Spooky season is just around the corner, and if you’re looking to plan ahead for this year’s festivities, we’ve got you covered!
From immersive experiences to annual scares that have become Toronto tradition, here are some the best things to do this Halloween 2024 in and around Toronto.
1. See a chilling Candlelight Halloween Concert
Get the chills in more ways than one at a Candlelight Halloween Concert this fall! Set in an atmospheric venue to the soft glow of flickering candlelight, you’re sure to get goosebumps as a talented string quartet covers classic renditions of your favourite horror theme songs! From Michael Jackson’s Thriller to Time Warp from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, sit back and enjoy as the musicians take you on a hauntingly beautiful journey. Grab tickets to these Halloween-themed Candlelight concerts here!
When:Various dates
Where: Various locations
2. Test your courage at Canada’s Wonderland Halloween Haunt
One of the best places to get a real scare this Halloween is Canada’s Wonderland for their annual Halloween Haunt event. Running from September 27 through November 2, the park will undergo a sinister transformation featuring five hair-raising scare zones complete with hundreds of monsters, terrifying live entertainment, haunted mazes, and thrilling theme park night rides. If you’ve always wanted to play a monster, they’re now hiring for the upcoming season where you’ll literally get paid to scare guests!
When: Select nights from September 27 – November 2, 2024
Where: Canada’s Wonderland – 9580 Jane St, Vaughan
3. Unravel a dark plot at Black Creek Pioneer Village
A terrible evil force has possessed the people of the Village of Black Creek, and it’s your mission to help them break free from the curse! This fall, participate in Toronto’s largest escape room at Black Creek Pioneer Village, Where Dark Things Dwell. Solve puzzles with your friends or family and see if you can escape – before it’s too late! The epic escape room has dates from September through November, with tickets starting at $28.84 and up depending on your time slot.
When: Various dates from September through November
Where: Black Creek Pioneer Village – 1000 Murray Ross Parkway, Toronto
4. Get spooky at Illumi
This October, Mississauga is bringing back its fan-favourite tradition Spooky at Illumi for a third consecutive year, starting October 3, 2024. Perfect for all ages, the immersive experiences lets visitors explore autumn and Halloween scenes set to the soundtracks from iconic horror movies. From whimsical jack-o-lanterns to neon skeletons, this family-friendly event will get you in the Halloween spirit!
When: October 3 – early November, 2024
Where: 7174 Derrycrest Dr, Mississauga
5. Participate in a spine-tingling séance
Communicate with the other side this Halloween season at The Stanley Garrison Séance, led by renowned séance host Jaymes White known for his sold-out events. Not for the faint of heart, guests 18 and older will get the opportunity to encounter the spirits that are said to inhabit the historic Stanley Barracks, which is rarely open to the public. Tickets are priced at $68.66 per person.
When: September 27 – November 30, 2024
Where: Stanley Barracks – 11 Princes’ Blvd. at Exhibition Place, Toronto
6. Embark on a ghost tour of Toronto
Set out on a chilling paranormal adventure as you uncover Toronto’s dark history with a ghost tour. The Original Haunted Walk of Toronto is sure to get you in the Halloween spirit as you are told spine-tingling ghost stories about the city’s various haunted theatres, unsolved mysteries, spooky historic buildings, and secrets hiding in plain sight.
When: Various dates
Where: 10 Front Street W, Toronto
7. Tiptoe through Legends of Horror at Casa Loma
Every October, the grounds of Toronto’s iconic Casa Loma transforms into a terrifying immersive theatrical experience. Legends of Horror features a 2 km trail to explore, which leads you through the lower gardens before winding its way through the castle’s tunnels and darkest spaces complete with horrifying character actors. For those with little ones, they also offer Family Hours earlier in the evening without actors before it gets too dark!
When: October 3 – November 2, 2024
Where: Casa Loma – 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto
8. Face your fears at Screemers
Toronto’s original haunted attraction Screemers is back for its 30th season of terror, returning to Assembly Park in Vaughan this October! Creep through haunted mazes riddled with creepy live actors, watch spooky stage shows, and encounter realistic props. There’s also going to be exciting Midway rides, food trucks, and so much more.
When: October 11 – November 1, 2024
Where: 80 Interchange Way, Concord
9. Go trick-or-treating at the Toronto Zoo
Each October, The Toronto Zoo welcomes trick-or-treaters to fill up their bags with goodies before getting to meet the adorable animals. Dates for 2024 are still TBA, so check back closer to the date!
When: Dates TBD
Where: Toronto Zoo – 2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto
10. Survive a zombie apocalypse at Casa Loma
A zombie apocalypse has broken out, and your only chance to escape it is by uncovering the secrets of the Biolux labs! Visit Casa Loma’s newest Halloween attraction, a 30-minute escape room set in a two-story historic building. The pressure is intensified with zombies lurking in every corner. While you’re at Casa Loma, be sure to check out Legends of Horror, to which you can get a combination ticket with your Zombie Apocalypse Escape Room!
11. Marvel at stunning pumpkin carvings at Pumpkins After Dark
Just under an hour from Toronto, over in Milton, is a family-friend activity in Toronto perfect for Halloween. Country Heritage Park will be putting on Pumpkins After Dark, a grand display of dazzling lights, spooky installations, and more pumpkins than a pumpkin patch. Over 10,000 hand-carved pumpkins will be on display inspired by a myriad of different characters, countries, and more.
When: September 28 – October 30, 2024
Where: 8560 Tremaine Road, Milton
12. Take a road trip to some of Ontario’s most haunted destinations
Ontario certainly has its fair share of dark secrets, and ghost hunters have a long list of places to check off their list in this province. From old, rickety lighthouses to haunted jails, we’ve rounded up some of the most spooky destinations to road trip to this fall.
When: Various dates
Where: Various locations
13. Do the Monster Mash on Church Street
Celebrate October 31st at Canada’s biggest Halloween block party, Halloween on Church Street. Toronto’s iconic Village will transform into a massive street party for the evening, becoming a pedestrian-only boulevard as of 6 p.m. Thousands will flock in their best costumes, and the street’s shops, restaurants, and bars will host various themed events and activities. The best part? It’s completely free to attend!
When: October 31, 2024
Where: Church Street, Toronto
14. Dare to enter Martino Manor
Lauded as Toronto’s most terrifying haunted attraction, Martino Manor’s 3-story haunted house isn’t for the faint of heart! The spine-chilling experience in Etobicoke features a scary manor guests can explore filled with authentic Victorian and Depression Era decor, along with a spooky outdoor maze complete with live actors, advanced animatronics, and film-quality set design. Creep through eerie settings like the well house, mausoleum, morgue, chapel, and solarium. Martino Manor opens for the season on October 4, and tickets range from $19.99 – $29.99 available at the door.
When: October 4 – November 2, 2024
Where: 7 McIntosh Ave, Etobicoke
15. Join a ghost walk through Exhibition Place
Uncover the secret history behind Exhibition Place’s landmark buildings this Halloween season with an evening haunted ghost walk. Led by Steve Collie from After Dark Tours, this two-hour tour takes you behind closed doors, revealing the well-kept secrets and origins of our other-worldly neighbours. Tickets are priced at $15 with all proceeds going to United Way.
When: October 4 – 29, 2024
Where: General Services Building at Exhibition Place – 2 Manitoba Drive, Toronto
16. Catch a horror movie screening for free
See a classic horror movie for free this October in Toronto’s historic Distillery District, which will be hosting four Halloween-themed movie nights presented by Soulpepper Theatre Company at the Yonge Centre for the Performing Arts. The line-up includes The Shining, Funny Games, Ready or Not, and Midsommar on October 4, 11, 18, and October 25.
When: October 4, 11, 18, 25, 2024
Where: Yonge Centre for the Performing Arts – 50 Tank House Lane, Toronto