Halloween events in Houston this weekend stretch from Hermann Park to Galveston Island and up to The Woodlands. From Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 25, you can catch Zoo Boo’s Fairytale Night and the World Lemur Festival at the Houston Zoo, ghost stories inside Galveston’s Ashton Villa, a costumed parade through downtown Galveston, trick-or-treating by kayak on The Woodlands Waterway and a free trick-or-treat trail on Sunday.
We pulled these details from organizer and venue pages on Oct. 22, but plans can change, so check each official link before you go. Missed last week? Here are last weekend’s picks, Oct. 16–18.
Top photo: Ashton Villa, Galveston. Photo: Farragutful / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Friday, Oct. 23: Fairytale Night, ghost stories and a paddle
Zoo Boo extended nights at the Houston Zoo
Zoo Boo runs daily through Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Extended Hours run every night from Oct. 23 through Oct. 30, open until 9 p.m. with last entry at 8 p.m. Friday is Fairytale & Movie Night: costumes as princesses, pirates, dragons or storybook characters are encouraged, and an optional Zoo Boo Movie Night Package adds a screening ticket for How to Train Your Dragon plus take-home treats. Zoo Boo is included with general admission and free for members. The zoo notes that Hermann Park events can add Friday-evening traffic, so allow extra time.
6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 77030 · houstonzoo.org/events/zoo-boo
Galveston Ghost Stories at Ashton Villa
The Galveston Historical Foundation’s ghost-story tour of the 1859 Ashton Villa runs Friday, with tours from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and 8 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $45. GHF staff lead guests through the first and second floors and tell the story of the Brown family, including Bettie Brown, and you can decide for yourself whether her spirit still lives in the house.
2328 Broadway Avenue J, Galveston · galvestonhistory.org: Galveston Ghost Stories
Living near Broadway: Broadway is Galveston’s main route onto the island from I-45, lined with some of the city’s best-known 19th-century homes. Historic residential streets sit on both sides, a short drive from the Seawall and The Strand.
The Woodlands: Kayak Trick-or-Treat
Paddle a tandem kayak through the lower Waterway and Lake Woodlands and stop at decorated stations to collect treats from staff. Sessions run Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23–25, from 6 to 7 p.m. (more dates follow on Oct. 29 and 30). The cost is $40 per tandem kayak, pre-registration is required and costumes are encouraged.
Riva Row Boat House, 2101 Riva Row, The Woodlands 77380 · thewoodlandsparks.com: Kayak Trick-or-Treat
Living near The Woodlands Waterway: Riva Row sits along the Waterway in The Woodlands’ Town Center, where apartments and condos sit close to shops, offices and Market Street. Single-family villages spread out from there, with I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road as the main routes south.
Saturday, Oct. 24: Lemurs, a candy crawl and a parade
World Lemur Festival at the Houston Zoo
The Houston Zoo’s annual World Lemur Festival runs Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The zoo’s teen Zoo Crew hosts scavenger hunts and games, keeper chats cover Madagascar species from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a “We Love Lemurs” parade steps off from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Lemur costumes are encouraged. It’s included with general admission and free for members, so you can pair it with a Zoo Boo visit the same day.
6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston 77030 · houstonzoo.org: World Lemur Festival
Pearland: Trick or Treat on the Street at Pearland Town Center
Pearland Town Center’s free Trick or Treat on the Street runs Saturday from 2 to 9 p.m. The seasonal and vintage markets open at 2 p.m., the center-wide candy crawl starts at 4 p.m., the costume parade is at 6 p.m., the kids’ costume contest is at 6:30 p.m. and the pet costume contest is at 7 p.m. A glow dance party starts at 7:30 p.m.
11200 Broadway Street, Pearland 77584 · pearlandtowncenter.com: Trick or Treat on the Street
Living near Pearland Town Center: The center sits off State Highway 288 at Broadway (FM 518), with a straight run up 288 to the Medical Center. Nearby housing ranges from established subdivisions to newer master-planned communities.
Galveston: Mystical Parade of Boo
The 3rd Annual Mystical Parade of Boo rolls through downtown Galveston on Saturday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. with costumed characters, floats and music. According to Visit Galveston’s listing, the route starts on Market Street at 28th Street, heads east to 20th Street, turns toward The Strand, makes one loop through downtown and ends at Strand and 25th Street. The listing doesn’t mention a cost, and it suggests checking the organizer’s channels for route updates before you go.
Downtown Galveston · visitgalveston.com: Mystical Parade of Boo
More in Galveston and the Bay Area
- Island Oktoberfest: The 44th annual festival runs Friday, Oct. 23, from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the grounds of First Lutheran Church and adjacent streets at 24th and Winnie, 2415 Winnie St. Admission is free; food and drinks are sold by vendors. Arts and crafts in the 1860 Lyceum are open 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. firstlutherangalveston.com: Island Oktoberfest · visitgalveston.com: Island Oktoberfest
- Boo on the Boardwalk: Kemah Boardwalk’s free Halloween series continues with Fright Night Movies on Friday, a costume contest Saturday at 4:45 p.m. on the Main Plaza, and a Freaky Food Eating Contest on Sunday (ages 18 and up, registration required). kemahboardwalk.com/events · Planning a longer day by the water? See our Bay Area weekend ideas.
Sunday, Oct. 25: A free trick-or-treat trail and one more paddle
The Woodlands: Trick or Treat Trail
The Woodlands Township’s free Trick or Treat Trail runs Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park, 6464 Creekside Forest Drive. Vendors hand out treats booth to booth, and the day includes strolling entertainment, carnival games, photo areas and food trucks. Costume contests are at 1:15, 2, 2:45, 3:30 and 4:15 p.m. (one contest per person, up to 50 per contest).
There’s no parking at the Recreation Center. Park at the Rob Fleming Aquatic Center, Creekside Forest Elementary or Lone Star College–Creekside Center, 8747 W. New Harmony Trail. Shuttles from Lone Star College run about every 15 minutes, starting at 12:30 p.m., and the last bus back leaves at 6 p.m.
thewoodlandsparks.com: Trick or Treat Trail
More Sunday picks
- Kayak Trick-or-Treat runs again from 6 to 7 p.m. at Riva Row ($40 per tandem kayak, pre-registration required).
- Children’s Museum Houston’s Halloween at the BOO!seum sets up five candy stations around the museum on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24–25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reserve museum tickets through the event page. 1500 Binz St., Houston 77004 · cmhouston.org/events/halloween
- Zoo Boo’s extended hours continue, with last entry at 8 p.m.
- The Houston Pumpkin Festival at Discovery Green runs through Nov. 8; weekend tickets are $28 and must be bought online. Festival details · Our Discovery Green guide
Living near the Strand: What a parade weekend shows Galveston buyers and sellers
Downtown Galveston hosts two big street events this weekend: Island Oktoberfest at 24th and Winnie on Friday and Saturday, and the Mystical Parade of Boo on Saturday night. The Strand and the blocks around it are the island’s historic commercial core, with 19th-century brick and iron-front buildings. Historic residential streets lie just to the south and east.
- Buyers: If you’re considering a home near downtown, visit on an event night to see the parking, street closures and crowds for yourself.
- Sellers: Walking distance to The Strand, the Seawall or Broadway is a feature worth describing accurately in a listing. Properties in designated historic districts can carry exterior design review, so ask the City of Galveston before planning changes.
More on the area: Galveston · Bishop’s Palace and Galveston architecture · Make room for a coastal reset
Thinking about living near one of these spots?
Planning a move this fall? Read our Houston home-financing update for Oct. 23.
Browsing homes near this weekend’s events? Explore our area pages, including Galveston, The Woodlands and Pearland, or call (281) 724-3966. For event questions, contact each organizer.
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