Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which means the whole weekend belongs to costumes, candy and the question every parent asks by mid-October: where are we going? Here is the family-friendly side of Halloween in Dallas-Fort Worth, with no jump scares, no chainsaws and nothing that will keep a five-year-old awake at 2 a.m.
Boo at the Zoo at the Fort Worth Zoo is the one most families plan around. It runs Friday through Sunday, October 23 to 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. across the zoo’s 64 acres. Trick-or-treat stations are spread throughout the park, and each admission includes six treat coupons. There are Halloween-themed animal shows, strolling characters and a community Pumpkin Patch display near the Picnic Outpost where local artists and families show off their painted and carved pumpkins. Costumes are welcome and expected. Boo at the Zoo is included with regular zoo admission, which runs $22 for adults, $18 for seniors and children and free for kids under 3. The zoo closes early at 2 p.m. on event days to set up, so plan your arrival accordingly. The Fort Worth Zoo is at 1989 Colonial Parkway.
On Saturday, October 24, Klyde Warren Park hosts its sixth annual Trick-or-Treating in the Park from 5 to 9 p.m. It is free, it is downtown, and it draws a big family crowd every year. Kids trick-or-treat through the park, there is a costume contest and the evening wraps with an outdoor movie. The park is at 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway.
That same Saturday afternoon, the Meadows Museum at SMU holds its Family Day Trick or Treat from 2 to 4 p.m. It is completely free. Kids trick-or-treat through the museum, make art, listen to stories and explore the galleries in costume. Strollers are welcome and changing tables are available. It is a quieter afternoon, and a nice change of pace from the big outdoor festivals. The museum is at 5900 Bishop Blvd.
In Grapevine, the Trick ‘R Treat Trains run on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad on Saturday and Sunday, October 24 and 25. Kids ride in costume on a short Halloween-themed trip out of the historic Cotton Belt Depot. Departure times vary, so check the schedule before you go. Tickets have sold out in past years.
Tricks and Treats at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington is the daytime side of the park’s Halloween season, and it runs on weekends from September 12 through November 1. While Fright Fest takes over at night with haunted mazes and scare zones, Tricks and Treats wraps up by 5 p.m. and keeps everything kid-friendly. There is a trick-or-treat trail in the France section of the park, a hay bale maze, pumpkin and mask painting, a kids’ costume contest and dance parties with the Looney Tunes characters in Halloween costumes. Local magician Mike Williams performs close-up magic, and Casa Magnética gets a DÃa de los Muertos overlay. Tricks and Treats is included with park admission, and Six Flags says it is designed for families who want the Halloween fun without the fear. The park is at 2201 E. Road to Six Flags in Arlington.
For the youngest kids, Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Grapevine runs on weekends throughout October. It is built for the under-10 crowd, with LEGO building activities, a costume parade and trick-or-treat stations inside the center. Tickets are timed, so book ahead.
On Friday, October 30, the Dallas Zoo holds Dog Days, where you can bring your costumed dog to the zoo. It is included with admission and is exactly as fun as it sounds. The Dallas Zoo is at 650 S. R. L. Thornton Freeway.
Halloween morning itself starts at Klyde Warren Park again. Stage Fright: A Halloween Family Festival returns to Klyde Warren Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. It is free with an RSVP, and it fills the park with crafts, performances and one more round of costumes before the real trick-or-treating starts at dark.
That afternoon, Trick or Treat on Downtown Streets takes over parts of downtown Dallas from 4 to 7 p.m. Participating businesses hand out candy along the route, and it is free. Check the Downtown Dallas Inc. website closer to the date for the map.
Out in the suburbs, trunk-or-treats are everywhere. The bigger ones include Boo Downtown Rowlett on October 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. at 3809 Main St., with carnival rides, a DJ and a costume contest, and the Grapevine Police Department’s trunk-or-treat on October 24 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Grapevine High School, 3223 Mustang Drive. Both are free.
If you want pumpkins and a hayride first, Hall’s Pumpkin Farm in Grapevine runs through November 1 and is the old-school patch that families in this part of the Metroplex grew up with. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for kids, cash only.
One last tip. Halloween Saturday will be packed at every event on this list, so if your kids are small and crowds are a concern, go on Friday the 23rd to Boo at the Zoo or plan for Sunday morning at the pumpkin farm. The weather should cooperate. Late October in DFW usually means highs in the low 70s, which is about as good as it gets for a costume.
