Spooky Season in the NH Lakes Region: Halloween Fun for All Ages

As the leaves crunch underfoot and the air turns crisp, the NH Lakes Region shifts into one of its most magical times of year — Halloween. From family-friendly festivals to haunted history tours, the region offers plenty of ways to celebrate spooky season against a backdrop of brilliant fall foliage and sparkling lakes.

Family-Friendly Halloween Fun

🎃 Pumpkin Festivals & Trick-or-Treating

• Meredith Halloween Trick-or-Treat: Downtown Meredith transforms into a safe, walkable spot for kids to collect candy from local shops and businesses.
• Gilford’s Pumpkin Festival: Community events feature pumpkin carving, scarecrow contests, and seasonal treats.

👻 Farm Fun

• Beans & Greens Farm (Gilford): Known for its haunted corn maze, pumpkin patch, and wagon rides — perfect for families looking for just the right mix of fun and fright.
• Moulton Farm (Meredith): Offers hayrides, a corn maze, and fresh cider donuts to sweeten the season.

Haunted History & Ghostly Adventures

The Lakes Region is filled with history, and Halloween is the perfect time to explore the area’s spookier side.

• Castle in the Clouds (Moultonborough): While best known for its sweeping lake views, the estate’s age and architecture give it a mysterious air. Seasonal tours sometimes highlight ghostly legends tied to its history.
• Laconia’s Mill District: With its 19th-century brick mills, locals whisper about eerie happenings and unexplained sounds echoing after dark.
• Wolfeboro Ghost Tours: Wolfeboro, “America’s Oldest Summer Resort,” has its share of legends. Guided tours share stories of historic hauntings along the town’s colonial streets.

Halloween on the Water

Even the lakes get a spooky twist:

• Boat-In Pumpkin Lighting (Community Events): On smaller lakes, some residents host informal pumpkin lighting displays along the shoreline — glowing jack-o’-lanterns reflected on the water make for an enchanting sight.
• Late-Season Cruises (Winnipesaukee): Some Winnipesaukee cruise operators run themed October rides with seasonal food, music, and costume parties.

Costumes, Cider, and Community Spirit

Part of what makes Halloween special in the Lakes Region is the small-town community feel:

• Main streets like Wolfeboro, Meredith, and Alton fill with decorations — think scarecrows, hay bales, and pumpkin displays.
• Local breweries and cideries, like Twin Barns Brewing (Meredith), often host Halloween-themed events for adults, complete with seasonal brews and costume contests.

Tips for Visitors

• Dress in Layers: Nights get chilly by late October, especially if you’re out trick-or-treating or exploring haunted tours.
• Check Local Calendars: Many towns post Halloween parades, costume contests, and trunk-or-treat events on their recreation department pages.
• Support Local Farms & Shops: Picking your pumpkin locally or buying cider donuts from a farmstand is part of the full Lakes Region Halloween experience.