By Laura Eliason & Tim Malik
Fall in Michigan – it’s what some of us live here for. The beautiful colors of the leaves, those sweater days, the scents of apple and pumpkin spice, and the many fun activities for your family to choose from. We’ve put together a list of best-bets for some falltastic fun!
Apple Daze in Dexter
10am-5pm on Saturday | October 1
Downtown Dexter – Monument Park
dexterlions.org/appledaze.html | Free
Join in as Dexter celebrates its annual event “Apple Daze”! Events include a classic car show, hayrides to the Dexter Cider Mill, food and craft vendors, kids games with prizes, a pie eating contest, and more. Fun for the whole family!
Pumpkin Patch in the Pool
6pm on Thursday | October 6
Summit on the Park
46000 Summit Pkwy. | Canton
734-394-5460 | canton-mi.org
$12 for members | $15 for residents | $18 for non-residents
Swim and hunt for the perfect pumpkin in the pool. Later there is pumpkin carving, donuts, apple cider and open swim.
Smoke & Ale Fall Festival
11am-8pm on Saturday | October 8
Chelsea Fairgrounds
20501 W Old US Hwy 12 | Chelsea
chelseamich.com/smoke-ale
$5 per person
For a barbecue-fantastic time that the entire family can enjoy, you won’t want to miss the Smoke & Ale Fall Festival at the Chelsea Fairgrounds. Great food and beer will be featured that will include a BBQ Cookoff Contest, Beerfest, and food trucks. Lots of family fun for all ages including many activities for children like faces painting, outdoor bowling, and games. There will be live music from 12-8pm.
Apple Cider Pressing
12-2pm on Saturday | October 8
Gerald Eddy Discovery Center
17030 Bush Rd. | Chelsea
734-475-3170
Free ($11 recreation passport per vehicle)
Learn and participate in the apple cider pressing process from start to finish. Family time and delicious apple cider make for a perfect Autumn outing. This event is free however there is an $11 recreation passport per vehicle to enter the Waterloo Recreation Area.
Highland Cemetery Tours
7pm on October 14-15, 21-22, 28-29
943 N. River St. | Ypsilanti
734-482-9490
$5 per person
History with a touch of Halloween creepiness! The Highland Cemetery will have tours on several evenings in October. Walk amongst this “garden” style cemetery meant to invite tranquility and solace for visitors. You will see many old Ypsilanti names on beautiful headstones and the notable Highland’s monuments – the Starkweather Memorial Chapel, the Flowers and Quirk Mausoleums, the Soldier’s Monument and the Veteran and Unknown Soldier’s field.
Comprehensive Dentistry’s Trunk-or-Treat
5pm on Friday | October 14
5425 Whittaker Rd. | Ypsilanti
734-480-0033 | comprehensivedentistry.net
Free
Getting candy from your dentist? The night of Halloween fun has a costume contest, a raffle and don’t forget the candy.
River trick or treating
12-5pm on Sunday, October 16
Gallup Livery | 3000 Fuller Rd.
a2gov.org
$18 per boat
See the beautiful fall colors and encounter creatures handing out treats while paddling your canoe or kayak down Gallup Pond for Gallup Livery’s annual Trick or Treat on the River. You can dress up, bring your bag for candy, and enjoy a fun afternoon of natural and sugary Halloween fun. Each boat costs $18, no pre registration required, and all ages welcome. Gallup Livery has lifejackets suitable for infants through adult sizes.
Ongoing Events
The Blast Corn Maze
September 24th-November 5th
Friday 5-10pm | Saturday 11am-10pm | Sunday 11am-8pm
6175 Daly Road | Dexter
blastcornmaze.com
$8 per adult | $5 per child age 5-12 | age 4 and under free
For some great family fun, take a walk through nearly 4 miles of maize trails (with multiple exits available) at the Blast Corn Maze in Dexter. Other activities available include hayrides, farm animals, a straw maze, and shooting corn cannons (a compressed air cannon that shoots corn). Food is available for purchase including homemade doughnuts.
Country Fair at Wiard’s Orchards
Every Wednesday-Sunday | through October 30
Wednesday-Friday | 10am-6pm | Weekends | 11am-6pm
5565 Merritt Rd. | Ypsilanti
wiards.com
$16.75 per person on weekends | $9.75 per person on weekdays | age 2 and under free
If you are looking for a fun, fall carnival with plenty of activities to choose from look no further! Wiard’s Orchards offers a festive atmosphere with a petting farm, corn crib, corn maze, hayrides, playgrounds, a bungee run, and so much more. There is delicious food for sale, and of course donuts and cider.
Halloween Fun at Hudson Mills Metropark
10am-2pm and 1-3pm on Sunday | October 16
Hudson Mills Activity Center
8801 N. Territorial Rd. | Dexter
734-426-8211 | metroparks.com
$3 per adult | $6 per child
Visit Hudson Mills Metropark for a fun fall afternoon and get in the Halloween spirit. You will get to take a hayride, make cider, and create some spooky crafts. You must purchase tickets in advance from the park office starting October 1. A Metroparks vehicle entry permit is required to enter any Metropark and is only $35 annually for regular admission, $21 annually for seniors or $10 daily.
Hallow Harvest
12pm on Saturday, October 22
Cobblestone Farm | 2781 Packard Rd.
734-794-7120 | cobblestonefarm.org
Free
Enjoy a 19th Century farm harvest with pumpkins and harvest cooking on the wood-fired stove.
Trickster Tales
3pm on Saturday | October 22
Ypsilanti District Library-Michigan
229 W. Michigan Ave
734-482-4110 | ypsilibrary.org
Free
Folklore from around the world comes to life with storytelling told through drums, puppets and crafts.
Spooky Magic Show
6:30pm on Monday, October 24
Chelsea District Library
221 S. Main St. | Chelsea
734-475-8732 | chelseadistrictlibrary.org
Free
Baffling Bill’s Halloween Magic Show features an array of spooky tricks for fun and laughs for all ages. The show includes live animals, audience participation, and large illusions. See ghosts and spooks magically appear!
Downtown Halloween Festival
5pm on Thursday | October 27
Ypsilanti District Library-Michigan
229 W. Michigan Ave
734-482-4110 | ypsilibrary.org
Free
This festival has big turn outs of children and their families every year. There will be fire trucks, the Library Bookmobile, face-painting, a costume contest with prizes, a DJ, clowns making balloon animals and lots of candy.
Zingerman’s 10th Annual Halloween Hootenanny
4-7pm on Thursday | October 27
422 Detroit Street
734-663-3400 | events.zingermanscommunity.com
$5 per child (in advance) or $8 at the door
Looking for a fun Halloween event for your children? Bring them to Zingerman’s Halloween Hootenanny! There’s loads of Halloween fun for Kids including: Pumpkin drawing, cookie decorating, music, and more. Zingerman’s goes all out with the decorations and fun times. Although costumes are not required, they are encouraged.
Downtown Halloween Festival
4:30-7:30pm on Friday, October 28
Library Park Plaza
229 W. Michigan Ave. | Ypsilanti
Ypsilibrary.org
Free
Join in on the Halloween fun at the Ypsilanti Library and Library Park Plaza. At 4:30pm stop in the library for a spooky craft time. At 5pm the party starts outside in the Library Park Plaza with fun giveaways, trick-or-treating for popcorn and candy, and games. There will even be a Boo!Mobile in the parking lot.
Annual Trick or Treat Parade
4pm on Friday | October 28
The Summit
46000 Summit Pkwy. | Canton
734-394-5460 | canton-mi.org
$10 per child
Parade through themed-paths while collecting goodies and surprises.
Animal Haunts
6pm on Saturday | October 29
Leslie Science and Nature Center
1831 Traver Rd.
734-997-1553 | lesliesnc.org
Free
Celebrate Halloween with LSNC’s non-scary Animal Haunts. Costumed interpreters bring plants and animals to life by sharing natural history facts and stories. They’ll also have harvest crafts, a hay jump, and more. Pre-registration is required.
Spooky Owls
2pm on Sunday | October 30
Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center
17030 Bush Rd. | Chelsea
734-475-3170 | wnha.org
$2 per person or $5 per family
Rub feathers with live Michigan owls and learn about their habits, environments and different species of owls. Pre-registration required.
Trick-or-Treat on Main Street
11am-5pm on Monday | October 31
Downtown Ann Arbor
mainstreetannarbor.org | aadl.org
Free
The Main Street Area Association along with the Ann Arbor District Library is putting on their annual Trick-or-Treating event for children of all ages. Look for the black and orange balloons at local businesses, and bring your children in for treats. Before the Trick-or-Treating, the Downtown Ann Arbor District Library is putting on a puppet show at 10:30am and again at noon. The suggested age range for the puppet show is 2-5 years old, and costumes are encouraged (although not required). Treat bags will be handed out during the puppet show.
