Twin Cities metro
Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, Minnesota Zoo
Apple Valley
A nighttime walk past more than 5,000 carved, lit pumpkins, with a trivia theme this year. Fog, music and colored lights, and no scares. It's all outdoors and runs rain or shine, so bring hats and gloves. One catch for families: Halloween night itself is adults only.
- 2026 dates
- Sept 25 – Nov 1, 2026. Oct 14–17: 5:30 pm–midnight. Oct 18 – Nov 1: Sunday–Thursday 5:30–11 pm, Friday–Saturday 5:30 pm–midnight. Adults-only (18+) nights: Sept 25, Oct 7 and Oct 31 (Oct 31 runs 6 pm–midnight). The first entry time you can book is 6 pm (6:30 pm on the Oct 31 adults-only night), and popular times sell out: as of Oct 19, nothing was left before 9 pm on Fri Oct 23 or before 9:30 pm on Sat Oct 24.
- Price
- Adults $23–$30, kids $19–$26. Ages 0–2 free and don't need a ticket. Members save $3–$4. Non-member parking $10 a car. 18+ nights $45 per adult (members $5 off). Online only, in advance, nonrefundable. A Priority Pumpkin Pass add-on (100 a night, not on 18+ nights) is sold; its price isn't on the page.
- Ages & intensity
- All ages, not scary, except the three 18+ nights.
Official site: mnzoo.org Checked 2026-10-19
Anoka calls itself the Halloween Capital of the World and has been at it long enough to make the name stick: the town has celebrated every year since 1920, except 1942 and 1943 during World War II, and 2026 marks the 106th anniversary. It's parades, contests and events all over town, and most of it is free.
- 2026 dates
- Sat Oct 17: Children's Costume Contest 10 am (ages 0–10, Riverfront Memorial Park; rain location Anoka City Hall Community Room); Children's Pumpkin Carving 1–2:30 pm (ages 3–12); Light Up the Night Parade 7–8 pm, Main Street. Sun Oct 18: Medallion Hunt at George Green Park, family hunt (12 and under) noon–2 pm, open hunt 2:30–4:30 pm. Fri Oct 23: Big Parade of Little People 1:15–2:15 pm, Main Street. Sat Oct 24: Grande Day Parade 1–3:30 pm, starting at State St and W Main St and running 1.5 miles to South St / Military Rd, with a T-6 Thunder flyover just before. House Decorating Contest public viewing Oct 23, 24, 30 and 31, 6:30–9:30 pm. Sat Oct 31: Anoka Quest scavenger hunt (not an official Anoka Halloween event).
- Price
- Parades and most events free. The Medallion Hunt needs a $3 Anoka Halloween button. Royal Ambassador Coronation $10.
- Ages & intensity
- Family festival for all ages, not a scare event. Costume contest ages 0–10, pumpkin carving 3–12, family medallion hunt 12 and under.
Official site: anokahalloween.com 2026 brochure (PDF) Checked 2026-10-19
Tricks and Treats at Valleyfair
Shakopee
Valleyfair's daytime Halloween, with a trick-or-treat trail, costume contests, crafts, a kids' dance party, roaming characters and teal-pumpkin (allergy-friendly) treats, and the rides are open.
- 2026 dates
- Saturdays and Sundays, Sept 26 – Nov 1, 2026. Saturdays noon–5:30 pm, Sundays 11 am–6 pm. The last four days are Oct 24, 25, 31 and Nov 1.
- Price
- Included with park admission and eligible season passes. Tricks and Treats only: $37.99 online, $64 at the gate. Combo with ValleyScare: $74.99 online, $109 at the gate. Some midway games cost extra.
- Ages & intensity
- Family-friendly daytime event. On Saturdays everyone has to leave at 5:30 pm while the park switches over to ValleyScare, which needs its own ticket.
Official site: valleyfair.enchantedparks.com Saturday 5:30 pm exit rule Checked 2026-10-19
Fall Fun Fest at The Haunting Experience
Cottage Grove
The daytime, no-scare side of the Highway 61 haunt. Free hayrides every 30 minutes, coloring, goat feeding and bounce houses. The bigger package adds a lights-on walk through the haunted house with no actors and no jump scares, which is a good test run for kids who think they're ready.
- 2026 dates
- Thu Oct 15 – Sun Oct 18, 2026 (MEA weekend), 11 am–3 pm daily. It's over for 2026; no more dates are posted.
- Price
- Package 1: $18 (pumpkin painting, spin art, sand art). Package 2: $25 (the same plus the lights-on haunted house tour). Hayrides and coloring free. Goat feeding $2, bounce house pass $5. Pay in person at the concession stand that day.
- Ages & intensity
- Young kids and families. No scares.
Official site: hauntingexperience.com Checked 2026-10-19
Sever's Fall Festival
Shakopee
A fall festival, not a haunt: a corn maze, the Extreme Corn Pit, jumping pillows, a petting zoo, a kiddie train, pig races, magic shows and BMX Mega Jump shows.
- 2026 dates
- Saturdays and Sundays, Sept 19 – Nov 1, 2026, plus MEA Thu Oct 15 and Fri Oct 16, 10 am–7 pm. The site posted a weather closure for Thu Oct 15.
- Price
- $19 general admission online, good for unlimited visits all season. Kids 3 and under free. Sever Saver add-on $7 (4 for $24, 10 for $50). Some attractions are cash only (giant slide, pony rides, petting zoo feed, hay rides, pumpkin blasters). Gate price not published.
- Ages & intensity
- Family fall festival. No scares.
Official site: seversfestivals.com Checked 2026-10-19
Scarecrows, Pumpkins & Harvest Fun, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Chaska
Scarecrows around the grounds, giant round straw bales decorated by Arboretum staff, and a visitor vote for the best scarecrow built by the six Bachman's stores. In October a display of 500-plus varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds goes up. Farm at the Arb adds a corn maze cut in the U of M logo, a mini straw-bale maze and yard games.
- 2026 dates
- Scarecrows daily, Sept 18 – Nov 1, 2026. Pumpkin display Oct 3–31.
- Price
- Included with general admission: free for members and ages 15 and under; non-members 16 and up pay $20 with an advance ticket, or $25 at the gate if parking allows. Reserve in advance.
- Ages & intensity
- Gentle, all ages.
Official site: arb.umn.edu Checked 2026-10-19
Mall of America Halloween
Bloomington
Several things under one roof. Magic of Halloween is a scare-free timed walk on Level 2 South. Nickelodeon Universe goes Booniverse for the season, with NICK@FRIGHT nights and a character stroll. Add an outdoor Hocus Pocus screening (moved to Oct 30) and Mall-O-Ween on Halloween day. A UNICEF trick-or-treat ran Oct 15–18. Twin Cities Fear Fest is in the same building, and it is not for little kids.
- 2026 dates
- Magic of Halloween: select dates Sept 25 – Nov 1, timed entry every 15 minutes. Dates left: Oct 21–25 and Oct 27 – Nov 1 (closed Tue Oct 20 and Mon Oct 26). The ticket calendar sells entry from 3 pm (from noon on Sat Oct 24, Sun Oct 25 and Sat Oct 31), with the last entry at 8:45 pm most days, 9:15 pm on Fri Oct 30 and 9:45 pm on Fri Oct 23, Sat Oct 24 and Sat Oct 31. Its help page still says 3:00–6:15 pm, so book a time the calendar shows for your date. Hocus Pocus (Movies at the Star): moved to Fri Oct 30, North Lot, after forecast high winds postponed the Oct 17 showing; doors 5:30 pm, movie 7 pm, and tickets already bought are honored. Nickelodeon Booniverse: Sept 14 – Oct 31; NICK@FRIGHT Oct 23–24, 5–9 pm, character stroll at 6:30 and 8:30 pm. Mall-O-Ween: Sat Oct 31, noon–6 pm.
- Price
- Magic of Halloween $10; ages 2 and under free, no ticket needed. Mall-O-Ween: no price listed. Nickelodeon Universe rides need an unlimited ride wristband or points pass; the NICK@FRIGHT treat bag needs a wristband or 6-point pass.
- Ages & intensity
- Magic of Halloween is billed as scare-free. The rest is family-friendly.
Official site: mallofamerica.com Checked 2026-10-19
Not So Scary Trick or Treat, Midtown Global Market
Minneapolis
Trick-or-treating at the vendor booths inside the market at 920 E Lake St, plus treat-bag decorating and face painting. It's indoors.
- 2026 dates
- Sat Oct 31, 2026, 5–7 pm.
- Price
- Free.
- Ages & intensity
- All ages. Not scary.
Official site: midtownglobalmarket.org Checked 2026-10-19
Duluth & North Shore
Boo at the Zoo, Lake Superior Zoo
Duluth
Trick-or-treat stations around the zoo, a magician, pumpkin golf, a mini-pumpkin hunt, free train rides, Halloween enrichment for the animals, the BOO-tique craft show and food trucks. It runs rain, snow or shine, and in Duluth they mean the snow part.
- 2026 dates
- Saturdays Oct 10, 17 and 24, 2026, 10 am–4 pm. Members-only early hour 9–10 am.
- Price
- Advance: $15 non-members, $12 members. Day of: $20 non-members, $15 members. Kids 2 and under free. Non-transferable and non-refundable.
- Ages & intensity
- Family, all ages. No scares.
Official site: lszoo.org Checked 2026-10-19
Glensheen fall family activities
Duluth
Daytime and no scares: an I-Spy hunt for nine pumpkins hidden around the grounds and inside the mansion, with a prize at the Museum Shop in the Carriage House, and a fall display of Halloween-related items. Treasure Books activity booklets are $5.
- 2026 dates
- Pumpkin hunt September–October 2026, during tour hours (open daily 10 am–4 pm from Oct 20).
- Price
- Included with a tour ticket. Classic Mansion Tour (self-guided): $20 adults, $18 seniors 62+ and veterans, $8 ages 5–17, free 4 and under. Full Mansion Tour: $32 adults, $20 youth, free 4 and under. Treasure Books $5.
- Ages & intensity
- Family-friendly. Kids 4 and under free.
Official site: glensheen.org Checked 2026-10-19