Halloween 2026 in Gainesville: the free Great Pumpkin Bash Oct. 17, haunted hayrides, Boo at the Zoo Oct. 28, a zombie 5K and Rocky Horror on Oct. 31.

Last checked Oct. 14, 2026. This page is updated each year at the same address. Events come from each organizer’s own page, linked below, and from listings on the Visit Gainesville calendar. Times can change, so check the organizer before you go. Neighborhood trick-or-treating and trunk-or-treats are on our separate trick-or-treat hours page.

Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31, in 2026, and Gainesville spreads it across the whole month: haunted hayrides and a haunted corn maze on weekend nights, the 30th Boo at the Zoo on Wednesday, Oct. 28, a zombie 5K in Waldo, a horror musical at the Hippodrome and a Halloween night of Rocky Horror and costume parties downtown.

Updated Oct. 14: Zombie Run registration is now $60, the organizer says.

Before you go

Haunted houses, hayrides and corn mazes

Where What When
Peanut Patch and Corn Maze, 8656 SW 75th St. Season of Screams: haunted house, haunted hayride and haunted corn maze 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 25 to Oct. 31
Zip! at Haile Quarry, 3975 NW County Road 235, Newberry Haunted hayride Fridays and Saturdays from October; 6 p.m. start in its calendar listing
Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation, 8528 E. County Road 225 Halloween Safari Drive-Thru: big cat feedings, candy stations and costumed monsters, seen from your car Booked in advance; listed for 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30

The Peanut Patch says its attraction is built around horror film characters, and it sells tickets through its own site. Carson Springs says the 35-minute tour runs past dangerous animals, so everyone stays in the vehicle and children must be watched closely; there is no walk-through admission.

Family events

  • The Great Pumpkin Bash, Saturday, Oct. 17, at Bo Diddley Plaza, 111 E. University Ave. The city’s second annual bash is free; the first, in 2025, ran from noon to 5 p.m. with a pumpkin patch, a pumpkin carving contest, a costume contest, games, a photo booth and food. The night before, Friday, Oct. 16, the city shows Halloweentown on the plaza at its free movie night.
  • Boo at the Zoo, 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, 3000 NW 83rd St. Students turn the zoo into themed trick-or-treat areas, from Toy Story to Scooby Doo. Admission is one canned good or nonperishable food item per person; the food goes to Saints Food Share. Danscompany of Gainesville performs its Thriller trilogy, and there is a KidsZone with crafts in the zoo parking lot. The entry line forms behind the Santa Fe College gym.
  • Tricks, Treats and Tracks at Waldo MX, 17000 NE U.S. Highway 301, Waldo, on Saturday, Oct. 24, the same day as the zombie run below.

Trunk-or-treats at churches and businesses, the UF Sorority Row trick-or-treat on Oct. 22 and the city’s safety advice are on the trick-or-treat hours page.

Runs and outdoor events

The Zombie Run at Waldo MX is a 5K off-road “survival run” on Saturday, Oct. 24, across 130 acres of trails and obstacles. Runners wear flag-football flags and try to keep at least one past the zombies. Gates open at 7 a.m. and the wave starts at 9 a.m. It is for ages 8 and up, children under 10 run free, and spectators and parking are free. Registration is $60 through RunSignup, the organizer says. Waldo is about 15 miles northeast of Gainesville.

Theater, film and Halloween night

Date Event Where
Oct. 14 to Nov. 1 Little Shop of Horrors, the rock and roll musical Hippodrome Theatre, 25 SE Second Place
3 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 Adult Trick or Treating: Trippin’ Thru the Swamp Swamp Head Brewery, 3650 SW 42nd Ave.
6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 Rocky Horror Picture Show live shadow cast, Halloween edition The Wooly, 20 N. Main St.
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 John Carpenter’s “Halloween” Hippodrome Cinema, 25 SE Second Place
9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 Halloween Party with The Smiths (Robert) and DJ Cam, a Cure cover band, with a costume contest The Wooly, 20 N. Main St.

The Wooly party is 18 and up, walk-up only, and the organizer says no masks, weapons (real or fake) or backpacks. The Wooly also runs Rocky Horror shadow-cast nights on Wednesdays in October.

What this means for you

  • Young children: Boo at the Zoo on Oct. 28 costs a can of food and runs in daylight.
  • Older kids and adults: the haunted attractions run Friday and Saturday nights; check each one’s own age and safety guidance first.
  • Halloween night is a Saturday, so expect downtown and the neighborhoods to be busy; drive slowly and watch for children crossing.
  • Running a Halloween event in Gainesville? Send the details through our contact page.

Related: fall festivals and pumpkin patches, trick-or-treat hours and things to do this month.

Frequently asked questions

Where is there a haunted house near Gainesville in 2026?

The Peanut Patch and Corn Maze, 8656 SW 75th St., runs its Season of Screams haunted house, haunted hayride and haunted corn maze from 5 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 31.

When is Boo at the Zoo in Gainesville?

The 30th annual Boo at the Zoo is 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo. Admission is one canned good or nonperishable food item per person.

What is there to do on Halloween night in Gainesville?

On Saturday, Oct. 31, The Wooly downtown has a Rocky Horror shadow cast at 6 p.m. and an 18-and-up Halloween party from 9 p.m., and the Hippodrome Cinema shows John Carpenter’s Halloween at 8:30 p.m.

Is there a free Halloween event in downtown Gainesville?

Yes. The city’s free Great Pumpkin Bash is Saturday, Oct. 17, at Bo Diddley Plaza, with a free Halloweentown movie night on the plaza the evening before.

Is there a Halloween run near Gainesville?

Yes. The Zombie Run at Waldo MX is a 5K off-road survival run on Saturday, Oct. 24, for ages 8 and up, with a 9 a.m. wave. Spectators and parking are free.