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Halloween Events in DFW for 2026

Updated September 28, 2026

Kids in costumes walking past decorated car trunks at a trunk-or-treat at dusk

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, so most neighborhoods will trick-or-treat on Oct. 31 itself. The two weeks before it are packed too. Churches, police departments, cities and even a trampoline park are running free trunk-or-treats across the Metroplex, and the zoo, the Arboretum and Six Flags all have their fall events going.

Below are 14 free trunk-or-treats in date order, then the bigger paid outings. Every trunk-or-treat on the list is outdoors and free to get in.

Quick picks
  • Sensory-friendly: Grapevine PD (Oct. 24) and Southlake Police & Fire (Oct. 28) both open with a quiet hour. The Arboretum has a sensory night on Oct. 20.
  • Toddlers and daytime: First Grapevine (Oct. 17, 2 p.m.) and Boo at the Zoo (Oct. 23 to 25).
  • Biggest party: Boo! Downtown Rowlett (Oct. 24) has carnival rides.

Free trunk-or-treats in DFW

First Grapevine's Not So Scary Trunk-or-Treat

When
Saturday, Oct. 17 · 2 to 4 p.m.
Cost
Free

Daytime and built for little ones. Decorated trunks fill the Church Street lot, with games, photo spots, music, food trucks and airbrush tattoos.

Trick or Treat Trail

When
Saturday, Oct. 17 · 3 to 6 p.m.
Cost
Free

McKinney's parks department lines a walking trail with candy stations and decorated characters. It runs early in the evening, which suits families with younger kids.

Neighborhood Trunk-or-Treat at Tehama Ridge

When
Saturday, Oct. 17 · 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Cost
Free

A small neighborhood event on the north side of Fort Worth with candy, Halloween games and a relaxed pace. A good pick for toddlers.

Christ's Haven Fall Festival & Open House

When
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cost
Free

A daytime open house at the children's home, with pony rides, a bounce house, trunk-or-treat cars and tours of the cottages where the kids live. Since it wraps up by 1 p.m., it works well before nap time.

Grapevine Police Department Trunk-or-Treat

When
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 4 to 8 p.m. (sensory hour 4 to 5)
Cost
Free

This year's theme is Back to the Future. The first hour is sensory-friendly, with no flashing lights or loud music.

Trunk-or-Treat at Glade Parks

When
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Cost
Free

An outdoor shopping center with wide, well-lit walkways, which makes it easy with strollers. Handy for families in Euless, Hurst and Bedford.

Boo Bash Festival

When
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Cost
Free

Burleson's city-run fall party fills the sports complex parking lot with candy games, bounce houses and pumpkin painting, plus food trucks. Organizers ask families to register ahead so there's enough candy for everyone.

Boo! Downtown Rowlett Trunk-or-Treat

When
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 6 to 9 p.m.
Cost
Free

The biggest party on this list. The city is bringing carnival rides, a live DJ and a costume contest on top of the trunk line.

Trunk-or-Treat at Shawnee Trail Church of Christ

When
Sunday, Oct. 25 · 4:30 to 7 p.m.
Cost
Free

Plenty to do for free: a bounce house, a petting zoo, a balloon artist and a trackless train, plus candy and games at every car.

Southlake Police & Fire Trunk-or-Treat

When
Wednesday, Oct. 28 · 5 to 7 p.m. (sensory hour 4 to 5)
Cost
Free

A long-running favorite. More than 30 local businesses are expected to join the police and fire crews, and last year they handed out full-size candy bars.

Irving P.A.L. Trunk-or-Treat

When
Thursday, Oct. 29 · 5 to 8 p.m.
Cost
Free

Irving police host this one across the P.A.L. building and the Lively Pointe Youth Center next door. Trunk decorators who register by Oct. 23 compete for Best Decorated Trunk.

Trunk-or-Treat at Sky Zone

When
Thursday, Oct. 29 · 5 to 8 p.m.
Cost
Free

Free trunk-or-treat in the parking lot with a DJ, games and a costume contest. Jumping inside is optional and starts at $21.99, and 25% of ticket and food sales go to The Tree of North Texas.

Lake Dallas Trunk or Treat

When
Thursday, Oct. 29 · 5 to 7 p.m.
Cost
Free

A hometown tradition with free popcorn and snow cones, a mini train, an obstacle course, a DJ and a photo booth. Costume judging runs 5 to 6:30, so get there early.

Street 'N Treat

When
Saturday, Oct. 31 · 5 to 9 p.m.
Cost
Free

Downtown Grand Prairie closes off Main Street for trick-or-treating, a petting zoo, inflatables and a costume contest. It falls on Halloween night itself, so it can double as the main event.

Bigger Halloween outings

These charge admission, but they fill a whole day.

Boo at the Zoo

When
Friday to Sunday, Oct. 23 to 25 · daytime
Cost
Free with zoo admission or membership

Treat stations, live shows and animal encounters, all during the day and never too scary. Tickets went on sale Sept. 23. Official page

Autumn at the Arboretum: Harvest Hues

When
Daily through Nov. 1 · 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost
Arboretum admission

More than 100,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash arranged around famous works of art. For kids who get overwhelmed, the sensory-friendly Pumpkins After Hours night is Tuesday, Oct. 20, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Official page

Fright Fest and Tricks & Treats

When
Select dates through Nov. 1
Cost
Park admission; haunted mazes cost extra

Two events in one park. Tricks & Treats runs Saturdays and Sundays during the day for younger kids. Fright Fest takes over on select nights with haunted mazes and scare zones, so save that part for teens. Official page

Tips for trunk-or-treat night

  • Get there early. The popular ones run out of candy in the last hour, and costume contests usually judge early.
  • Bring a flashlight or glow sticks. Most of these run past sunset, which is around 6:45 p.m. in late October.
  • Check before you leave. Outdoor events can move or cancel for rain. Look at the host's Facebook page the day of.
  • Hand out candy yourself. Most church and police events take trunk sign-ups. Call the host a week or two ahead.

Planning your own Halloween party

Find local help on DFW Local: party rentals for bounce houses and tables, DJs and entertainment, bakeries for the spooky cupcakes, food trucks, and photographers for the costume photos.

For older kids who want a real scare, see DFW haunted houses sorted by scare level.

Dates and details come from each host's announcements and the DFWChild events calendar, as of September 28, 2026. Plans change, so confirm with the host before you go. If you're hosting a Halloween event in DFW, tell us and we'll add it.