HALLOWEEN IN BURLINGTON VERMONT | 2026 EVENTS, HAUNTED HOUSES & PUMPKIN PATCHES

As the leaves turn ghostly and the wind picks up a chill off the lake, Halloween in Burlington, Vermont comes alive, because "ordinary" isn't in our vocabulary. We celebrate Halloween like we do everything else: with passion and a touch of eccentricity. From haunted history tours to pumpkin patches perfect for your next jack o'lantern, the city is packed with Burlington VT Halloween events in 2026. And with Halloween landing on a Saturday this year, there's no reason to squeeze it all into one night. Looking for more than thrills? Our guide to things to do in Burlington, Vermont this fall pairs the spooky stuff with classic Burlington fall activities

What are the best Halloween events in Burlington, Vermont?

Sam Mazza's Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze

Wondering where to get a pumpkin in Burlington, Vermont? Colchester, mostly. Sam Mazza's Farm Market on Lavigne Road cuts a brand new maze every summer, about three miles of paths through corn that tops seven feet by fall. You get two mazes on one ticket, plus a punch card to prove you found the checkpoints. On weekends, hayrides head out to the pick your own patch until the pumpkins run out, Don't leave without a cider donut. That's not a suggestion. It's policy. Hours: Mon.-Sat. 7am-7pm | Sun. 7am-6pm

Haunted Hustle 5K

Want to get outside, breathe in that crisp fall air, and show off your costume? South Burlington's Halloween fun run is for runners and walkers of every speed. Stick around after for music, food, and costume awards for kids, adults, and groups. After dark, the Glow Walk brings out trick or treat stations for the little ones. October 24^th, 3:30-5:30pm at the Goose Pond and SB City Center.

Halloween in Winooski

Cross the bridge and you'll find a thousand carved pumpkins glowing in Rotary Park. Neighbors spend the week before carving at the senior center. Then the whole city turns out for trick or treating around the rotary, live music, and a carving contest that gets more competitive than it should. It's free. Go after dark. Find more information on things to do in Winooski here and spend the whole night in the city!

Where can I find family friendly Halloween events in Burlington, Vermont?

Howl'ween Dog Costume Contest

Halloween morning belongs to the dogs. On Saturday, October 31, Church Street Marketplace turns the Leahy Block outside Homeport into a runway for pups in their silliest, spookiest, and cutest costumes. Prizes go to Silliest, Most Original, Best Pup & Owner, and Best in Show. Registration opens at 11 a.m. at the Church Street Marketplace tent, and the contest starts at noon. No dog? Come anyway. Somebody has to cheer for the corgi dressed as a taco.

VSO at the Flynn: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra brings a Halloween matinee to the Flynn. The program includes Dukas's The Sorcerer's Apprentice, eerie selections from Berlioz's Symphonie fantastique, Michael Abels' score for NOPE, and music from Danny Elfman. It's an all ages afternoon, so bring the kids in costume. The orchestra won't mind. October 31^st, 3-5pm

Halloween at Winooski Farmers Market

The final Winooski Farmers Market of the season gets the Halloween treatment, with themed guest vendors and festive activities. Show up in costume and leave with apples, a pumpkin, a pie, or something to get you through the rest of the night. October 25^th at the bottom of the Winooski Rotary.

Where can I find a Halloween costume in Burlington, Vermont?

If you're looking for the perfect place to find a Halloween costume, we have you covered. Downtown has been outfitting costume parties and questionable decisions since 1973. Skip the pop up store at the mall.

Old Gold

Just around the corner from Ben & Jerry's at 151 Cherry Street, Old Gold is a must for bold, campy costumes and kitschy accessories. You'll find wigs, sequins, feathers, vintage, cowboy boots, and formal wear. On any given day, the staff might help a teenager find a disco jumpsuit and then fit a retiree for a tuxedo. If your plan starts with "what if I went as," start here.

Battery Street Jeans

Looking to shop secondhand? Battery Street Jeans hasn't been on Battery Street for years. Nobody minds. Find it at 115 College Street, where the racks are packed tight with vintage denim, secondhand treasure, and pieces made by local artists. It's been home to Burlington's eccentrics since 1991, so expect the unexpected. Dig long enough and you'll find exactly what your costume was missing, plus three things it didn't need.

Where to get spooked in Burlington, Vermont

Is there a haunted house in Burlington, Vermont? Not the usual one this year. After 21 years of scares at the Champlain Valley Expo, Nightmare Vermont is taking 2026 off. The volunteer crew says it isn't goodbye, and that the haunt they bring back won't be the one you remember. In the meantime, they're asking fans to support other local haunts and fall traditions. Happy to help with that.

Queen City Ghostwalk

Good news for the ghosts: Thea Lewis is back. The author and historian, known around here as Vermont's Queen of Halloween, created Queen City Ghostwalk in 2002 and has returned to lead it after nearly two years away. This fall's tours cover three kinds of haunted: Lakeview Cemetery on North Avenue, downtown, and the waterfront. Expect smugglers, shipwrecks, theater ghosts, and a fair amount of true history that's scarier than any of them. Book ahead. October fills up.

Ghostwatch

Prefer your haunted house on a screen? Ghostwatch aired on the BBC on Halloween night in 1992, disguised as a live broadcast. Real TV hosts investigated "the most haunted house in Britain," with a camera crew stationed inside and phone lines open for viewers. Then things went wrong, on air, in something close to real time. Plenty of viewers believed every minute of it. The panic kept it off British television for years, which is exactly how it became a cult classic. Watch it with a crowd. Pay attention to the corners of the frame.
The Screening Room at VTIFF
60 Lake Street, 1st Floor
Burlington, VT
Cost: $12 General Admission | $6 Student

Halloween parties and live music in Burlington, Vermont

Not everyone wants to be scared. Some people just want to dance in a costume they spent three weeks on.

Spooky Perreo

NDVST throws an 18+ reggaeton night built for spooky season. Expect Bad Bunny, Karol G, Feid, Rauw Alejandro, and a room full of costumes that weren't designed for dancing but will be used for it anyway. October 24^th at Higher Ground

It's a 2000s (Halloween) Party

On Friday, October 30, Higher Ground goes full Y2K for one night. It's 18+, with the biggest pop, hip hop, and rock hits of the 2000s and 2010s. That means Britney, Eminem, and every song you swore you forgot the words too. Dig the butterfly clips out of the junk drawer. Get your friends together and kick off the weekend with a bang!

SHEBAD w/ Psymon Spine + A Halloween Surprise

Foam Brewers is spending Halloween on the waterfront with live music. SHEBAD brings the soulful jazz funk and Psymon Spine brings the psychedelic dance grooves. There's also a surprise opener nobody's naming yet. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Grab a pint, find a spot with a lake view, and plan on staying a while. October 31^st, doors open at 7pm.

Interactive Halloween dinners in Burlington, Vermont

Monsters Ball at Adventure Dinner
The fun doesn't stop there. On Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30, Adventure Dinner turns its Clubhouse at 70 Roosevelt Highway in Colchester into a haunted mansion for the Monsters Ball. Think skulls hidden in the woodwork, spiderwebs hanging from the ceiling, and candlelight flickering over some truly monstrous table settings. The night starts at 6 p.m. with a Haunting Hour in the lounge, where the first bites come out and the Spooky Bar starts pouring cocktails, mocktails, natural wine, and local beer. Then everyone sits down for five courses inspired by classic monsters, from the Bride of Frankenstein to the Creature from the Black Lagoon, courtesy of Executive Chef Eric Hodet. Come in costume. There's a Best Dressed contest, and past years suggest the competition gets serious. Tickets are $75 plus tax, drinks are extra, and the kitchen can accommodate vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, gluten free, and dairy free diets. Just note it when you book.

Elixirs and potions: where to find your next haunted brew

Devil Takes a Holiday

Looking for inventive, spooky cocktails? Seven Days readers just named Devil Takes a Holiday the best bar and the best cocktails of 2026. That about covers it. The menu at 111 St. Paul Street changes constantly and runs on puns, color, and a sense of humor. Every drink has a zero proof version the bar calls an "atonement." Fitting, given the name.

Waterworks Food + Drink

Prefer your spooky ambiance with a view? Waterworks sits inside the Champlain Mill in Winooski, with big windows over the river falls. It's a short walk from the pumpkins in Rotary Park, which makes it the right call before or after.

Make a weekend of it.

Halloween's on a Saturday, so there's no reason to squeeze it into one night. Browse the full Burlington events calendar, then book a room downtown and walk everywhere. The ghosts do.

Looking for even more things to do in Burlington, Vermont this Halloween? Check out the events below.