As October settles over Niagara, pumpkin patches, haunted houses and ghostly figures are once again taking over the region.
Halloween may not arrive until Oct. 31, but there is no need to wait until the final weekend of the month to celebrate. Niagara’s Halloween calendar is filled with everything from historic ghost tours and elaborate haunted attractions to horror conventions and neighbourhood displays.
Whether you’re looking for genuine scares or simply an excuse to spend an autumn evening outside, here are five ways to celebrate Halloween in Niagara over the next few weeks.
Howells Fall Fest
Those looking for pumpkins without the jump scares can begin the Halloween season at Howells Fall Fest.
Located at 2878 Holland Road in Fonthill, the farm’s annual fall festival combines traditional autumn activities with an amusement-park-style collection of attractions. Visitors can make their way through a corn maze, take wagon and train rides, visit farm animals and catch seasonal shows including the farm’s Skeleton Band.
Howells is open throughout October, with a special all-day Fall Fest planned for Thanksgiving Monday on Oct. 12. Admission that day and on weekends is $27. The farm also offers lower-priced weeknight options at $24 and Tuesday nights at $16.25.
For students who enjoy Halloween more for crisp weather, pumpkins and fall photos than being chased through a dark hallway, it offers a decidedly less terrifying way to start the season.
Ghost tours of Fort George
For a Halloween experience rooted in Niagara’s history, Fort George National Historic Site is once again opening its gates after dark.
The Friends of Fort George will hold special Halloween ghost tours on Oct. 16, 17 and 18; Oct. 23, 24 and 25; and Oct. 30 and 31, extending into Nov. 1. Tickets cost $25 and must be purchased in advance.
Unlike a conventional haunted house, the tours pair eerie storytelling with the real history of a site closely connected to the War of 1812. Candlelit guides take visitors through Fort George while recounting stories surrounding reported paranormal activity on the grounds, including figures and unexplained experiences that have become part of the fort’s folklore.
The result sits somewhere between a history lesson and a ghost story, an ideal option for anyone who wants the Halloween atmosphere without relying entirely on actors jumping out from behind walls.
Haunt Manor
For those who do want actors jumping out from behind walls, Haunt Manor is considerably less forgiving.
The large-scale Halloween attraction at 9387 Lundy’s Lane returns in 2026 with its haunted hayride alongside a collection of mazes, trails and scare zones. This year’s lineup includes a new Condemned Manor maze and a three-storey Trick or Treat Haunted Barn, alongside attractions such as the Bayou, Klown, Night Feast Haunted Nursery, Redsaw Lab and the Death Department. A new Cedar Maze forest trail has also been added for 2026.
Haunt Manor is scheduled for Oct. 16, 17 and 18; Oct. 23, 24 and 25; and Oct. 30 and 31. Friday and Saturday events generally run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., while Sundays close earlier at 10 p.m. Advanced reservations are recommended, as organizers warn that nights can sell out.
This is the option for anyone who thinks walking calmly through a historic fort does not provide quite enough screaming.
FirstOntario Performing Art’s Centre’s “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”
Few Halloween traditions invite audiences to participate quite as enthusiastically as The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
The cult classic returns to the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre’s Film House from Oct. 29 to 31, giving Niagara residents the chance to end the month with one of the strangest and most interactive films associated with the Halloween season. The screenings take place at the PAC, located at 250 St. Paul Street in downtown St. Catharines. The tickets start at $20 for regulars and $18 for film house members.
Rocky Horror has developed a decades-long tradition of audience participation, with screenings becoming communal events built around costumes, singing, dancing and responding to the film. Previous Film House presentations have embraced that tradition with interactive screenings, costume encouragement and audience participation.
That makes the event especially suited to anyone looking for something more social than the typical Halloween movie night. Rather than sitting silently through a horror film, audiences are encouraged to become part of the spectacle themselves and, naturally, join in when it is time to do the Time Warp.
Niagara Falls Spooky Awards
Finally, one of the region’s most accessible Halloween activities does not require buying a ticket at all.
The City of Niagara Falls’ annual Spooky Awards return in 2026, inviting residents and businesses to transform their properties into elaborate outdoor Halloween displays. After a record 69 entries participated last year, the city is hoping to attract even more for this year’s competition.
Members of the public can tour participating displays from Oct. 23 to 25 using the city’s Spooky Map and vote for the People’s Choice Award. Decorations compete in categories including Judges’ Favourite, Best Effects and People’s Choice, with displays operating between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. during the viewing period.
For students looking for a low-cost Halloween night, gather some friends, grab a hot drink and turn the map into your own tour of Niagara Falls’ most elaborately decorated houses.