It’s that time of year when all things creepy and crawly come out to play. Don’t be left out of the fun! From terrifying tours to kid-friendly costume parades, Cape Cod is the place to be this Halloween season.

October 1-31
Get into the Halloween spirit early with a stroll by the Falmouth Village of Scarecrows. Throughout the month, Falmouth Main Street merchants display imaginative home-made scarecrows in front of the quaint downtown shops and eateries. Makes for a perfect autumn afternoon!

October 14-31
Stroll through Chatham's wildly creative Pumpkin People in the Park at Kate Gould Park for a true taste of the season. Each October, members of the community display figurines and scenes using pumpkins as their medium of choice. Make sure you bring your selfie-stick and snap a photo with one of the “locals.”

October 21, 22, 27, 28 & 29
The 1st Annual Crosby Haunted Mansion promises thrills and child for the whole family! This Brewster mansion is a local icon, and filled with spooky lore, ghostly characters and some unexpected mysteries that will come to life during your tour! Small groups will be gathered at the Main Mansion door and taken on guided tours into Crosby’s spooky halls for a night of spine-tingling attractions. Albert and Matilda Crosby built the mansion in 1888 and are still known to traverse the halls looking for new and long lost guests. Presented by the Friends of Crosby Mansion, Nauset High Drama Players and Brewster Recreation. Tours will run 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Reserve tickets in advance online at BrewsterRecreation.com! All tickets $12.

Saturday, October 22 and Friday, October 29
Travel through the centuries at the Falmouth Museums on the Green's "Sins, Sips, and Secrets" (Saturday, October 22). Designed for history-lovers, this interactive tour of the 1790 Dr. Francis Wicks House offers mild chills and fascinating insights into Falmouth’s nefarious and unearthly history, including spirits in times past. The following week, the Museums on the Green offer a more kid-friendly Halloween event 'Wicked at Wicks" (Friday, October 28), which includes trick-or-treating at several historic properties on the campus, pumpkin painting, storytelling and a costume parade.

Friday, October 28
Follow the lantern-lit trail through the non-scary Enchanted Forest at Mass Audubon’s Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable. En route, guides will point out fascinating and zany creatures, some whom call this magical place home. Tours leave every 10 minutes from 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

Saturday, October 29
Don your Halloween duds for a Halloween Celebration at Mashpee Commons, on the green across from the Mashpee Public Library, to enjoy spooky tunes, refreshments and fun giveaways. Afterwards, kids will parade through the Commons and  can trick or treat at the eateries and shops. Costumed pets are always welcome to join!

Come in costume to the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History’s Halloween Spooky Species Special, where no tricks, just treats are in store (9:30 am to 1 pm). Learn about endangered species while enjoying such festive fun as games, scavenger hunts and crafts. Travel the traditional treat trail with a twist, visit the Owl’s Nest, and be sure to don your costumer to get a Science Shop coupon. The Local Scoop will be on site with ice cream pops. $7 per person at the door.

Dance the night away at Cotuit Center for the Arts’ annual Art and Souls Masquerade Ball (7:30 pm). Celebrating classic time trekkers and historical figures, the evening includes costume contests, a DJ, dancing, and “bone-chilling” refreshments.Buy tickets here!

October 28 and 29
Up your game (if you dare) with one of the popular Provincetown Ghost tours. Pilgrims, pirates and people of the past are said to fill the sights and sounds of this historical 90-minute walking tour of downtown Provincetown, where tour guides will take you by many of the town's historical buildings, homes, inns and cemeteries, sharing stories about reported ghost sightings and strange happenings. These family-friendly Halloween tours depart at 7 and 9 pm and the tours fill fast, so advance reservations are strongly recommended.

October 28-30
Provincetown is always throwing a party, and Halloween is one of the biggest. Spooky Bear Halloween Weekend in Provincetown (October 28-30) includes adult dance parties, a haunted house, dune tours, live performances and a Costume Contest & Ball at the Crown & Anchor. Book your Provincetown getaway now to be part of all the mischief and mayhem!

Thursday, October 31
Safe trick or treating events can be found across Cape Cod on Halloween evening, including downtown Hyannis, Yarmouth Port and at the Cape Cod Church in East Falmouth. Several libraries also join in the fun with daytime events, including the Mashpee Public Library.

Don’t miss all the things to do on Cape Cod this fall! Visit our blog for more of the season’s events and activities.