The ultimate guide to Halloween in Louisville

September 01, 2026

From award-winning ghost walks to the annual Jack O’Lantern Spectacular, Louisville is the ghostess with the mostess during Halloween season.

According to Roku, Kentucky is the No. 2 spookiest state in the U.S., and Louisville isn’t afraid to eat, drink, and be scary. So, rev up the Monster Mobile and plan a spooky little trip to Bourbon City this Halloween season.

🎃Festive frights

Spooky Sprint | Saturday, Oct. 3
Kick off the Halloween season with this themed 5K/10K run through The Parklands of Floyds Fork, a nearly 4,000-acre public parks system in southeastern Louisville.

Ghostlight Gala and After(life) Party | Saturday, Oct. 3
Join Actor’s Theatre of Louisville for a haunted night of music, dancing, drinks, and theatrical surprises where dark, elegant attire is encouraged.

Boo at the Zoo | Select nights, Oct. 1-29
A Louisville tradition for over 40 years, this non-scary party experience features trick-or-treating for kids 11 and under, costume contests, and themed attractions, like the Headless Horseman guided walk and the “not-so-itsy-bitsy” Spider House.

Pumpkins at Kentucky Kingdom | Friday-Sunday, Sept. 26-Oct. 26
Now home to the annual Jack O’Lantern Spectacular, explore the park after dark amid over 6,000 hand-carved glowing pumpkins and larger-than-life gourd sculptures. Plus, enjoy tick-or-treating, festival-themed food, and nightly entertainment bring this whimsical wonderland to life.

Jack’s Lantern Trail | Nightly, Oct. 1-Nov. 1
Stroll through carved pumpkins illuminating the path of a 1/3-mile trail through Iroquois Park, Louisville’s largest Olmsted Park.

HalLOUween Fest & Cider Festival | Saturday, Oct. 10 | FREE
This annual event will be taking over the NuLu district in downtown Louisville with a fall market, indoor cider lounge, urban farm, live music, barrel racing, costume contests, and Louisville's only Halloween parade, which was voted as one of the top 10 Halloween parades in the country by USA Today.

Goatman Festival | Thursday, Oct. 15-Sunday, Oct. 18 | FREE
Taking place at The Parklands of Floyd’s Fork, learn more about (and maybe even meet) Louisville’s most famous cryptid, the Pope Lick Monster — aka the Goatman. Hear from expert cryptozoologists, shop from vendors, and enjoy live music and movie screenings.

Kids Halloween Cruise | Sunday, Oct. 25
Step aboard the Belle of Louisville, the last remaining authentic Mississippi River-style steamboat left in the world, for an evening cruise along the Ohio River filled with trick-or-treating, a dance party, and crafts.

Trick or Treat at the Track | Sunday, Oct. 25
Little ghouls and goblins are invited to trick-or-treat under the Twin Spires during an evening with live racing and more than 15 kid-friendly activities to enjoy, like face painting and bounce houses.

The Official Halloween Bar Crawl | Saturday, Oct. 31
Join other festive spirits in costume for a bar crawl through bars and venues in the Highlands neighborhood with Crawl with U.S.

Halloween on Hillcrest | Throughout October | FREE
Residents along Hillcrest Avenue have been going above and beyond the grave for Halloween since the early 1980s, turning their homes into haunted attractions every year. The spooky tradition has made headlines and invites visitors to enter “Halloween Street” if they dare.

Danger Run | Ticket on sale Labor Day weekend
Choose your own haunted adventure from three different experiences: an immersive mystery, a classic car-based puzzle game, or a direct pass to two haunted houses.

A glowing horse & rider sculpture made of carved pumpkins, surrounded by hay bales, set in a vibrant, colorful display.

🔮Shows & concerts

It’s just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right. Check out these staged frights coming to Louisville this Halloween season.

🦇Spooky tours

Louisville Ghost Tour | Daily, year-round
Many call this preservation district the most haunted neighborhood in America, and you can decide for yourself on this nightly walking tour that introduces you to the ghostly past and paranormal hotspots of Old Louisville, home to the most extensive collection of Victorian-era mansions in the U.S.

Phantoms of Prohibition: Ghosts, Cocktails, & Bites Tour | Tuesday-Friday, year-round
Uncover the hidden stories of Louisville’s haunted past on this downtown walking tour. Meet resident ghosts as you eat and sip your way down Whiskey Row, trace the footsteps of bourbon barons and mobsters, find hidden speakeasies, see Al Capone’s secret getaway, and learn the untold truths about Prohibition.

Whispers on Whiskey Row: Murder, Crime, & The Ghosts of Derby City | Tuesday-Sunday, year-round
Wander through alleyways behind Whiskey Row and along the banks of the Ohio River to hear the haunting tales and sinister secrets that lurk behind historic architecture during this 1.5-hour walking tour through the heart of downtown.

Boos & Brews Ghost Tour | Friday, Oct. 9-Sunday, Oct. 11
Take a tour of the Conrad-Caldwell House, perhaps the most haunted mansion in Old Louisville, and experience its ghostly history that dates back to the 1800s. Plus, enjoy a craft beer from Old Louisville Brewery.

Victorian Ghost Walk | Friday, Oct. 16-Sunday, Oct. 18
David Dominé’s Victorian Ghost Walk® is an annual tradition in Old Louisville. The walking tour brings real haunted stories to life for a theatrical experience from beyond the grave through “America’s Most Haunted Neighborhood.”

Haunting: Devil’s Night | Friday, Oct. 23-Sunday, Oct. 25
This guided tour travels through candlelit rooms of the Conrad-Caldwell House where guests will hear real voices of 19th- and early 20th-century serial offenders: men and women shaped by industrialization, urban anonymity, moral panic, and a growing fascination with the macabre.

🏚️Haunted houses

Haunted Hotel | Fridays-Sundays, Sept. 5-Oct. 31
Check into Kentucky’s longest running (and scariest) haunted house featuring interactive actors. This in-your-face haunt isn’t for the faint of heart and is recommended for guys and ghouls 13 and up.

American Horrorplex | Fridays & Saturdays, Sept. 11-Oct. 31
Walk through the halls of the abandoned Bracken-Hart Institute for the Criminally Insane where terror awaits around every corner of this award-winning haunt. Afterward, check out oddity vendors, escape rooms, and carnival games.

The Devil’s Attic | Fridays & Saturdays, Sept. 12-Oct. 31
Ranked as one of the top 50 haunted attractions in the U.S. by the Haunted Attraction Association for the last four years, this interactive haunt blends classic horror films and monsters into an original scare.

Grim Trails | Fridays-Sundays, Sept. 18-Oct. 31
This outdoor haunt at E.P. Tom Sawyer Park takes guests on a half-mile journey through the woods, weaved with scenes of the darker side of classic fairy tales and folklore. This no-touch haunt is the longest walkthrough attraction in Louisville

Baxter Avenue Morgue | Fridays-Sundays, Sept. 25-Oct. 31
Located in the basement of a 100-year-old morgue, this haunted attraction will take visitors through dark passageways and tight corridors filled with creatures of the night.

👻 Famous local haunts

The Waverly Hills Sanatorium | Year-round
This former early 1900s sanatorium has been featured on TV shows like “Ghost Hunters,” and has been called “the most terrifying building in America.” Waverly Hills is open to private and public paranormal tours year-round, but also operates a seasonal haunted house on the property.

Old Louisville

By day, the Old Louisville Preservation District is known for having the largest contiguous collection of Victorian mansions in the U.S., including famous mansions like The Pink Palace and Conrad-Caldwell House. By night, the 1.7-sq mile neighborhood is known as “America’s most haunted neighborhood.” Take a stroll through Central Park and St. James Court to observe the neighborhood’s Victorian-era charm — you never know what spirits you might run into along the way.

Swing by the Historic Old Louisville Visitor’s Center to learn more about the area. It’s open daily, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Witches’ Tree
Louisville lays claim to one of the scariest trees ever, and according to local lore, it was conjured up by witches. Gnarled and knotted, The Witches’ Tree can be found on the corner of 6th Street and Park Avenue home. Just be sure to leave behind a good luck gift when you visit — and to stay in the witches’ good graces.

Cave Hill Cemetery
Aside from being the final resting place for famous Louisvillians, including Colonel Sanders and Muhammad Ali, this Victorian-era National Cemetery also has a haunted reputation. According to local legend, you can see hovering green lights atop headstones at night and a woman walking around the grounds at sunset. The 296-acre cemetery and arboretum are open daily, 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m.

The Seelbach Hilton Louisville
Named as one of “The 27 Most Haunted Hotels in America” by U.S. News & World Report, the Gothic-style Seelbach Hotel has been featured on numerous ghost hunting YouTube channels and TV shows. Perhaps its most famous ghost is Patricia Wilson, aka the “Lady in Blue,” who has been seen in the elevator. Stay at the hotel, grab a drink at the Old Seelbach Bar, or take a free historic tour (Thursdays – Saturdays) to experience its haunted past.

Pope Lick Train Trestle Bridge
Built in the late 1800s, this 90-foot-tall train trestle spans 772 feet and according to local stories and short films, is home to the Pope Lick Monster — a half-man, half-goat creature. You can visit the trestle at Pope Lick Park, but keep in mind it’s private property and still active, so no climbing up to the tracks themselves.

🪦Boo-tiques

Butcher Cabin Books
You can’t miss this horror bookstore in the Germantown-Paristown Pointe neighborhood. The oozing red paint on the building is a dead giveaway. Butcher Cabin Books is open Thursday-Sunday and also sells mystery boxes, souvenirs, and shirts.

Unorthodox
The spooky shopping continues down the street from Butcher Cabin Books with Unorthodox, a store dedicated to oddities, curiosities, antiques, and art. It’s open Wednesday-Sunday beginning at 11 a.m.

Caufield’s Novelty
Known as Louisville’s Halloween headquarters since 1920, Caufield’s (open daily) is more than a costume store. Located in a former Coca-Cola bottling plant on historic West Main Street, the shop features the World’s Largest Vampire Bat, a Cadillac hearse, a replica of “The Munsters" coffin car, and the dungeon — a scary good animatronic props room.

🍬 Tricks & treats

Witches Brew Coffee
This Frankfort Avenue coffee shop has gone viral on TikTok for its witchy vibes and drinks created to channel metaphysical energy. The café’s cabinet of curiosities, tarot readings, and oddity décor make it the perfect backdrop for Halloween.

Muth’s Candies
It wouldn’t be Halloween without candy, Muth’s Candies that is. A staple since 1921, this NuLu candy store is famous for the Modjeska, a Louisville confection made of marshmallow and caramel. Keep an eye out for its seasonal window displays and other candies.

To find all the events happening in and around Bourbon City visit our events calendar and subscribe to our email newsletters for updates.