🧙Witch Way to Halloween Fun in Cayuga County
The spookiest holiday of the year is just around the corner! Whether you love a good scare or prefer a family-friendly celebration, Cayuga County has plenty of ways to enjoy Halloween 2025.
A Little Halloween History
Halloween is often the first big celebration of fall. Its origins date back over 2,000 years to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the new year. People believed that on this night, the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest.
In the U.S., Halloween gained popularity in the late 1800s with traditions like carving pumpkins, wearing costumes, and hosting parties. Costumes were originally meant to trick ghosts into thinking you were one of them, so they would leave you alone!
The phrase “trick or treat” first appeared in 1927, and by the 1930s, mass-produced costumes were on the market. By the 1950s, kids everywhere were dressing as favorite characters from movies and comics—think superheroes, princesses, and clowns.
Today, trick-or-treating is more about the candy than the “trick,” but the tradition lives on in neighborhoods everywhere.
Not-Too-Spooky Fun
Perfect for families with little ones—or anyone who loves a festive fall outing! For some family fun pumpkin picking visit O’Neil’s Pumpkin Patch ( see photo above) here you will find Pumpkins, Gourds, Squash, Sunflowers and more! No admission fee.
Penny’s Country Farm
Enjoy, farm animals, bounce house, spooky woods walk, corn mazes, a kiddie Boo train, pumpkins picking, and more!
Witch Hat Hunt & Great Pumpkin Hunt
Ward O’Hara Agricultural Museum
All October long, kids can search for hidden witch hats and pumpkins. Every participant gets a goodie bag!
Old-Fashioned Halloween Celebration
Ward O’Hara Agricultural Museum
October 18, 10:00 AM–4:00 PM
Free event featuring trick-or-treating, a costume parade, pumpkin carving, horse and wagon rides, Model T rides, refreshments, music, and tours.
Home Run Halloween
Falcon Park
October 19, 2:00–5:00 PM
Join us for an afternoon full of spooky fun, costumes, candy, and some safe trick or treating fun! Don’t miss this fang-tastic community tradition bring the whole family for treats, character meet and greets, and memories that are for sure to be a home run!
Trunk or Treat
Booker T. Washington Community Center
October 24, 5:00–7:00 PM
Free event, please note all children must be accompanied by an adult
Pumpkin Carving at the Sterling Nature Center for kids in grades K-6
Saturday,
October 25, 1pm
Celebrate the season with some hands-on pumpkin fun. We’ll provide pumpkins, tools, and design ideas for kids to carve their own creations—just in time for trick-or-treating. Open to children in grades K–6 with a parent or guardian. Space is limited to 10 participants. Preregistration required at: https://www.thefriendsofthesterlingnaturecenter.com/events-1
A Few Spooky Options
For those who like a little fright with their fall fun…
Join us for the annual Colloca Winery Halloween Bash
Friday, October 31, 2025!
Admission is FREE and we’ll have a Costume Contest with Prizes for best costume and best couples costumes and best group costumes.
It’s Fair Haven’s Halloween BALL – BASH – at Colloca Estate Winery.
It will be a spooktacular event!
Evil Circus Halloween Party
Prison City Brewing
October 25, 6:00–10:00 PM
Step right up for Prison City’s 4th Annual Halloween Party — this year, the tent flaps open on our most twisted theme yet: EVIL CIRCUS.
Haunted History Tours
Seward House Museum
October 25-29 6pm and 7pm reservations required
Explore the darker side of Auburn with costumed guides leading you through chilling stories of Victorian funerals, ghostly encounters, and true crime tales.
More to Explore
Above were just a few highlights of the Halloween happenings around Cayuga County. Be sure to check our Events Page for the latest updates and details.
Something Silly… 🎃👻
My grandchildren love a silly pun or joke, this section is dedicated to them!
Q: Why don’t mummies take vacations?
A: They’re afraid to unwind.
Q: What do Skeletons order at the restaurant?
A: Spare ribs
Q: Why did the witch go to school?
A: To improve her spelling!