Key takeaways
- Anoka, MN has celebrated Halloween town-wide since 1920 : the self-styled Halloween Capital of the World.
- Illinois grows the most U.S. pumpkins; Morton and Circleville are pumpkin towns.
- Giant corn mazes at Richardson (IL), Sever's (MN) and Treinen (WI).
- Scares: The Darkness, Statesville, Cedar Point, Kings Island and the Ohio State Reformatory.
If New England is America's postcard autumn, the Midwest is its family album. Here Halloween means pumpkin festivals that have run for more than a century, corn mazes visible from airplanes, hayrides under enormous skies : and, when you want them, some of the most intense haunted attractions in the country.
Anoka, Minnesota: the Halloween Capital of the World
In 1920, the city of Anoka, northwest of Minneapolis, organized a town-wide Halloween celebration to keep young people from soaping windows and tipping outhouses. It's widely cited as one of the first organized community Halloween celebrations in America. A century later Anoka still celebrates with parades, family events and community traditions, and proudly calls itself the "Halloween Capital of the World." Check the city's Halloween committee for the current schedule.
Pumpkin country
Illinois: the pumpkin state
Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state : much of the crop around central Illinois is processing pumpkins destined for cans of pumpkin purée. The village of Morton calls itself the "Pumpkin Capital of the World" and holds a pumpkin festival each September. Learn more in From Pumpkin Patch to Jack-o'-Lantern.
Circleville, Ohio
The Circleville Pumpkin Show has been held since 1903, making it one of the oldest and largest pumpkin festivals in the U.S. Expect giant-pumpkin displays, parades, pumpkin-everything food (pumpkin donuts, burgers, fudge) and a famously enormous pumpkin pie. Admission is free; the show runs over several days in October.
Corn mazes and fall farms
The Midwest is the heart of corn country : and the corn maze capital of America:
| Farm | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Richardson Adventure Farm | Spring Grove, Illinois | One of the largest corn mazes in the world, with viewing towers |
| Kuipers Family Farm | Maple Park, Illinois | Fall festival, pumpkins, apples and a corn maze |
| Sever's Fall Festival | Shakopee, Minnesota | Corn maze, pumpkin patch and festival rides |
| Treinen Farm | Lodi, Wisconsin | Artistic maze designs and night mazes |
| Uncle John's Cider Mill | St. Johns, Michigan | Cider, donuts and fall fun |
See The Ultimate Corn Maze Guide and America's Best Pumpkin Patches.
Haunted farms and hayrides
Many Midwestern farms transform after dark into haunted hayrides, haunted corn mazes and scream parks. Look for regional favorites near your city : they range from family-friendly flashlight mazes to intense attractions with actors and effects. Check age guidance before buying tickets.
Haunted attractions
The Darkness (St. Louis, Missouri)
A long-running downtown haunted house famous for elaborate effects and animatronics.
Statesville Haunted Prison (Illinois)
A prison-themed haunt that's a Chicagoland Halloween institution.
Theme-park scare nights
- Cedar Point HalloWeekends (Sandusky, Ohio) : the "roller coaster capital" adds haunted mazes and scare zones on autumn weekends.
- Kings Island (Mason, Ohio) : Halloween scare event with mazes and scare zones.
- Six Flags Great America Fright Fest (Gurnee, Illinois) : rides by day, scares by night.
See Halloween at Amusement Parks and America's Best Haunted Houses.
Historic haunts
- Ohio State Reformatory (Mansfield, Ohio) : the Gothic prison where The Shawshank Redemption was filmed. It offers history tours and seasonal ghost hunts.
- Villisca Axe Murder House (Villisca, Iowa) : site of an unsolved 1912 murder of eight people; tours and overnight stays are offered for the brave.
- Chicago ghost tours : the city's legends include "Resurrection Mary," a phantom hitchhiker said to haunt Archer Avenue, and the eerie, overgrown Bachelor's Grove Cemetery. Daytime tours of grand Graceland Cemetery reveal Chicago history in stone.
Small-town fall festivals
Across the Midwest, small towns celebrate harvest season with:
- Apple and harvest festivals in Michigan and Wisconsin orchard country
- Scarecrow contests along main streets
- Pumpkin regattas, where growers paddle hollowed-out giant pumpkins
- Bonfires, chili suppers and fish fries
- Homecoming parades that double as Halloween previews
Sample road trip: "Heartland Harvest" (5 days)
- Chicago : ghost tour, Graceland Cemetery.
- Northern Illinois : Richardson Adventure Farm maze, Kuipers Family Farm.
- Central Illinois : Morton pumpkin country; overnight in Peoria.
- St. Louis : Gateway Arch by day; The Darkness by night.
- Return via Iowa or Wisconsin : Villisca (for the brave) or Wisconsin farm country.
Minnesota add-on: Anoka's Halloween events, Sever's Fall Festival and the North Woods in autumn color. Ohio add-on: Circleville Pumpkin Show, the Ohio State Reformatory and Cedar Point HalloWeekends.
Practical tips
- Weather swings : Midwest October can bring frost, sleet or 75°F sunshine; pack layers.
- Muddy fields : wear boots to farms.
- Distances are long : plan fuel and food stops in rural areas.
- Book weekends early for popular farms and haunted attractions.
- Check festival dates : many Midwestern harvest festivals happen in September or early October.
The heartland Halloween
The Midwest's Halloween is honest and generous: farm wagons, giant pumpkins, towns that have celebrated for a century and neighbors who buy full-size candy bars. It's where many of America's Halloween traditions were shaped : and it's still one of the best places to enjoy them. For more destinations, see America's Best Halloween Destinations.
Questions & answers
Why is Anoka called the Halloween Capital of the World?
In 1920, Anoka, Minnesota, organized one of the first community-wide Halloween celebrations in the United States to keep young people from playing pranks. It has held Halloween parades and festivities ever since and promotes itself as the Halloween Capital of the World.
What is the Circleville Pumpkin Show?
The Circleville Pumpkin Show in Circleville, Ohio, is a free annual festival held since 1903, featuring giant pumpkins, parades, pumpkin foods and a huge pumpkin pie. It takes place over several days in October.
What state grows the most pumpkins?
Illinois grows the most pumpkins in the United States. Much of its crop is processing pumpkins used for canned pumpkin, and the village of Morton calls itself the Pumpkin Capital of the World.
What are the best haunted attractions in the Midwest?
Well-known Midwestern haunts include The Darkness in St. Louis, Statesville Haunted Prison near Chicago, theme-park scare nights at Cedar Point, Kings Island and Six Flags Great America, and historic sites such as the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield.
Festival dates, haunted-attraction schedules and overnight stays change each year. Confirm details and age policies with organizers before visiting.