The Rockford region is the perfect location for an October getaway.  Book a trip during October, and you will find plenty of scary and not so scary events and attractions that can be paired with a visit to one of our three apple orchards:  Curran's, Edward's Apple Orchard West and Valley Orchard.  While in town, make sure you pick up some fall treats (no tricks here!)

Family-Friendly Spooky Events

Eerie Autumn Lights
Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Gardens | October 2-October 26 | Open 5 p.m. Thursday – Sunday
This family-friendly event invites you to experience the enchantment of fall as the gardens and pathways are illuminated with spectacular light displays. Stroll through the beautifully lit arboretum, where nature and art converge, and bask in the mesmerizing glow of autumnal colors. 
Eerie Autumn Lights
Eerie Autumn Lights

All Hallows Eve
Midway Village Museum | October 25 | 12-6 p.m.
Midway Village Museum's All Hallows Eve is a unique trick-or-treating experience, fun for the whole family.  Wagon rides, face painting, and crafts add to the event. Dress in costume and explore over 20 decorated historic buildings in the picturesque Victorian village.  Some buildings may contain spooky surprises.  

Spook the Blocks
Downtown Rockford | October 25 | 12-4 p.m.
Over 20 businesses and restaurants are part of Spook The Blocks, a trick-or-treat adventure that takes visitors throughout downtown Rockford.  Families can grab a coffee, lunch, and shop local while filling those candy bags.  

Spooktacular Halloween
Anderson Japanese Gardens | October 25 | 2-5 p.m.
Trick-or-treating, Halloween crafts, photo ops, and more await you at Anderson Japanese Gardens.  The fall color in the gardens is not to be missed. 

Festival of Frights
Sinnissippi Park | October 24-31 | Open at 5 p.m.
This delightful drive-through Halloween light display at beautiful Sinnissippi Park collects donations to provide costumes for kids in need.  Enjoy a 12-foot skeleton, werewolf, and more with this magical fright fest.  Admission is free.

Spook the Dells
Severson Dells | October 18 | 6-8 p.m.
This family-friendly event includes a walk on a paved path and an interactive theater experience showcasing nocturnal animals that call the woods home.  Enjoy a s’more while learning about these animals.  Admission is $8 per person. 

Haunted Burpee
Burpee Museum of Natural History | October 24-26 | Fri. 5-9 p.m.; Sat. 
Say hi to Jane the T. rex and visit Burpee for spooky science and graveyards. Add on a ticket to tour the haunted Barnes Mansion, next door to Burpee.

Ghost Tours and Paranormal Events 

Haunted Rockford is offering a variety of events, including a Haunted Pub Bus Tour and Rockford's Most Haunted, which explores three haunted locations in Rockford, Tinker Swiss Cottage, Veteran's Memorial Hall, and Graham-Ginestra House. All of these sites have reported paranormal activity and apparitions.  Tickets sell out quickly, so it's recommended to buy them in advance. Tinker Swiss Cottage is hosting several paranormal tours in October.  The house has been featured in several paranormal T.V. shows.    

DTN - ROS - Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum & Gardens
Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum & Gardens

Terrifying Attractions 

Looking for thrills this Halloween? Rockford’s Twisted Crypt delivers 10,000 square feet of jump scares, recommended for ages 13 and up. Scary Perry’s adds to the fright with a haunted hayride and costume shop full of masks and Halloween gear. Just north in South Beloit, the Northern Illinois Fear Fest ups the scare factor with a haunted barn, creepy carnival, and haunted hayride.

Spooky Shops and Oddities 

The Rockford Region has no shortage of spooky shopping stops. Wolf Hollow Gift Shoppe is open year-round with gothic décor, handmade jewelry, and mystical treasures. Downtown, Rockford Art Deli prints Halloween designs including another “The Mothman of Rockford,” inspired by the Netflix Unsolved Mysteries episode. Culture Shock carries merchandise from classic Halloween movies and TV shows, while Scavenged Parts offers one-of-a-kind oddities and repurposed curiosities perfect for the season.

Trunk or Treats

There's no shortage of trunk or treats and trick-or-treating events in the Rockford region. Every weekend in October, families can find an event to make the most out of their costumes.  In nearby Rockton, check out the Main Street Trick-or-Treat or Pecatonica for their fall festival. View our events calendar for all Halloween events and book your trip today!