Spooky season is in session with these fun fall activities

Get ready to get into a festive spirit during the month of October with those fun fall activities in Ottawa County.

Thanksgiving Ceramic Platter Painting: Holland

• Where: Holland Area Arts Council, 150 E. Eighth St., Ste. 200, Holland
• When: 5:30- 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1
• Info: hollandarts.org/adult-art-classes

Want to paint a pre-fired platter for your perfect Thanksgiving table? Look no further than Holland Area Arts Center’s Thanksgiving platter painting class. Tickets are $35 per person and there are still spots available. 

Fall Fest Makers Mart: Holland

• Where: Holland Civic Center, 150 W. Eighth St., Holland
• When: 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. Oct. 2 and 2-7 p.m. Oct. 3
• Info: tuliptime.com/events

Get ready for the fifth annual Tulip Time Fall Fest Makers Market, featuring 50 makers and artists at this juried show. This event is perfect for finding unique gifts, seasonal decor and more.

Fire Truck Parade: Holland

• Where: Corner of Eighth Street and Columbia Avenue, then the parade will continue west until the Holland Civic Center
• When: 7-9 p.m. Oct. 2
• Info: downtownholland.com/event

Join the Holland Fire Department at this year's Fire Truck Parade. The parade begins at 7 p.m. and features 50 fire trucks. At the end of the parade, the West Michigan Fire Prevention council will be hosting an open house with demonstrations, giveaways and more.

Pumpkin Fest: Zeeland

• Where: Downtown Zeeland
• When: Oct. 1-3 (event times vary)
• Info: zeelandfestivals.com/pumpkinfest

It's Pumpkin Fest time. With a wide variety of activities for the whole family to enjoy, Pumpkin Fest is the way to go to celebrate the incoming fall weather. Featured at Pumpkin Fest will be: live music, a storytime, a tractor pull, line dancing and more.

Proost! Tasting Tour: Holland

• Where: Culture Cheese Shop, 211 S. River Ave.
• When: Oct. 2-3 (multiple times available for each date)
• Info: tuliptime.com/events

It's the Proost! Tasting Tour fall edition. This 21-and-older event features three festive spots, each with carefully selected small pours and tasty bites.

Wheelie Scary Ride: Holland 

• Where: Cooper Vanwieren Trail, 1283 Ottawa Beach Road, Holland
• When: 4-6 p.m. Oct. 10
• Info: velo-kids.org/events/wheelie-scary

Not-so-scary bike ride time. Join Velo Kids at Cooper Vanwieren Trail for this fun fall tradition for a night of bikes, costumes, food trucks, live music and more.

Books to Read with the Light on: Holland

• Where: Bluestocking Bookshop, 12330 James St., Holland
• When: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 10
• Info: bluestockingbookshop.com/events-1/books-to-read-with-the-lights-on

Join local author Alex Ebenstein at Bluestocking Bookshop for make-or-take spooky crafts for kids, tweens and grown-up horror fanatics. Chances to enter Alex’s drawing for a Bookshop.org gift card will be available. 

Halloween Cocktail Class: Holland

• Where: New Holland Brewing, 66 E. Eighth St., Holland
• When: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 20
• Info: downtownholland/event 

This is a cocktail class sure to get you into the spooky spirit. This hands-on Halloween experience takes you through how to create three cocktails alongside the staff at New Holland Brewing. 

Boo at the Barn: Zeeland 

• Where: MI Farmstead: 2950 80th Ave. Zeeland
• When: 1-8 p.m. Oct. 23 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 24
• Info: mifarmstead.org/boo-at-the-barn

It's the sixth annual Boo at the Barn. With a corn maze, corn pit, animal encounters, accessible playground and more. 

Downtown Holland Trick-or-Treating: 

• Where: Downtown Holland
• When: 10 a.m.-noon Oct. 24
• Info: holland.org/downtown-holland-trick-or-treating

Kids are invited to come trick-or-treating at this year's Holland Trick-or-Treating event. When you've filled up on goodies, check out the Not so Spooky Boo Bash at Holland Skate Park.

Not So Scary Boo Bash: Holland

• Where: Holland Ice Park
• When: Oct. 24th 11- 3 p.m.
• Info: hollandrecreation.com/events/not-so-spooky-boo-bash

Check out the Not So Scary Boo Bash at the Holland Ice Park with a scavenger hunt, festive games and barrel rides. The event is free, though the barrel rides are $5 with a costume and $7 without. 

Halloween Costume Party (Park Theatre): Holland

• Where: Park Theatre, 248 S. River Ave., Holland
• When: Doors open at 7 p.m.; show at 8 p.m. Oct. 30
• Info: parktheatreholland.org

This 18-and-older event is perfect for a Halloween-themed night out at the historic Park Theatre. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the show.

Haunted Homecoming: Holland: 

• Where: Bluestocking Bookshop, 12330 James St., Holland
• When: 6-10 p.m. Oct. 30
• Info: bluestockingbookshop.com/events-1/haunted-homecoming

Join Michigan author Eloise Corvo at Bluestocking Bookshop for this frightful night of mystery and mayhem celebrating Corvo’s second book in her Stone’s Throw series. 

Zeeland’s Trick-or-Treating: 

• Where: Main Street 
• When: 3-5 p.m. Oct. 30
• Info: cityofzeeland.com/events

Join the city of Zeeland at this fun, festive event, with cider and donuts and plenty of picture-perfect photo opportunities.

Fiesta de Halloween(Park Theatre): Holland

• Where: Park Theatre, 248 S. River Ave., Holland
• When: Doors: 7 p.m. Oct. 31
• Info: parktheatreholland.ludus.com

This show is sure to get you dancing. Celebrate Halloween at the historic Park Theatre with this Halloween-themed party.

Bones about Town: Grand Haven

• Where: Grand Haven
• When: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 1-24
• Info: downtowngh.com/event/bones-about-town

Over 150 skeletons will be displayed around the Grand Haven community. Skeletons will be voted on with three categories: originality, spookiest and funniest. Voting will be open daily until noon Oct. 23. 

Witches and Warlocks Night Out: Grand Haven

• Where: Washington Avenue, Grand Haven
• When: 5-8 p.m. Oct. 2
• Info: visitgrandhaven.com/events/witches-warlocks-night-out

Come shop, dine, explore and join Grand Haven for a spooky night of fun and a little friendly competition at this spellbinding event. Pick up your spellbook at The Brass River, and start off on an adventure. Collect signatures, and discover deals. The event will also feature swag bags, a costume contest and more.

Haunted Harvest Maze: Conklin

• Where: Rasch Cherry Apple Market, 17647 40th Ave., Conklin 
• When: 9-11 p.m. on Saturdays during the month of October
• Info: facebook.com/events

During the day, explore the America 250 maze; when it gets dark, check out the spooky hayride and the haunted harvest maze.

Harvest Fest: Allendale 

• Where: Trail Point Brewing Co., 6035 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale
• When: Noon-10 p.m. Oct. 3
• Info: facebook.com/events

Celebrate Michigan’s harvest with a pint in hand at Harvest Fest! Featured at the event will be live music and a stein-holding contest.

Pumpkin Train: Coopersville

• Where: Boarding Platform, 311 Danforth St., Coopersville 
• When: Weekends in October
• Info: mitrain.net/train-rides/pumpkin-train

Looking for a fun family adventure? Look no further than the pumpkin train. 

Oktoberfest Express Train: Coopersville

• Where: Boarding Platform, 311 Danforth St., Coopersville
• When: Saturdays in October
• Info: oktoberfest-express-train

Enjoy your choice of beer and other drinks at the Oktoberfest express train. With music and good vibes, this adventure is not one to miss.

Washington Square Fall Block Party: Grand Haven

• Where: Washington Avenue from Kenzie’s to Franks
• When: Noon-3 p.m. Oct. 4
• Info: facebook.com/events

Enjoy cider, donuts, music, the hot dog cart and more at this fun fall block party hosted by Kenzie’s Cafe, Stanz Cafe, Blossom and Branch Houseplants and Found on Ferry. 

Urban Heyday: Hudsonville

• Where: Plaza Avenue 
• When: 10-3 p.m. Oct. 10
• Info: hudsonvillechamber.com/urban-hayday

It's a day filled with cider, hayrides, an inflatable corn maze and more at this fun Hudsonville tradition sponsored by Todd Wenzel Chevrolet. 

Pumpkins and Paddles: Spring Lake

• Where: Lakeshore Kayak Rental, 15348 Cleveland St., Spring Lake
• When: Oct. 11: 1-4 p.m.
• Info: visitgrandhaven.com/events/pumpkins-and-paddles-halloween

It's an adventure. Enjoy dock or treating, and fun activities both on and off the water.

Pumpkin Walk: Allendale

• Where: Second Church, 6950 Lake Michigan Drive, Allendale
• When: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 22-24
• Info: facebook.com/ThePumpkinWalk

More than 700 carved pumpkins to see at this exciting event.

Haunted Haven Trick-or-Treat: Grand Haven

• Where: Central Park Place, 421 Columbus Ave., Grand Haven
• When: 5:30-7 p.m. Oct. 31
• Info: visitgrandhaven.com/events/haunted-haven-trick-or-treat

Enjoy indoor trick-or-treating at this haunted event.

Halloween at the Village: Spring Lake

• Where: Downtown Spring Lake 
• When: 4-6 p.m. Oct. 31
• Info: spring-lake-halloween-trick-or-treat 

Enjoy trick-or-treating at participating businesses in Spring Lake.

— Mallory Burt is a reporter for Ottawa News Network. Contact her at newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.