It’s Fall, Y’all
By Lisa Arnett
October 2025 View more Featured
Our guide to the most seasonally sublime pumpkin farms, apple orchards, spooky fests, and more
Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm
13341 W. 151st St., Homer Glen
pumpkinfarm.com
Drive length: 30 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: No
Corn maze: No
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
Run by father-son duo Dan and Scott Bengtson, this Homer Glen destination is known for its whimsical rides, from the Barnstormer swings to the Barnyard Dance roller coaster with cow cars that spin through a hayloft. Since the farm offered its first hayride in 1981, the family has continued to fine-tune and add to its attractions.
“Our Frog Hopper bounce tower was old, and it could only hold so many adults,” Scott says. “We thought: Let’s get something bigger with more weight capacity.” Last year, the new Egg Drop ride debuted, with its Mother Hen–topped tower and giant egg-shaped seats that drop and bounce. In recent years, they also have refreshed their Rockin’ Rabbit and Tractor Town rides with new scenery and animatronics. Accessibility also continues to be a focus. “Our big thing is keeping the whole family together and making it easy for everyone to get around here,” Scott says. “We have paved walkways, and our hayrides even have a wheelchair lift on them.”
Fill up on barbecue from Westmont-based favorite Uncle Bub’s or cool off with ice cream and slushy drinks. “We do this apple cider slushy drink now with vanilla ice cream, apple cider, and a doughnut on top,” Scott says. “We also hope to have a new caramel apple treat with sliced apples and your choice of toppings. Most caramel apples [on a stick] are kind of hard to eat, so this is all sliced up in a bowl.”
Bengtson’s is open past Halloween this year, until Nov. 2. Farm admission includes all rides, and tickets range from $25 to $39 depending on the day. Though pumpkins are no longer grown onsite, there are plenty of prepicked ones to take home.
Keller’s Farmstand
2500 Johnson Road, Oswego
kellersfarmstand.com
Drive length: 30 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own apples: Yes
Corn maze: Yes
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
For those who want to pick their own pumpkins and apples, Keller’s offers both, just 15 miles southwest of Naperville. “This is a working family farm,” says Martha Abel, great-great-grandchild of the farm’s first owners. “My generation is working there, and my nieces and nephews are working there. On any given day, you may see a field being harvested.”
Keller’s has been growing pumpkins since the 1800s, so this you-pick patch is steeped in history. “We have wheelbarrows for you to take with you, and you can head on out there and easily snap the vines and load up your pumpkins,” Abel says. Grab-and-go pumpkins also are available. “Sometimes for families with little kids, the walk [through the pumpkin patch] might be too much, and here you can find perfectly good pumpkins without having to trudge around.”
To enter the apple orchard, head to the red Apple Barn to pick a bag ($10 for a quarter peck, $20 for a half peck, $40 for a full peck) and check to see what varieties are ready to pick. “We mark the rows that are ready…and sometimes people wander into other rows, and they are going to be disappointed because, though the apples look ready, they don’t taste good,” Abel says. The Ambrosia, Triumph, SnowSweet, Crimson Crisp, and Jonaprince varieties are new to Keller’s this season. If you have your eye on a particular variety, you can sign up for Apple Alerts on Keller’s website to receive a text message when your favorites are ready to pick.
On Saturdays and Sundays, visitors can take part in Keller’s Fall Festivities. Wristbands ($13.95 in advance online, $15.95 onsite) include admission to the animal barn, kids’ play area, wagon rides, and 12-acre corn maze with a “Bats in the Belltower” theme. “We are also doing a tallgrass maze that’s three acres,” Abel says. “It’s soothing and relaxing, and it’s still a little bit of a challenge, but for anybody who is claustrophobic, you can see where you are.”
To help relieve crowding at the farm’s various concession stands, Keller’s has added a bakery stand selling coffee, doughnuts, pies, and ice cream. “The apple cider doughnuts are the most popular, hands down,” she says. “A warm doughnut on a crisp fall day? It’s pretty much the ideal.”
An important PSA: Keller’s does have a farmstand location in Naperville (516 Knoch Knolls Road), but it does not have a you-pick pumpkin patch or apple orchard there.
Abbey Farms
2855 Hart Road, Aurora
abbeyfarms.org
Drive length: 30 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: No
Corn maze: No
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
Pumpkin growing has felt a little touch-and-go this year with a dearth of rainfall for much of the summer, says Abbey Farms director Eric Mott, but he still expects to have three acres of you-pick pumpkins this fall. “Typically we have a hayride drive out there…and we have close to 30 varieties of pumpkins,” Mott says. “We grow everything from your jack-o-lanterns of all different sizes to pie pumpkins to little tiny mini pumpkins you’d use for decoration. And specialty pumpkins that come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and colors, anywhere from blue to pink to red.”
All of the farm’s traditional activities—corn maze, zip lines, jumping pillow, corn cannons, pedal carts—will be back for the farm’s Pumpkin Daze Fall Festival through Oct. 30. You also can try your hand at a handful of farm-inspired games. “We have what we call gravity wagon basketball,” Mott says. “We turned a grain cart into one of those arcade-style basketball shooting things. And we have a lasso challenge, with 3D sculptures of small cows that you try to lasso.”
Caramel cider floats—a new addition to the concessions menu last fall—were so popular that they’ll be back this year. “It’s caramel ice cream, apple cider, a splash of ginger ale, and one of our apple cider doughnuts on it,” Mott says. A beer tent with live music is open on the weekends as well.
On Saturday nights, the farm stays open until 10 p.m. so brave souls can wander the eight-acre corn maze after dark. “People can come out and bring flashlights and do the maze at night after most of our attractions have closed,” Mott says. It’s not a haunted maze, per se, but a few jump scares are inevitable. “Well, we don’t haunt it. I can’t promise you that any of the other customers are not going to jump out at you,” he says. Weekday admission is $17 online or $19 at the door; weekend admission is $21 online or $23 at the door.
Sonny Acres Farm
29W310 North Ave., West Chicago
sonnyacres.com
Drive length: 30 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: No
Corn maze: No
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
This farm’s classic carnival-style rides—think Tilt-a-Whirl and the Wacky Worm roller coaster—run all summer long, but Sonny Acres is at its best during the fall. Piles of pumpkins provide a quintessential photo backdrop, while all the classic painted wooden signs that visitors remember from the ’80s and ’90s have been spruced up for a new generation.
During the farm’s Fall Fest, which extends through Oct. 30, parking and general admission is free, and carnival rides are priced à la carte ($2 to $8). This year, the farm’s spooky attractions—the Haunted Barn and Haunted Hayride—have been refreshed with new scenes, characters and effects ($20 for the barn, $25 for hayrides, or $38 for both).
Head to the outdoor grill for food that’s easy to roam with—think hot dogs, corn dogs, brats, and burgers. On the weekends, Sonny’s Bar serves spiked apple cider and other specialty cocktails with an autumnal bent. Apple cider doughnuts can be found at the Sweet Shop and have been known to sell out before the day’s end.
Konow’s Corn Maze
16849 S. Cedar Road, Homer Glen
konowscornmaze.com
Drive length: 35 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: No
Corn maze: Yes
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
Though this farm is named for its corn maze, there’s plenty to do when you’re done wandering the three-plus miles of stalk-lined trails. “We have hayrides, a grain train, and a cow-themed train that is always a big hit, not only for kids but also for adults,” says events coordinator Ashley Sobecki. “Our corn pits and jumping pillows are so fun, and the kids absolutely love them.” There’s also a straw playground, slide, and a western-town-themed indoor play area. “This year we added a jets ride, which is like a little airplane merry-go-round.”
Admission ($15 on weekdays and $20 on weekends) includes most rides and games; there are additional fees for some activities, such as the western-themed shooting gallery, gem-mining game, and feeding animals in the animal barn.
Fill up on apple cider doughnuts, grilled corn, burgers, plus adult beverages for those 21 and up. “We have a very simple bar here and we are known for our apple pie shots,” Sobecki says. “Our owner, Walter Konow, actually makes them himself, and he is so proud of the recipe.” The farm hosts its biggest event of the year, Ghouls’ Night Out, on Oct. 2 with more than 2,000 people gathering for live music, tarot card readings, and boutique vendors (tickets can be purchased in advance online.)
Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm
17250 Weber Road, Lockport
ourpumpkinfarm.com
Drive length: 30 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: No
Corn maze: No
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
At this fifth-generation family farm in Lockport, you can take a hayrack ride out to the fields and pluck your very own pumpkin off the vine. When you’re done, dozens of attractions await for those who love a thrill (don’t miss the 10-acre corn maze, 150-foot mountain slide, and pig races) as well as those who prefer something more chill (cornhole, baby chick nursery, giant Connect Four, and checkers).
In the past two years, the Siegel family has added a number of new diversions. “Our indoor Dino Barn is a huge hit for all ages, [and] it is the only one in the Midwest,” says Kaity Siegel-Grimmenga, the farm’s event manager and daughter of owners Paul and Susan Siegel. “The Cottonwood Railroad, our mile-long track train, is a great way to take a breather with the kiddos.” Other new additions include a giant piano, Skee-Ball, fossil dig, bubble barn, and a slide made out of a John Deere combine. Tickets start at $19.95 for weekdays and $29.95 for weekends.
Themed concession stands scattered around the farm (all named after members of the Siegel family) mean you’ll never be too far from your next snack or drink, whether that’s smoked turkey legs at Zach’s Smoke Shack, walking tacos from Kyle’s Corn Crib or Bloody Marys at Bubba’s Bar.
Windy Acres Farm
37W446 Fabyan Parkway, Geneva
windyacresfarmstand.com
Drive length: 30 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: Yes
Corn maze: Yes
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
This family-owned farm is celebrating its 40th anniversary. “My dad, Wayne [Srail], and my mom, Daryl—she passed away a few years ago—purchased our farm in 1985 and truly, we have been growing for the community for the last 40 years,” says Amanda Thomas. “Now it’s Dad and us four adult 30- and 40-year-old kids working together, and it’s our true passion.”
On the weekends, tractor rides shorten the walk to the apple orchards, where 10,000 apple trees grow 15 different varieties. “[Visitors] will get an educational tour on the wagon ride, and after they’re done picking, they’re welcome back to the farmstand for homemade apple cider doughnuts, fresh-pressed cider, homemade caramel apples, apple cider slushies—all of our fun treats,” Thomas says. Which apple varieties are available throughout October depends on the whims of Mother Nature. A few favorites to look for include Golden Crunch, which is “a sweet, yellowish apple, like a Golden Delicious on steroids,” Thomas says. “Ambrosia are also large, crunchy, very juicy apples, and they’re a beautiful red and yellow. Whereas a Honeycrisp apple is semisweet, Ambrosia and Golden Crunch are sweet-sweet.” Apple picking costs $15.99 per person (ages 2 and up) and includes a quarter-peck bag.
During the annual Fall Festival through Oct. 31, visitors can expect a beer garden, live music, and sweet corn boils on the weekends, plus a slew of attractions daily ranging from a petting zoo to human-sized hamster wheels to a western-town-inspired play area. “Every year we add more so it’s never just the same old things,” Thomas says. “This year we added a brand-new ropes course…We take a lot of pride in the fact that we’re not a carnival; we are not going to go rent rides. Everything in our festival area that’s wood is handmade by my brother and his team. And we have a huge shaded silo area so parents can relax while the kids are running around and having fun, and everything is nicely fenced in.” Weekday admission is $18 on weekdays and $22 on the weekends, with a $2 off discount for seniors. “Our dad’s a Vietnam vet so we always offer free entry for military and veterans,” Thomas says.
Goebbert’s Farm
40 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington
goebbertspumpkinfarm.com
Drive length: 45 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: No
Corn maze: Yes
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
What started as a roadside produce stand in Arlington Heights in 1948 is now a full-fledged fall destination in South Barrington with a 10-acre cornstalk maze, 10-room haunted house, giraffe barn, and pig racing.
Manager Holly Danielson has been working at the farm since she was a teen. “It’s been nice over the years to see the owners add new things,” she says. “We have a pumpkin-eating dinosaur that uses an old cherry picker as the frame, and we have a magician that does an awesome show for us now that’s entertaining for adults as well as kids.”
If you want to directly support a local pumpkin grower but don’t care to trudge through a field to select your own, this is the place. “We are one of the largest growers of pumpkins in the area,” Danielson says. “Our pumpkins are prepicked, and we have them all throughout the farm. We have some funky ones, like Cinderella pumpkins or warty pumpkins, or just your regular orange carving pumpkins in a variety of sizes.”
There are plenty of seasonal photo ops around the farm, including oversized rocking chairs and a silo topped with a buck-toothed jack-o-lantern. “The ‘How tall this fall?’ sign is something I grew up with, and now I bring my kids for,” Danielson says. “One of our newest and biggest photo ops is the pumpkin barn, which has shelves filled with pumpkins, and you can stand inside of it.” Grab a snack, sweet, or full meal at the Red Barn Cafe & Bakery or a draft beer at the Beer Barn. “We serve a hot caramel apple cider with a doughnut on top served in a signature mug, and apple cider slushies as well,” Danielson says. Admission is $19 on weekdays and $26 on weekends ($23 if you buy online); most activities are included, though there are additional fees for some activities such as pony rides, camel rides, and a gem-mining station.
Blackberry Farm
100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora
blackberryfarm.info
Drive length: 30 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: No
Corn maze: No
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
Operated by the Fox Valley Park District, Blackberry Farm isn’t a working farm but rather a living-history museum dedicated to educating visitors about pioneer life. It’s a popular destination for family-friendly summer adventures and goes all out for the fall season during its Pumpkin Weekends (11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October, as well as Monday, Oct. 13).
You’ll want to buy your tickets in advance ($10) as many days sell out ahead of time, especially Oct. 18, the farm’s especially popular trick-or-treating day. “Kids get to trick-or-treat at about 10 stations around the farm and collect all sorts of little treats,” says Abby Oldenburg, facility manager. “Costumes are encouraged, and it’s one of our busiest days, for sure.” A variety of special performers will pop up throughout the month, including the World’s Tallest Scarecrow (Oct. 26). “The first Saturday, we have a pumpkin-shaped bounce house, and another weekend a pumpkin carver comes out and sketches a picture and then carves a huge 300-pound pumpkin,” Oldenburg says.
Admission includes rides on the hay wagon, miniature train, carousel, and ponies as well as access to the farm’s epic playground with its multilevel barns, slides, and ziplines. Littles can pick out a pie pumpkin to take home and decorate ($3 each) and take a dip in the miniature corn crib, a 700-gallon galvanized metal bin filled with kernels. “New this year, we have our train engine replica photo op, which is down by the train depot,” Oldenburg says. “It was actually our old train engine that was taken out of commission and stripped of the interior stuff; it’s just the shell of the engine, and kids can sit inside for a photo.” Last year, they also added an oversize rocking chair that’s already become a favorite for family photos. “That’s super cute and it’s in front of our Discovery Barn animal area,” she says.
Royal Oak Farm
15908 Hebron Road, Harvard
royaloak.farm
Drive length: 90 minutes
Prepicked pumpkins: Yes
Pick-your-own pumpkins: No
Pick-your-own apples: Yes
Corn maze: No, but there’s an apple tree maze
Wagon rides: Yes
Kids rides and games: Yes
Looking to switch it up from the traditional corn mazes closer to home? Trek to this Harvard farm, where the claim-to-fame apple tree maze features 1.5 miles of walking trails and a climbing tower in the center. There’s also a playground and petting zoo (open daily) and carousel and train rides (weekends only), plus a nine-hole miniature golf course, which makes its debut this year. “There will be a fun little theme for each hole inspired by the different activities and items we offer at the farm, so there’s a doughnut hole, an animal hole for the petting zoo, one for flowers, apples, and pumpkins,” says Sarah Bell, owner and manager. The playground and petting zoo are free, while other attractions require tokens ($4 each), with most costing one to two tokens each. The farm’s restaurant is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends serving soup, salad, and sandwiches. “Our traditional chicken pot pie and our hand-breaded chicken tenders are the most popular,” Bell says.
And of course, visiting the farm’s four apple orchards is a must. “SnowSweet is probably our most popular early October variety; we think it’s better than Honeycrisp.” Bell says. “It ripens around the first to second week, and we do a special SnowSweet weekend with a SnowSweet cider and SnowSweet caramel apples and some other extras.” Mutsu apples (also called Crispins) are a lesser-known variety that’s popular among apple pickers here. “It’s yellowish green in color and looks like it’ll be more of a tart apple, but it’s sweet,” Bell says. “Our most popular apple at the end of October is EverCrisp, which is a cross between Fuji and Honeycrisp. It stores great, so if you are looking to stock up for over the winter and you have an area for cold storage like a fridge in your garage, that’s a great one to come and pick a lot of.”
Admission for apple picking is $12 per person (ages 4 and up) and includes a quarter-peck bag to fill. On weekends, tractors offer wagon rides out to the orchard.
Fall Fests & Spooky Soirees
To scare or not to scare? That is the perpetual question when it comes to October events. Whether your idea of fall fun involves leaf-peeping with a hot cider in hand or you prefer something a little more spine-tingling, there are plenty of options. Save the date for these events, which range from purely autumnal to straight-up scary.
The Morton Arboretum Fall Color Festival
Various events throughout October
Walk the 16 miles of trails or cruise nine miles of roads by car to take in the changing fall colors at the Morton Arboretum (4100 Route 53, Lisle, mortonarb.org). Before or after, you can fortify yourself with treats such as warm pretzels, kettle corn, and apple cider doughnuts at the concession stand in Arbor Court (open 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays in October, plus Monday, Oct. 13). Standalone events held during the festival include a Fall Wine Tasting (5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 16) with more than 80 wines to choose from and the Fall Color 5K and Walk (8 a.m. Oct. 25) with a post-race celebration featuring food trucks and live music (see website for prices.) There’s also the Cider and Ale Festival (11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 4, $75 to $85) with plenty of autumnal sips to sample from local cider houses and breweries. The weekend of Oct. 10 to 12, the arboretum is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its popular Glass Pumpkin Patch, where you can browse hand-blown glass pumpkins and watch glass-blowing demonstrations from artists. Entrance to the patch is included in daily general arboretum admission, which ranges from $17.95 to $27 this weekend (purchase online in advance for the best pricing). This year, expect several glass creations inspired by the colorful animal sculptures in the arboretum’s current outdoor art exhibition, Vivid Creatures, by Oregon-based artists Heather and Fez BeGaetz.
Pumpkin Fest at Cosley Zoo
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 to 31
This beloved Wheaton zoo (1356 N. Gary Ave., cosleyzoo.org) trucks in pumpkins, gourds, apples, and cornstalks so you can stock up for the autumn season. Admission is free for Wheaton Park District residents as well as children ages 11 and under; nonresident adults are $12 ($10 for seniors). Expect an additional fee for children’s rides.
Oktoberfest
5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 3, 3 to 10 p.m. Oct. 4
Fill up on traditional German cuisine and brews under a heated tent at Naper Settlement (523 S. Webster St., Naperville, napersettlement.org). Friday’s music schedule includes traditional oompah music by Ed Wagner’s Lustige Blaskapelle and the Polkaholics, while Saturday night ends with a ’90s dance party with live music by Fool House (8 to 10 p.m.) Tickets are $15 for children (under 4 are free), $25 for adults.
Hayrides at Primrose Farm
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 3 to 25
Hop the tractor-drawn wagon for a leisurely 30-minute ride through the fields of this St. Charles farm (5N726 Crane Road, primrosefarm.org) and make a stop to roast s’mores over a campfire. Tickets are $16 per person, $150 for up to 10 people or $225 for 11 to 16 people.
Ghost Stories in the Park…in the Dark
7 p.m. Oct. 3, 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Oct. 4, 7 p.m. Oct. 5
Bundle up and BYO blankets and cushions to this scary storytelling session at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion (912 Sindt Court, Naperville) performed by Summer Place Theatre and hosted by the Naperville Park District. Purchase tickets ($7) in advance online (napervilleparks.org) until 3 p.m. Oct. 2 or at the door the night of each performance, pending availability.
St. Charles Scarecrow Weekend
Noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 12
It’s the 40th anniversary of this St. Charles fall fest featuring an elaborate display of more than 100 scarecrows created by local schools, businesses, and nonprofits (scarecrowfest.com). Head to the Family Zone at Lincoln Park (Main Street between Fourth and Fifth Streets) for music performances, roaming entertainment, and family fun booths. The Activity Zone (Riverside Avenue between Main Street and Illinois Avenue) is where you’ll find an inflatable corn maze, rock climbing wall, DJ, magic show, and straw sculptures from the U.S. National Straw Sculpting Competition in Mount Morris.
Danada Fall Fest
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11 to 12
Bring the kiddos and horse around at this family-friendly fest at Danada Equestrian Center (3S507 Naperville Road, Wheaton, dupageforest.org). Watch equestrian demos and performances at the center’s outdoor arena, take a barn tour, and hop a horse- or tractor-drawn hayride. New this year: a beer garden with local brews for sale. Admission is free; expect a nominal fee for some activities.
All Hallows Eve
5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 17 to 18
Naper Settlement’s spooky Halloween soiree for families with kids 16 and under is a celebration of all things monstrous, magical, and mythical. Activities include a zombie maze, gargoyle graveyard, laser tag, dark art gallery, and tunes from School of Rock. Tickets are $25 per person and children under 4 are free.
Cantigny 5K Run/Walk 2025
7 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 18
Help raise money for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans while taking in the fall foliage at this 5K on the grounds of Robert McCormick’s former estate, Cantigny (1 S. 151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, cantigny.org) and the neighboring Cantigny Golf Club. For kiddos on the move, there is a quarter-mile race for ages 5 and under as well as a one-mile race for ages 6 to 10. Advanced registration costs $30 and closes Oct. 15, but you can still register in person at Cantigny in the days before the race (Oct. 16 and 17) for $40. Your registration fee includes admission to the park for the rest of the day.
Ackerman Haunted Trail
4 to 9 p.m. Oct. 23 to Oct. 24
The Glen Ellyn Park District hosts this haunted trail (Ackerman Park, 800 St. Charles Road) featuring creepy creatures, scary sounds, and bone-chilling scenes. The trail is less scary from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and geared for older children from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The walk takes about 10 minutes, and local vendors will be onsite selling refreshments. Registration and entrance free ($5) required for participants over the age of 3 (gepark.org).
Howlin’ at the Moon
5 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25
Naper Settlement’s adults-only Halloween festivities includes two nights of live music, a costume contest, food trucks, and creepy art displays and photo opps. Fresh Hops and High Fade take the stage on Friday night while Family Groove Company and the Kyle Holingsworth Band are lined up for Saturday evening. Tickets are $25 (21 and older only).
Warrenville Park District Fall Fest
6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 24
This indoor-outdoor fest at the Warrenville Park District Recreation Center (3S260 Warren Ave.) and Warrenville Community Building (3S240 Warren Ave.) features a petting zoo, inflatables, crafts, games, and face painting. In an outdoor tent, enjoy live music from Ed Wagner Brass Band and food, beer, and wine for sale. Kiddos who need a break from all the action can visit the onsite sensory room staffed by the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association. Admission is $5 and includes access to all activities.
Pumpkin Palooza
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 25
The motto is “fun not frightening” for this kid-centric event at DuPage Children’s Museum (301 Washington St., Naperville, dupagechildrens.org). Visitors are encouraged to dress in costume and get their hands dirty making slime, assemble a “frankenbuddy” using recycled toy parts, and play in dancing leaves in the museum’s air tunnel. Event access is included with daily museum admission ($22).
Photos: Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm; Keller’s Farmstand; Jen Banowetz (Abby Farms); Sonny Acres Farm; Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm; Goebbert’s Farm; Fox Valley Park District; (Blackberry Farm); Blue Chair Stories (Royal Oak Farms); The Morton Arboretum; Glen Ellyn Park District
