Halloween 2026 in Raleigh: free trunk-or-treats Oct. 29-31, Haunted at the Pines Oct. 30, Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park and Fear Fest for teens.

Last checked Oct. 27, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Events and prices come from the City of Raleigh’s fall events list and its event pages.

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. Raleigh’s own parks carry the last week of the calendar, from free trunk-or-treats on the three days before Halloween to Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park. For what time to go door to door, see our trick-or-treat hours page.

Updated Oct. 27: the Haunted Trolley tours, Kooky Spooky, Spellbound and the Oct. 20-24 park events are past; the city added a Monster Mash dance on Oct. 27 and Fear Fest for teens on Oct. 31.

Who to call

  • Raleigh Parks: 919-996-3285, or prcontact@raleighnc.gov
  • Pullen Park (Pumpkin Palooza): 919-996-6468
  • Emergency: 911

At a glance

Date Event Time Where
Tuesday, Oct. 27 Monster Mash Dance and Craft Night ($5, $20 a family) 5 to 7 p.m. Pullen Community Center
Thursday, Oct. 29 Transportation and Treats (free) 4 to 7:30 p.m. Marsh Creek Community Center
Oct. 29-31 City trunk-or-treats (free) Varies Four parks and centers, below
Friday, Oct. 30 The Haunted at the Pines ($5) 8 to 10 p.m. Carolina Pines Park
Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 Pumpkin Palooza ($14) 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pullen Park
Saturday, Oct. 31 Fear Fest: Teens After Dark (free) 6 to 9 p.m. St. Monica Teen Center

Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park

Friday, Oct. 30, to Sunday, Nov. 1, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Pullen Park, 520 Ashe Ave. A $14 ticket covers a ride on the train, a digital scavenger hunt compass, fall crafts and games, and a small pumpkin to take home. The city asks families to pick a time slot and buy tickets ahead on RecLink; children’s costumes are encouraged (Pumpkin Palooza page). Pullen Park can be reached at 919-996-6468.

Trunk-or-treats

All free, from the city’s fall events list:

Event When Where Ages
Transportation and Treats 4 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 Marsh Creek Community Center All
Lions Park Trunk-Or-Treat 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 Lions Park All
Lake Lynn Trunk-Or-Treat 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 Lake Lynn Park All
Biltmore Hills Fall Festival: Trunk-Or-Treat 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 Biltmore Hills Park 3 to 13
Trunk-or-Treat and Pumpkin Parlor 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Center All

For older kids and teens

  • The Haunted at the Pines, Friday, Oct. 30, 8 to 10 p.m., Carolina Pines Park, 2305 Lake Wheeler Road. Ages 10 and up, $5 a person; register on RecLink (event page).
  • Fear Fest: Teens After Dark, Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 to 9 p.m., St. Monica Teen Center. Free, for middle and high school students ages 12 to 18.
  • Monster Mash Dance and Craft Night, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 5 to 7 p.m., Pullen Community Center. Ages 4 and up; $5 a person or $20 a family.

Already past

The Haunted Trolley tours (Oct. 16-17 and 23-24), Kooky Spooky at Marbles Kids Museum (Oct. 23), Spellbound at Mordecai and the Sanderford Road trunk-or-treat (Oct. 24), the Worthdale Fall Festival and the Pumpkin Patch Parade have all run for 2026. They return each fall, and this page will carry next year’s dates.

What this means for you

  • The Oct. 29 trunk-or-treats are the easy free picks for small children.
  • Book a Pumpkin Palooza time slot before you go; Halloween weekend is the park’s busiest.
  • The National Weather Service in Raleigh forecast a dry, mild Halloween as of Oct. 27.

More fall events are on our fall festivals and pumpkin patches page and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

What Halloween events are left in Raleigh in 2026?

Raleigh Parks lists free trunk-or-treats Oct. 29-31, The Haunted at the Pines on Oct. 30, Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 and Fear Fest for teens on Oct. 31.

When is Pumpkin Palooza at Pullen Park?

Friday, Oct. 30, to Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A $14 ticket, bought ahead for a time slot on RecLink, covers a train ride, a scavenger hunt, crafts, games and a small pumpkin.

What is The Haunted at the Pines?

A night-time scare at Carolina Pines Park, 2305 Lake Wheeler Road, from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, for ages 10 and up. It costs $5 a person, and the city says proceeds go to its Play it Forward financial assistance fund.

Are there free Halloween events in Raleigh?

Yes. The city’s trunk-or-treats Oct. 29-31 and Fear Fest: Teens After Dark on Oct. 31 are free, according to Raleigh Parks.

What are the trick-or-treat hours in Raleigh?

The city does not set official hours. Our trick-or-treat hours page has the details for Saturday, Oct. 31.