It feels like the cool air touched down upon us a bit sooner this year, as did the autumnal decorations and pumpkin-spiced treats and drinks. I know everyone has been ready to make the most of the season with a full calendar of Halloween and fall festivities—Here is my curated list October events in and around Salt Lake.
BOOze and Brews
Park City Wine Festival
Various Locations in Park City
Oct. 3 – 5
Immerse yourself in the world of wine during the Park City Wine Festival’s Grand Tasting featuring over 80 wineries and live music. This year, the festival is also offering a series of a-la-carte events, like expertly paired dinners and lunches throughout the weekend. Between dining experiences, join in on vino-friendly hikes and lifestyle events, or elevate your wine knowledge with classroom-style seminars hosted by winemakers and sommeliers.
Oktoberfest
Snowbird
Every Saturday and Sunday now until October 13
It’s time to dig out your beer stein and prepare to bend some elbows. Snowbird’s annual Oktoberfest is weeks of fun for the whole family, featuring activities, live music, traditional Bavarian fare, over 50 varieties of beer and an array of local vendors.
Thrillers Ball
Grand Building at The Utah State Fairpark
Oct. 19 at 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
A first-of-its-kind event in Utah, the Thrillers Ball is an upscale Halloween soiree and immersive experience, only for guests 21+. Come dressed in your best ‘Halloween Black Tie’ and indulge in gourmet hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, live performance, and dancing.
Brewlights
Utah’s Hogle Zoo
Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Like Boolights, but for adults only! Sip, savor and enjoy taking in Utah Hogle Zoo’s Halloween lights during their after-hours event, Brewlights.
Halloween Weekend Hangover Bar Crawl Salt Lake City
Various venues
Select Nights in October
The official Halloweekend Hangover Halloween Bar Crawl has returned to Salt Lake City with a stacked program of drink specials and exclusive bar offerings. This is certainly a nightlife event you don’t want to miss! Make sure you wear a spooktacular costume in order to win some of the best prizes ever.
Haunted Houses
Nightmare on 13th offers a variety of ways to get seriously spooked. With not one but two haunted attractions, there is a scare for everyone. The main attraction, Nightmare Haunted House, features 14 themed nightmares from hoodoo queens and clowns to witches and beasts.
Set in an old hospital built in 1949, this haunted attraction will give you a scare that will last long after you leave. The Asylum allows full contact, so expect to be strapped to a gurney or locked in a closet. But don’t get too comfortable, ‘The Doctor’ is always looking for new patients. There are different levels of contact ranging from none to D.O.A (Dead or Alive) in which guests receive their very own evaluation from the head doctor himself.
Formerly owned by Portland Cement Works, this factory was the site of at least 11 documented deaths, with its workers dying from tragic falls into boiling vats, dismemberment and mutilation by machinery. After Portland Cement Works finally had to close its doors, many other businesses tried to set up shop in the factory, but none could ever last. Finally, the Fear Factory acquired the haunted property and it has been a fan favorite ever since. Explore their haunted attractions in all six buildings, or join a public paranormal investigation of the Factory on Monday nights.
Haunted Tours from Grimm Ghost Tours
Grimm Ghost Tours offers weekly walking and bus tours of haunted locations throughout the city. Get up close and personal with ghost hunting equipment as you learn about our city’s dark past, or participate in an exclusive paranormal investigation and try to capture your own ghostly footage.
Find more info on haunted houses in Utah, here!
Family-Friendly Events
Frightmares
Lagoon
Now until November 3
Lagoon gets a Halloween make-over, complete with over nine haunted attractions, a pumpkin patch filled with family-fun activities, Halloween entertainment, food, beverages, games, and of course rides.
Witches Tea at The Grand America
The Lobby Lounge at The Grand America Hotel
Various Dates through October
It’s time to celebrate witching season with a deliciously magical afternoon in The Grand America Hotel’s Lobby Lounge. Come dressed in your most bewitching costume and enjoy renowned afternoon tea complete with house-made pastries, savory tea sandwiches, gourmet teas, beverages, and a host of treats with a distinctly wicked twist.
Pumpkin Days at Wheeler Farm
Wheeler Historic Farm
Sept. 27 to Oct. 31
Bring the family for a day of classic fall fun with wagon rides, duck races, corn mazes and a pumpkin patch. On October 11th, the farm is hosting a special pumpkin bootique for all your seasonal shopping needs.
Paws in Wonderland Fundraiser
Zions Technology Center
Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Intermountain Therapy Animals annual fundraiser is back, and this year, a celebration for the 25th Anniversary of ITA’s R.E.A.D program. An evening filled with magical cuisine and drinks, whimsical entertainment, and both silent and live auctions. You’ll have a chance to pet some therapy animals and opportunities to win fantastic prizes through various fundraising activities.
Hispanic Folsom Fiesta
Folsom Avenue
Oct. 5 at 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Enjoy a free, family-friendly celebration of Hispanic culture! Honor Hispanic Heritage with traditional cuisine, performances, beverages, crafts, and traditions.
2nd Annual Fall Barket
SW Field at Fairmont Park
Oct. 12 10 a.m.
Spend a Saturday spoiling your pooch and meeting fellow dog-lovers at the 2nd Annual Fall Barket. Free admission and open to all, including your dog—as long as they are on a leash. Come and enjoy plenty of activities, shop local vendors, raffles, photo ops, and a costume contest.
Adventures in Wonderland – BOOtanical Days and Nights
Red Butte Garden
Oct. 17-30
Go on a magical adventure around Red Butte Gardens Wonderland and experience all there is to do and see in this whimsical realm of natural wonder. Interact with the Caterpillar and brave the Queen of Hearts to uncover the mystery of Halloween seeds taking over the garden.
Boolights
Utah’s Hogle Zoo
Select Dates in October at 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Dress you and your family up in your best costumes and visit Utah’s Hogle Zoo after-hours for a Halloween light display and more not-so-scary Halloween fun.
Sundance Halloween Lift Rides
Sundance Mountain Resort
Select Nights in October
Sundance Resort is offering family-friendly Halloween-themed lift rides on the Outlaw Express Lift. Don’t miss special Halloween Treats made by their renowned pastry team, hot chocolate, food, and concessions in The Lookout. Food will be available from the line as well.
Monster Block Party
Regional Athletic Complex
Oct. 26 at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Monster Block Party is a free Halloween festival for Salt Lake City’s goblins and ghouls of all ages. Join in for a day of spooky fun, including trunk-or-treating, costumes, Halloween activities, performances, and more!
Trunk-or-Treat Car Show
Sandy Promenade
Oct. 26 at 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Calling all classic car fanatics! Sandy City is hosting an awesome car show, live DJ, face painting, caricatures, and activities for all ages! This year attendees can shop Spooky Sandy vendors selling merchandise and handing out Halloween goodies.
Owl-o-ween 2024 with HawkWatch International
HawkWatch International
Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
A free, family-friendly event where you’ll experience up-close encounters with live owls, trick-or-treating, and more. Costumes are highly recommended! You can purchase an owl pellet to dissect with help from our educators. Owl pellets are extremely limited, so reserve yours ASAP if you’d like to purchase this add-on!
CornBelly’s HalloWeek Bash
Thanksgiving Point
Oct. 28 at 5:30 p.m.
Come celebrate Halloween at Cornbelly’s in Lehi and enjoy a variety of festivities, included in your admission. Celebrate Thanksgiving Point’s Favorite holiday with their annual costume contest, trick-or-treating, night parade, Twistical light show, Insanity Point Haunt and even a hot air balloon candy drop!
Witch Fest at Gardner Village
Gardner Village
Now until Oct. 31 Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed Sundays.
Celebrate your inner witch at Gardner Village this Halloween season. Enjoy witching decorations, scavenger hunts, crafts, and have breakfast with a witch, or join the Witchapalooza Dinner Theater.
The Halloween Express on the Heber Valley Railroad
Heber Valley Railroad Depot
Select nights in October
Join a family-friendly Halloween journey to the haunted “Grim Hollow” station. On board the train you will be entertained by Halloween characters including the Sanderson Sisters, Frankenstein, and Dracula. You can sing and dance along in the aisles or sit back and enjoy the show while devouring your included pumpkin cookie.
Halloween on the High Seas
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Oct. 4 to Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Get your Halloween costumes on and enjoy a day at the Aquarium. Halloween on the High Seas is an indoor daytime event filled with adventure for the whole family. And join the Trick or Treasure event happening on Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Haunted Basin
Snowbasin Resort
Oct. 10 to Oct. 14 and Oct. 17 to Oct. 21 at 6 p.m.
Attend Snowbasins’ first ever Haunted Basin, the first hour from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. offers family-friendly activities. 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. are for those hoping to get a scare and enjoy the true horrors of Halloween.
Shows and Musical
Westminster Theatre: Stupid Ghost
Dumke Student Theatre
October 3-5 and October 10-12
A comedy about a ghost that lived in the woods, minding her own business and definitely not haunting anyone, until one day she saw a pretty girl and followed her home. It totally wasn’t even a thing. The girl was probably not even going to notice.
Tower of Tower at the Broadway
Broadway Centre Cinemas
Various nights in October
The Salt Lake Film Society presents Tower of Terror, two weekly screenings of horror films; including Rocky Horror Picture Show, featuring live performers, happening on Oct. 31., Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Visit their site for the full show schedule.
The Utah Opera Presents Sondheim & Wheeler’s Sweeney Todd
Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre
Various Dates in October
Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd—Stephen Sondheim’s twisted story of love, revenge, and infamous meat pies—just before Halloween!
Odyssey Dance Theatre Presents Thriller
Grande Theater
Oct. 14-26
After a year’s pause, the great Halloween tradition of Thriller performances returns! With 14 performances at The Grand Theatre, the show will feature many of the favorite pieces from the past —Thriller, The Curse of the Mummy, Dem Bones, Frankenstein, Jason Jam, Children of the Corn, Salem’s Mass and The Lost Boys— plus a few new surprises.
Ballet West Presents Jekyll & Hyde
Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre
Oct. 25- Nov. 2
An edgy, adult psychological thriller, based on the 19th-century story by Robert Louis Stevenson comes a new, full-length ballet of Jekyll & Hyde. Come witness the dynamic portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and his evil split personality in this horror classic.
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