Halloween Happenings: A Guide to Spooky Fun in Winston-Salem

Haunted Attractions, Ghost Tours, and more

October 17-18, 24-25, 30-31
Old Salem Night Watchmen Tours. Embark on a spine-tingling lantern-lit walk through Old Salem this Halloween. Join costumed guides inside original buildings to hear chilling tales and long-ago mysteries. Designed for ages 10+, the 60-minute tours run for six nights in October, departing every 15 minutes from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. Dress warmly and wear comfortable shoes for uneven streets and stairs.

October 3-25 (Fridays and Saturdays)
Wicked Whimsies. Now in its 13th year, this fairy-tale–themed spook trail in nearby Pfafftown twists beloved childhood stories into something far darker than the Grimm Brothers imagined. Encounter more than a dozen eerie scenes and 70+ live actors as you wander the haunted forest. Recommended for ages 12 and up; glow sticks are available to signal actors to soften the scares. Tickets start at $15.

• October 22: Little Whimsies Night. 6–8 p.m. A gentler version for young children with candy, costumes, and mild scares. Tickets start at $5; costumes encouraged!

YEAR-ROUND TOURS

• Carolina History & Haunts Tour. Explore the historic West End—home to some of Winston-Salem’s oldest, most beautiful houses—on West Endings, the city’s popular year-round ghost walk. This 90-minute, four-block tour blends spooky tales with rich local history. Cost: $20 adults, $15 children 7–12, free for ages 6 and under. Reservations required; private and corporate tours available.

• Colonial Haunts Tour. Discover Old Salem’s haunted history on this one-hour walking tour led by US Ghost Adventures. Covering about a mile and stopping at three to four locations, the tour stays outside historic buildings (unlike the Night Watchman Tours). Tickets are $26 for adults, $17 for children 7–12, and free for ages 6 and under. Optional upgrades include an extended tour and EMF detector rental.

• Winston-Salem True Crime Tour. Dive into the city’s dark past on this one-hour, one-mile walk led by Triangle Walking Tours. Hear chilling true stories of serial killers, cult leaders, and infamous scandals that shaped local history. Tours meet at Fair Witness Fancy Drinks, 290 E. Fourth St., and are typically offered Saturday evenings. Cost: $19. Private or custom tours are available by request.

NIGHTTIME CORN MAZES (Sept. 19-Nov. 1)

For those wanting a less intense thrill, a dark walk through a corn maze is just the ticket. Several corn mazes in the area stay open late on Fridays and Saturdays from mid-September through Halloween. As a bonus, you can come before sunset to enjoy all the other onsite activities (hayrides, pumpkin patches, apple canons, carnival games, etc.) Here are three great nearby options:

• Armstrong Artisan Farm.  Explore North Carolina's largest corn maze and enjoy some thrills along the way. The nighttime maze adventure runs Fridays and Saturdays from Sept 19–Nov 1. Tickets are $15 and also include a complimentary nighttime hayride and access to the petting zoo, bounce house, jumping pillow, tractor rides, and more.

• Fryes Creek Family Farm. This 4-year-old corn maze in the Arcadia area, just a few miles south of Winston-Salem, features multiple loops and dead ends.  In addition to daytime treks, you can enjoy the Night Maze each Friday and Saturday starting around dusk. Tickets are $5; free for kids 4 and under. Daytime attractions are open until dark and include a pumpkin patch, tractor rides, apple cannons, old-fashioned games, slides, and more. Fridays and Saturdays, 7-9 p.m.

• Flashlight Maze at Zane’s Clodbuster Farms. This Kernersville farm offers a six-acre corn maze that changes design every year—challenging during the day, and even more thrilling after dark with just a flashlight or pure nerve. Bring your own light and enjoy evening firepits for s’mores (supplies sold on-site). Admission: $9 for the maze, or $15 for maze+hayride. Daytime activities include a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, and classic farm games. Fridays & Saturdays, dusk–10 p.m.

All-Ages Fun and Frights
Costume parties, movie nights, museums, and more

Oct. 25
Movie Night at Crossnore: Hotel Transylvania. 6:30–9:30 p.m. A/perture Cinema hosts this free screening of the animated hit Hotel Transylvania on the campus of Crossnore Children's Home.  Bring your own chairs, blankets, and picnics, or purchase dinner from food trucks on site. Pre-film fun starts at 6:30 p.m.; movie begins at 8.

Oct. 26
Boo! At Bethabara. 1–4:30 p.m. Historic Bethabara Park's annual Halloween celebration will feature seasonal activities, crafts, games, face painting, a scavenger hunt, ghost stories, and a spooky (but not too spooky) ghost walk through the historic grounds. 

Oct. 26
Ghoul Moon Movie Night: The Witches. West Salem Arts Hotel and A/perture Cinema are teaming up for this free screening of the 1990 family/fantasy flick "The Witches." Bring your own blanket/chairs and enjoy popcorn, candy, and other fun; plus beverages from West Salem Public House.

Oct. 26
Reynolda Pumpkin Patch Hayride. Part of the "Sprouts" programming at Reynolda Gardens, this event is for ages 2-9 accompanied by an adult. Enjoy a hayride through the Reynolda meadow and pick a pumpkin from the field for decorating. There will also be stories, singalongs, and other fun. 

Oct. 27
Kaleideum's Ghoul Times. 12–5 p.m. Kaleideum is holding a costume party for kids with spooky crafts, face painting, a "haunted" hallway/obstacle course, food trucks, and trick-or-treating inside and outside the museum.

Oct. 27
Skate & Scare at the WS Fairgrounds. Come in costume and receive free admission to the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Ice Rink during this special Halloween celebration. Enjoy ice skating, candy giveaways, raffle drawings, and more. (NOTE: Admission is $10 for those not in costume.)

Oct. 31
Downtown Kernersville Trick or Treat. 6–8 p.m. Now in its 30th year, this free event closes off streets of downtown Kernersville for trick or treating as merchants open their doors and give out candy. Presented by the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce.

Ongoing through Dec. 6
Life After Death: Day of the Dead Exhibit. A fall tradition at Wake Forest’s Lam Museum of Anthropology, Día de Muertos (Life After Death) celebrates the “Day of the Dead” Mexican ritual when families remember their dead and honor life's continuity. See colorful artifacts, images, historical notes, and festive displays (including skeleton-themed folk art). Admission is free.

• VARIOUS DATES: Trunk or Treats. There are dozens of trunk or treat-themed events happening locally; too many to list. A few of the popular ones we know of include the Ardmore Trunk or Treat (Oct 27), Clemmons VFW Trunk or Treat (Oct 27), and the Mount Tabor Trunk or Treat (Oct 30). You can find more local trunk or treats listed here.

Halloween Fun for 21+
Dress to impress and join the fun at local bars, breweries, vineyards, and music venues.

*Denotes family-friendly brewery event 

Oct. 25
Halloween Bash at Hoots. 7 p.m. A night of Halloween fun and music at the new Hoots music venue. There will be a costume contest and cover tunes from several bands. $10 admission. 

Oct. 26
Day of the Dead party at Fiddlin' Fish. 12–11 p.m. Fiddlin' Fish Brewing is hosting this 7th annual event featuring live music, food, and vendors selling everything from tie-dyes to crafts to baked goods. Headlining the show is the famed Grateful Dead tribute band Cosmic Charlie. Admission is free.

Oct. 26
Halloween at Wise Man Brewing. 12–11 p.m. This all-day event at Wise Man features face painting, fire spinning, food trucks, and live music from Barefoot Modern (6-9 p.m.) Admission is free.

Oct. 26
Halloween Bash at Foothills. 6–10 p.m. Party band favorites Ears to the Ground highlight the Halloween festivities at Foothills Tasting Room. Come dressed in a costume for a chance to win prizes. Admission is free.

Oct. 26
WS Halloween Bar Crawl. 4–10 p.m. Enjoy exclusive drink and food specials at nearly a dozen bars in the downtown area during this 7th annual bar crawl and costume contest. Check in is at Bar La Ch.ngada starting at 4 p.m. An after-party begins at 10 p.m. at Euphoria. Tickets start at $10. .

Oct. 27
Tucker's Tap Yard Halloween Bash. 4–7 p.m. Tucker's Tap Yard, the city's only dog park bar, is holding a Halloween bash. Enjoy a doggie costume contest, photo booth, spooky treats, themed cocktails, and more. Admission is free; costume contest entries are $5, with proceeds going to the nonprofit Unchained Winston.

Oct. 27
Fall Fiesta at East of Texas. 1–8 p.m. This all-day event will feature a beer garden, free sausage tastings, games with prizes, live music, and more. Admission is $10, and all proceeds will support WNC hurricane relief. 

Oct. 27
Halloween Costume Contest at JLV. 1–4 p.m. Come in costume to compete for wine-themed prizes at Junius Lindsay Vineyard. (Bonus points for bringing your dog in a costume.) Outside food is welcome. Admission is free.

Oct. 29
Halloween Trivia and Doggie Costume Contest at Joymongers. 7:30 p.m. Enjoyed Halloween-themed trivia, drinks specials, and prizes at Joymongers Barrel Hall. The night ends with a doggy runway and costume contest. All dogs and humans are welcome to come in costume. Admission is free.

Oct. 31
Joloween at JOLO Vineyards. 12–8 p.m. Wicked fun meets fine wine at JOLO Vineyards in Pilot Mountain. Enjoy spooky décor and drinks, including JOLO's award-winning red blend Devils Hill. There will also be a costume contest for a $50 JOLO gift card. Admission is free.

Oct. 31
Halloween at Medaloni Cellars. 2–8 p.m. Medaloni Cellars in Lewisville is celebrating Halloween with a murder mystery game, candy for kids, and adult & kid costume contests. Admission is free.

Oct. 31
Zombie Prom Halloween Party at Foothills Brewpub. 7–11 p.m. Foothills' zombie prom-themed event, "A Night to Dismember," features food/drink specials, live jazz-funk music from Red Umber, and more. Wear your finest zombie prom attire for a chance to win prizes. Admission is free.

Oct. 31
Hocus Pocus at The Dutch Light. 8 p.m. Enjoy spooky décor, Halloween-themed cocktails, and a screening of the 1993 classic Hocus Pocus at the Innovation Quarter's newest cocktail bar, The Dutch Light. Admission is free.

Oct. 31 
Night Moods at SECCA: Halloween Edition. 7 p.m. NCMA Winston-Salem (formerly SECCA) is hosting a Halloween-themed dance party with live music from KKBB (a secret Halloween party band sure to fright and delight). Costumes encouraged! Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12.84

Oct. 31
Here Come the Mummies: Halloween at The Ramkat. 8–11 p.m. Downtown's live music hub is hosting a special Halloween concert featuring Here Come the Mummies, an eight-piece funk-rock band of Egyptian mummies playing "terrifying funk from beyond the grave." (These "mummies" might or might not be Grammy-winning studio musicians who've supported Al Green, P-Funk, Mavis Staples, and headliners.) Tickets start at $37.50 with proceeds going to WNC relief.

Nov. 1
Halloween Celebration at ROAR. 9 p.m. Who says Halloween has to end in October? ROAR is hosting this day-after party with different themes and DJs on each floor (Harry Potter, Beetlejuice, and more.)  Admission is $20. 

Nov. 1
Halloween Party at Bar NOLA. 9 p.m.–2 a.m. Bar NOLA is celebrating the opening of its new deck bar with this day-after event. Enjoy music, themed decor, a costume contest, and complimentary beer, wine, well drinks, and Jell-O Shots. Admission is $40.

Nov. 1
Silent Disco Dance Party (Halloween Edition). 8 p.m. The Ramkat is hosting a SPOOKY Silent Disco Dance Party and costume contest featuring DJs Mauve Angeles, JSSE & No Request. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $16.

Stage Frights & Delights
Local live theatre shows for the spooky season

Oct. 24-Nov. 2
Evil Dead: The Musical. Camel City Playhouse presents this original work based on the Evil Dead and Army of Darkness film series. All shows are at 7 p.m. except Sunday matinees (2 p.m.) at Camel City Playhouse in the Downtown Arts District. 

Oct. 24-27, Nov. 1-3
Little Shop of Horrors. The Little Theatre of Winston-Salem performs this cult-classic musical comedy at downtown’s Hanesbrands Theatre. All shows at 7:30 p.m. except Sunday matinees (2 p.m.)

Oct. 25-27
The Rocky Horror Show. The Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance presents this comedy/horror musical based on the 1975 cult classic at their downtown theatre on 6th Street. All shows at 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 25-27, Nov. 1-3, 8-10
The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940. Stained Glass Playhouse of Winston-Salem is performing this 'whodunnit' Broadway hit set in the world of 1940s musicals. All shows are at 8 p.m. except Sunday matinees (3 p.m.) at the Stained Glass Playhouse theatre, 4401 Indiana Ave.