With fall in full swing and October ushering in the peak of spooky season, we've gathered up a shortlist of some of the frightful (and delightful) events you won't want to miss this year in West Michigan.
Zoo Goes Boo
John Ball Zoo | October 10-12, 17-19 and 24-26
A spine-tingling lineup of events awaits families and zoo visitors over three weekends this October as the spirit of Halloween takes over John Ball Zoo. Zoo Goes Boo is sure to be a hit for the whole family with dazzling entertainment, fun costumes and some devilishly sweet treats. Zoo Goes Boo will feature 13 twisted treat stations throughout the Zoo, each with an array of Halloween sweets, plus entertainment like magicians, fire performers, jugglers and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring a bag for candy and wear a costume.
'Mums at Meijer Gardens' and 'Autumn Nights at Meijer Gardens'
Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park | October 1–31, 2025; Tuesdays in October
Mums at Meijer Gardens is Michigan's largest display of thousands of chrysanthemums in rich fall hues—rust, gold, cream, and copper—alongside seasonal annual plantings in containers, topiaries, and trellises. Also featured are thousands of pumpkins and gourds, with more than triple the quantity and expanded varieties from past years.
Autumn Nights at Meijer Gardens is also a family-friendly event worth checking out. On Tuesday evenings in October (with extended hours until 9 p.m.), guests are invited to enjoy live music and entertainment at both the Frederik Meijer Gardens Amphitheater and Michigan's Farm Garden, children's programming, artist-carved pumpkins, seasonal refreshments, and a chance to experience the gardens under crisp evening skies. A favorite feature is the Glow Garden where the Gwen Frostic Shade Garden is illuminated in vibrant autumn hues and lined with artist-carved pumpkins.
A Visit to Skybridge Michigan
Boyne Mountain Resort
Soak up the beauty of autumn with a visit to Skybridge Michigan at Boyne Mountain, the world's longest timber-towered suspension bridge. It's here that you can walk nearly 120 feet above the Boyne Valley and immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of autumn color for an unforgettable fall foliage experience. Plan your visit around the resort's Halloween Hoopla on Halloween weekend, where guests can enjoy character meet-and-greets, a magic show, face painting, and trick-or-treating across the resort.
Oddities on Ottawa
Garage Bar & Grill, Grand Rapids | October 25
Monroe North hotspot Garage Bar & Grill is once again hosting its Halloween-inspired block party "Oddities on Ottawa" on Ottawa Avenue between Mason and Newberry Street. The second year of the event promises to feature two stages for national musical acts, DJs, food trucks, beer and food tents, local vendors, a costume contest, and spine-chilling street performers.
Douglas Halloween Parade
Downtown Douglas | October 25
This year marks the 27th Annual Douglas Halloween Parade for Adults! Each year this event draws tens of thousands of people to witness an extravaganza of creativity in costuming and performing arts. Show up early to shop around Saugatuck and Douglas and grab a bite to eat before enjoying the spooky parade down Center Street—or participating in it yourself!
Bones About Town
Downtown & Centertown Grand Haven | October 1-31
This October, the skeletons are back—and they've multiplied! Bones About Town returns for its third year with more than 150 life-sized skeletons haunting the streets, shops, and sidewalks of Downtown and Centertown Grand Haven. From October 1 through Halloween night, these five-foot-tall bony tricksters will be lurking in storefronts and around town, each uniquely decorated by local businesses and organizations. Some are spooky, some are silly—but all are competing for your vote in the categories of Most Original, Funniest, and Spookiest Skeleton. Vote if you dare! Cast your ballots at participating businesses through October 24 at noon. Winners will be revealed during the Grand Haven Fall Festival on Saturday, October 25, when the streets come alive with downtown trick-or-treating, live entertainment, and more fall fun for the whole family.
HallowQueen: A Spooky Themed Drag Show & Costume Contest
Lucy's GR | October 24
Join the queens of Beauty Beyond Drag Productions as they take you on a trip through the spooky and spectacular! Prepare for mesmerizing performances filled with horror, gore, and much more! There will also be a costume contest, where the winner will receive a super spooky prize! Tickets include one custom curated entrée, one custom curated cocktail, waitstaff gratuity, entry into costume contest, and a hell of a drag show!
Spooky Sprint 5K & 1K Walk/Run 2025
Boulder Creek Golf Club | October 19
Benefitting the Northview Education Foundation, the Spooky Sprint is the perfect way to enjoy a crisp autumn morning, along with some spooky fun. And while some of us may be a little too old to ask for candy on Halloween, that doesn't mean we can't have fun! Zombies, ghouls, and goblins will be haunting the cart paths of Boulder Creek Golf Club in Belmont for this family-friendly event. Have a costume that you just have to show off? Go running in it!
"Spooky Sweet" Sugar Cookie Decorating Class with DreamScape Desserts
The Honeysuckle Company | October 23
Looking for a fun, informal no-skills-necessary way to have some delicious spooky fun? Check out DreamScape Desserts' Spooky Sweet Sugar Cookie Decorating Class! This beginner-friendly sugar cookie decorating class at The Honeysuckle Co. in Grand Rapids will show you step-by-step how to create beautifully decorated cookies using royal icing—no experience needed! This decorating class is the perfect creative outing for friends, family, or a solo treat. Everything you need is provided: Six ready-to-decorate and baked vanilla sugar cookies; royal icing mixed and colored to the perfect color and consistency; snacks, soft drinks and sweet treats; and a chance to win a door prize.
GRAND RAPIDS IN THE FALL
Of course, there are plenty of other fall-centric activities, attractions and experiences to add to your autumn bucket list. From fall foliage tours to wineries, u-pick orchards, and more, find even more fall fun here.
Written by Sarah Suydam, Managing Editor for West Michigan Woman.
Image courtesy of Downtown Grand Haven.
