Carrboro Family-Friendly Fall Activities 2026

Hillsborough 12 mi Free

Free community festival featuring pumpkin decorating, costume contests, and inflatables.

Illustration of a Halloween craft scene with clay kids, a friendly ghost, bats and glowing pumpkins under party bunting (Pumpkin Patch Express at the Museum of Life and Science)

Pumpkin Patch Express at the Museum of Life and Science

Sep 26 – Oct 25

Durham 13 mi $$

Train ride on the Ellerbe Creek Railway

Dark at the BallPark

Burlington 22 mi Free

Community trick-or-treating, live music, and a Halloween fireworks show.

Illustration of glowing jack-o'-lanterns, candles, pumpkin seeds and small figures on a wooden table under string lights (Goatober Fest: Carving Pumpkins with Goats)

Goatober Fest: Carving Pumpkins with Goats

Aug 12 – Nov 1

Chapel Hill 6 mi $$

Carve pumpkins alongside goats who enjoy the scraps.

The Family Fun Park

Sat, Sep 19

Raleigh 13 mi $$

Farm park featuring a corn maze, mega slide, and wagon rides.

Illustration of glowing carved jack o'lanterns, candles, and small figures with tools on a wooden table under string lights (Pumpkin Flotilla at Bond Park)

Pumpkin Flotilla at Bond Park

Fri, Oct 23

Cary 17 mi

Carved jack-o’-lanterns set sail across Bond Park Lake at twilight.

Illustration of small costumed children and a witch on a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales and orange trees (Track or Treat Halloween Express)

Track or Treat Halloween Express

Oct 10 – Oct 24

Raleigh 18 mi

Festive train ride through the woods featuring spooky Halloween characters and surprises.

Illustration of costumed figures near striped booths and pumpkin displays on a grassy town square with orange autumn trees (Skeletons for St. Jude)

Skeletons for St. Jude

Holly Springs 22 mi

Nationwide network of home Halloween displays raising funds for St. Jude.

Bull City BOOs Fest 2026

Durham 12 mi $

Features kids and adult costume contests plus a Pitbull look-alike contest

Barktoberfest

Durham 12 mi Free

Dog-friendly festival with costume contests, pet vendors, and live music.

Family Pumpkin Painting

Sat, Oct 3

Apex 18 mi $

Includes a medium pumpkin, paints, and brushes to decorate.

Illustration of three costumed clay children and little ghosts at a table with pumpkins and decorated cookies in autumn light (Downtown Monster Mash)

Downtown Monster Mash

Fri, Oct 16

Burlington 24 mi Free

Kid-friendly celebration featuring cutesy, less spooky decorations for younger children

Illustration of two small costumed children and a witch among pumpkins, hay bales and autumn trees on a sunny lawn (10/29 Boo Bash at Morrisville Community Park)

10/29 Boo Bash at Morrisville Community Park

Thu, Oct 29

Morrisville 15 mi Free

Trick-or-treating, face painting, balloon twisting, and voting on town-decorated pumpkins.

Illustration of costumed children and two witches on a lawn with pumpkins, a small tent and orange autumn trees (10/29 Park West Village Fall Festival)

10/29 Park West Village Fall Festival

Thu, Oct 29

Morrisville 16 mi Free

Features center-wide trick-or-treating, costume contests, and live music.

Illustration of a ghost and a small witch carrying a pumpkin bucket on a sidewalk past glowing porches on an autumn street (Downtown Mebane Halloween Spooktacular)

Downtown Mebane Halloween Spooktacular

Mebane 17 mi

Downtown trick-or-treating, costume awards, and live entertainment in Mebane.

Illustration of a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a small tent, a witch and costumed children under orange trees (Goblin's Groove Family Dance)

Goblin's Groove Family Dance

Apex 18 mi $

Parent-child Halloween dance featuring music, games, creepy-cute crafts, and treats.

Downtown Graham Pumpkin Bash

Graham 21 mi Free

Free annual festival featuring inflatables, trunk-or-treat, and a pumpkin smash.

Illustration of a fall festival street with big pumpkins in front, striped booths, and small figures under orange trees (Cosplay & Candy: Free Durham Truck-or-Treat Halloween Festival)

Cosplay & Candy: Free Durham Truck-or-Treat Halloween Festival

Sat, Oct 31

Durham 11 mi Free

Food truck trick-or-treating, cosplay showcase, gaming, and bounce houses.

Harvest Fest at LC Brier Creek

Durham 14 mi Free

Fall festival with live bluegrass music, games, inflatables, and local vendors.

Illustration of clay kid characters, paper bats, cotton ghosts and pumpkins on a craft table with paint pots and bunting (Sensory-Friendly Trunk-or-Treat)

Sensory-Friendly Trunk-or-Treat

Cary 16 mi Free

Decorated trunks, crafts, games, and a quiet zone for all abilities.

Illustration of a pumpkin patch with many orange pumpkins, curling vines, a wheelbarrow and a small farm stand at dusk (Fall Fun at Page Farms Pumpkin Patch)

Fall Fun at Page Farms Pumpkin Patch

Raleigh 17 mi Free

Client appreciation gathering with pumpkin picking, warm drinks, and giveaways.

Illustration of costumed children and two witches on a lawn with pumpkins, a small tent and orange autumn trees (10/30 Fall Fest featuring Epic Live at The Shepherd's Church)

10/30 Fall Fest featuring Epic Live at The Shepherd's Church

Cary 22 mi Free

Features an Epic Live show with mascot skits, inflatables, and candy.

Illustration of two costumed figures in a festive autumn street at dusk with pumpkins, string lights and a glowing bonfire (SARDUC x RDUAE Fall Fest)

SARDUC x RDUAE Fall Fest

Raleigh 24 mi Free

Celebration of local Asian-owned businesses with food, crafts, performances, and mahjong.

Fall Pumpkin Door Leaner Workshop

Thu, Sep 17

Chapel Hill $$

Paint a custom wooden door leaner for your porch using stencils.

Illustration of two small costumed children and a witch among pumpkins, hay bales and autumn trees on a sunny lawn (10/04 Halloween Play Party at Town Of Fun)

10/04 Halloween Play Party at Town Of Fun

Sun, Oct 4

Morrisville 13 mi $$

Meet and play with Spiderman and Ariel in your Halloween costume.

Illustration of small cars parked at sunset with orange balloons, tiny houses on their roofs, a pumpkin and string lights (Cary 1st Ward Fall Celebration & Trunk or Treat)

Cary 1st Ward Fall Celebration & Trunk or Treat

Cary 20 mi Free

Features food, games, and trunk-or-treating in the parking lot.

Mummy & Son Masquerade Ball

Tue, Oct 20

Cary 21 mi $

Costume evening with games, spooky stories, and fireside s'mores.

Illustration of two clay kids and cotton ghosts around a craft table with painted pumpkins, paint pots and paper bats (Date Night Trick or Treat Painting Event)

Date Night Trick or Treat Painting Event

Chapel Hill $$$

A partner painting session where one ticket covers two attendees.

Pumpkin Eve Painting Session

Chapel Hill $$

Instructor-guided painting session with music, beer, and wine for purchase.

Illustration of two small ghosts and a witch with a black cat carrying pumpkin buckets on a street of cozy houses at dusk (Kids Halloween Cupcake Class)

Kids Halloween Cupcake Class

Durham 11 mi $

Hands-on baking and decorating workshop making themed treats.

Illustration of a witch in a pointed hat reading a book in an orange armchair beside pumpkins, a lamp and black cats (Carrie Williford | Please Don't Scare the Ghost Storytime)

Carrie Williford | Please Don't Scare the Ghost Storytime

Saturday morning Halloween picture book storytime with author Carrie Williford.

Illustration of costumed figures mingling among striped festival booths, pumpkins, and orange autumn trees at dusk (BooFest at the Museum of Life and Science)

BooFest at the Museum of Life and Science

Sat, Oct 31

Durham 13 mi $$

Halloween celebration with sensory challenges and a pumpkin POP.

Fall for Five Points Festival

Raleigh 25 mi

Annual community festival celebrating the neighborhoods of Five Points.

Illustration of two small costumed children and a witch among pumpkins, hay bales and autumn trees on a sunny lawn (Marbles Kids Museum Kooky Spooky Halloween Party)

Marbles Kids Museum Kooky Spooky Halloween Party

Fri, Oct 23

Raleigh 26 mi $$

Family-friendly evening featuring science experiments, Frankentoys, and a costume parade.

Illustration of a row of cars with open trunks decorated for Halloween at sunset with balloons, pumpkins and costumed kids (NCDAC's Candy & Cars Trunk or Treat)

NCDAC's Candy & Cars Trunk or Treat

Wed, Oct 28

Raleigh 27 mi Free

Trunk-or-treat with decorated vehicles, food trucks, and a food drive.

Scarecrows on the Square

Oct 3 – Oct 31

Raleigh 25 mi

Community scarecrow displays competing to win donations for local charities.

Illustration of small costumed children and a witch on a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales and orange trees (10/30 Hello Yellow's Annual Haunted House Hangout)

10/30 Hello Yellow's Annual Haunted House Hangout

Raleigh 26 mi $$$

Drop-off kids night featuring miniature haunted house crafting and a dance party.

Spellbound at Mordecai

Raleigh 26 mi Free

Children's Halloween market with crafts, pumpkin decorating, and a costume parade.

Teens: Trick or Treat Bags

Thu, Oct 29

Craft custom Halloween candy bags for grades 6 through 12.

Illustration of smiling ghost figures and a small costumed child beside pumpkins and paint cups on a wooden table (Teens: Haunted Mushroom Terrariums)

Teens: Haunted Mushroom Terrariums

Thu, Oct 22

Craft mini haunted terrariums using mushrooms and spooky creatures.

Illustration of clay figures in costumes mingling among striped market tents and pumpkin displays under orange autumn trees (Little Explorers: From Tiny Seed to Giant Pumpkin!)

Little Explorers: From Tiny Seed to Giant Pumpkin!

Tue, Oct 13

Raleigh 26 mi Free

Preschool nature program exploring how tiny seeds become giant pumpkins.

Illustration of a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a small tent, a witch and costumed children under orange trees (10/25 Halloween Fun - Grown Up and Me Yoga at Wild @ Art)

10/25 Halloween Fun - Grown Up and Me Yoga at Wild @ Art

Sun, Oct 25

Raleigh 26 mi $$

Parent-child yoga session featuring mindful movement, balance games, and crafts.

Mini Pumpkin Painting

Sun, Oct 4

Raleigh 28 mi Free

Decorate small pumpkins using provided paints and stencils.

Illustration of small clay figures carving glowing jack-o'-lanterns on a wooden table with candles under string lights (Carrboro Pumpkin Decorating/Carving Contest)

Carrboro Pumpkin Decorating/Carving Contest

Carrboro Free

Community pumpkin decorating and carving contest

4th Annual Pawsitively Spooky Pet Fest

Cary 20 mi $

Free pet-friendly Halloween festival with costume contests.

Illustration of clay figures walking past striped market stalls and pumpkins on a paved square with orange autumn trees (Burwell School Fall Festival)

Burwell School Fall Festival

Hillsborough 12 mi Free

Annual community fall festival with pie contest and local vendors.

Step Into Halloween Village