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Photo courtesy Denver Union Station

    22 Family-Friendly Halloween Celebrations

    From trick-or-treating in downtown Denver to a costume parade, concerts, and a haunted hayride, here's a roundup of festive Halloween outings the whole family will enjoy.

    Boo at the Bridge

    Oct. 20, 4-8pm

    Take the kids for goodies, fall decorations, entertainment, and games. $10 when purchased online, $7 at the door with valid Season Pass. Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, Cañon City. royalgorgebridge.com

    BOOnion Station Halloween Parade and Party

    Oct. 25, 5-8pm

    Enjoy a spooky celebration featuring trick-or-treating at merchant shops, a costume parade, and a contest with prizes for best costume and best group/family costume. Free admission. Denver Union Station. unionstationindenver.com

    Boo-rific Bash & Splash

    Oct. 26, 6-8pm

    Dress in full costume, go trick-or-treating indoors, and swim in the Ridge Pools. $5. Ridge Recreation Center, Littleton. 303-409-2333. ifoothills.org

    Broadway Halloween Parade

    Oct. 20, 6pm

    Get a good spot to enjoy the parade put on by the Broadway Merchants Association and City Council Lucky District 7. Stretching from 5th to Alameda along Broadway, see spooky floats, bands, and marchers. Attendees are encouraged to wear a costume. Free admission. Metropolis Coffee, 1 S. Broadway, Denver. broadwayhalloweenparade.com

    Photo courtesy Butterfly Pavilion

    Bug-A-Boo

    Oct. 20-21, 9am-5pm

    Dress in costume for this safe indoor trick-or-treating event featuring candy, prizes, and crafts throughout the exhibits. Included with general admission. Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster. 303-469-5441. butterflies.org

    Disney in Concert: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas

    Oct. 24-25, 7pm

    Watch the feature film, projected on the big screen with the score played live by the Colorado Symphony. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes. $20 and up. Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver. coloradosymphony.org

    Fall Flannel Festival

    Oct. 21, 11am-3pm

    Trick-or-treating from 11am-1pm. Enjoy a family-friendly event in the Dairy Block Alley with events for all ages including face painting, balloon art, live music, games, an urban pumpkin patch, and trick-or-treating. Free admission. Dairy Block, Denver. dairyblock.com

    Family Overnight: Halloween at the Museum

    Oct. 26, 6pm-Oct. 27, 10am

    Enjoy a night of ooey-gooey activities, spooky fun, and trick-or-treat trivia. See an IMAX film and sleep in the diorama halls. Includes pizza dinner, evening snack, hot breakfast, and candy. For kids in grades K-8. $55-$80. Denver Museum of Nature & Science. 303-370-6000. dmns.org

    Fright Fest

    Through Oct. 28

    See Elitch Gardens transform into Family By Day and Fright By Night, plus all your favorite theme park rides. $39.99 by day, $29.99 by night. Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park, Denver. elitchgardens.com

    Halloween Kids Fest at the Downtown Aquarium

    Oct. 27-28

    Join Sharkey and his friends for not-so-haunted train rides, and participate in pumpkin painting, monster mural coloring, and science experiments. Kids in costume get half price entry with adult purchase. Downtown Aquarium, Denver. aquariumrestaurants.com

    Halloween Spooktacular

    Oct. 28, 2:30pm

    Attend a family-favorite concert featuring music from Harry Potter films. Costumes are encouraged and the best of the bunch will be invited to show off their creations on stage for the whole crowd. $27 adult, $10 child. Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver. coloradosymphony.org

    Haunted Hayrides

    Oct. 26-27

    Storytellers narrate an amusing tale while you travel in a vehicle-drawn wagon down a haunted trail for 30 minutes of scary family fun. Enjoy food, concessions, and a petting zoo (for a small donation) inside the barn. All ages. Rides are a fundraiser for Douglas County 4H. $12, free for age 2 and under riding on a lap. Stockton’s Plum Creek Stables, Littleton. ssprd.org

    Hauntings at the Hangar

    Oct. 27, noon-4pm

    See the Wings Over the Rockies museum transformed into a haunted hangar filled with Star Wars characters and creatures from outer space. Enjoy sweet treats. Free-$15. Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, Denver. 303-360-5360. wingsmuseum.org

    Hiwan Halloween

    Oct. 30, 4-7pm

    Enjoy crafts, treats, and spooky books inside the museum, and a scavenger hunt in Heritage Grove. Free admission. Hiwan Heritage Park, Evergreen. 720-497-7650. jeffco.us

    Last Stop at the Highlands Ranch Mansion

    Oct. 31, 7-9pm

    End your Halloween night at the mansion. Attend the outdoor event featuring music and dancing, a trick-or-treat stop, and spooky ambiance. Free admission. Highlands Ranch Mansion. highlandsranchmansion.com

    Munchkin Masquerade

    Oct. 31, 3-6pm

    Wear a costume and go trick-or-treating at local businesses along Pearl Street in downtown Boulder. Age 12 and under. Pearl Street Mall, Boulder. 303-449-3774. munchkinmasquerade.com

    Pumpkin Carving Workshop

    Oct. 17, 6:30-8pm

    Create a superb carved pumpkin under the guidance of a master pumpkin carver. All materials provided. Each registration receives one pumpkin, a pattern, and a mini-kit of Barry’s favorite carving tools. Registration required. $45 for up to two participants; $25 for extra pumpkin. Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood. 303-987-7845. lakewood.org

    Trick or Treat at the Firehouse

    Oct. 27, 5-8pm

    Enjoy kid-friendly activities throughout the Denver Firefighters Museum, including trick-or-treat stations, Halloween-themed crafts, and a scavenger hunt. $10 adult, $9 seniors and firefighters, $7 ages 3-12. Denver Firefighters Museum. 303-892-1436. denverfirefightersmuseum.org

    Photo courtesy Children’s Museum of Denver

    Trick or Treat Street

    Oct. 26-28, 9am-6pm

    March from one Treat House to the next and collect goodies, play carnival games, and create Halloween crafts. $16 ages 2-59, $14 age 1 and seniors age 60 and up. Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, Denver. 303-433-7444. mychildsmuseum.org

    Trick or Treat Train

    Oct. 27-28, 10am-4pm

    Visit all of the special stops to fill your treat bags including the not-so-spooky Haunted Railcar and the Olde Railroaders Silly Graveyard. Admission includes unlimited rides on the Steam Engine. Free for members and children under age 2, $15 adults, $5 children, $10 seniors. Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden. 303-279-4591. coloradorailroadmuseum.org

    Victorian Horrors

    Oct. 12, 6pm

    Listen to scary tales from the Gothic masters, via interpretive historians. Stay for the after-party with macabre music, twisted treats, and ghastly games. Age 12 and up. Reservations recommended for different start times. $20. The Molly Brown House Museum, Denver. 303-832-4092 ext. 16. mollybrown.org

    WOW!’s Halloween Party

    Oct. 26, 5:30-7:30pm

    Wear a costume and enjoy a Halloween bash with ghostly crafts, spooky science experiments, games, and treats. Tickets available online. $10 child, $6 member child, $5 adult. WOW! Children’s Museum, Lafayette. wowchildrensmuseum.org

    Family Food

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