By Luke Zurawski | Daily Herald
Ongoing
Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Pedal tractors, pumpkins and fall treats for sale. On weekends, there are hayrides for $3.50 and animal shows. $5 for residents, $5.50 for nonresidents; free for kids 1 and younger and U.S. military with ID. dtpd.org/randall-oaks-zoo.
Pumpkin Splash: 6-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26-27, at The Water Works, 505 N. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. Swim with pumpkins, pool pumpkin picking, DJ entertainment and a goody bag filled with treats. For kids 12 and younger with an adult. $15-$20. Register at parkfun.com.
Jack O’Lantern World: Various times Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 26-29, at 215 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Walk a ¾-mile long trail through thousands of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns. $14.99-$24.99. thejackolanternworld.com/lakezurich.
Terror Roulette: Various times Thursday through Tuesday, Oct. 26-31, at The Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, Suite J-40, South Barrington. Haunted house challenge designed for horror fans. Tickets start at $33.60. terrorroulette.com.
Friday, Oct. 27
Libertyville Trick-or-Treat on MainStreet: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, in downtown Libertyville. Trick-or-treat at participating stores displaying an orange pumpkin on their door or window. Free. mainstreetlibertyville.org.
Schaumburg Halloween Carnival: 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28; 6-9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29; and 6-10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 30-31, at Wintrust Field Parking Lot, 1999 S. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. Spooky rides, a House of Creeps haunted house, food, trick-or-treating, seasonally themed arts and crafts, live music and more. Free; parking is $5. Haunted house admission is $17.50 online, $20 at the door. wintrustfield.com.
Vernon Hills Fall Fest: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at the Sullivan Community Center, 635 N. Aspen Drive, Vernon Hills. Family event featuring indoor trick-or-treating, balloon art, black light dance party and a costume contest. $7, free for kids younger than 2. Registration required. vhparkdistrict.org.
Saturday, Oct. 28
Fall Flower Show: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, through Nov. 26 at Wilder Park Conservatory, Church Street and Prospect Avenue, Elmhurst. A seasonal display of fall flowers. epd.org.
Boo at the Zoo: 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28-29, at Randall Oaks Park, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Trick-or-treating and costume parades at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Meet by the Centerville Schoolhouse. $5-$5.50. dtpd.org.
Halloween Hustle 5K: 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at 345 N. Eric Drive, Palatine. 5K and Kids Dash. After-party at the Tap House Grill. $15-$45. trailrunner.com/event/halloween-hustle-5k.
Halloween Party: 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Community Center, 250 E. Wood St., Palatine. One-hour time slots include a storytime, Halloween craft, monster mash dance party, a trick-or-treat trail and more for kids 2-8. Register at palatineparks.org.
Halloween Fun Fest: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Arts in Bartlett, 215 S. Main St., Bartlett. Costumed participants can walk in the parade, which steps off from the Bartlett Village Hall, 228 S. Main St., with a police and fire truck escort at 10 a.m. After the parade, kids can trick-or-treat in downtown Bartlett until 1 p.m. Free. artsinbartlett.org.
Truck-or-Treat: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 28, at Main Beach, 300 Lakeside Drive, Crystal Lake. Come in your Halloween costume and climb aboard the trucks on display. Rain or shine. Free. crystallakeparks.org/special-events.
Howl-O-Ween Canine Costume Contest: 10:45-11:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Willow Stream Park at the Dan Schimmel Pavilion, 651 Old Checker Road, Buffalo Grove. Canine costume contest and a doggy egg hunt. Register at bgparks.org.
Annual Halloween Walk: 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 28, at Jewel Shopping Centers in Cary and 1-2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Stone Hill Shopping Center in Fox River Grove. Free. carygrovechamber.com.
Fall Fest: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 340 Grand Blvd., Elgin. Trunk-or-treat, food, crafts, music, bounce house and more. Free. blcelgin.org.
Halloween at the Crystal Lake Plaza: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at Crystal Lake Plaza, 6500 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake. Trick-or-treating, magic shows, petting zoo, stilt walkers, giant dinosaur, food and more. Free. crystallakeplaza.com/events.
Tricks & Treats In The Valley: 2-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 28-29, at Heritage Farm at Spring Valley, 201 S. Plum Grove Road, Schaumburg. All-ages trick-or-treat experience beginning at Heritage Farm then setting out on a trail past many historic buildings and out into the woods and fields. Trick-or-treaters must register for a specific time. $4 for residents; $6 for nonresidents; free for attending adults. parkfun.com.
Halloween in the Hollow: 3 p.m. to dusk Saturday, Oct. 28, at Sabatino Park, 1 Thorobred Lane, Sleepy Hollow. Annual event with chili contest at 3 p.m., pumpkin decorating and food sales at 3:30 p.m., costume contest at 4:15 p.m. and hay rides. At twilight, the bonfire will be set ablaze, followed by the ride of the Headless Horseman. sleepyhollowil.org.
Pint of Music Concerts: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct 28, at Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Lane, Long Grove. Mid Atlantic will perform outdoors on the Biergarten Main Stage, if weather permits, or indoors. Free. BuffaloCreekBrewing.com.
The Queen’s Cartoonists: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. This merry band of virtuoso musicians take their penchant for accompanying cartoons to new heights, providing live soundtracks to contemporary animated films. Tickets: $46; $44 seniors and students. prairiecenter.org.
Sunday Oct. 29
Day of the Dead Family 5K Run/Walk: 7-10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at Heritage Park, 100 Community Blvd., Wheeling. The post-run Day of the Dead celebration features traditional Mexican food and live performances. 7-7:45 a.m.: Day-of packet pickup and participant face painting; 8 a.m.: 5K run/walk start; 9 a.m.: awards; 9-10 a.m.: post-event celebration. $25 adults; $15 kids 12 and younger. dayofthedead5k.run.
Trick-or-Treat on Main Street: 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, on Main Street in downtown Wauconda. Trick-or-treat from local businesses. Free. waucondachamber.org.
Trunk and Treat: 3-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, at Northwest Covenant Church, 300 N. Elmhurst Ave., Mount Prospect. Apple cider, doughnuts and s’mores around the campfire. There will be a “Fill the Trunk” canned food drive. Free. nwcov.com.
Tuesday, Oct. 31
Halloween Handout: 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, in downtown Crystal Lake. Participating merchants (with an orange Halloween Handout Pumpkin Flyer on their window) will hand out treats to costumed kids 12 and younger. A teal pumpkin poster indicates alternate (nonfood) treats. downtowncl.org/events/halloween-handout.
Lake County Film Festival: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 31, at the College of Lake County, Grayslake Campus, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. A special Halloween horror movie screening of a film made in Lake County and never before seen by the public. Costumes encouraged. Adult content. The regular festival will run Nov. 3-5 and 10-12 at various locations in Lake County. Free with any LCFF purchase; passes start at $5. 2023.lakecountyfilmfestival.org.
More can be found here.