No fear! Family-friendly ideas for Halloween weekend
Want to do more Halloween weekend than just sift through your candy? Below you will find a list of ideas designed with families in mind. The fear factor, in other words, is dialed down or limited to an attraction or two.
If you'd rather be scared silly, check out our listing of haunted houses here. And if you're looking for after-hours grown-up fun — think creepy cocktails — click here. For other ideas, check out dailyherald.com/calendar.
Regardless, Happy Halloween!
Fall Color Festival: 7 a.m. to sunset Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, at Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. See the fall colors of trees and plants along with nature-themed scarecrows. Halloween scavenger hunt for kids runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Costumes are encouraged. Theater hikes at 3 p.m. Saturday. Costs vary with activities. Kids younger than 17 admitted free on Halloween. (630) 968-0074 or mortonarb.org.
Cosley Zoo's Pumpkin Fest: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 30-31, at Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Straw pyramid, cornstalk tunnel and more. $4-$5; free for kids, zoo members and Wheaton Park District residents (with ID). cosleyzoo.org.
Trick or Treat on MainStreet: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. Trick or treat the stores in downtown Libertyville. Free. mainstreetlibertyville.org.
Halloween Fest: 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Elk Grove Village Pavilion, 1000 Wellington Ave., Elk Grove Village. Food, spooky games, family costume parade, pumpkin decorating, music, hayride and a not-so-scary haunted house. $10-$14 at the door. (847) 437-9494 or elkgroveparks.org.
Brick-or-Treat at Legoland: Noon to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Legoland Discovery Center, at Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg. Activities for all ages include a haunted village with four miniature lands of Lego mummies, swamp creatures and zombies. The Master Model Builder's workshop has been transformed into a Crazy Professor's Lab. There are also scary scavenger hunts, raffles and photo opportunities. General admission is $18 per person. Special rates available online. Wear your Halloween costume for a $5 admission discount. www.legolanddiscoverycenter.
Hayrides and family movie night: 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at Cantigny, 1 S 151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Enjoy a tractor-pulled hayride around the park before a screening of “Monster House” in the Visitor Center Theater. Free program; $2 parking. (630) 668-5161.
Vernon Hills Fall Fest: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Sullivan Community Center, 635 Aspen Drive, Vernon Hills. Indoor trick-or-treating, magic show, face painter, carnival games, costume contest and concessions. $1-$5. vhparkdistrict.org.
Trunk or Treat: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at Fox Valley Christian Church, 40W150 Main St., Batavia. Kids can trick-or-treat, eat and play games in a safe environment. Car trunks will be decorated and kids will play games to win candy. Other highlights include inflatables and snacks. Free. (630) 208-8484.
Tour de BlackBOOrry Family Bike Race: 9 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Stops along the way with drinks and snacks, plus there's a carousel and a bounce house. $15-$20. foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.
Palatine Halloween Party: 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 31, at Palatine Park District, 250 E. Wood St., Palatine. For ages 1-10. Jack-o-lantern gym for the small ones, carnival games, craft table, coldblooded creature show and puppet show. $5-$7. palatineparks.org.
Halloween at Volo Autumn Museum: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Volo Auto Museum, 27582 Volo Village Road, Volo. See spooky cars such including a rover from the movie “Alien” and the “Ghostbusters” Ecto-1. Rich Koz, aka Svengoolie, will meet and greet visitors from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. A photographer will be taking photos of visitors with Svengoolie. Pictures will be posted to the museum's Facebook page, where visitors can download them for free Children are invited to trick-or-treat among costumed characters. Admission is $14.95 for adults and $8.95 for children ages 5 to 12. Children ages 4 and younger are admitted free. (815) 385-3644 or volocars.com.
Bartlett Heritage Halloween Fest: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Costume parade for kids/pets at Bartlett Village Hall, 228 S. Main St. “Monster Mash” dance contest, Wheel of Torture prizes, music, games and treats. Free. Maps at participating locations and bartlettheritagedays.com. (630) 924-4263.
Fall Festival: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at West Ridge Community Church, 3300 Encounter Lane, Elgin. Trunk-or-Treat, chili cook-off, bouncy house, face painting, games, play instruments at music stations and more. Free. westridgechurch.net.
Halloweenfest 2015: 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Bowen Park, 1800 N. Sheridan Road, Waukegan. Food vendors, family activities, haunted house, enchanted walk, magic shows, storytelling by the bonfire, games, maze, train rides and a costume contest. Event runs rain or shine. Free. waukeganparks.org.
‘The Headless Horseman': 7:30 and 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Improv Playhouse, 735 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. See a staged radio drama of Washington Irving's classic tale “The Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow.” The 60-minute adaptation is suitable for all audiences. Improv Playhouse will celebrate Halloween with treats, a costume contest and a few surprises. Advance tickets costs $12 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets at door cost $15 for adults and $7.50 for students ($2 off for those wearing a Halloween costume). (847) 968-4529 or improvplayhouse.com.