Halloween Events in The San Francisco Bay Area

This is a list of Halloween events in the San Francisco Bay Area. These are events that I have visited over the years. Remember, there are many more Halloween events not listed here that are also worth your time and money.

Sulfur Creek Nature Center in Hayward will be presenting an Unhaunted House featuring real Halloween animals, walks, camp fires, crafts, games and tasty treats. This event will be held on October 29, 2010 at 7 pm to 10 pm and October 30, 2010 from 4 pm to 9 pm. Tickets should be purchased in advance over the telephone or on-line at www.haywardrec.com. They are located on 1801 D Street.

The Matt Jimenez Community Center on Tennyson in Hayward, CA will have a Halloween Spectacular on October 29, 2010 to October 31, 2010. The event will feature a dance, carnival, haunted house and other Halloween activities for middle school ages and up.

The Ardenwood Farm at 34600 Ardenwood, Fremont, CA will be featuring its annual Halloween train rides beginning on October 16 and every weekend until Halloween starting at 7 pm. This train ride is a great event featuring live action hauntings. Ardenwood also has a pumpkin patch, tractor ride, corn maize and other Halloween events at the Perry Farm on the Ardenwood grounds.

Another great Halloween event is the Pirates of Emerson. This event has moved to the Pleasanton Fair Grounds at the corner of Bernal and Valley Avenues in Pleasanton, CA from its former Fremont location. It is geared to high schoolers and young adults and is intended to be scary. It begins on October 1, 2010 and you can obtain more information on line at www.piratesofemerson.com.

G &M Farms in Livermore, CA at Airway Drive features a pumpkin patch and other produce for sale, a huge corn maize, pony rides, a cow tram ride, a haunted house and other harvest fun. This pumpkin patch was featured several times on the Letterman show.

The Candle Lighters, a nonprofit service group, operates a haunted house in Fremont, CA that is open to all ages for a small fee. You can visit a house for younger ones and a house that is scary for older ones. Just let them know which house you would like to visit. There are also all sorts of carnival games to play for a small fee. The haunted house is located at the old carriage house at the Fremont Hub Shopping Center. The house will open on October 9th until Halloween. This is their 41st year running this event. This is the Candle Lighters one and only fund raiser for the year.

Half Moon Bay will be having its annual Pumpkin Festival on October 16 and 17, 2010. This event features carnivals, slides, pumpkin patches, gifts, and a pumpkin weigh-in. The festival features a wide assortment of food and artisans with their wares. The festival takes up much of Main Street in Half Moon Bay. There are several places you can park; but these tend to fill up early.

While in Half Moon Bay, make sure you visit Arata Pumpkin Farms at 185 Verde Road, off of Highway 1. This farm features a train ride, petting zoo, haunted barn, and hay maze besides its pumpkin patch. Some attractions only run on weekends in October. You can find more information out at www.aratapumpkinfarm.com

The Winchester Mystery House in San Jose will feature tours by flashlight on weekends starting on October 16 for Halloween. You will need to buy your tickets ahead of time as these events sell out every year. This venue also features flashlight tours on Friday the 13th if you miss the October season. The Mansion is located on 525 Winchester Boulevard. The mansion is near a movie theater and a shopping center is across the street. You can easily spend a day here. The tour takes about two hours. You can buy tickets at the www.winchestermysteryhouse.com.

While I didn’t list them separately, most of the large amusement parks such also have their own Halloween events. These can be great fun, although crowded at times. Don’t forget to also check these out.  As you can see, you may have to visit Halloween events on alternate years to get to them all, since they are only available during October. Happy Haunting!