👻 ooooOOOOOoooh, it’s time for October! It’s time to prepare for Thanksgiving and Halloween, plus Ontario’s comfortable temperatures and brightly-coloured foliage are a sight to behold: you can go for a nice walk in nature (check out our list of Toronto’s hiking trails), go apple picking, and of course, go to a pumpkin patch and corn maze to get lost, then found, then find yourself the perfect jack-o’-lantern canvas. So, get plenty of ideas for autumnal activities with our October Event Guide for Toronto and the GTA…
(Click on each title for more information)
⭐️ Pumpkins After Dark | Starting September 25
Pumpkins After Dark returns to bring spooky family fun back to the GTA, returning to Milton and London, and making its haunting debut in Markham this year! As Canada’s award-winning Halloween outdoor experience, Pumpkins After Dark is the perfect family outing this Halloween season. Even better, Family Fun Toronto readers get 15% off all tickets again this year with the discount code FAMILYFUN at all locations!
Canada’s Wonderland: Tricks and Treats & Halloween Haunt | Continuing until November 1
Canada’s Wonderland has fun for everyone this Halloween season at two separate all-outdoor and immersive events: Tricks and Treats for family-friendly fun with the PEANUTS Gang, and Halloween Haunt for older kids that transforms the theme park into a “scream park”!
Mirvish Productions: “The Karate Kid – The Musical” | Continuing until November 1
Wax on and wax off with Mirvish Productions with the Canadian Premiere of “The Karate Kid – The Musical”, which brings the legendary 1984 film to life on the Princess of Wales stage.
Markham Fair | October 1-4
The Markham Fair is one of Canada’s longest-running county fairs (since 1844!) with children’s activities and entertainment, home craft and agricultural shows, carnival food, and much more.
Casa Loma: Legends of Horror | October 2-31
Spooks and surprises await as Casa Loma presents its annual Halloween installation, Legends of Horror, a self-guided tour of the historic building. Plus, families can arrive early for Family Hours, which are less scary, less dark and without live actors.
YZD: Runway Reels | October 2-25 🆓
YZD invites families to its Runway Reels series of free outdoor movie nights, so get cozy with your loved ones under a blanket and see sing-along favourites, cult classics, kid-friendly animation, and Halloween flicks!
Nuit Blanche | October 3 🆓
Nuit Blanche, Toronto’s highly anticipated annual cultural event, is a free all-night contemporary art party featuring groundbreaking artworks by local, national and international artists.
Live Nation: Raffi in Concert | October 3-4
Call all your friends on your banana phone and make a splash with your baby belugas, because Raffi is returning to Toronto for two shows only!
PumpkinFest Toronto at Downsview Park | October 9-12
PumpkinFest Toronto is the place to celebrate all things autumnal over Thanksgiving Weekend at Downsview Park, including midway rides and inflatables, tractor-pulled hayrides, live performances and much more.
Ontario’s Legislative: Queen’s Park Fall Festival | October 17 🆓
Ontario’s Legislative Building hosts the Queen’s Park Fall Festival, with self-guided tours, a pumpkin patch, an inflatable corn maze, and fall-themed activities for kids.
Toronto International Festival of Authors | Starting October 28
The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) presents its annual festival, gathering readers and writers from around the globe.
Spooktacular Halloween Event Guide For Toronto and the GTA
Whatever your flavour, have a treat with our scare-ific, freak-alicious Spooktacular Halloween Event Guide for Toronto and the GTA!
Fall Fun Bucket List for Toronto and the GTA
🍂 Take in a street festival, snack on farm treats, get active in the fresh air and take a hike with our Fall Fun Bucket List for Toronto and the GTA.
Guide to the Best Thanksgiving Weekend Fairs & Festivals in Southern Ontario
🎡 Small-town fairs are a traditional way to spend a Fall weekend, so get out into the countryside with our Guide to the Best Thanksgiving Weekend Fairs & Festivals in Southern Ontario!
Guide to the Best Oktoberfest Family Events in Southern Ontario
🥨 Feel the gemütlichkeit (warm feelings) at Oktoberfest events across the GTA: dance to the polka, eat a huge pretzeland raise your glass. Prost! 🍻
Guide to Pumpkin Patches and Corn Mazes in Southern Ontario
🎃 Pumpkin patches are a fun way to get out of the city on a crisp Fall day, with family experiences such as wagon rides and play areas.
Guide to Apple Picking in Southern Ontario
🍎 Earn your apple pie while also having a fun, outdoorsy day out by picking your own fruit with our Guide to Apple Picking in Southern Ontario.
Guide to the Best Diwali Events in Toronto and the GTA
🪔 Get ready for Diwali, the festival of lights! At events across the region, you can brighten the night with fireworks, music, food and vibrant colours. Celebrate with our Guide to the Best Diwali Events in Toronto and the GTA!
But Wait… There’s More!
Love seeing the Family Fun Events in Toronto in October, but want MORE? Keep tabs on everything happening in #YYZ with our calendar, and stay tuned to all the best local family events through our Facebook, Instagram and TikTok!
Did you know you can submit your family-friendly event to us? Fill out the form with your event details, and we’ll do our best to add it to our busy events calendar.
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