Autumn is such a great season here in West Michigan. You can visit a multitude of festivals, take a fall color tour to view the spectacular oranges, reds and yellows that take over the landscape, and just enjoy the cool, crisp air. Halloween is not just for kids....our local communities sponsor various parties and events that are fun for the entire family.

For more information on Trick or Treat dates and locations, read our Halloween story.

Local Corn Mazes & Pumpkin Patches:

Lewis Farm Market

4180 W. M-20, New Era. (231) 861-5730. Corn Maze opens in early September with other fall activities in full swing by mid-September. Featuring The Apple Express, Barrel Train, Pumpkin Moon Walk, jumping pillow, and pedal carts. U-pick apples and pumpkins for additional charge. Special music is performed some weekends. Visit LewisFarmMarket.com for more information.

Orchard Market

8400 N. US 31, Free Soil. (231) 464-5534. Wagon rides, corn maze, u-pick pumpkin patch, games, wagon rides, apple cannons, and more. 11am-5pm Saturdays and Sundays beginning September 22nd through October 28th. Visit OrchardMarket.us for more information.

Anthony's Outdoor Services

1395 Lakeshore Rd., Manistee. (231)794-9150. Corn maze, outdoor family fun games, and farm animals. 11am-6pm Saturdays and Sundays through October. Admission fee: $5 per person (children 3 and under are free).

Fun Fall Events in Mason County

Friday, September 28th-September 29th

12pm - Bell's Octoberfest Craft Beer & Music Festival in Downtown Ludington.

Saturday, September 29th

1pm - Chili & Suds Golf Tournament at Lakeside Links Golf Course- 5369 W. Chauvez Rd. in Ludington. Benefits the Second Chance Humane Society. Chili is served on the course along with two kegs of beer. Top two-tier payback, a blind auction, and more. Cost is $75 per person or $300 per team of four. For more information, e-mail 2ndchs@gmail.com

Saturday, September 30th

3pm - Mason County Mutts Halloween Spooktacular at Medilodge of Ludington- 1000 E. Tinkham Ave. Bring your pets dressed in costume. Costume contest and lots of prizes.

Tuesday, October 2nd

3:30pm - Halloween Hayride and Potluck Dinner at Circle Rocking "S" Children's Farm- 5487 Tuttle Rd. in Free Soil

Thursday, October 4th

10am - Fall History in Action Days at the Historic White Pine Village- 1687 S. Lakeshore Drive in Ludington.

Sunday, October 7th

2-4pm - Fall Festival at the Ludington United Methodist Church Pavilion - 5810 Bryant Rd. Pumpkin painting, cider press, s'mores, hot dogs, hay rides, bounce house, and more.

Tuesday, October 9th

10am - Fall History in Action Days at the Historic White Pine Village- 1687 S. Lakeshore Drive in Ludington.

Thursday, October 11th

6-8pm - Teen Murder Mystery Night at the Mason County District Library- 217 E. Ludington Ave. in Ludington. Open to kids in grades 6-12.

Saturday, October 13th & Sunday, October 14th

6:30pm - Fall Fest Weekend at Mason County Reformed Church- 45 S. Amber Rd. in Ludington. Admission is free and open to the public. Saturday from 6:30-8pm: free live music and chili cookoff. Sunday from 12:30-2:30pm- Pig Roast, games, ponies, bounce houses, and much more for the whole family!

Saturday, October 13th

4-6pm - Fall Celebration at the Ludington State Park. The event will include a horse-drawn wagon ride, doughnut holes, apple juice, music by 80 Cows, a beach campfire and the beautiful views at the Lake Michigan Beach House. The event is sponsored by Friends of Ludington State Park in conjunction with Ludington State Park and Soberalski Farm’s Draft Horses of Pere Marquette Township. The wagon ride drawn by the farm’s draft horses will be through a portion of the park. Cops and Doughnuts’ doughnut holes and natural apple juice from Indian Summer will be served at the Lake Michigan beach house. A local musical trio, 80 Cows, will perform upstairs by the fireplace. There is no cost but donations to and membership with the Friends of the Ludington State Park are encouraged.<

Thursday, October 18th

10am - Fall History in Action Days at the Historic White Pine Village- 1687 S. Lakeshore Drive in Ludington.

Friday, October 19th

4pm - Pumpkin Party at the Ludington branch of the Mason County District Library- 217 E. Ludington Ave.. There will be crafts, games, a slightly spooky story, and other activities. Costumes are welcome! Children under age 8 must be accompanied by an adult.

Saturday, October 20th

12-3pm - Pet photos at Tractor Supply Company- 4572 W. US 10 in Ludington hosted by Mason County Animal Advocates. Photographer will take photos of pets in or out of costume and there will be Halloween wreaths for sale and Halloween mugs with treats for visitors and their pets. Free-will donations are encouraged to help Mason County dogs and cats in need.

3-6pm - Spooky Trick or Treat at the Historic White Pine Village- 1687 N. Lakeshore Dr. in Ludington. $3/person, 2 & Under are free.

6-10pm - Haunted Hayride at Cartier Park- 1254 N. Lakeshore Dr. in Ludington. Hosted by Connexion Point. Tickets are $5 per person or $20 maximum per family. Young ones who frighten easily should visit before the sun goes down.

Wednesday, October 24th

4:45pm - Halloween Hustle 1-Mile Race beginning at the Cartier Park Gazebo- 1254 N. Lakeshore Dr. in Ludington. The race is open to students in grades K-6 (excluding current 6th graders on the cross country team). Awards will be given for the top 5 finishers in each grade level, boys and girls. Ribbons, juice and snacks will be given to all participants. Registration is $1/runner and registrations and money must be turned into school offices by Friday, October 19th. Rain date is Thursday, October 25th. For more info, call Jim Keillor at (231)852-0162.

Friday, October 26th

4pm - Pumpkin Palooza at the Scottville branch of the Mason County District Library- 204 E. State St. There will be pumpkin-flavored everything, games, crafts, and all kinds of fun. Children under age 6 must be accompanied by an adult.

October 26th, 27th, 30th from 7-10pm & October 31st from 6-10pm

Harvey's Haunted Garage - 320 S. Madison Ave. in Custer. Haunted maze, family friendly, and free for all.

Friday, October 26th

9pm-2am - Halloween Karaoke Party & Costume Contest at SandBar- 203 S. James St. in Ludington. Food available for purchase!

Friday, October 26th & Saturday, October 27th

7-9pm - Ghosts of White Pine at the Historic White Pine Village- 1687 S. Lakeshore Dr. in Ludington. A delightful evening of scary goodwill in the spirit of fun and fright for adults.

Saturday, October 27th

10am - Run For Your Lives 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run in Downtown Ludington.

12pm - Games on the lawn of the Mason County Courthouse at 12pm- 304 E. Ludington Ave. in Ludington, Halloween Costume Parade at 2pm. Both sponsored by Safe Harbor Credit Union.

2-4pm - Downtown Ludington Trick or Treating to local merchants from 2-4pm.

2-4pm - Kid-Friendly Haunted House presented by Boy Scout Troop 1190 at the Community Church- 109 N. Harrison St. in Ludington. Lights on, if requested. Suggested donation of $2 per person or $6 per family. All donations go to funding activities for the troop.

6pm - Ludrock's Night of Fright at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts- 107 S. Harrison St, Ludington.

6-9pm - Spooky Slow Roll for teens and adults. Night-time bicycle ride, which makes its way around town for about 5 miles. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes, and others will be raffled, to those who are brave enough to ride. Expect surprises.

6-10pm - Scary Haunted House presented by Boy Scout Troop 1190 at the Community Church- 109 N. Harrison St. in Ludington. Not for young children. Suggested donation of $2 per person or $6 per family. All donations go to funding activities for the troop.

Wednesday, October 31st

1-6pm - Spooktacular Halloween Charity Event at Photography by Sue Brown- 1676 W. Hansen Road, Scottville. Free photo with donation to United Way of Mason County.

6-8pm - Harvest Party at Cornerstone Baptist Church- 121 Nelson Rd. in Ludington. Event includes face painting, inflatables, games, a photo booth, prizes and candy!

6-10pm - Karaoke Halloween Party at The Hof Bar & Grille- 3220 E. Free Soil Rd. in Free Soil. Costume contest with multiple categories.

6-10pm - Scary Haunted House presented by Boy Scout Troop 1190 at the Community Church- 109 N. Harrison St. in Ludington. Not for young children. Suggested donation of $2 per person or $6 per family. All donations go to funding activities for the troop.

Fun Fall Events in Oceana County

Friday, September 22nd-Saturday, September 23rd

9am - Autumn Fest at Lewis Farm Market- 4180 W. M-20 in New Era.

Saturdays from September 29th-October 20th

7-11pm - Haunted Acres- 7970 W. Park Rd. in New Era. Corn maze and zombie shooting gallery. Four attractions: Field of Screams, Zombieland, Corn Maze Craze, and Zombie Paintball. $20 to enter. Fresh cider, food, and merchandise available for purchase. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Free parking.

Friday, September 29th-Saturday, September 30th

9am - Fall Fling Festival at Lewis Farm Market- 4180 W. M-20 in New Era.

Fridays & Saturdays, October 6th-October 20th, AND Sunday, October 21st-Saturday, October 27th

Dusk - Shadows in the Shedd- 265 E. Tyler Rd. in Hart. Three attractions for $10: the Carnival Tunnel, The Maze of Dr Morell and The SHEDD.

Friday, October 6th-Saturday, October 7th

9am - Rocktober Festival at Lewis Farm Market- 4180 W. M-20 in New Era.

Friday, October 12th-Saturday, October 13th

10am - Oktoberfest in Downtown Pentwater.

Friday, October 13th-Saturday, October 14th

9am - S’mores Summer Festival at Lewis Farm Market- 4180 W. M-20 in New Era.

Friday, October 20th-Saturday, October 21st

9am - Great Pumpkin Festival at Lewis Farm Market- 4180 W. M-20 in New Era.

Friday, October 27th-Saturday, October 28th

9am - Spooktacular Festival at Lewis Farm Market- 4180 W. M-20 in New Era.

Saturday, October 27th

10:30am - Halloween on the Green & Spooktacular Parade in Downtown Pentwater. Story time at Storybook Village at 10:30am and 2:30pm; Costume contest, face painting, pumpkin painting, sack race, great pumpkin roll, and candy bags from 12-1pm; Trick-or-Treating to downtown merchants from 12-2pm; Spooktacular Parade at 1pm. Pub Crawl at 6pm.

6-11:55pm - Adult Halloween Costume Dance Party at the Shelby Optimist Club- 788 Industrial Park Dr. in Shelby. A night of dancing, food, drinks, and fun! Visit facebook.com for more information on tickets.

7pm - Halloween Party at Murphy's Tavern- 8848 80th Ave. in Pentwater. Featuring live music by Oceana MVP's and contest with cash prize for best costume.

Fun Fall Events in Manistee County

Saturdays from October 5th-27th

7:30-10:30pm - Manistee's Ghost Ship on the S.S. City of Milwaukee historic carferry. This is a truly thrilling and scary adventure. Travel through five decks and 72 stairs, some quite steep. For more information, visit Carferry.com or call (231) 723-3587. Located at 99 Arthur Street (US 31).

Saturday, October 13th

9am-4pm - Onekama Fall Festival at Onekama Village Park. Craft and food vendors, inflatable castle, wagon/pony/miniature train rides, face painting, Mr. Balloon Man, Corn Hole Tournament, Live entertainment, and more! Rain location: Onekama School. Visit onekama.info for more information.

Saturday, October 27th

10am-11:59pm - Boos, Brews & Brats at the Manistee Elks Club- 432 River St.. Events all day for all ages.

Monday, October 29th

6-7pm - Halloween Party at Manistee County Library. Treats, crafts, and spooky Halloween fun for all ages!

Want to learn more about all things family in West Michigan? Visit Lakeshore Family Guide and "Like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeshoreFamilyGuide

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Fall Festivals & Events in West Michigan: Ludington, Manistee, Pentwater, Silver Lake, and more...

More to Love About Autumn in West Michigan...

For more activities & attractions, check out these additional links for Things to Do in West Michigan:

Ludington Activities & Things to Do -- Play on a beautiful beach, take a tour at Historic White Pine Village, or explore the barn quilt trail, murals or sculptures in the county--Ludington offers many fun things to do for the entire family!
Have Fun in Manistee, Michigan -- Explore Manistee's historic downtown district and riverwalk, hike the Manistee National Forest, canoe on the Manistee River, and more.
Hamlin Lake -- Just 4 miles north of Ludington, Hamlin Lake is a great destination for boating, fishing and climbing dunes! The Hamlin Lake shoreline is also part of the Ludington State Park.
Silver Lake Sand Dunes -- Visiting the Silver Lake Sand Dunes makes for a terrific vacation because you can take your off-road vehicle for a spin on the scenic sand dunes overlooking Lake Michigan and Silver Lake.
Things to Do in Pentwater, Michigan -- Nothing is quite like the quaint, artsy, harbortown village of Pentwater. Don't miss the popular Charles Mears State Park beach on Pentwater's Lake Michigan shoreline.
Lots of Activities in Scottville, Michigan -- Explore the Riverside Park along the National Scenic Pere Marquette River.
Canoeing or Fishing on the Pere Marquette River -- Many boat liveries offer canoe rentals.
Also, check out West Michigan Guides and our locally produced WestMichigan.MichBiz.com directory for our largest lists of Things to Do in West Michigan.