Fall Festivals
Old-fashioned farm fun featuring U-pick pumpkins, wagon rides, and pumpkin donuts.
20 family-friendly fall activities in Norton Shores and nearby.
Norton Shores families can find Halloween fun at various locations, from local parks and farms to unique attractions in nearby towns. Consider the bigger draws like Zoo Goes Boo or Halloween at Frederik Meijer Gardens, or perhaps a more localized experience such as Zeeland Downtown Trick or Treat.
Annual German festival with live music, alphorns, contests, and dachshund racing.
25 years of terrifying experiences across multiple themed attractions
One-mile walking tour exploring Grand Rapids' dark history and haunted locations.
See all trunk-or-treats, pumpkin patches, and kid-friendly events nearby.
The first weekend of October has full activities and the thinnest crowds; the two weekends before Halloween are wall-to-wall wagons. If you want the buzz, go peak; if you want photos without strangers in them, go early. Late September often means opening deals. For trunk-or-treats and costume parades, the weekend before Halloween is usually the only option, so book patches around it.
Daytime, non-spooky hayrides are generally fine from infancy if a lap adult holds the child the whole ride; wagons bounce hard over field ruts. Sit toward the center, away from wheel edges, and skip rides where kids sit on loose hay bales without sides. Evening "haunted" versions with actors are a different product, so check which one you're queueing for.
Build the costume a size up over a thermal base layer, and choose designs where a coat reads as part of the look, capes, robes, and animal onesies win October. Face paint beats masks in drizzle, and clear ponchos exist for downpour parades. For evening events, add reflective tape and glow bracelets. Test the full layered outfit at home once before the night.