It’s that time of year again - Halloween is about to leap out at us from the shadows. It’s time to carve pumpkins, put on scary costumes and fill candy buckets. But beyond pumpkin picking and trick-or-treating there are other events taking place that celebrate this spooky season. Here are five family-friendly Halloween hauntings and happenings in Loudoun.
Madhaunter’s Madhouse 2025
Dubbed “The DMV’s Scariest Haunted Trail,” this must-visit indoor-outdoor haunt on a farm between Purcellville and Lovettsville doesn’t disappoint. Open weekends throughout October, start in The PreCURSEr, a haunted home where you learn the origin story of Madhaunter’s Madhouse. After, hit the Main Trail, a terrifying 45-minute walk (or run!) comprising of various spooky scenes and stages. Finish the experience in the Escape Room where you have to solve a series of puzzles to escape the madness.
Milltown Haunt 2025
The countryside can be scary: open Friday-Sunday throughout October, Milltown Haunt on a historic farm on rural Milltown Road between Waterford and Lovettsville has three twisted attractions to chill the soul. Explore the corridors and halls of the Thorne House & Barn of Fears, brave the sinister twists of Twisters Hollow and then confront the unknown in the unsettling depths of The Void. After the scare, get your heart rate down at the Farm Midway— an after-haunt spot with food trucks, craft beer from One Family Brewing and fire pits – perfect for photo ops.
Loudoun Museum Hauntings 2025
The Loudoun Museum stages its annual Hauntings walking tours on October 16, 17 and 18. Walk historic downtown with expert guides who share spine-tingling tales of some of the homes, buildings and past inhabitants of the town. Among the buildings on the tour: the Presbyterian Church, the Loudoun County Courthouse and the 1811-built Eliza House, named for Eliza Thompson, a woman who bravely fought a 13-year court battle for ownership of the home after her husband was killed in the Civil War. Hauntings is the largest annual fundraiser of the year for the museum, so it’s for a good cause, too.
Halloween in Franklin Park
Not every Halloween event has to be terrifying… On the evening of October 24, take the little ones to Purcellville’s Franklin Park for the annual Halloween night. Activities include pumpkin decorating, trick-or-treating, games, face painting, live animal interactions and inflatables to bounce around; there are vendors for snacks, too.
