CALGARY HALLOWEEN GUIDE 2024

October is a fantastic time to be in Calgary! The weather is usually nice and mild (although we might get the odd freak snowstorm or +30 day), but hey that adds to the weirdness of this spooky month!

This year Halloween falls on a Thursday as a result, many bars and pubs are holding their Halloween events the weekend before (25th/26th). 📅 I've divided up the happenings by date so you can get a feel for when things are going on.

But don't wait for Halloween to take in some creepy fun events! 🕷️ There are Halloween themed workshops, trivia nights, musical events and markets sprinkled throughout October! (Most are listed here, but you'll find my events calendar is usually the most up-to-date.)

If you're wanting to do a haunted house experience this month, you'll find Calgary (and area) has about 6 to choose from. 👻🏚️ I've tried to add information on which are scarier and which are more fun or kid-friendly where possible.

For ghost tours, I've been most of these, my personal favorite is Ghost Gurus as it's the only one led by a real-life medium. The Heritage Park ghost tour is by far the least scary. Dress warm for any ghost tour you head on as it does get cold at night.🌘

But October in Calgary is more than just Halloween of course! 🍁 For cute autumn coziness, I'll tell you where to get a hot pumpkin spice latte, experience colourful larches, sip apple cider and browse fall farmers markets. 🤎🌻☕

Fall technically starts on Sept 22nd, but don't worry, with this guide you can get your fall vibes on as early as possible!

The first thing you'll want to do visit a Sunflower field/maze. 🌻 I say this because their season is over the soonest. By early September those sunflowers are already drooping downwards. So late July or early August is definitely the time to go for those photo ops. Bowden Sunmaze at Eagle Creek Farms, although a drive from Calgary, is a great choice. You can also visit Calgary Farmyard which is much closer but they also have fewer Sunflowers. This article from Curiocity lists a few other options (note, all require a roadtrip).

Close behind is a corn maze! 🌽 The best time to visit a corn maze is usually late August. You want the corn to be fully grown so you can really get lost in the maze! Your best option is probably Kraay Family Farm all the way by Lacombe. But you can also get your fix at Calgary Farmyard. This article from Curiocity lists a few more places for you.

Once in September it's fully pumpkin spice szn. 🎃 I think every coffee shop in Calgary offers up a pumpkin spice latte starting in September. You can also get lots of delicious cozy fall-flavored baked goods. For specific recommendations, I like Element café because they offer latte flights so you can try multiple yummy lattes all in one go. For bakeries, I love Sucre and Butter Block (both downtown). (They change up their baked goods so I can't say exactly what they'll have for the season but I know it will be excellent!). My fave non-downtown option is Good Bread. I stop by every time I'm near Acadia.

Side note, if you're looking for a scrumptious fall pie, (either sweet or savoury), Pie Junkie is the place to go! 🥧 Perfect for Thanksgiving! 🦃

Now onto pumpkin patches! SO CUTE! There are 3 places around Calgary you can get adorable pumpkin pics.🧡

1) HARVEST PUMPKIN FEST AT BUTTERFIELD ACRES

Visit farm animals, go on a wagon ride, hot chocolate and lots of pumpkin photo ops. 

📅 Opens Oct 5, 2024

2) FALL DAYS AT CALGARY FARMYARD

Petting farm, pumpkins, farm games and food.

📅 Opens Sept 13, 2024

3) HARVEST FAIR WEEKENDS AT GRANARY ROAD

Shop vendors with pumpkin specials, make candied apples and do a scavenger hunt. 

📅 Opens Sept 28, 2024

And finally, it's not fall if you haven't visited a local cidery! 🍎 SunnyCider is a bit of drive to the NE but they have multiple award winning ciders on tap. You can get a flight and try them all. You also need to stop by Uncommon Cidery in the barley belt. It's tiny but has the cutest all-pink taproom.💕

Last on your fall bucket list, make sure to fit in a stop at a fall harvest market. Each year the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) puts on a big Fall Harvest Sale at the BMO Centre with piles of affordable fruits and vegetables. 🥕🧅🥔 Saskatoon Farm does an Annual Fall Fair & Harvest Market each year as well you don't want to miss. (Note, both of these markets require tickets.) For more markets see my events calendar.

Oh! And I almost forgot the larches. 🍁 Larches are a variety of tree that changes color with the season so you can see beautiful shades of oranges and browns as we drift towards cooler months. You can see larch trees right in the city but most often people recommend a fall hike outside of the city for mountain and forest views. Here is a nifty larch guide with safety info made by Alberta Parks. To see the larches within the city, check out this map made by City News. Early to mid-October is probably the best time for it.

Hope this guide helped you to plan out the most cozy fun autumn here in Calgary! 🍁

Sarah