(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

This year’s Halloween season is bound to be spooky and thrilling with all the activities the Thompson-Okanagan has to offer. From Penticton all the way to Kamloops, the hair-raising activities are countless, but here’s a quick peek at what you can do throughout the month of October.

Starting out with Penticton, The Speedway Spooktacular is back and set to be “bigger and better than ever.” That's on Oct. 28, 2023 with tickets starting at five dollars to see the Hit-To-Pass Championship race. The speedway will also offer a S'mores fire pit, a Halloween maze, and of course, a haunted house.

The Halloween Roller Rink will also take place in Penticton at the Trade & Convention Centre. For those wanting to dress up and show off their rollerblading skills or bring their kids, the event takes place on Oct. 29, 2023. It starts at 5 p.m. and as of 7 p.m. becomes an adults-only rink until 9 p.m.

For a completely family-friendly Halloween, head South of Penticton to Kaleden for the Haunted Halloween Trail. A stroll through the woods turns mysterious through an abundance of cobwebs, witches, princesses, and pirates. The trail is free and available on multiple dates from Oct. 7 to Oct. 30, 2023.

In Kelowna, the annual Black Mountain Haunted House is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., on Oct. 20, 2023. The spine-tingling event will host a multitude of activities from hosting a haunted house, to food trucks and street performers. The event is paid for by donation and will help support the Mental Health Unit at Kelowna General Hospital.

The Family Monster Bash is also back this year at the Mission Recreation Park in Kelowna. Another spooky activity for the entire family to enjoy with a bouncy house, Halloween games, cookie decorating, face painting, and more. The event will be held on Oct. 28, 2023, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There will be no entrance fee although donations of non-perishable food items will be accepted to give to the Central Okanagan Food Bank.

For those looking to get lost in a haunted corn maze, check out the Kelowna Haunted Corn Maze which holds two mazes. With options for the faint-hearted as well as the daredevils, the mazes are available starting at $10 during the month of October.

Kelowna’s Scare Park is another terrifying activity to try out this October. A walk through the woods where mysterious creatures lurk behind the trees, Scare Park is bound to be the scariest place to be in Kelowna this Halloween. With a kid-friendly hour from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the full-throttle scary experience going until 10 p.m., the Scare Park will be available to visitors for $25 on Oct. 20 to 22, 2023, and again, on Oct. 27 to 31, 2023.

There are several ghost walks and tours available throughout Kelowna and West Kelowna in October that give participants a chance to learn about local history, including stories of paranormal activity. Hosted by Kelowna Ghost tours, participants can walk through heritage sections of the city in the afternoons  join spooky walking ghost tours in the late evenings. The Wild Wild Westside Ghostly Walk starts at The Hatch of Boucherie Road every night at 8 p.m. from Oct. 5 to 8. Go here for dates and locations of all of the walks throughout the month. 

For those wanting to be part of the Halloween thrill this year, Vernon’s Field of Screams is hiring actors to get their scary on and surprise those who dare enter the Field of Screams at O’Keefe Ranch. This year marks their first-decade of terrifying adrenaline junkies and it is guaranteed to be more spine-chilling than ever. With four horrifying mazes each having their unique themes, those who do not wish to work there but rather brave the fields, the prices start at $20 and the mazes will be available on multiple days throughout the month of October.

The Halloween purists might be more interested in an authentic, Vernon classic: the Haunted Halloween Tours of Caetani House. The 128-year-old Vernon house holds a haunted history as well as ghosts? A theatrical representation will take place in the house and it is guaranteed to paralyze you with fear, which is why it is not recommended for kids under the age of 12. Tickets start at $20 and tours will be available at different times on Oct. 25 or 28, 2023.

Slightly outside of Vernon is the Walk of Terror, taking place in Armstrong on the evening of Oct. 28, 2023, tickets start at $31.50. The walk has been described as “The Okanagan’s, um, BEST HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION!” and it will gather a multitude of freaky circus performers, food and music for all, and of course, a costume competition.

Still outside of Vernon, is the Haunting of Falkland; regrouping many different Halloween activities such as the Halloween Alley, the Creepy Carnival, and the Nightmare Forest. And, this year’s Haunting of Falkland has been modified so it is 100% kid-friendly! The activities will be held at the Falkland Museum and Heritage Park as well as the Falkland Community Park throughout the latter half of October with tickets starting at

For the Halloween fanatics in Kamloops, the first event will be on Friday the 13th, of the month of October from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. That is the Misfit Night Market: Halloween Special. The night market will host many vendors at the Effie Arts Collective and Oddfellow's & Rebekah's Hall and encourages all visitors to wear costumes to bring the Halloween spirit.

Also on Friday the 13th, the Kamloops Film Society will host a screening of an uncut version of The Exorcist at 8:30 P.M. and tickets will be sold for $14.50. The event will have cupcakes available as well as a confessional and it will hold a hellish costume contest.

Finally, for those who want to celebrate Halloween on Oct. 31, 2023, a Halloween Bash will take place at Thompson Rivers University for adults only at the cost of $20. There will be a bar, a DJ, and a haunted house. Those who do not want to pay $20, but still want to partake in the event can volunteer to work the party. The event starts at 8 p.m. and is hosted by Kristen Erika Events.

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