North Texas schedules 100-plus Halloween events before weekend

Communities in North Texas have scheduled a dense calendar of Halloween activities for the week ending Oct. 31. The events range from free public park gatherings to paid excursions on vintage trains. Organizers in at least seven cities have detailed their plans. The schedule includes trick-or-treating, festivals, costume contests, and themed drink menus. These events are set to take place from Oct. 24 through Nov. 1.

The Colony will host three major events. Stewart Creek Park holds Family Fright Fest on Oct. 24. This free afternoon event includes hayrides, games, crafts, and booth-based trick-or-treating. Truck Yard, a restaurant chain, hosts its annual Halloween party the same day. The party features a limited spooky drink menu, costume contests, and fortune tellers. The chain holds the event at all six of its Dallas-Fort Worth locations, including a new branch in Richardson. Grandscape, a local venue, schedules two separate events. Emo Night Brooklyn takes place on Oct. 29. This DJ-led party plays emo and pop-punk music. A family-friendly Trick or Treat Extravaganza occurs on Halloween evening.

Frisco offers four distinct options. The PGA District hosts Halloween Par-Tee on Oct. 24. This event features pumpkin putting, trick-or-treating from golf carts, and carnival games. The Frisco Heritage Center holds Heritage Halloween on the same day. This event decorates historic buildings and offers crafts, popcorn, cotton candy, and balloon animals. Frisco Square hosts Trick or Treat the Square from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 24. Children collect treats from businesses along Coleman Boulevard. The Spookeasy pop-up at Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa pours themed cocktails through Nov. 1. The menu includes a Blue Diablo Margarita and a Dead Head Punch. The Star's Little Stars Halloween returns to Tostitos Championship Plaza on Oct. 28. This free morning event is for children ages five and under. Decorated strollers enter a drawing for Nuna treats.

Plano schedules two events. The R.I.P. Fest takes over the Downtown Plano Arts District and Haggard Park on Oct. 24. This event includes carnival rides, live performances, and themed cocktails from Fillmore Pub. Legacy Hall hosts a free Trick-or-Treatery Halloween Parade on Oct. 27. The event begins with a screening of Hotel Transylvania. It continues with trick-or-treating and a costume parade for kids and pets.

McKinney lists three main activities. The Yard's Halloween Haunt runs through Oct. 31. The restaurant serves a seasonal menu that includes a S'mortuary, a vodka-spiked cold brew. Proceeds from this drink benefit Cody's Friends Dog Rescue. The Stix Icehouse holds a free Trunk or Treat with Macaroni Kid on Oct. 29. This takes place across its 14-acre property. Adults can order the Fridged Witch frozen green apple cocktail. Children can drink the Slimy Slushy, a nonalcoholic beverage topped with gummy worms. The Spooktacular Brews and Boos Walk occurs on Halloween. This walk sends costumed guests with a map to more than 20 beverage stops in Historic Downtown McKinney.

Fort Worth, Dallas, and Celina also host events. The Fort Worth Zoo runs Boo at the Zoo from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1. Admission covers six treat coupons, a pumpkin patch, and a train ride. Klyde Warren Park in Dallas holds its sixth-annual Trick-or-Treating in the Park on Oct. 24. This free event includes book giveaways and an outdoor screening of Toy Story 5. Downtown Celina hosts Beware! of the Square on Oct. 24. This festival offers a haunted manor, a pumpkin decorating contest, and more than 60 market vendors.

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad operates the Witches' Brew Train on Oct. 30 and 31. This is a two-hour round-trip excursion in vintage 1920s coaches. The ride features Texas craft beer and spooky entertainment. Costumes are encouraged for passengers.