Halloween Fun Across the Red River Valley! 🎃

Looking for some spooky scary fun this month? You’ve come to the right place! I’ve compiled a general list of a bunch of the most bone-chilling, spine-tingling, hair-raising activities you can find in our greater region during the spookiest time of year! For this article, we’re going to branch out beyond our local roots and see where you could venture off to for a night out of some soul-shaking fun!

To start us off, what better way to dip your toe into the season of terror than seeing a show about none other than Dracula himself? Grab a friend and make your way over to the Fire Hall Theatre for some spooktacular entertainment! Shows have started now and go through the final week of October! There is also The Rocky Horror Picture Show at The Empire Arts Center and the Night of The Laughing Dead with Nine & Numb Improv Troup!

Looking for something even more interactive? The Grand Forks Downtown Development Association puts on an annual Ghostly Downtown Walking Tour! Prepare for a night filled with freakish fun and haunted stories! There is both an all ages/family friendly version and a 21+ option. A great option for a fun Halloween night out! There are going to be three tours in the last week of October this year, so sign up sooner than later if you’d like to go!

For the adults in the crowd, a longer trip into the red river valley toward Leonard, ND, will take you to Acres of Terror. Now, this is for our true adrenaline junky thrill seekers. Notorious for it’s exhilaratingly terrifying haunted school house and cornfield. Open Friday and Saturday nights through September and October, don’t skip out on this one if you want a night of horror filled fun. It will take some preparation though, given Leonard is about an hour and forty minutes from Grand Forks.

About a forty minute drive east from Grand Forks, you’ll find a fun twist on the classic haunted house experience. Instead of a house, you’ll get a whole forest! The Haunted Woods in Red Lake Falls is a great option for a night out with friends. Walk through the paths and be scared to your heart’s delight. They have a soft scare and hard scare option, so if you’re a scaredy-cat, don’t worry, there is room for you too! They also typically have food trucks until midnight so grab a snack to warm you back up afterwards!

When looking for a classic Halloween and/or fall experience in our region, you cannot skip Nelsons. A well-known and beloved pumpkin patch here in our neck of the woods. They have all sorts of attractions like Spookley The Square Pumpkin program, a corn maze, hay rides, a haunted house, the bee train, pumpkin plunge, and more! Definitely a pumpkin-perfect choice for a fall day out for the entire family!

Another fall-fabulous experience is across the river on the southern point of East Grand Forks, called Patch on the Point. Not only can you pick out your perfect pumpkins here, but you can also visit the petting zoo, send your kiddo along for a ride on the train, go down the gigantic slide, and more! They have special events every Saturday too so visit their website to see the schedule for those!

I’m gonna go out on a limb here, and guess you’re aware that these days a lot of trick or treating happens before the actual night of Halloween. For better or worse, Trunk or Treats are the go-to! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled on social media (specifically Facebook) for news on local Trunk or Treats happening. One I will highlight is the Family Voices of North Dakota Trunk of Treat happening at the Alerus Center. Bring your kiddos round for some candy-filled fun!

Looking for a more classic, haunted house vibe? Check out the Grand Forks Historical Society’s annual Legends of Terror Haunted House Experience! They have two days of terrifying fun in store this year! Prepare for (and beware) the spooktastic delights!