Uncover the hidden horrors of Iowa City with our expertly crafted Halloween guide, your key to unlocking a world of frightful fun and bone-chilling adventures. Explore Iowa City's haunted history through our guide, tailored for longtime spirits and fresh souls in town.
This season, immerse yourself in the eerie atmosphere of the popular Phantom Fall Fest, where ghostly attractions and seasonal festivities combine for a unique experience. For those seeking a spirited night out, the Iowa City Official Halloween Bar Crawl 2024 features themed drinks and costumes across various local pubs. And the chilling Circle of Ash is something you definitely don't want to miss, offering an immersive experience into the dark legends of the area. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
Please contact us if you have suggestions or corrections!
Join the Iowa City Discussion!
See the Latest Halloween News for Iowa City!
Top Halloween Events In and Around Iowa City
- Iowa City Official Halloween Bar Crawl 2024
- Phantom Fall Fest (Altoona)
- Circle of Ash (Central City)
- 11th Annual Halloween Bash
- Halloween Activities at Iowa Children's Museum (Coralville)
- Eclypse Haunted Attraction
- Thrashers House of Terror (Mount Pleasant)
- HalloWEEK (Coralville)
- Downtown Fall Shop Crawl
- Follow the Halloween Trail (North Liberty)
See these and even more events listed below!
Iowa City Area Haunted Experiences
Circle of Ash
What to Expect:
The unique feature of Circle of Ash is its diverse range of haunted attractions, including a traditional indoor haunted house, a funhouse maze, and a haunted forest, all designed to provide a comprehensive and terrifying experience.
Description:
Circle of Ash Haunted Attraction is Iowa's scariest haunted house, offering three terrifying attractions: a traditional indoor haunted house, a walkthrough funhouse maze filled with terrorizing clowns, and a haunted forest brimming with monsters. The event features intense environmental effects like strobe lights and fog, making it a challenging and frightening experience. Visitors can also enjoy additional activities such as laser tag, VR games, and themed VIP lounges.
Where: Central City | More Info: Circle of Ash
Eclypse Haunted Attraction
What to Expect:
Immersive horror experience with total darkness and unexpected scares.
Description:
Eclypse Haunted Attraction in Iowa City, Iowa, offers a thrilling and terrifying experience through a monastery setting where visitors encounter nuns, monks, and other eerie inhabitants. The event features a very scary atmosphere, recommended for ages 15 and up, with a unique walkthrough experience that includes total darkness and unexpected scares.
Where: Iowa City | More Info: Eclypse Haunted Attraction
Thrashers House of Terror
What to Expect:
The unique feature of Thrashers House of Terror is its immersive and intense scare experience, featuring special effect lighting, intense audio, and physically demanding environments designed to terrify visitors.
Description:
Thrashers House of Terror is a premier haunted attraction in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, offering an 18-year legacy of heart-pounding scares. From clowns to mad doctors, the experience is designed to be terrifying and unforgettable. With special effect lighting, intense audio, and physically demanding environments, this haunt promises an unparalleled experience for thrill-seekers.
Where: Mount Pleasant | More Info: Thrashers House of Terror
Mayhem Haunted House
What to Expect:
A highly detailed and scary haunted house experience with a strong focus on set design and décor.
Description:
Mayhem Haunted House is a highly acclaimed haunted attraction located in Ottumwa, Iowa. It has been voted the best haunted house in Iowa multiple times, including in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. The event features a terrifying experience with detailed set design and décor, ensuring a spine-chilling experience for all visitors. It operates on select dates in October and November, with admission costing $15 per person.
Where: Ottumwa | More Info: Mayhem Haunted House
Family-Friendly Fall Activities Near Iowa City
Halloween Activities at Iowa Children's Museum
What to Expect:
A variety of sensory-friendly and pumpkin-themed activities for all ages.
Description:
This Halloween, the Iowa Children's Museum is offering festive activities for the whole family. Enjoy events designed to spark creativity and fun, including sensory-friendly experiences and pumpkin-themed adventures. The museum will also feature thrilling pumpkin SPLATS and other not-too-spooky activities.
Where: Coralville | More Info: Halloween Activities at Iowa Children's Museum
11th Annual Halloween Bash
What to Expect:
The event features a GIANT CANDY GRAB activity, ensuring attendees go home with tons of goodies.
Description:
The 11th Annual Halloween Bash is a family-friendly event hosted by Iowa City Moms. This year's celebration promises to be epic with games, crafts, and activities. Enjoy indoor trick-or-treating and the return of the GIANT CANDY GRAB. Costumes are encouraged but not required. The event aims to minimize crowds by offering two time slots, ensuring shorter lines at each activity. Adults and babies under one year old are free, but registration is required for an accurate headcount.
Where: Iowa City | More Info: 11th Annual Halloween Bash
HalloWEEK
What to Expect:
A harvest-themed Halloween celebration with various fun activities like building a scarecrow and making a pizza with creepy-crawly toppings.
Description:
Join the Iowa Children's Museum for a week of not-too-scary Halloween activities that kids of all ages will enjoy Farmer Pete is turning the museum into his pumpkin patch, offering harvest-themed fun with activities like building a scarecrow, making a pizza with creepy-crawly toppings, and going on a pumpkin scavenger hunt. The event includes extra Halloween activities on October 31st, with costumes encouraged but not required. All activities are included with museum admission, and it's free for members.
Where: Coralville | More Info: HalloWEEK
Follow the Halloween Trail
What to Expect:
A self-guided trick-or-treat trail around Liberty Centre Pond with friendly ghosts and Spooktacular decorations.
Description:
Join the Follow the Halloween Trail event in North Liberty on October 11, 2024, for a fun-filled family outing. Trick-or-treat your way around Liberty Centre Pond with friendly ghosts, enjoy Spooktacular decorations, and capture photo opportunities. This self-guided event offers two time sessions for daylight and evening experiences, encouraging costumes and fresh air.
Where: North Liberty | More Info: Follow the Halloween Trail
Downtown Fall Shop Crawl
What to Expect:
A leisurely shopping experience with seasonal drinks and a costume contest.
Description:
The Downtown Fall Shop Crawl in Iowa City is an evening event that combines shopping with festive drinks and activities. Participants can enjoy apple cider, spiked punches, and fall sangria while browsing through local stores. The event also features a costume contest and special deals to kick off the holiday season.
Where: Iowa City | More Info: Downtown Fall Shop Crawl
Falliday Market
What to Expect:
A seasonal and holiday-inspired market with a variety of unique homemade items and seasonal greenery.
Description:
The Falliday Market at Lowe Park Arts & Environment Center is a seasonal and holiday-inspired event featuring over 70 vendors selling unique homemade items, crafts, home decor, yummy treats, and seasonal greenery. Peruse vendor booths both indoors and outdoors from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Where: Marion | More Info: Falliday Market
Coralville Halloween Trick or Treating
What to Expect:
Trick-or-treating with safety guidelines and tips provided by the city.
Description:
Coralville's city-wide Halloween trick-or-treating event will take place on October 31, 2024, from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM. Trick-or-treaters should be supervised by an adult, avoid homes with outdoor lights turned off, and follow safety guidelines to ensure a fun and safe experience.
Where: Coralville | More Info: Coralville Halloween Trick or Treating
Phantom Fall Fest
What to Expect:
A Halloween celebration that offers both family-friendly daytime activities and terrifying nighttime experiences.
Description:
Phantom Fall Fest at Adventureland Resort is a unique Halloween event that caters to both families and thrill-seekers. It offers a dual-themed approach with kid-friendly activities during the day, including trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting, and family rides. As night falls, the park transforms into a frightful experience with haunted houses, scare zones, and live performances that promise an adrenaline-pumping experience.
Where: Altoona | More Info: Phantom Fall Fest
Halloween Food, Drink, and Parties Near Iowa City
Iowa City Official Halloween Bar Crawl 2024
What to Expect:
A night of bar-hopping with unique Halloween-themed drinks and activities.
Description:
Join us for a spooktacular night of bar-hopping at the Iowa City Official Halloween Bar Crawl on October 26, 2024. This event features over 4+ venues, including Donnelly's Pub, with free entry, 2-3 drinks or shots, Halloween swag, and a free after-party. Enjoy live DJs at select venues, participate in a $2,000 value Halloween costume contest, and capture memories with our photographer and videographer. This is an unforgettable experience with thousands of crawlers, Halloween drink specials, and waived door cover charges.