out into the crisp cool air. There is definitely some fun to be had in the DFW Area.
In Fort Worth’s Stockyards National Historic District there will be the Red Steagall’s Cowboy Gathering and Western Swing Festival. Enjoy more of the cowboy at this 24th annual festival which includes rodeos, poetry, cook-offs, a gospel concert, and western swing dances.
Halloween Hullabaloo: On October 31, 6-8pm, Stockyard Station and Radio Disney have a free, family-friendly Halloween Party. There will be hayrides, costume contests, pumpkin decorating, games, and more!
The Fort Worth Zoo also hosts a special event on October 24-27. Come see the animals shows, decorated pumpkins, treat and craft stations and so much more.
In the city of Irving on October 25 Canal Fest takes place. Canal Fest is a newer festival with family friendly activities. It takes place along Mandalay Canal and includes art, cultural dances, face painting, henna, and crafts, amongst other possibilities. Halloween Hullabaloo: October 30, 5pm – 6:30pm, Irving Mall hosts free trick-or-treating for kids. The Center Court will be handing out goodies (while they last) to the lucky costumed:
The City of the Colony’s Halloween Hullabaloo includes Family Fright Night, a family Halloween campout on October 25-26. You’ll have a chance to enjoy a haunted trail, tent trick or treating, costumes, movies, campfires, and more.
Arlington’s Halloween Hullabaloo includes a celebration on October 29, 7-10pm. There will be a Halloween Dance Party at the Creative Arts Theatre and School. Prizes awarded for different costumes. Drinks and snacks provided; $7 at the door.
Take a look at the Dallas Autumn at the Arboretum celebration. From Sept 20-Nov 26, you can check out more than 65,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash which make up Pumpkin Village. A hay bale maze, scavenger hunt, and over 150,000 fall flowers make this quite a family-friendly adventure. Halloween Hullabaloo: The Dallas Arboretum Family Fun Weekend takes place n October 25-26, 9am – 5pm, kids (big and small) are invited to trick-or-treat. Costumes are encouraged. The Dallas Zoo also has a October 23 5-8pm Halloween celebration. There will be candy stations, characters in costumes, animal adventures and more.
In Collin County, there is the Prestonwood Fall Festival on October 31, 6-9pm. Carousels, a petting zoo, face painting, and food trucks will all be there for some family fun. Have Halloween Hullabaloo in McKinney Square. There will be costumes and candy on October 31, 4-6pm.
In Denton County, Halloween Hullabaloo includes the Denton Day of the Dead Festival, October 26, 11 am – 9 pm. The festival celebrates Halloween, fall and Dia De Los Muertos complete with a costume parade, great local food and activities for all ages. At Highland Village,celebrations take place on October 26 3-6pm. There will be hayrides and trick-or-treating targeting kids under 12.
Additional Resources:
More fall festivals and Halloween fun! Some of them have been mentioned above, but there are certainly more. For adults, check these out: 30 Can’t Miss Fall Festivals. For the kids, Fall Festivities You Don’t Want To Miss, which means lots of fun stuff on the horizon. Halloween Hulllabaloo: Because a critical part of Halloween is the actual hunt and carve of the infamous squash itself, you should check out Pumpkin Patches and Morehere. More Halloween events, including IHOP, Lowe’s, and Michael’s Art Store events can be found here. These also include events for kids that aren’t so scary.
Fall season means it’s time to sharpen those carving knives, rack your brain for costume ideas, and enjoy the calm before the holiday season. If you’ve decided to stay in town for fall vacation, relax and know there are many options out there. Some have costumes; some don’t. Some have hayrides and candy; others don’t. Whatever you choose, have a fun time!
