Festivals Oct. 6-12: Oktoberfests, Great Highwood Pumpkin Fest, Scarecrow Fest and more

Ongoing

Keller’s Farmstand Fun Fall Festivities: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Keller’s Farmstand Oswego, 2500 Johnson Road, Oswego. Features an 8-acre corn maze, children’s play area, farm animals, rope and brick mazes, straw maze, children’s and adults’ bike tracks, horse play area, tire stack, special events on weekends and more. $11.99, $2 discount for senior citizens and military; free for kids 4 and younger. kellersfarmstand.com.

Pumpkin Fest: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Tuesday, Oct. 31, at Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Animals, a straw pyramid and thousands of pumpkins scattered on the zoo’s lawn. $10 nonresident adults, $9 nonresident adults 55 or older; free for members, Wheaton Park District residents, and kids 17 and younger. cosleyzoo.org/pumpkin-fest.

Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Pedal tractors, pumpkins and fall treats for sale, and on weekends, hayrides for $3.50 and animal shows. $5 for residents, $5.50 for nonresidents; free for kids 1 and younger and U.S. military with ID. dtpd.org/randall-oaks-zoo.

Happy Times Pumpkinfest: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Didier Farms, 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Lincolnshire. Food, activities, pig races and more. Free; fee for activities.happytimespumpkinfest.com.

Lincoln Park Zoo Fall Fest: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago. Pumpkins, hot cider, toasted s’mores, music, story times, activities and more. Free. lpzoo.org.

Dinos Downtown Wheaton: Through Sunday, Oct. 8. An outdoor exhibit featuring 10 life-size animatronic dinosaurs throughout downtown Wheaton. Free. downtownwheaton.com/dinos.

13th Floor Haunted House: Various times and days through Saturday, Nov. 11, at 5050 River Road, Schiller Park. One hour before opening, guests can walk through the haunted house without live actors. Tickets start at $19.99 on select nights. 13thfloorchicago.com.

Jack O’Lantern World: Times vary Thursdays through Sundays through Sunday, Oct. 29, at 215 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Walk a -mile long trail through thousands of jack-o’-lanterns hand-carved by artisans. $14.99-$24.99. thejackolanternworld.com/lakezurich.

The Old Joliet Haunted Prison: Select times and dates through Saturday, Nov. 4, at 401 Woodruff Road, Joliet. This immersive haunted house winds through the dark, abandoned halls of the infamous Joliet Correctional Center. Tickets start at $19.99 on select nights. hauntedprison.com.

Six Flags Great America Fright Fest and Oktoberfest: 5-11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, at Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Drive, Gurnee. Daytime hours are family-friendly with trick-or-treat and Halloween crafts. Evening hours include haunted mazes, roaming zombies, scary clowns and spooky shows. Oktoberfest: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday featuring German food and beer. Tickets start at $45. sixflags.com/greatamerica.

Terror Roulette: Thursdays through Sundays through Tuesday, Oct. 31, at The Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, Suite J-40, South Barrington. This haunted house challenge is designed for horror fans. Advance tickets required. Prices start at $37; group rates available. terrorroulette.com.

 
Last year’s Scarecrow Fest in St. Charles included a variety of intricate scarecrows, such as Baby Yoda. This year’s fest runs Friday through Sunday, Oct. 6-8.
– Brian Hill | Staff Photographer, 2022

Friday, Oct. 6

MainStreet Libertyville’s First Fridays: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, on Main Street in Libertyville. Music, refreshments and more. Free. mainstreetlibertyville.org.

Scarecrow Fest: Noon to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, in downtown St. Charles. 38th annual fest features 85 handcrafted scarecrows on display throughout downtown. Family zone in Lincoln Park and Autumn on the Fox Arts and Crafts Show at Pottawatomie Park. Free. scarecrowfest.com.

The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival and Skeleton Invasion: 4-11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7; and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at 17 Central Ave., Highwood. Music, rides, pumpkin carving and more. Skeletons on Display will run throughout October. Customer appreciation kickoff from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5. Free. highwoodpumpkinfest.com.

Huntley First Friday Night on the Square: 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, at Sew Hop’d/Union Special, One Union Special Plaza, Suite 113, Huntley. Food trucks start at 5 p.m. The drive-in movie “The Mask” screens at 7 p.m. Free. enjoyhuntley.com.

Lincoln Park Wine Fest: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at Jonquil Park, 1001 W. Wrightwood, Chicago. An open-air market featuring wine and food booths, ticketed wine tastings and more. Admission starts at $35. lincolnparkchamber.com.

German music is part of the fun at Oktoberfest Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, at Naper Settlement in Naperville.
– Courtesy of Naperville Heritage Society

Oktoberfest: 5-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, and 3-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Traditional German music, beer and cuisine under a heated tent with family-friendly activities. Professional pumpkin-carving demonstrations, lawn games and, on Saturday, compete in a stein-holding contest. Music from Ed Wagner’s Lustige Blaskapelle from 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Polkaholics from 8-10 p.m. Friday, and Freeze Dried from 3-5 p.m., Whiskey Romance from 5:30-7:30 p.m., and Lowdown Brass Band from 8-10 p.m. Saturday. $20; $15 for kids 4-12. napersettlement.com.

Self-Guided Jack O’ Lantern Walk: 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, at the Kane County Court House Lawn, 100 S. Third St., Geneva. Over 70 local downtown merchants will be displaying glowing jack-o’-lanterns in their windows or outside their businesses for families to stroll around town and vote on their favorite in several categories. Free. facebook.com/.

Autumn Hayrides: 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, at Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles. Go on a 30-minute tractor-drawn wagon ride and then make s’mores over an open fire. $15. Tickets at stcparks.org/events.

Fall Festival and Family Social: 5:30-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, at the Waukegan Park District Adaptive Recreation Center, 540 S. McAlister St., Waukegan. Games, snacks and prizes. Part of the Waukegan Park District’s National Hispanic Heritage Month events. Free. Register at waukeganparks.org/herenciahispana.

Graveside Stories Cemetery Walk: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Myrtle and Alexander Street on the Elmhurst University campus. Learn about the history of Elmhurst through the perspectives of past residents during this family-friendly cemetery walk presented in collaboration with GreenMan Theatre Troupe. Tours depart from the cemetery gates every 15 minutes. Friday night tours will be lantern-lit. $12. Reservations required at elmhursthistory.org.

Lombard Tales + Tombstones: 6-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, at Lombard Cemetery, 462 S. Main St., Lombard. The Lombard Park District and Lombard Historical Society host a candlelit tour of the oldest cemetery in town. Meet past residents who lived in town over 100 years ago. $25 adults, $5 for kids 12 and younger. Advance registration is required at lombardparks.com.

Ghost Stories in the Park, In the Dark: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6; 6 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7; and 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion, 912 Sindt Court, Naperville. Summer Place Theatre’s annual event when storytellers share ghost stories. Not recommended for kids younger than 5. Bring blankets and cushions. $7. Tickets can be purchased at the Alfred Rubin or Fort Hill centers before 3 p.m. Friday or online at napervilleparks.org. After that, buy tickets at the gate.

Raise a glass at Oktoberfest Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, at Naper Settlement in Naperville.
– Courtesy of Naperville Heritage Society

Saturday, Oct. 7

Lake Bluff Rib Fest: 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Lake Bluff Village Green, 40 E. Center Ave., Lake Bluff. A friendly rib competition between teams of community members. Donations encouraged. lakebluffbarbecuesociety.com/ribfest.

Fall Color 5K Run/Walk: 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Scenic, rolling course, followed by live music and a complimentary beer (for ages 21+) at the post-race party. $55. Virtual 5K is $45. mortonarb.org.

Panting Four Paws Festival: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Lippold Park, 2500 Harding Lane, Woodstock. 5K/10K run and 1-mile walk with your pup, vendors, games for dogs and food. $40 for 5K, $45 for 10K, $20 for mile walk. Register at helpingpaws.net.

Fall Diddley: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Boone County Fairgrounds, off Route 76, north of Business Route 20 in Belvidere. The 38th annual juried craft show features over 200 artisans from across the country. Proceeds benefit the Mental Health Resource League of McHenry County. $10; free parking. mhrl.org.

Family Fall Fest: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 7, at The Depot at Wild Meadows Trace, 511 S. York St., Elmhurst. Safety Town trick-or-treating, fall activities, inflatable corn maze, photo opportunities and more. Free. epd.org/news/family-fall-fest.

Pumpkin Patch Festival: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at SEBA Park, 151 S. Water St., South Elgin. Costume pet parade at 10 a.m. along the sidewalk on South Water Street, craft show, pumpkin chucking, face painting, pyramid of hay and painting station. For the pet parade, register in advance through Friday or on-site from 9:30-9:50 a.m. Free. southelgin.com.

Algonquin Harvest Market: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, along Main Street, Algonquin. Farmers market, artisans, entertainment, food, drinks, giveaways and more. Hosted by the Algonquin Rotary Club. Free. algonquin.org.

Boo! at the Zoo: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 7-22, at Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St., Brookfield. Pumpkin decorating, treats, pumpkin feeding to the animals at 10:30 a.m., zoo chats, magic shows, Halloween scenes and a virtual reality spooky carnival coaster (extra fee). Costumes encouraged. $29.95, $24.95 for 65 and older, $20.95 for kids 3-11. czs.org/booatthezoo.

E-Town Community Literacy Fest: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Evanston Township High School, Room N-112, 1600 Dodge Ave., Evanston. Games, food, music, free book giveaways, a children’s reading circle, poem writing, read-alouds and more. Free. eths.k12.il.us.

PumpkinPalooza, Pumpkins on Safari: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8, at The Growing Place Garden Center, 2000 Montgomery Road, Aurora. Safari-themed pumpkin scavenger hunt, a photo safari hayride, crafts, pumpkin slingshot, food truck, live animal show from IncredibleBats and more. Free. thegrowingplace.com.

Wonder Wheels Outdoor Festival: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8, at Wonder Works Children’s Museum, 6445 W. North Ave., Oak Park. Explore trucks and vehicles, see a tiny tots vehicle racetrack, play in a giant sand pit mini construction site, create a Lego car, plus food trucks and more. $13 for members, $26 for nonmembers, free for kids 1 and younger; tickets include admission to Wonder Works Children’s Museum. wonder-works.org/2023-wonder-wheels.

Algonquin Historic Cemetery Walk: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Algonquin Cemetery. Features re-enactments by historical figures. A shuttle bus will take attendees from the Algonquin Harvest Market and back every 20 minutes. Hosted by the Algonquin Historic Commission. Free. algonquin.org.

Autumn Harvest: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at North School Park, East Eastman Street and Evergreen Avenue, Arlington Heights. Crafts, games, hayrides, a scarecrow-building contest, live music and entertainment, food and more. Free. ahpd.org.

Awe of Nature Festival: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Midlothian Meadows, West 155th and Pulaski/Crawford, Midlothian. Explore Midlothian Meadows while learning about Illinois’ natural landscape and the work of The Nature Conservancy. Includes games, live music, food, activities and more. Free. Register at nature.org/IllinoisFestival.

Danada Fall Festival: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8, at Danada Equestrian Center, 3S507 Naperville Road, Wheaton. Equestrian performances, hayrides, kids’ activities, displays, food and more. Free admission and parking. Fees for some activities. dupageforest.org.

Pumpkin Weekends: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday through Monday, Oct. 7-9, at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Family-friendly fall festivities. Bounce house Saturday; face painting Sunday; and balloon artist Monday. $7-$8 includes rides and attractions; pumpkins are $3. foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.

Lombard Fall Fest: 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Lombard Commons, 433 E. St. Charles Road. Games, dancing, face painting, candy hunts, pumpkin patch (one per child) and more. Boo Bingo from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Community Building. Bring a nonperishable food or monetary donation for The Outreach House. lombardparks.com.

DIY Scarecrow Day: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Brother’s Field, 340 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Reserve a time to build your own custom scarecrow using a variety of clothing and accessories. Register in advance. $10 per scarecrow. longgrove.org/festival/october-days.

Downtown Wheaton Chili Cookoff: 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Innovator Hale Street Tents, Wheaton. Downtown eateries compete for best chili. Ticketholders enjoy unlimited chili tastings before voting. Live music by the Wheaton Dad Band. $20 or $60 for a Chili Crew for four people. downtownwheaton.com/events.

Itasca Halloween Celebration: 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Itasca Recreation Center, 350 E. Irving Park Road, Itasca. Free pony rides, bounce houses, games, pumpkin decorating and more. Bring a canned food/nonperishables donation for the Itasca Food Pantry. $1 donation per child. itascaparkdistrict.com/240/Autumn-Events.

Woodstock Ale Fest: 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the corner of Clay and Newell, Woodstock. Features 60 brews from 30 local breweries, live entertainment, games and contests, hourly special brew tappings, raffle food trucks and more. Proceeds benefit Independence Health & Therapy. $60, $80 for VIP, $15 for designated driver. woodstockalefest.org.

Hillbilly Rockstarz performs at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Hometown Hoedown Fall Fest at Kimball Hill Park in Rolling Meadows.
– Courtesy of Hillbilly Rockstarz

Hometown Hoedown Fall Fest: 2-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Kimball Hill Park, 3286 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows. Kids’ activities from 2-5 p.m.; square dancing at 3 p.m.; line dancing from 4-6 p.m.; cowboy cookout from 5-8 p.m. Hayrides, petting zoo, crafts, pony rides, face painting and more. Hillbilly Rockstarz performs at 6 p.m. Free. cityrm.org.

Northbrook Autumnfest: 2-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Meadowhill Park, 1479 Maple Ave., Northbrook. DJ entertainment, pumpkin patch, refreshments, pumpkin decorating contest, crafts, Northbrook Theatre for Young Audiences performance at 3 p.m. and more. Sensory-friendly hour from 12:30-1:30 p.m.; registration is required. Free. nbparks.org.

Roselle Founders Day Festival: 2-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Clauss Recreation Center, 555 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Roselle. Music, food trucks, beer garden, pumpkin decorating, obstacle course, hay rides, bounce house, rock climbing wall, Euro Bungy, zip line and more. 7th heaven performs at 5 p.m. Free. roselle.il.us.

Villa Park BrewFest: 2-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park, 318 E. Kenilworth Ave., Villa Park. Beers and hard ciders from local and regional craft breweries and food trucks. For 21 and older. Benefits the Villa Park VFW Post 2801. $45; Gold pass from 1-2 p.m. for $65; $15 for designated driver; day-of admission $55. facebook.com/villaparkbrewfest/.

The Villa Park BrewFest offers beers and hard ciders Saturday, Oct. 7, at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park.
– Courtesy of Villa Park Brewfest

Fox Lake Pumpkin Jubilee: 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Community Garden Green, 17 E. School Court, Fox Lake. Artisan crafts, food vendors and pumpkin carving. Carved pumpkins will be added to the pumpkin wall that will be on display all night. Free. foxlake.org/392/Pumpkin-Jubilee.

Octoberfest: 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Meineke Park, 220 E. Weathersfield Way, Schaumburg. Food trucks and live entertainment. $5 activity bracelet includes the balloon twister, face painting and inflatables. Overflow parking will be at the Jerry Handlon Administration Building, 235 E. Beech Drive. Free. parkfun.com.

St. Paul’s Heritage Fest/German Dinner: 3-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 40W720 Plank Road, Elgin. Authentic German dinner with live music and face painting. Proceeds support Crop Walk to Fight Hunger. $15 adults, $5 kids 6 and older, free for kids 5 and younger. stpauluccelgin.org.

“Anne of Green Gables” Walking Play: 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8, at the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Plays begin at the Thornhill Shelter on the west side. $15-$25 at mortonarb.org.

Ghost Story Train: 5, 6:15 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Fox River Trolley Museum, off Route 31, South Elgin. Ride a spooky trolley down to the haunted forest preserve for family-friendly frights, including stories around the campfire with treats from Margie’s Girls’ Kitchen. A ghostly musician will lead campfire songs. Costumes welcome. $23. Register at foxtrolley.org/Ghost-Story-Train.

Take a ride on the Ghost Story Train at 5, 6:15 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin.
– Daily Herald File Photo

Pint of Music Concerts: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Buffalo Creek Brewing, 360 Historical Lane, Long Grove. No Pants Polka Band will perform on the Biergarten Main Stage. Free. BuffaloCreekBrewing.com.

Lake Villa Oktoberfest: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the American Aid Society, 259 W. Grand Ave., Lake Villa. Live music, German beer and food. $9; free for kids younger than 12. americanaidsocietyofgd.org/events.

Sunday, Oct. 8

Lake County Jeep Invasion: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at the Lake County Fair Grounds, 1060 E. Peterson Road, Grayslake. Hundreds of Jeeps, vendors, food trucks, mud pit and more. Parking lot opens at 10 a.m. $20 per vehicle. lakecountyjeepinvasion.com.

Shop from over 50 vintage dealers at the Vintage Market Sunday, Oct. 8, at The Lot in Highland Park.
– Courtesy of Ripple Public Relations

Vintage Market: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at The Lot, 523 Central Ave., Highland Park. Over 50 vintage dealers from Chicago and the Midwest, live entertainment, food and drinks. Free. enjoyhighlandpark.com.

Fall Authors Fair 2023: 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 8, at Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. Local adult and YA authors will be signing copies of their books. Free. gailborden.info/authors.

Tuesday, Oct. 10

Mariachi Herencia de Mxico: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, at the Al Larson Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. Mexican music and culture. $48-$52. prairiecenter.org.

Wednesday, Oct. 11

Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns: 6-10:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 11-12, and Oct. 18-20, at the Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe. See more than 1,000 hand-carved pumpkins, some as large as 150 pounds. The LED-lit jack-o’-lanterns will be staged along a festive paved pathway where visitors will encounter characters and can watch live carving. Adults: $19 for members, $21 for nonmembers; kids 3-12: $13/$15 in advance; free for kids 2 and younger. Parking: $15. Sold out: Oct. 13-15 and 21-22. chicagobotanic.org.

Thursday, Oct. 12

Witches Night Out: 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at 145 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove. Participating downtown businesses will offer specials, discounts, giveaways and more. Free. longgrove.org/festival/october-days.

Music Under the Trees at The Dole: 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at The Dole, 401 Country Club Road, Crystal Lake. Alternative rock and indie pop group The Red Roses will perform. Bring a blanket and lawn chairs. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. $20. thedole.org/music-under-the-trees/.

Movie in the Park: Concessions open at 7 p.m.; movie at dusk Thursday, Oct. 12, at Bock Park, 1223 W. Sharon Lane, Schaumburg. Watch “Coco.” Bring chairs and blankets. Popcorn and snacks for purchase. Free. parkfun.com.