October is a busy month on the Outer Banks, packed with festivals and events to take advantage of the perfect fall temperatures. Like everywhere these days, it's also a month-long celebration of pumpkins, costumes, spookiness and Halloween spirit.
Whether you’re looking for family-friendly fun, a scenic road race through Manteo, a haunted thrill or a costumed night out, the OBX has something to make everyone’s Halloween season a treat.
Photo: Pick out a pumpkin and experience a taste of old-time farm life at Island Farm's Pumpkin Patch.
Saturday, October 25
Pubkin Patch Kids' Event at Outer Banks Brewing Station
At the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills, fall takes over the backyard for the 3rd annual Pubkin Patch — a pumpkin-filled hangout that's been happening all month long. Families can browse pumpkins for sale, sip fall-inspired cocktails, and enjoy a festive seasonal menu. Kids will love the backyard setup and weekend surprises, while adults can soak up the atmosphere with friends and a pint.
On Saturday it's kids' day at Outer Banks Brewing Station with the Pubkin Patch Kids' Event from 12 to 3 p.m. This afternoon of family fun features a petting zoo, pony rides, pumpkin painting, a bounce house, balloon animals, face painting and fall-themed food and drink specials. Proceeds benefit Surfing for Autism, so your pumpkins and playtime support a great cause.
Dare to Scare 5K & Fun Run in Manteo
Kick off your Halloween weekend with a burst of energy at the Dare to Scare 5K & Sweet Treat Fun Run, starting at 8 a.m. at the Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese and finishing at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center in Manteo. The scenic course winds through Manteo and Wanchese, offering runners a glimpse of Roanoke Island beauty and water views along the way.
Participants are encouraged to don their best costumes for a chance at prizes — awarded for the top finishers and most creative looks. Proceeds benefit the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center’s annual Toy Drive, which brings joy to local children during the holidays. Pre-registration is required, and all ages are welcome.
The Dare to Scare 5K and Fun Run is a good time for all ages.
NouVeins Blood Drive
If running isn’t your style, you can still make a difference that morning at NouVines on Budleigh Street in Downtown Manteo, where the wine bar's Halloween Island counterpart, NouVeins, will host a mobile blood drive from 12 to 4 p.m. It’s an easy way to turn the spooky season into giving season by helping save lives.
Island Farm’s 14th Annual Pumpkin Patch
For old-fashioned fall fun, head to Island Farm on Roanoke Island. The Pumpkin Patch has been held every Saturday in October, and this weekend is the last one. Stop by from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to experience 19th-century farm life with historic games, candle and doll making, cider and popcorn samples, a nail-driving contest, jumbo bubbles and a new corn maze design. Pumpkins – grown in nearby Chowan County by a descendant of Island Farm – are available for purchase, and all activities are included with general admission ($11 for ages 4 and older, free for children younger than 3). The event also features a lively market with local artisans, food and crafts.
Stroll among the pumpkin-lighted paths of The Elizabethan Gardens.
A Night of 1,587 Pumpkins at The Elizabethan Gardens
As the sun sets on Roanoke Island, The Elizabethan Gardens will glow with the flicker of up to 1,587 jack-o-lanterns during A Night of 1587 Pumpkins, held from 5 to 8 p.m. The number pays tribute to the year English colonists arrived on the island, and the event has become a Halloween favorite for locals and visitors. Guests can trick-or-treat along the garden paths, join costume and scream contests, and roast s’mores by the bonfire. Want to be part of the magic? Carve a free pumpkin on October 23 or 24 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., then return Saturday night to see it aglow among hundreds of others.
Harborween at Wanchese Marina
At Wanchese Marina, the 6th Annual Harborween celebration kicks off at 4 p.m., transforming the docks into a floating festival. Trick-or-treat around the boats, grab a bite at The Landing Grill, and dance along to live music. With costume contests, carnival rides and face painting, Harborween is a true community celebration where everyone will have a good time.
The Outer Banks Halloween Parade of Costumes is a favorite local tradition.
Sunday, October 26
Outer Banks Halloween Parade of Costumes
A huge, family-friendly Halloween party happens on Sunday at Aviation Park in Kill Devil Hills during the 12th Annual Outer Banks Halloween Parade of Costumes. This free event begins at 2 p.m. with trick-or-treating around the frog pond and continues with the parade at 3 p.m.
Costumes of every shape and size fill the park as families, kids, and even pets walk the loop. Prizes are awarded for Best in Show in three categories: ages 12 and younger, ages 13 and older, and groups. Registration is free (online or on site), and everyone is encouraged to participate. Sponsored by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, OBX Entertainment and Halloween Daily News, the parade has become a community tradition drawing hundreds each year.
Ships & Sweets at Oregon Inlet
After the parade, cap off your Halloween weekend dockside at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center for Ships & Sweets, starting at 5:30 p.m. Trick-or-treat along the boats, enjoy music and refreshments and watch the sun set over the water as captains hand out candy to costumed kids (and the young at heart).
Downtown Manteo is decked to the gills with Halloween-themed decor.
Through October
Halloween Island in Manteo
Downtown Manteo transforms into Halloween Island all month long, featuring 13 spooky bars, 13 eerie inns, 13 haunted shops, and 13 themed events. For grownup ghouls, it's one big bar crawl, and you can get your passport stamped at each location for prizes. Families can participate in shopping, dining and family-friendly activities. Even the local inns get in on the act, so you can stay over in Manteo for a weekend of fun. All proceeds from Halloween Island passport and merch sales benefit local charities.
A taste of who you might meet at Wicked Woods.
Wicked Woods
Spook yourself silly with a walk through the woods of East Lake – if you dare. Wicked Woods is a haunted trial full of scary surprises. Bring your friends and ring in the Halloween season by being completely terrified with what comes next! To find it, put 18766 U.S. Highway 64, East Lake in your maps. For information call (252) 489-1047.
Friday, October 31
Exotic Erotic Halloween Ball at the Brewing Station
End the month with a bang at the Outer Banks Brewing Station’s 25th Annual Exotic Erotic Halloween Ball. The party kicks off at 9 p.m. on October 31, with DJ Bruce spinning until 2 a.m. Expect a packed dance floor, over-the-top costumes and a legendary costume contest with $100 prizes for the “Exotic” and “Erotic” categories. Cover is $10 ($5 if you’re in costume).
Olives in Manteo, part of Halloween Island, is just one of dozens of Outer Banks bars and restaurants serving Halloween-themed drinks and snacks this season.
From pumpkin patches to trick-or-treating, Halloween on the Outer Banks offers something for every ghost and ghoul. Get your costume ready, carve a pumpkin and celebrate the spooky season OBX-style — with community spirit, coastal flair and a whole lot of fun. For more information on these events and all the upcoming events this fall and holiday season, see our Daytime and Nightlife listings.
About the Author Molly Harrison
Molly Harrison is managing editor at OneBoat, publisher of OuterBanksThisWeek.com. She moved to Nags Head in 1994 and since then has made her living writing articles and creating publications about the people, places and culture of the Outer Banks.
