Summary – Halloween events in Colorado Springs range from family-friendly trick-or-treating and pumpkin festivals to haunted cave tours, historic ghost walks, and Manitou Springs’ famously quirky coffin races, making October an especially fun time for a Colorado Springs getaway.
Celebrate Halloween in Colorado Springs
October brings a different kind of energy to the Pikes Peak region. Golden leaves brighten historic neighborhoods, evenings turn crisp beneath Pikes Peak’s silhouette, and Halloween events in Colorado Springs add just enough mischief to an already beautiful fall getaway.
Better yet, you do not have to choose between Halloween fun and the classic Colorado Springs experience. Spend the morning exploring Garden of the Gods, browse downtown shops in the afternoon, head to a Halloween celebration after dark, and return to the quiet comfort of The St. Mary’s Inn when your adventures are over.
Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy Halloween season around Colorado Springs in 2026.
Boo at the Zoo at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
For one of the best-known Halloween events in Colorado Springs, head to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for Boo at the Zoo. The 2026 celebration takes place on select evenings: October 16, 17, 23–25, 30 and 31 from 4:00 to 8:30 p.m., combining trick-or-treating and Halloween festivities with one of the city’s most distinctive attractions. Advance timed tickets are required, and the zoo recommends purchasing early because popular nights can sell out.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is memorable even without costumes and candy, thanks to its mountainside setting and sweeping views across Colorado Springs. Add an October sunset, Halloween decorations, and an evening spent wandering among the animals, and you have a celebration that feels uniquely Colorado.
Cheer on the Emma Crawford Coffin Races
A short drive west takes you to one of the country’s quirkiest Halloween traditions: the Emma Crawford Coffin Races in Manitou Springs. On Saturday, October 24, 2026, costumed teams will once again race elaborate wheeled coffins down Manitou Avenue following a noon parade, with the races expected to begin around 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. The event is free to attend.
The tradition began in 1995 and commemorates Emma Crawford, whose story has become part of Manitou Springs folklore. It is exactly the kind of colorful local tradition that makes Halloween events in Colorado Springs and the surrounding Pikes Peak region much more interesting than a standard haunted-house outing.
While you are in Manitou Springs, leave time to explore its historic downtown. Browse its independent shops and galleries, sample the naturally carbonated mineral springs scattered around town, and enjoy the eccentric character that has made Manitou a favorite Colorado destination for generations.
Explore Haunted Manitou Springs After Dark
If you prefer your Halloween activities with a little more goosebump potential, stay in Manitou after sunset. The Haunted Manitou Historic Downtown Ghost Tour leads visitors through historic streets and shadowy corners while sharing stories involving local legends, apparitions, curses, witchcraft, and the unusual history surrounding the area’s mineral springs.
The tour lasts approximately 75 minutes, making it easy to pair with dinner or drinks in Manitou Springs. Among the many Halloween events in Colorado Springs and nearby communities, a walking ghost tour offers an especially atmospheric way to experience the Pikes Peak region’s history after dark.
Celebrate Fall in Historic Old Colorado City
Old Colorado City deserves a place on almost any October itinerary. Founded in 1859 and filled today with shops, galleries, restaurants, and historic architecture, the neighborhood combines Colorado history with the relaxed, independent personality visitors often hope to find when exploring the West.
Throughout October 2026, Scarecrow Days fills Old Colorado City with imaginative scarecrows created by local businesses. Visitors can stroll Colorado Avenue, photograph their favorites, browse independent stores, and stop for coffee, lunch, or a drink along the way.
On October 24, Old Colorado City also hosts Pumpkins in the Park from noon to 6:00 p.m. The celebration includes a pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, fall crafts, a costume contest, live entertainment, seasonal shopping, harvest foods, and a beer garden.
For something a little different, FFO Goods is also hosting spooky candle-pouring workshops on Fridays and Sundays throughout October. Participants create their own scented candles and decorate them with Halloween-inspired details, including ghosts, spiders, skulls, and other delightfully creepy additions.
Find Even More Halloween Fun Around the Pikes Peak Region
Part of the fun of searching for Halloween events in Colorado Springs is discovering just how varied October can be here. You can make your weekend as spooky, outdoorsy, family-friendly, romantic, or wonderfully strange as you like.
Consider adding one or two of these experiences to your itinerary:
- Haunted Lantern Tour at Cave of the Winds: Explore the cave by handheld lantern while hearing ghost stories and tales of unexplained phenomena and local history.
- Miners’ Pumpkin Patch: The Western Museum of Mining & Industry celebrates Saturdays in October with pumpkins, hay rides, antique tractors, games, gold and gem panning, and “Spooky Histories.”
- Jack-o-Lantern Trail at Fountain Creek Nature Center: On October 24, visitors can walk a glowing jack-o-lantern trail, hear stories, make a craft, and roast marshmallows.
- Howl-O-Ween at Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center: Head west to Divide on October 25 to watch wolves receive meat-filled pumpkins during this distinctive seasonal celebration. Reservations are required.
These attractions also give you an excuse to explore beyond downtown. October drives toward Manitou Springs, Divide, and the foothills can complement the busier Halloween events in Colorado Springs, especially when fall color is still lingering across the region.
See Also: Fall Getaways in Colorado Springs: Stay Near Scenic Views and Historic Charm
Make It a Halloween Date Night
Halloween does not have to mean spending the evening inside a haunted house. Couples can build an entire date around the season: take a ghost tour or attend a Halloween event, walk beneath the lights downtown, then find somewhere warm for cocktails, dinner, or dessert.
Downtown Colorado Springs makes that especially easy, with more than 130 food-and-drink options concentrated within a walkable square mile. The mix ranges from locally made beer and casual patios to international restaurants, cocktail bars, and more polished date-night dining.
You might also wander the Tejon Street corridor, where historic buildings sit alongside indie boutiques, cafés, restaurants, murals, and galleries. Even without a scheduled event, downtown has enough personality to turn an October evening into an experience, not just a place to grab dinner.
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Add a Little Shopping to Your Halloween Weekend
Leave room between Halloween events in Colorado Springs to explore the city’s shops. More than 90 percent of downtown boutiques and galleries are locally owned, so browsing here feels considerably more personal than spending an afternoon at a conventional shopping center.
Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs are equally fun places to hunt for art, gifts, clothing, jewelry, home décor, and Colorado keepsakes. Each of the Pikes Peak region’s shopping districts has its own personality, making it easy to combine sightseeing with an afternoon of wandering through local businesses.
And because October is Arts Month in Colorado Springs, you may discover even more gallery events, performances, culinary experiences, and creative programming while you are here. The celebration runs throughout October and brings together artists and cultural organizations from across the Pikes Peak region.
Don’t Forget the Classic Colorado Springs Sights
You do not need to spend your entire getaway chasing ghosts and pumpkins. One advantage of planning a trip around Halloween events in Colorado Springs is that you can pair seasonal festivities with the scenery that makes this part of Colorado worth visiting year-round.
Take a morning drive through Garden of the Gods beneath its towering red sandstone formations, or make time for views of Pikes Peak before heading to an afternoon event. You can also explore Colorado Springs’ history, public art, museums, and the Colorado College area before returning downtown for dinner.
October encourages a slower rhythm. Cool mornings, changing leaves, mountain views, and earlier sunsets make it a wonderful season for couples and weekend travelers who want both outdoor exploration and cozy evenings.
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The best fall weekends balance adventure with somewhere peaceful to return to afterward. The St. Mary’s Inn offers that contrast: a beautifully restored 1896 Victorian mansion near downtown Colorado Springs, blocks from Colorado College and close to restaurants, shops, museums, and attractions.
After a day exploring Halloween events in Colorado Springs, you can trade crowded attractions for the warmth and quiet of an individually appointed suite. Private bathrooms, comfortable king or queen beds, elegant furnishings, modern conveniences, and personalized hospitality make the Inn feel like part of your Colorado Springs experience, not just somewhere to sleep.
There is something especially fitting about spending an October getaway in a Victorian home dating to 1896. Historic character, crisp fall weather, downtown adventures, and quiet, comfortable evenings create exactly the sort of seasonal escape that deserves more than a single night.
A Perfect Home Base for Your Fall Adventures
One of the greatest pleasures of staying at The St. Mary’s Inn is having the best of Colorado Springs right at your fingertips. Start your morning with a delicious gourmet breakfast, then head out to explore the colorful streets of Old Colorado City, the charming shops of Manitou Springs, or the breathtaking scenery of Garden of the Gods. Whether your plans include ghost tours, pumpkin festivals, or a romantic downtown dinner, you’ll appreciate a welcoming retreat at the end of the day.
Unlike a traditional hotel, The St. Mary’s Inn offers a more personal experience, where thoughtful details and genuine hospitality make every visit feel special. Our location makes it easy to enjoy Halloween events in Colorado Springs without sacrificing the peace and relaxation that make a getaway truly memorable. From leisurely mornings to cozy evenings surrounded by Victorian elegance, your stay becomes just as much a part of the adventure as the attractions themselves.
Turn Halloween Into a Colorado Springs Getaway
The best Halloween events in Colorado Springs offer much more than costumes and candy. Race coffins in spirit from the sidelines in Manitou Springs, explore a cave by lantern light, wander among pumpkins and scarecrows in Old Colorado City, visit Cheyenne Mountain Zoo after dark, and still make time for Garden of the Gods, local shopping, and a memorable downtown dinner.
Instead of making Halloween just one evening on the calendar, turn it into an October getaway. Colorado Springs offers mountain scenery and historic neighborhoods by day, festive adventures after dark, and plenty of reasons to stay another morning.
Make This Halloween One to Remember
Come for Halloween events in Colorado Springs, and stay for crisp mountain mornings, colorful neighborhoods, local restaurants, historic streets, and unforgettable Pikes Peak views. Make The St. Mary’s Inn your peaceful home base and experience an October getaway filled with Colorado character, Victorian charm, and personalized hospitality.
Book your stay directly with The St. Mary’s Inn and start planning your Halloween getaway to Colorado Springs.