Pumpkin patches, fall festivals, hayrides, corn mazes, Halloween carnivals, trick-or-treating…we have SO many options for family-friendly fall events in and around Collin County this year. Check out our list to see which fall events are best for your family, your schedule, and your obligatory pumpkin patch photo shoot. Enjoy!
FALL FESTIVALS
Celina ParkFest
Formerly the Celina Balloon Festival, this event had some transitional difficulties last year (and locals were not happy about it), so the former show runners took back control of the event and aim for a return to form. Live music, fair foods, a petting zoo with 35+ animals, dunk tank, inflatables and games, free kid’s activity zone, and more. There’s also a 5k family run at 9am the day of the festival.
Location :: Old Celina Park
Date :: October 14, 2017; 11am-11pm
Cost :: $10/adults, $5/ages 4-17, 3 and under are free
Creekwood Fall Festival
The annual fall festival at Creekwood UMC in Allen will have a petting zoo, hay rides, face painting, carnival games, cake walks, a bounce house, balloon animals, hotdogs, popcorn, and much more. Get some pumpkins from their pumpkin patch, then pose in front of the big red Creekwood barn, believed to be one of the oldest barns in Collin County. Talk about the perfect autumnal background.
Location :: Creekwood United Methodist Church
Date :: October 22, 2017; 3-6pm
Cost :: FREE
PUMPKIN PATCHES & FARMS
Dallas Arboretum
Ah, Pumpkin Village, a perennial crowd-pleaser with over 75,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash to pose and play in. This year’s theme is The Wonderful World of Oz, which should be pretty magical. Since it’s a bit of a hike to get over there, maximize your time by coupling it with some of the other fall Arboretum activities (Harvest Tea, Mommy & Me Mondays, and Tiny Tot Tuesdays).
Location :: 8525 Garland Rd., Dallas 75218
Open :: September 23 – November 22, 2017; 9am-5pm, daily
Cost :: $15/adults, $10/children (3-12), 2 & under are free (Parking: $8 advanced; $15 at the door)
Elves Farm
Elves Farm brings in over 100,000 pounds of pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn and specialty pumpkins every year. So…they’ve got a lot. The pumpkin patch also has hayrides, a maze, farm zoo, hay jump, and dress-your-own-scarecrow stations. They even do pumpkin sling shots for an additional charge, which is definitely something to consider!
Location :: 601 Harvey Ln., Denison 75020
Open :: September 30 – October 31, 2017; weekends only! Saturday: 10am-5pm, Sunday: 1pm-5pm
Cost :: $8/person – includes all activities and 1 pumpkin from the patch, or $3/person if you don’t want a pumpkin
Hall’s Pumpkin Farm & Corn Maze
This farm has pumpkins on the vine and tons of photo ops. If you’re serious about corn mazes, this is THE place. And if you have bold and daring children, bring a flashlight and try the two-acre maze after dark.
Location :: 3420 Hall Johnson Rd., Grapevine 76051
Open :: September 29 – October 31, 2017; Monday-Thursday: 3-8pm, Friday: 3-10pm, Saturday: 10am-10pm, Sunday: 1-8pm
Cost :: FREE general admission, $5/person corn maze, $5/person hayrides. CASH ONLY.
Preston Trail Farms
The family-owned Big Orange Pumpkin Farm of Celina recently moved a few miles north to a bigger location. They’ve got all the farm-y stuff you’re looking for: hay bales, mazes, and pumpkins for photos (and purchase), plus a petting zoo full of farm animals.
Location :: 15102 TX-289, Gunter 75078
Open :: September 15 – November 22, 2017; 8am-8pm, daily
Cost :: $8/person (M-F) and $10/person (weekends), children under 2 are free. Includes feed for petting farm, hayride, roping pen, hay maze, plus one pie pumpkin (M-F) or a hot dog and farm train ride (weekends).
Pumpkins on the Prairie (Grace Avenue UMC)
This is not your average church pumpkin patch. And what’s more, all their activities are free (hay rides, corn maze, bounce house), plus they have different bonus activities planned each weekend like face painting and pumpkin launching.
Location :: 3521 Main St., Frisco 75034
Open :: September 30 – October 31, 2017; Monday-Friday: 1-7pm, Saturday & Sunday*: 9am-7pm (*activities begin after 12pm)
Cost :: FREE
Storybook’s Pumpkin Patch
Established in 1887 as a working cattle ranch, Storybook now operates as a horse sanctuary complete with a old western town set-up comprised of 15 actual buildings from the 1800s. Head to Storybook Ranch for pumpkin patch fun with a side of Texas history.
Location :: Storybook Ranch, 3701 S. Custer, McKinney 75070
Open :: September 24 – November 1, 2017; Sunday-Friday: 10am-sundown, Saturday: 9am-sundown
Cost :: $15/child – includes hay maze, pony rides, petting zoo, bounce houses, wagon ride through 1800s Dry Bones Town and a mini pumpkin, $5/adult – includes petting zoo, 1800s wagon ride tour & mini pumpkin. Kids under 2 are free.
Yesterland Farm
Canton is obviously a bit of a drive, but Yesterland Farm makes for a really solid day trip. It’s basically a pumpkin patch/farm/carnival all-in-one. Rock-climbing walls, forts, pony rides, amusement rides, face painting, and movies in the tipi, not to mention the pumpkin patch, corn maze, petting zoo, etc. Check the link for all the details. They also do Fright Farm after dark if you’re brave enough!
Location :: 15410 Interstate 20, Canton 75103
Open :: September 23 – November 5, 2017 or Fridays in October; October Fridays: 6-10pm, Sept-Nov Sat/Sun: Saturday: 10am-10pm, Sunday: 12-6pm
Cost :: Pricing varies; $21.95 at the gate but discounts for advanced purchase (ages 2 and under free) – admission ticket includes over a dozen farm attractions/activities plus unlimited amusement park rides.
HALLOWEEN CARNIVALS & TRICK-OR-TREATING
Little Elm Halloween Carnival
Come out for an old-fashioned carnival with food, games, prizes, and candy. And don’t miss Pumpkin Hollow, a trail of 1,000 carved jack o’ lanterns glowing in the night. Even better, carve some pumpkins with the family and drop them off for display along the Pumpkin Hollow trail.
Location :: Little Elm Park, Johnny Broyles Nature Trail
Date :: October 20-22, 2017; Friday: 6-9pm, Saturday & Sunday: 6-10pm
Cost :: FREE
Halloween at the Heard
Halloween at the Heard lets you trick-or-treat along their life-size animatronic dinosaur trail. They’re also doing all sorts of fun stuff like a “Ghost Town,” costume contests, family-friendly movie in the outdoor amphitheater, and more. Check the link for a full schedule of events and tips on what to bring (strollers, bug spray, etc.).
Location :: Heard Natural Science Museum
Date :: October 21, 2017; 6-10pm
Cost :: $15/adults, $10/children 3-12, 2 & under are free. Pre-sale for members, general public tickets available while supplies last starting 9/29
Friscovania
This is the mayor-sanctioned Halloween party, y’all. Safe, family-friendly fun with a carnival for kids, live music, entertainment, and trick-or-treating through the stadium concourse. Wear your most creative costume; you might win a prize!
Location :: Toyota Stadium, Frisco
Date :: October 21, 2017; 4-9pm
Cost :: $10/person, kids under 2 are free. Free parking.
Boo on Ballard
Kids can trick-or-treat all along Ballard at booths set up by local vendors. Olde City Park (also on Ballard) will have a bungee trampoline, foam cannon, zip line, and DJ as part of “Glow in the Park,” put on by Wylie Parks & Rec.
Location :: Historic Downtown Wylie
Date :: October 26, 2017; 6-8pm
Cost :: FREE
Trick-or-Treat at the Farm
This is a good one for kids who are too little to really understand the whole door-to-door candy thing. Activities include trick-or-treating, chicken feeding, tractor rides, a craft, and much more! Wear your costumes! Open to ages 1-9.
Location :: Heritage Farmstead Museum, Plano
Date :: October 27, 2017; 10am-12pm
Cost :: $7 for children 1+ if you pre-register online, $3 for adults , $8 per child if you purchase tickets at the door
Carrollton Fall Festival
This one is also for younger kids (infant-age 12) and their families. Wear your costumes to the library for crafts, face painting, a mystery scavenger hunt, Fear Factor-style games, and lots of prizes.
Location :: Carrollton Public Library, Josey Ranch Lake
Date :: October 27, 2017; 6-8pm
Cost :: FREE
Scare on the Square
Downtown McKinney closes off the streets for safe, family-friendly trick-or-treating shop-to-shop. That’s a lot of hyphenated words in a row, but I think it checks out, grammatically. Visit the link for more details and for their costume contest categories—even infants can participate!
Location :: Historic Downtown McKinney
Date :: October 31, 2017; 4-7pm
Cost :: FREE
Halloween party with petting zoo at Park In Play, Friday October 27th. Kids can dress in costume, free candy & crafting. Admission:10.50, siblings:7.50, crawling babies $5.25 or free with a paid admission for a sibling.