Things to Do in Denver on Halloween Weekend

Denver goes hard on Halloween, and 2026 is the year it goes hardest: October 31 IS the Saturday, so the weekend guide writes itself. Haunted houses, monster runs, glowing gardens, burlesque, and one massive costume party to cap it all off. If you want a full weekend and not just one night, here’s how to stack it — with Denver’s biggest Halloween party as your Saturday anchor.

Coloween — The Saturday Night Anchor

Build your whole weekend around this one. Coloween 2026 lands on Saturday, October 31 — the 19th year of Colorado’s biggest adult Halloween party, at Bounce Empire in Lafayette — the world’s largest indoor inflatable park, 25 minutes from downtown Denver. One ticket to the whole production: multiple rooms, a huge dance floor, and DJs spinning across the night — ticket tiers and details drop in August. People go all out for the Coloween costume contest, so bring your A-game — this year expect Stranger Things squads, Wednesday looks, and more than one Doctor Doom in the line. It’s 21+, and it sells out — get on the list before tickets drop.

Haunted Houses in Denver — Get the Scares In Early

Halloween in Denver isn’t Halloween without at least one genuinely terrifying haunted house. 13th Floor is the big name — special-effects makeup, elaborate sets, and a horror tour built to scare the daylights out of you. The Frightmare Compound in Westminster is the old-school haunt that still delivers. For something bigger, the Haunted Field of Screams in Thornton is Colorado’s largest scream park, a sprawling corn-field maze with multiple attractions across 40 acres. Hit one on Friday or Sunday and save your energy for Saturday night.

Monster Runs — Earn the Costume

This is Colorado, so of course there’s a costumed 5K. The Monster Dash is the classic — a flat, fast run with loops around Sloan’s Lake, costumes everywhere. Prefer a beer at the finish line? The Boos and Brews 5K up in Boulder pairs the run with a cold one and hands out prizes for the best costumes. A morning run burns off Friday night before you do it all again.

Glowing Gardens & Zoo Nights — The Low-Key Option

Not everyone wants to be chased by a chainsaw. The Denver Botanic Gardens light up for a glow event every fall — luminaria-lined paths, spooky displays, and hundreds of carved, glowing pumpkins, with live pumpkin-carving demos turning gourds into art. The Denver Zoo also runs an after-dark trail experience where the animals and a few Halloween creatures share the night. Both are family-friendly and a good way to warm up the weekend before the grown-up stuff.

Boo-lesque — Halloween With a Wink

For something campy and grown-up without the gore, the Boo-lesque Halloween burlesque and comedy show at the Clocktower Cabaret is a longtime Denver staple. Expect aerial acts, jugglers, magicians, and interactive comedy, all with a spooky twist. Costumes are encouraged and there’s a prize for the best one. Catch a weeknight show and you’ll still have Saturday wide open.

What Should You Do Each Day of Halloween Weekend?

The trick is not blowing it all on one night. Here’s a clean way to run Denver Halloween weekend events without burning out:

Whatever you skip, don’t skip Saturday. If the weekend somehow is not full yet, Visit Denver lists the rest of the city’s October calendar. Then put on a costume, brave a haunt, run off the candy, and end the weekend at the blockbuster Denver Halloween party of the year.