2015 Harvest/Halloween Happenings in Billings
Leaves are falling, temperatures are slowly but surely changing, and Billings is already in full fall celebration mode. Consider this your guide to everything fall fun from corn maizes to Halloween-y good times. Be sure to bookmark this page as updates will be made as more information comes in. So get ready to mark those calendars for some 'a-maize-ing' times!(Below you'll find happenings for: Fall Family Festivities, Trick-or-Treat Activities & Events, Putting the 'Scream' in Your Halloween - date night!)
(updates indicated with an *)
Fall Family Festivities
The Maize at Grandpa’s Farm is back for its 18th season with a new design, “No Farm, No Food.” Located at 58th Street West and Grand Avenue, the Maize is open Wednesdays 6-9pm, Fridays and Saturdays 10am-10pm. Costs: $9/general admission, $9/haunted maze, $21/paintball, $24/haunted paintball.
In addition to pumpkin picking and “maize” exploring, families can experience attractions like: Speleo Cave, Farmin’ Ball Zone, Cow Train Ride, Hay Mountain, Pig Races, Human Foosball, Kiddieville, and much more!
Go to www.themaizeatgrandpasfarm.com for more info (and to snag your $1 off coupon).
Pappaw’s Pumpkins is located outside of Worden at 2545 S. 24th Road, off of Old Highway 12 (just follow the ‘Pappaw’s Pumpkins’ signs starting 10 miles from their turn off).
Open Saturdays, 10am-5pm and Sundays, 2-5pm through October, this pumpkin stand boasts beautiful photo opportunities, hills to climb, a little bridge to cross, a John Deere pedal tractor to ride, hot apple cider to sip, and fun to be had by all! Set up like an old farmer’s market stand, there’s no wandering through the mud to find the perfect pumpkin.
Pumpkins range from $2-$30, with corn stalks, edible squashes, and gourds also available to add to your fall décor. All proceeds go to charity. For more information look for “Pappaw’s Pumpkins” on Facebook.
Sartorie Farms’ Fall Festival is going old school with their fall festivities, taking things back to the basics. “No frills, no fancy gadgets, just pumpkins,” says Mike Sartorie.
The Fall Festival runs Saturdays and Sundays in October, 12-5pm and offers 10 acres of pumpkins to choose from. Pre-picked pumpkins are also available.
Go to www.sartoriefarms.com for more information. 1916 Hawthorne Lane, Billings Heights.
J&K Farms - located just outside of Laurel at 7 Krug Lane - offers a large pumpkin patch, hayrides, a small corn maze, and plenty of photo opportunities.
Open through Halloween, you can check out all they have to offer from 9am-dusk. If going out into the pumpkin patch doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, but you still wanted to support your local farmer, there are pre-picked pumpkins for your perusal. Looking to round out your fall décor, they’ve got little gourds and pumpkins, adorably painted pumpkins, and new this year, custom-made Halloween/fall wreaths, ring pumpkins, and pumpkin magnets to choose from as well.
To get information regarding group rates call 628-7592 or 855-7927.
HarvestFest – Saturday, October 10 @ 9am-4pm, Downtown Billings, under Skypoint | 294-5060
Celebrate the changing of the seasons with Downtown Billings’ 12th Annual Harvestfest! Fun and activities for the whole family include Arts & Craft booths, Farmers’ Markets produce at its finest, Food Trucks to tame the tummy rumbles, Children’s Activities, a Pumpkin Pie Baking Contest, Live Entertainment, and the Harvestfest Basket Raffle (featuring baskets from downtown merchants). For applications to enter the pie baking contest go to http://downtownbillings.com/events/havestfest.
Trick-or-Treat Events & Activities
Halloween Party @ Cabela’s – Saturday, October 17 @ 10am-1pm | 4550 King Ave E
Get a jump start on trick-or-treating and a bonus opportunity for the kiddos to wear their costumes with Cabela’s Halloween party. The kids will trick-or-treat throughout the store starting at 10am, followed up by pumpkin decorating at 11am (limit 1 per family, please). The fun will wrap up with a fish feeding; watch the trout in Cabela’s 4,000 gallon aquarium devour their Halloween treats at 12pm.
Monster Mash Bash @ HRDC – Friday, October 30 @ 9am-12:30pm | 7 North 31st Street
The community is invited to a Monster Mash Bash where costumes are encouraged and fun is sure to be had! Games for the kiddos will include Sensory Tables for the littles (sand, water, rice…for feeling texture) and Monster Wrap-Bubble Wrap, Monster Bowling, Bean Bag Monster Toss, and more! There will also be homemade goodies and candy, so don’t forget the treat bags/buckets!
Downtown Trick-or-Treat – Friday, October 30 @ 12-5pm | Participating Downtown Billings businesses, go to 2815 2nd Avenue N. for a participant map
Give the kiddos a chance to get bonus trick-or-treat time by heading downtown on Friday! While you could start just about anywhere, it’s recommended that you start at the Downtown Info Center (address above) for a participant map, a treat bag, and a goodie or two.
More info: http://downtownbillings.com/events/downtown-trick-or-treat.
Boo at the Zoo @ ZooMontana – Saturday, October 31 @ 10am-4pm | 2100 S. Shiloh Road
Bring your costumed cuties out for some daytime trick-or-treating at the zoo! The day includes games and activities, oodles of fun decorations, food vendors, lively entertainment (including a Mad Scientist show, a bubble show and a variety of performances), and lots of candy! New this year are costume parades scheduled for 11:45am and 2:45pm – kiddos will have a chance to show off their costumes, receive a treat, and a few winners will be selected in various categories, so get creative on your costuming! (Adults are invited to wear costumes as well, but no masks, please!)
Candy Jam 2015 – Saturday, October 31 @ 5-7pm | Elevation Church, 711 4th Ave N.
Candy Jam 2015 is a free, family friendly event that promises tons of candy and gift card giveaways! The festivities also include bounce houses, games, cotton candy, popcorn, and music. Food/pop will be served as “Dinner for a Dollar.”
Candy Jam – Saturday, October 31 @ 5:30-8pm | The Rock Church, 820 W 9th Street in Laurel
Whether you’re looking to take the trick-or-treating experience to one location or you’re looking for a fun stop along the way, The Rock Church offers a variety of free family fun! Expect short lines, tons of candy, carnival-style games, snacks, and face painting.
More info: TheRockMT.com, 628-6200.
Trick-or-Treat at Scheels – Saturday, October 31 @ 6-8pm | 1121 Shiloh Crossing Blvd
Take your trick-or-treater off the streets and into Scheels for prizes, games, candy, and more! Stations will be set up throughout the store with a different activity or task. At each of those stations kiddos will receive a little something – Ferris Wheel tokens, fudge from the deli, an ice cream cone, game tokens, prizes…Pop by anytime 6-8pm!
Putting the Scream in Your Halloween
Halloween’s not just for the kids, check out these Halloween date night happenings around town…
Twilight Tours @ Moss Mansion – October 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 @ 6-9:30pm | Tickets $15/person
Come experience the Moss Mansion as it’s transformed for a time into the Bender Inn, run by the nasty Bender family – a family of serial killers from the 1890s. Local volunteers will bring these characters to life, filling the rooms of the museum for this year’s short play. Guests will follow a guide through the ‘inn’ to experience the narrative, and to guide you through the dark! The Benders have invited you in…But will they let you leave?
Admission taken at the door.
Masquerade Party @ the YAM – Friday, October 23 @ 7-11pm | Yellowstone Art Museum, 401 N. 27th Street | Tickets-$25 (ages 21+)
If spending Halloween evening away from the family is not part of the plan, then get your Halloween festivities started early with a date night to remember. With wine pouring and aerial performances by members of Billings AlternaCirque and DJ Benefit keeping you on the dance floor, it promises to be an evening like no other that you’ve spent in an art museum! You can also expect costumed dancers on pedestals, palm readers, professional portraits, hors d’oeuvres, free ghost tours of the museum, local draft beer, a costume contest, dancing, and more!
Costume prizes awarded for:
- The Golden YAM Award for Best in Show
- Best Art or Artist Impersonation
- Best Couple
- Best Horror/Rocky Horror Costume
- Best Masquerade Costume
- ... and for those dragged by their significant other: Most Uninspired
Haunted Maze @ Moss Mansion – October 23, 24, 30, 31 @ 7-10:30pm | Tickets $8/person
While this is not strictly an adult only Halloween adventure, it is recommended for the 13 and older crowd. This year’s theme is the “Haunted Mausoleum.” Each room in the maze will reveal a creepy new discovery – things that move, some that make noise, others that are living…more or less!
Local groups will compete to be the scariest of the evening all four nights with guest voting for their favorites. (Panic exits are available at nearly every turn).
Once you’ve made it through the maze/Twilight Tour, enjoy the Kettlekorn and other treats and surprises on the grounds.
*Two Moons Haunted Hallows - October 23, 24, 30, 31 @ 7-10:30pm (Halloween @ 6-10:30pm) | $10/person or $25 pre-paid VIP ticket to skip the line, get your VIP ticket, here | 647-0052
You might want to bring your flashlight along for this 1-mile walk through the haunted trail at Two Moon Park in Billings Heights. It's said to take about 30 minutes to make your way through with plenty of scares along the way. It's recommended for the 14 and older crowd. Get ready to get your scream on!
Shocktails @ Moss Mansion – Thursday, October 29 @ 7-9pm | Tickets: $35/singles, $65/couple, reserve by October 27
Enjoy an evening at Moss Mansion with appetizers, beer, wine, or a signature cocktail, entertainment, and hors d’oeuvres. The evening will include in open-house viewing of the Bender Inn.
Midnight Tours @ Moss Mansion – October 30 & 31 @ 11:30pm-1am | Tickets: $25/person, $30 at the door, if available
Only 40 tickets are available each night – 10 people per tour – reserve your tickets early! The challenge of the Midnight Tours this year is to “see if you can get all the way to that ballroom on the third floor before the Benders – or others – scare you to death!”
The Rocky Horror Picture Show @ Alberta Bair Theater – Saturday, October 31 @ 8pm | Tickets: $19
Experience the 1975 R-rated cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show all over again, this Halloween. The satirical tribute to science fiction and horror B movies of the late 1930s through early ‘70s starred Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Curry. Off to a slow start upon its release, the film gained notoriety as a midnight movie when audiences began participating in the film at the Waverly Theater in New York City in 1976. Let’s do the time warp again!