All of our favorites have returned.
September is the unofficial start of Halloween and fall and all things spooky, and around here, we’re all about celebrating fall for as long as humanly possible. That’s why we have this ultimate guide for you, so that you can start prepping for the best spooky season with corn mazes, pumpkin patches, haunted tours, and arts and culture festivals that only come around once a year. Put on your best Halloween costume, pull up a chair with some cider, and get ready to be spooked. Here’s our guide for 9 frightening fall festivals and spooky attractions around Denver that you won’t want to miss.
Spooky Fun
1. Fairmount Cemetery “History Mystery Tours”
Check out this “History Mystery” tour at Fairmount Cemetery starting this month. Be led by a spooky historian through Denver’s most notorious cemetery with a tour that takes you back in time to hear the stories of some of Colorado’s most notable figures and more. Tickets are around $25 without fees.
2. Denver Botanic Garden
One of Denver’s favorite venues, the Denver Botanical Gardens, is bringing back a few of their fall festivities that we can’t wait for.
- Chatfield Farm’s Corn Maze (September 16th-Oct 30th, weekends)
- Chatfield Farm’s Pumpkin Festival (October 7th-9th)
- Glow at the Gardens (Oct 18th-23rd)
- Día de Los Muertos (Nov 5th)
- Ghosts in the Gardens Tour (Oct 13-15th and 29th-30th)
3. Wild Fall
Denver’s recently replaced their ‘Boo at the Zoo’ event with their new ‘Wild Fall’ event that’s happening the whole month of October. Starting October 1st and lasting until Halloween, October 31st. Enjoy festive autumn eats and spooky, themed cocktails while you mingle with costumed creatures, a creepy crawly meet-and-greet, pumpkin carving, and even Trick or Treating (a separate ticketed event). Tickets go on sale on the 20th of September.
4. Molly Brown House Museum
Head over to the historic Molly Brown house for an event that combines history and literature in a unique and fun way. Listen to some of the spookiest stories in the canon, penned from famous writers like Mary Shelley and Lord Byron, and learn more about Shelly in the process. You’ll walk away feeling spooked and inspired all at once. This year, they’ll be hosting their Victorian Horrors event, which lets guests roam the house while being regaled with spooky and Gothic literary tales.
5. Cider Days Festival
The Cider Days Festival is returning to Lakewood this year on October 1st and 2nd and tickets are now on sale. Come Celebrate Lakewood’s agricultural history with a taste of the fall season. Enjoy apple cider, apple pressing, an apple baking competition on Sunday, and enjoy live performances and local vendors.
6. Anderson Farms Corn Maze
Colorado’s longest running corn maze is back at Anderson Farms at their annual festival. This year, enjoy a newly-designed corn maze that’s light-hearted and great for kids. The haunted corn maze, though, will be on the north side of the farm and is known as Terror in the Corn. By day, enjoy the farm festival activities like trick or treating, the corn maze, and pumpkin patch. By night, feel real terror as you paintball fight a bunch of zombies, escape from the haunted corn maze, and get your spook on. Tickets for all of the events are on sale now, so check their calendar for the different events.
7. Denver Oktoberfest
For two weekends, enjoy Denver’s rip-roaring good-time beer fest, Oktoberfest. From September 16th – 18th and September 23rd – 56th, drink your fill of German-inspired lagers and pilsners, wear your lederhosen, and enjoy a little taste of Germany right in your own backyard. This is a ticketed event so make sure to get yours online.
8. Ya Ya Farms & Orchard
Over in Boulder, you can head over to the Ya Ya Farms and Orchard for plenty of fall-time activities suited for the little ones. From their U-Pick It activity, which lets you pick your very own fresh apples, pears, cherry, and flowers to their Hard Cider workshop where you can learn to make a perfectly spiced cider to sip on as the leaves turn colors and the weather changes. And don’t forget to check out the cider doughnuts.
9. First Friday Art Walks
The First Friday Art Walks in the Denver Arts District are the perfect way to spend Friday evenings. Enjoy the crisp air and take a stroll while admiring some of Denver’s most unique vendors. The event happens yearly on Santa Fe Drive and goes from 5:30 to 9:30. Not to mention, there are often food trucks and vendors to enjoy in between the art watching. For this year, you’ll have to wear a mask and keep a safe distance from each other, but this open-air event seems like the perfect way to spend an evening.
[featured image by denverbotanic via Instagram]