A crackle of campfires and the squeal of wagon wheels are back on cue this October, with hayrides rolling at dusk and disco lights spinning above ice rinks. Across the North Shore, park districts and cultural centers are leaning into the season with a slate that aims at every age: toddlers in tutus, teens in neon, and adults who prefer their chills with a craft brew.

Family-friendly frights

The calendar starts early in Glenview with a throwback: 1920s Film: “The Phantom of the Opera,” screening Oct. 10 from 7 to 9 p.m. inside the Historic Wagner Farm Sales Shed, 1510 Wagner Rd. Tickets are $4 per person, and the farm supplies popcorn and an educational intro before Lon Chaney’s classic unspools.

Wagner Farm doubles down on cozy traditions with Autumn Roasts & Rides on Oct. 10 and Oct. 17 (5:15, 5:45, 6:15 and 6:45 p.m.). Guests roast marshmallows, build s’mores, then climb aboard a tractor-drawn wagon for a twilight loop. Admission is $12; children 2 and under are free.

At The Grove, 1421 Milwaukee Ave. in Glenview, hayrides run Oct. 11 and Oct. 17 from 5 to 8 p.m., with popcorn popped over the fire after you roll from prairie to forest. And the Glenview Community Ice Center (1851 Landwehr Rd.) flips the switch for Frozen Frights on Oct. 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.—a Halloween-themed cosmic skate with special lights, glow sticks and giveaways. It’s free with a Season Public Skate Pass or $10 per skater; ages 3 and under skate free with a paying adult. Skate rentals are $4, or free if you come in costume.

Families looking for a gentler after-dark outing can circle the trail during Things That Go Bump in the Night at Emily Oaks Nature Center (4650 Brummel St., Skokie) on Oct. 17–18 from 6 to 8:15 p.m. The program is informative, not frightening, ending with cider and campfire songs. All ages are welcome; admission is $8.

Glenview’s Park Center brings back its big tent event with Halloween SKELEbration on Oct. 24, 5:50 to 8 p.m. at 2400 Chestnut Ave. Expect inflatables, a DJ, face painting and creepy crafts inside; outside, ghoulish games and hayrides circle Gallery Park. It’s designed for ages 2–12, costumes encouraged; parents must accompany children. Admission is $20 per child, and ages 13-plus are free (pay at the door).

For thrill-seekers: haunted and historic

Scream Scene Haunted House at Skokie Water Playground (4701 Oakton St.) has terrified visitors for nearly 30 years, with chainsaw maniacs, an insane clown maze, and new sets keeping the screams fresh. Parental discretion is advised; it’s not recommended for children under 10. Admission is $14 for most nights: Oct. 10–11 (7–10 p.m.); Oct. 17–18 (7–10 p.m.); Oct. 25 (7–11 p.m.) and Oct. 26 (7–9 p.m.); Oct. 31–Nov. 2 (Friday 7–10 p.m., Saturday 7–11 p.m., Sunday 7–9 p.m.). A Lights On Scream Scene, a daylight walkthrough, is Oct. 25 from 3 to 5 p.m. for $3, and the Nov. 7–8 Glowstick Scream Scene (7–10 p.m.) lets you navigate with nothing but a glowstick, $14.

History buffs can trade jump scares for ghost stories. Skokie’s Haunted Heritage Cemetery Walk (Oct. 25, 10 a.m.–noon at St. Peter’s UCC Cemetery, 8530 Harms Rd.) features local legends told among the tombstones; tours depart every 10 minutes, ages 10-plus, $20. On Oct. 29, the Murder and Mayhem in Skokie Walking Tour (5:30–7 p.m., Skokie Heritage Museum, 8031 Floral Ave.) explores tales from an attempted murder of the village’s founding father to eccentric emergencies, ages 10-plus, $15.

Teens, tweens and night games

  • Teen Glow Pickleball/Dodgeball on Oct. 16, 6–8 p.m. at Glencoe’s Weinberg Family Recreation Center (305 Randolph Rd.) lights up the courts for grades 5–12; admission is $20.
  • Evanston’s 10th Annual Zombie Scramble on Oct. 18 (times vary from the Evanston Ecology Center, 2024 McCormick Blvd.) challenges participants ages 2 and up to protect their “lives” on a zombie-infested course; $35 for residents, $46 for non-residents.
  • Northbrook’s Halloween 3K Fun Run on Oct. 24, 6–7:30 p.m. at Techny Prairie Park and Fields (1700 Techny Rd.) invites ages 5 and up to race in costume, then refuel with refreshments and games. Individuals are $15; a family of four is $45.

Northbrook’s ice gets a glow-up, too: Kooky Spooky Skate spins at the Sports Center (1730 Pfingsten Rd.) Oct. 17 from 7 to 9 p.m. All ages are welcome; it’s $5 for skaters in costume, $7 otherwise, with $4 rentals.

Boos for kids — and brews for adults

The Grove saves a campfire seat for grown-ups with Hops and Haunts on Oct. 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. (1421 Milwaukee Ave., Glenview). The night pairs local craft beer under the stars with storytellers sharing eerie legends—costumes optional, courage encouraged.

Elsewhere, the season makes room for seniors and pets. Northbrook’s Halloween Treats and Bingo (Oct. 24, 1:30–3 p.m. at Techny Prairie Activity Center, 180 Anets Dr.) is for ages 55 and up; wear a costume to enter a contest. It’s $13 for Northbrook Senior Center members, $19 for nonmembers. The Halloween Pet Parade steps off Oct. 23, 5–6 p.m. at Techny Prairie Park & Fields (1700 Techny Rd.), with awards for best look-alike, best pet-owner combo and spookiest animal; $10 per pet, ages 18 and up.

Community touchstones

Neighborhood traditions bookend the schedule. A free Costume Swap runs Oct. 11, 1–3 p.m. at Evanston’s Noyes Cultural Arts Center (927 Noyes St.), a budget-friendly way to refresh wardrobes. In Glencoe, Movies on the Green screens Hocus Pocus at dusk on Oct. 17 on the Takiff Center front lawn (999 Green Bay Rd.), with a rain plan to move inside. And the North Suburban YMCA hosts Trunk or Treat Oct. 19, 1–3 p.m. at 2705 Techny Rd. in Northbrook, with a youth costume contest and entertainment.

What the numbers say

If this year feels particularly busy, that tracks with national trends. The National Retail Federation projects U.S. Halloween spending will reach a record $13.1 billion in 2025, with 73% of consumers planning to celebrate—handing out candy, decorating and dressing up among the top activities, according to the National Retail Federation. “Whether it’s dressing in costume or carving a pumpkin, more consumers plan to take part in Halloween activities and traditions. Retailers are prepared to ensure the shopping experience is a treat for consumers this Halloween season,” said Katherine Cullen, NRF vice president, in a statement from the National Retail Federation. She added, “Even with concerns about price increases due to tariffs, Halloween continues to resonate with consumers of all ages,” said Katherine Cullen, NRF vice president, via the National Retail Federation.

Inflation remains part of the backdrop. “The effect of surging prices and persistent inflation on Halloween shopper spending is undeniable,” said Andy Keenan, executive vice president, Advantage Solutions, in reporting shared by GlobeNewswire. Even so, newsrooms and researchers found households continued to invest in costumes and décor last year, with average spending near $150 per household, according to Medill Spiegel (Northwestern University).

That willingness is mirrored locally. The North Shore’s combination of high household incomes and family-oriented neighborhoods creates a ready audience for festivals and ticketed experiences, according to North Shore (Chicago). Communities such as Northbrook (35,222 residents in 2020, with about 20.8% under 18) and Vernon Hills (26,850 residents, nearly 29.2% under 18) blend purchasing power with a large youth share. In Winnetka, per-capita income tops $123,000 and median household income has exceeded $250,000 in recent estimates—numbers that help explain why premium experiences tend to find an eager market.

One more lap around the rink

There’s still more on the docket: a Kooky Spooky Candy Trail Oct. 25 (3–5 p.m., $12) at Oakton Park in Skokie; a family-friendly Bug-A-Boo at the Evanston Ecology Center the same day; and Northbrook Theatre Youth Company’s production of “13 Jr.” Oct. 25–26 at Field Middle School (tickets $15 plus fees). If you’d rather lace up skates, Skokie’s Skatium Ice Arena hosts a Halloween Skate & Costume Contest on Oct. 24 from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. (admission $10; skate rental $4; goodie bags for skaters 14 and under).

From popcorn flicks to glowstick haunts, the season’s mix shows how the region celebrates together—kids, teens, adults and pets all in the rotation. On these crisp nights, it’s a short hop from a pumpkin patch to a campfire, and from a family hayride to a grown-up ghost story. The only hard part is choosing what to do first.