Spooky season is finally here, and hopefully that also means some cool weather! October is full of fun events and it’s a great time of year to be outside.
I’ve rounded up the best things to do with kids in October around Austin, including Halloween themed events.
In This Post
Football Season
Football season is in full swing now — catch your favorite college teams or your local high school playing. Here’s UT’s schedule for the 2024 season!
If you’re looking for a place to watch televised games with kids, try one of these family-friendly spots.
Oktoberfests
There are so many family-friendly breweries and drinkeries around town that are throwing fun Oktoberfest celebrations early this month! Check out some of the best.\
Early Voting
It’s election season, and early voting runs from October 21 to November 1. Get your vote in when it’s less crowded (unless you like the energy and don’t mind the crowds of Election Day!).
Here is a list of places around Austin where you can get freebies with your “I Voted” sticker! I’ll keep updating it as more are announced.
October Events in Austin
Fortlandia: Opens Oct. 4
Fortlandia is one of my favorite Austin events of the year (even more so because it lasts a few months, until Feb. 2, so everyone has time to catch it while the forts are up). Every year, the Wildflower Center hosts unique forts that look awesome and kids can climb in, on and under!
Pumpkin Nights: September 19 – October 31
Each year, Pumpkin Nights takes over Pioneer Farms in Northeast Austin with thousands of carved (artificial) pumpkins. There are themed displays like Harry Potter, pirates, gnomes and more! Use code BETHANY for 10% off weeknight tickets.
Find more fall events here.
Morning Glories at Waterloo Park: Oct. 1, 8, and 15
This fun childhood education series happens every Tuesday morning at 10 am until October 15. Meet at the Meredith Heritage Tree Deck for hands-on learning activities with different themes each week.
Round Rock Arts Fest: Oct. 4-6
Formerly called Chalk Walk, the Round Rock Arts Fest is a weekend full of art, vendors, live music, a kids area and more fun. Hundreds of artists are showing off their chalking, fine arts and crafts.
Suds Monkey’s Dachshund Dash: Oct. 6
Nothing cuter than racing wiener dogs! Two sessions of races and a costume interlude at this fun event. Ticket proceeds benefit Paws Shelter For Central Texas.
Movies Behind the Museum: Oct. 5
Come watch Jurassic Park at an outdoor screening at the Texas Science and Natural History Museum. Your ticket gets you access to both the museum and the movie — come visit the museum starting at 6 and be ready for the movie at 7:30. Bring blankets, camp chairs and snacks!
Leander Art Fest: Oct. 12
Leander’s Art Festival has a fall fantasy theme, with whimsical fall fantasy costumes and accessories encouraged to get in the spirit of things. Lakewood Park will host the festival from 2-6 pm with local artist booths, interactive activities, art workshops and food.
Paint, Purrs and Pumpkins: Oct.15
Austin’s cat cafe is having a pumpkin-decorating event with 1 hour of pumpkin painting and 15 minutes of kitty play time. Kids 6 and older are welcome.
Kyle City Fest: Oct. 19
From 2 to 6 pm on Oct. 19, Kyle is hosting its first ever City Fest at La Verde Park. There will be a 90s cover band, food and drink, a chili cook-off, cornhold tournament, pumpkin patch, and face painting! (Plus the great playground at La Verde Park!)
Music on the Trail: Oct. 2, 9, 16, and 23
Get that Austin experience with family-friendly live music on the hike and bike trail! Listen to Austin artists at the Rainey Street Trailhead Lawn hosted by The Trail Conservancy. 6-7:30 pm
Rock the Park: Oct. 25
KUTX is hosting a free, family-friendly concert at Mueller Lake Park amphitheater. Music starts at 6:30 with Karate Dance Party followed by Superfonicos.
Outside the City Limits Festival: Oct. 26
Vista Brewing is hosting its 6th annual Outside the City Limits Festival at its Driftwood location (which has a playgroud, by the way). Local musicians will be playing from 1-8 pm on two stages, and the festival is family-friendly. Plus there will be vendors, lawn games, ice cream and more!
Round Rock Diwali Festival: Oct. 26
Celebrate Diwali at Centennial Plaza in Round Rock from 2-10 pm. There will be food, music, dance, Rangoli and a fashion show. Kids can do arts and crafts or take Bollywood dance lessons.
Jo’s Ugly Dog Contest: Oct. 27
Celebrate the ugliest dogs in Austin at Jo’s Coffee 7th Annual Ugly Dog Contest, benefiting Austin Humane Society. You can vote online or in-person starting October 14, or vote at the party on October 27 from 12 pm to 3 pm. There will be ugly pups, adoptable dogs, local vendors, live music, face painting, and more!
The Hive Kids Maker’s Market: Oct. 27
Every fourth Sunday of the month, The Hive in South Austin hosts a mini maker market for young entrepreneurs from 2-5 pm. Let your little makers sell their goods or come shop!
Kid-Friendly Halloween Events in Austin
Halloween at Thinkery: Wednesdays and Thursdays in October
Starting October 9, Thinkery is holding 3 weeks of Power Tool Pumpkin Carving workshops on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Families with kids aged 4 and up can create fun jack-o-lanterns (or whatever kind of pumpkin art you want!) with power tools. Pre-registration required. At least one adult per two kids required.
Tricks, Treats and Trails and McKinney Roughs: Oct. 12
If you’re looking for some Halloween fun but don’t have time later in the month, McKinney Roughs Nature Park is holding its annual Tricks, Treats and Trails with face painting, inflatable corn maze, petting zoo, and rock climbing.
Moonlight Movie Night: Oct. 18
Head to Yonders Point in Old Settlers Park (Round Rock) for an outdoor screening of Hocus Pocus. Get settled at 7:30 for the movie that starts at 8 pm.
Boo at the Zoo: Fridays and Saturdays in October
The Austin Zoo is putting on fun animal shows from their education team for the Halloween season. Buy tickets for “Boo at the Zoo” — 3 different show times each night.
Doc’s Drive-In Trunk ‘R Treat: Oct. 25-27
Hang out at the drive-in before the movies — wear a costume, bring your candy stash, decorate your trunk, and go trunk to trunk with your movie neighbors to trick or treat. Then watch some fun Halloween movies!
Boo! Bash at Parker + Scott: Oct. 26
From 11 am -1 pm on Oct. 26, Parker + Scott is hosting Boo! Bash, with free totes and goodies for the first 100 kids, crafts and a temporary tattoo artist. Register online (free event).
Skellington Story Time: Oct. 26
Paper Bark Birch Children’s Bookstore in Cedar Park is hosting two story times with Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas. Register ahead of time; the first story time is at 1:00 pm and the second is at 1:45 pm.
Way South Fall Fest: Oct. 26
The first annual Way South Fall Fest kicks off at 4 pm on Oct. 26 at Way South Food Park. Pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, trunk or treat, Halloween movies and more!
Fitzhugh Brewing Halloween Party: Oct. 26
We went to Fitzhugh’s Halloween Party a couple years ago and had a blast! Head out to this Dripping Springs brewery from 11 am to 4 pm for kids carnival games, face painting, balloon animals, and live music.
Howl-O-Scream at Austin Rec Centers: Oct. 26 and Oct. 31
Free event with candy and activities from 5:30-7:30 pm. October 26 locations: George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center, Dittmar Recreation Center, Givens Recreation Center, and Gus Garcia Recreation Center. October 31 locations: Turner-Roberts Recreation Center, and Montopolis Recreation and Community Center.
Strawfest at Umlauf Sculpture Garden: Oct. 27
A free family fun day with Halloween activities at the Umlauf! Wear your best costume for the costume parade, meet princesses, see a fire truck, make monster masks, and more at Strawfest 2024.
Halloween Carnival at Neill-Cochran Museum: Oct. 27
A free event at this Austin historic house museum from 11 am to 3 pm. Wear your costume if you want and take part in scavenger hunts, trunk-or-treating, making bracelets and keychains, and helping make ofrendas with Latinitas for Dia de los Muertos.
Frightlandia at Wildflower Center: Oct. 27
Go trick-or-treating at the Fortlandia forts on Oct. 27 from 1-4 pm! Wear your costume and bring a bag for candy, so you can trick or treat at each fort site. There will be costume contests, crafts, face painting and more!
Fast Friends Family Harvest Festival: Oct. 27
Fast Friends Beer Co. is super family-friendly and is hosting a family harvest festival from 11 am to 3 pm on Oct. 27. There will be face-painting, paints if you want to bring a pumpkin to paint, and Chupie the cat.
Music on the Trail: Trail or Treat: Oct. 30
As part of their Music on the Trail series, the Trail Conservancy is hosting “Music on the Trail: Trail or Treat” from 5:30-7 pm at the Rainey Street Trailhead Park. There will be kids activities, live music from Midnight Snack and candy! Feel free to come in costume!
Fall Fun Festival at Old Settlers Park: Oct. 31
Bring a canned good donation and your toddlers or preschoolers (in costume of course!) to Old Settlers Park at 9 am on October 31. There will be games, snacks, a petting zoo and hay rides!
Trick-or-Read at BookPeople: Oct. 31
Go trick-or-treating at your favorite Austin bookstore! Join BookPeople at 5 pm for a story time, free books, trick-or-treating in the store, and free Amy’s Ice Cream!
Hometown Halloween in Downtown Round Rock: Oct. 31
Get in costume and head to Downtown Round Rock from 3-7 pm for face painting, trick-or-treating on Main Street, live music, giveaways and more fun.
Check out what to do in Austin in September and November! And for more fall events, click here!
Thanksgiving may seem far away, but now’s the time to make your plan if you’re ordering any Thanksgiving elements from a local restaurant. Here are some spots to order Thanksgiving turkey and sides.