Updated guide to Kansas City Halloween fun: Haunted houses, pumpkin patches and more
We’ve updated this list! For way more Halloween events around Kansas City, click here.
No, Halloween has not been axed for 2020.
COVID-19 has canceled many traditional events, but plenty of the season’s activities are taking place — especially if pumpkins are your thing.
The big news is that the West Bottoms attractions, the Beast and Edge of Hell, two of the premier haunted houses not only locally but nationally, are operating. They have abbreviated seasons, with doors open Friday and Saturday nights through Nov. 7 (as well as Oct. 29 and Nov. 1).
“We assessed whether we should open or not,” said Amber Arnett-Bequeaith, vice president of Full Moon Productions. “We know more than ever, people need an outlet to break out of the doldrums, and that brings joy. It’s funny how staged scaring does that.”
Tickets are $27 for a single house. Macabre Cinema and Chambers of Poe, Full Moon’s other haunted attractions in the West Bottoms, are not open this year.
Pandemic precautions include time spacing between groups upon admission, social distancing rules inside the houses, temperature checks and hand sanitation. Most important, customers must wear masks — but not costume masks.
“While customer masks are required, they must be soft masks,” Arnett-Bequeaith said. “We cannot accept face shields or costume masks that can confuse visitors with staff.”
Another early Halloween highlight is The Coterie presentation of “Electric Poe,” which continues at Union Cemetery.
Other venues already operating are Carolyn’s Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch, the Liberty Corn Maze, the Louisburg Cider Mill Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch, October Fest at KC Pumpkin Patch, Johnson Farms U-Pick Pumpkins and Faulkner’s Ranch Pumpkin Season.
Here is a rundown of Halloween activities:
Halloween in full swing
October Fest at KC Pumpkin Patch
Through Oct. 20
10 a.m.-6 p.m. 13875 S. Gardner, Olathe. kcpumpkinpatch.com, 913-484-6251. $13.95.
Weston Orchard and Vineyard
Through Oct. 31
9 a.m.-5 p.m. 18545 County Road H, Weston. orchardweston.com, 816-253-8240. $7-$9.
“Electric Poe”
Through Oct. 31
The Coterie presentation. 6:30 p.m. Oct. 8-11, 6 p.m. Oct. 15-18, 22-25 and 29-30, 4 and 6 p.m. Oct. 31. Union Cemetery. thecoterie.org, 816-474-6552. $50 for up to four people.
Liberty Corn Maze
Through Oct. 31
5-10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (time-slotted reservations). 17607 NE 52nd, Liberty. libertycornmaze.mazeplay.com, 816-820-5388. $9.48-$11.38 (combo ticket with Carolyn’s Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch, $23.95).
Carolyn’s Country Cousins Pumpkin Patch
Through Oct. 31
10 a.m.-7 p.m. (time-slotted reservations). 17607 NE 52nd, Liberty. carolynscountrycousins.com. $13.95-$23.95 (combo ticket with Liberty Corn Maze, $23.95).
Johnson Farms U-Pick Pumpkins
Through Oct. 31
Store hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sunday. 17701 Holmes, Belton. johnsonfarms.net, 816-331-1067. Ticket prices TBA.
Faulkner’s Ranch Pumpkin Season
Through Oct. 31
10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Sunday (time-slotted reservations). 10600 Raytown Road. faulknersranch.com, 816-761-5055. $10-$15.
Howl-O-Ween
Through Oct. 31
Great Wolf Lodge Kansas City. greatwolf.com/kansas-city, 800-608-9653.
Exiled KC
Through Oct. 31
7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday (time-slotted reservations). ZipKC, 12829 Loring, Bonner Springs. exiledkc.com, 913-276-0018. $40-$50.
Louisburg Cider Mill Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Through Nov. 1
8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. (Note: Ciderfest has been canceled.) 14730 Kansas 68, Louisburg. louisburgcidermill.com, 913-837-5202. $7.99-$11.99.
Edge of Hell and Beast
Through Nov. 2
7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, plus Oct. 29 and Nov. 1. 1401 W. 13th and 1300 W. 12th. fullmoonprod.com, 816-842-4280. $27.
Fall Hayrides
Through Nov. 22
4, 6, 7:30 or 9 p.m. Friday; 2:30, 4, 5:30, 7 or 8:30 p.m. Saturday; 2:30, 4, 5:30, or 7 Sunday. Oak Ridge Parklands at Shawnee Mission Park, 7460 Ogg, Shawnee. jcprd.com, 913-831-3359. $90 for 12 or fewer people, then $8 for each additional person (reservations required two weeks ahead).
Hoots and Howls
Oct. 10-11 and 17-18
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Kansas City Zoo, 6800 Zoo Drive. 816-513-5800. kansascityzoo.org/events. Included in admission, $8-$18.
Coming up
Whimsical Woods
Oct. 10
2-5 p.m. (time-slotted reservations). Ernie Miller Nature Center, 909 N. Kansas 7, Olathe. jcprd.com, 913-826-2800. $5-$6.
Day of the Dead Altar Viewing
Oct. 15-17
6-9 p.m. Oct. 15-16, 3-9 p.m. Oct. 17. Kansas City Museum, 3218 Gladstone. facebook.com, 816-513-0726. At capacity.
Haunted & Historic Spaces Tours
Oct. 17
5-8:45 p.m. (time-slotted reservations). Downtown Lee’s Summit. downtownls.org. $25.
Ghosting Lawrence: A Theatrical Tour of Downtown Haunts
Oct. 21-Nov. 1
7 p.m. Oct. 21-24, 5 p.m. Oct. 25, 7 p.m. Oct. 28-30, 5 p.m. Nov. 1. Downtown Lawrence. lawrenceartscenter.org, 785-843-2787. $25.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre, “Ghost Light: A Haunted Night of Songs and Stories From KC’s Cultural Crossroads”
Oct. 22-31
7 p.m. Oct. 22-24 and 29-31. South Lawn of Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. kcrep.org, 816-235-2700. $80 for four-person pod.
Boo at the Zoo
Oct. 24-25 and 31
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Kansas City Zoo, 6800 Zoo Drive. 816-513-5800. kansascityzoo.org/events. Included in admission, $8-$18.
Haunted Kansas
Oct. 24
6:30-10 p.m. (time-slotted reservations). Ernie Miller Nature Center, 909 N. Kansas 7, Olathe. jcprd.com, 913-826-2800. $5-$6.
Spooktacular Maskarade
Oct. 28-Nov. 1
9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. Science City, Union Station. unionstation.org/sciencecity, 816-460-2023. Included in admission, $14.
Happy Haunt Boneyard Jamboree
Oct. 29
11 a.m. Smithville Lake Nature Center, 18001 Collins Road, Paradise. visitclaymo.com, 816-407-3416. At capacity.
Hide ’n’ Seek Trick or Treat Scavenger Hunt
Oct. 29-31
7 a.m.-6 p.m. Lenexa civic campus, 17101 W. 87th St. Parkway. lenexa.com. Free.
Billy Idol Tribute and M80’s Halloween Party
Oct. 31
Doors open 7 p.m., show 8:30 p.m. Knuckleheads, 2715 Rochester. knuckleheadskc.com, 816-483-1456. $16.
CarnEVIL
Oct. 31
6-9 p.m. Kansas City Live! 14th and Walnut. powerandlightdistrict.com. $10-$680.
Here Come the Mummies ‘Ween-Stream
Oct. 31
8 p.m. eventbrite.com. $22-$50.
Outdoor Double Feature: “Halloween ’78” and “Halloween ’18”
Oct. 31
6 p.m. Screenland Armour Theatre, 408 Armour. eventbrite.com. $30-$65 (for two to six guests; on sale Oct. 26).
“Trick or Treat Masquerade: A Film”
Oct. 31
11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire, Lawrence. lawrenceartscenter.org, 785-843-2787. $8-$12.
Canceled
Among the area’s traditional Halloween events that have been canceled for 2020:
▪ Halloween Haunt and The Great Pumpkin Fest at Worlds of Fun.
▪ Pumpkin Hollow and Night of the Living F \arm at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead.
▪ Shoal Creek Harvest Festival and Kid Safe Halloween at Shoal Creek Living History Museum.
▪ Enchanted Forest at Lenexa’s Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park.
▪ Pumpkins on Parade at Cave Springs Park.
▪ Magic Woods at Lakeside Nature Center.
▪ Historical Hauntings at Shawnee Town 1929.
Holiday events
Of course, with Halloween activities happening, the holiday season can’t be far behind. The big question is whether the traditional lighting ceremony will take place Thanksgiving evening on the Country Club Plaza.
The answer is yes, but …
The Plaza is installing the lights while planning for a “reimagined” lighting ceremony, which means you probably can’t expect to join 100,000 of your closest friends for the event.
Other holiday events that are scheduled to proceed include:
▪ Winter Magic at Swope Park (Nov. 2-Jan. 2).
▪ Crown Center Ice Terrace (opens Nov. 6).
▪ Festival of Lights: Enchantment at Powell Gardens (Nov. 13-Jan. 3).
▪ Christmas in the Park at Longview Campground (Nov. 25-Dec. 31, although Christmas in the Sky has been canceled).
This story was originally published October 8, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
