It's Spooky Season Witches!

Halloween is just around the corner, and Cortland County has all the thrills, chills, haunts, and happenings you're searching for. Whether you want to scream 'til you cry, commune with the beyond, or enjoy a little family-friendly trick-or-treating, we've got your 2026 guide to Halloween and spooky fun in Cortland County.

Did we miss accidently your event? Click here to submit your Cortland County  Halloween events to our calendar. 

Oct 3-4 | Courthouse Park, Downtown Cortland

Celebrate one of Cortland County’s most iconic fall traditions! The Great Cortland Pumpkinfest transforms Courthouse Park into an autumn wonderland filled with live music, family activities, delicious festival food, and rows of local artisan vendors. From pumpkin decorating and pony rides to hot cider and handmade crafts, it’s the perfect way to kick off October in true Cortland style.

For more info click here.

Oct 24 | 2-4pm | Downtown Cortland

Ghosts, goblins, and tiny dinosaurs assemble! Downtown Cortland is hosting the annual Trunk or Treat where local cars become candy caravans and your littles can parade their costumes in broad daylight (the safest kind of spooky). Expect sweet treats, friendly frights, and lots of community spirit. It's perfect for families, strollers, and anyone who thinks October should be 90% candy. Costumes, decorated trunks, grab-and-go candy stations, and a whole lot of community cheer. Bring a bag, bring your best boo, and bring the kiddos. This one’s made for the littles and the young at heart. Family-friendly. Costumes encouraged. Candy inevitable. 

For more info click here.

Oct 24 | 4:30-7:30pm | Downtown Homer

Get ready for a night of frightful fun in the Village of Homer! On Saturday, October 25, the annual Halloween Parade will fill the streets with costumes, laughter, and spooky spirit. Gather at Village Hall at 4:45pm to line up, and watch the parade set off at 5:15pm, winding its way to the Village basketball courts.

When the parade ends, the fun is just beginning! From 5:30-7:30pm, the Homer Community Building will transform into a Halloween Kid Zone, bursting with festive activities. Enjoy costume contests, sweet treats, a lively kids zone on the courts, and plenty of bounce house thrills to keep the spooky celebration going all evening long.

For more info click here.

October 24 & 25| 11-5pm | Daisy Hollow Farm

Bring the kids out to Daisy Hollow Farm for the annual Happy "Hollow"een on the Farm, rain or shine! Try your luck at a trick-or-treat scavenger hunt, snuggle all the fuzzy farm animals enjoy a pony ride and enter the costume contest. Don't worry, there's more then candy. Fill your bellies with roasted hot dog around the bonfire. 

For more info click here.

Oct 24 | 12-3pm | 1890 House Museum

Calling all witches and wizards! Dust off your robes, grab your wands, and prepare for a spellbinding afternoon at the 1890 House Museum’s Annual Halloween Family Fun Event on Saturday, October 24, from noon to 3 PM. This year, the historic mansion transforms into a Magical World of Wizards, complete with enchanting crafts, magical games, a Quidditch course, familiar characters, and plenty of Halloween surprises. Costumes are encouraged, so bring the whole family dressed in their magical best for an afternoon of wizarding fun. Admission is just $5 per person, payable at the door, and free for little witches and wizards under age 2.

For more info click here.

Oct 30-31 | 6-10pm | Midson St, Cortland

The Chiller Haunted House returns to Madison Street on October 31, from 6-10pm! Be afraid, very afraid. All the boos you've been searching for. Special children's hours on October 29 for not so scary tours 6pm to 9pm, where ghosts, monsters and scary noises will temporarily be exorcised from the haunted house. Admission is free, donations accepted. The following two evening the house gets exponentially scarier. 

For more info click here.

Oct 31 | 1-4pm | Homer Hops

Oct 31 | 11-4pm | Fuller Fields Pumpkin Patch

Oct 10 | Cortland County Historical Society 

A Tragic Murder, an Infamous Trial, and a Collection of Curious Artifacts. On Saturday, October 10, the historic Grace Brown Farm in South Otselic invites visitors to explore one of the largest private collections of Grace Brown and Chester Gillette memorabilia believed to exist. Discover rare photographs, family heirlooms, historical documents and artifacts connected to the infamous 1906 murder that shocked the nation.

Farm owner Edward Seales will share the story behind the growing collection, while Judge John Sherman will revisit the sensational Chester Gillette murder trial and its evidence. Additional artifacts from the Herkimer County Historical Society and Hamilton College offer a deeper look into this tragic chapter of Central New York history. Every attendee will receive a complimentary copy of Cortland to the Adirondacks: A Fateful Journey in 1906, courtesy of the Cortland County Historical Society.

For more info click here.

Oct 15 | 5pm | Center for the Arts of Homer

Oct 16-30 | Greek Peak Adventure Center

Something Has Escaped at Greek Peak, and Containment Has Failed! This October, the Haunted Mountain Coaster returns to Greek Peak Adventure Center with an extraterrestrial twist. This year’s theme, Alien Containment Breach, invites brave souls to enter a restricted zone where something otherworldly is lurking in the shadows.

Report to the Adventure Center, climb aboard the mountain coaster, and race through the darkened woods as you attempt to escape whatever has broken free. With twisting tracks, hairpin turns, and extraterrestrial terrors waiting in the darkness, this is one close encounter you won't soon forget. The Haunted Mountain Coaster runs evenings October 16, 17, 23, 24, and 30. Think you can survive the breach?

For more info click here.

Oct 17 | 11-5pm | The Vault

Oct 24 | 1890 House Museum

The House Is Haunted. They’re Going In Anyway. On Saturday, October 24, Empirical Paranormal, a TAPS Family team, joins local first responders for Paranormal Lockdown 2026 at the historic 1890 House Museum in Cortland.

With just 20 tickets available, brave souls are invited to spend an evening investigating the mansion’s unexplained mysteries while supporting a worthy cause. Doors open at 6:30 PM, with the paranormal investigation running from 7-11 PM. Tickets are $50 per person, with proceeds benefiting the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics New York and the 1890 House Museum.

For more info click here.

Oct 27 | 8am-1pm | All My Friends Books

The Bat Boys are back, and Experience Cortland and All My Friends Books are celebrating with an ACOTAR-inspired release party for A Court of Splintered Harmony!

On Tuesday, October 27, from 8 AM to 1 PM, fans of Sarah J. Maas are invited to stop by the downtown Cortland bookstore for coffee, refreshments, and a little Night Court magic. The first three early risers will receive a free Experience Cortland Book Baddie tote in honor of everyone’s favorite Illyrian warriors, with additional totes available for purchase.

Plus, anyone who preorders or purchases the new release through All My Friends Books will be entered to win a free copy of A Court of Forgotten Melody, arriving in January 2027. A limited number of books will be available on release day, so don't leave your fate to the Cauldron!

For more info click here.

Oct 30 | 7-9pm | 1890 House Museum 

Dare to explore the dark side of history? Step beyond the velvet ropes and into the shadows of the 1890 House Museum for an exclusive after-dark public paranormal investigation led by Empirical Paranormal.

This immersive evening invites you to become an active part of the investigation as you explore the mansion’s eerie halls and candlelit rooms alongside a professionally trained group of investigators accredited by The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS). Learn ghost-hunting techniques, use real investigative tools, and experience firsthand what it’s like to communicate with the other side.

Guests are welcome to bring their own investigative equipment or borrow gear from the team as you move throughout the museum, seeking out the spirits said to still linger within its storied walls.

For more info click here.

Oct 31 | 6-11pm | 1890 House Museum

Dare to look beyond the veil? This Halloween, the 1890 House Museum invites curious souls to step back into the mysterious world of Victorian spiritualism. Discover the eerie practices that captivated the Victorians, from table tipping and spirit boards to the mysterious art of communicating with the dearly departed.

On October 31, the historic mansion will host three intimate Victorian Séance sessions at 6 PM, 8:30 PM and 11 PM. With just 13 guests permitted per session, this is a rare opportunity to explore the supernatural side of Victorian history in one of Cortland’s most magnificent historic homes. Tickets are $50 per person, ages 16 and older.

For more info click here.

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