These are the season-long headliners. Each one runs for weeks, so you can pick a night that fits your schedule.

• Reign of Terror Haunted House, Thousand Oaks. September 25 through November 1, 2026, at Janss Marketplace (Moorpark Road and Hillcrest Drive). It's a big one: 12 connected haunts and more than 140 rooms across about 35,000 square feet, according to VenturaCountyLocal. Fridays and Saturdays run 7 to 11 PM, with select weeknights 7 to 10 PM. General admission is $39.99 to $49.99, depending on the night. The event says it's not recommended for kids under 13. A fully lit "Lights On" daytime version runs Saturday, October 17, from noon to 3 PM for $15 at the door.
• Fall Harvest Festival at Underwood Family Farms, Moorpark. The 29th annual festival runs September 26 through October 31, 2026, from 9 AM to 6 PM, at 3370 Sunset Valley Road. Expect a giant pumpkin patch, a corn maze, tractor-drawn wagon rides, and animal attractions. VenturaCountyLocal lists Halloween Day tickets at $34 in advance and $38 at the gate.
• Fall Festival at Prancer's Farm, Santa Paula. October 3 through November 1, 2026, usually 10 AM to 6 PM. Weekday pumpkin patch admission is $15.47, and weekend specialty events run about $26.52 to $27.63. Themed weekends include Wild West on the Farm (October 10 and 11), Fiesta at the Farm (October 17 and 18), Harvest at the Farm (October 24 and 25), and Halloweekend with Día de los Muertos (October 31 and November 1), according to Prancer's Farm.
• Night of the Jack, Calabasas. Just over the county line at King Gillette Ranch (26800 Mulholland Highway), this glowing one-mile trail of jack-o'-lantern installations runs September 25 through November 1, 2026. The grounds open at 5:30 PM, and the trail entrance closes at 9:15 PM. Tickets are sold online in advance through the event's website.
• GhostWalk, Santa Paula Theater Center. This long-running ghost story tour is back for 2026 with six stories, including "Suzi," "Balcom House," and "The Girl Who Wrapped The Lemons." The theater center's site doesn't list dates, so reserve through ghostwalk.com.

Our Thousand Oaks area guide is a good next stop if you're thinking about making Reign of Terror season a year-round neighborhood.

Halloween is a Saturday this year, so you can hit two events in one day. Here are the kid-friendly picks, in date order.

• Trail or Treat, Camarillo Grove Park Nature Center. Saturday, October 17, 10 AM to 1 PM. Kids answer nature questions at trail stops and earn candy and small prizes.
• Camarillo Spooky Swim. Friday, October 23, 5:30 to 8 PM, at Pleasant Valley Aquatic Center. It's $10, or $4 for swim only. Registration is required.
• Halloween in the Park, Camarillo. Wednesday, October 28, in the early evening at Community Center Park (1605 E. Burnley Street). It's free, with trick-or-treating, games, pumpkin painting, and food trucks. A costume contest kicks off around 6 PM.
• Downtown Ventura Halloween Spooktacular. Thursday, October 29, 3 to 7 PM, on Main Street. The costume contest starts at 3 PM, and trick-or-treating at participating businesses runs 4 to 7 PM. It's free.
• Seaside Trick or Treat, Ventura Harbor Village. Friday, October 30, 4 to 6 PM. It's free, with a Monster Mash dance party, a skeleton hunt, a roaming magician, and a pumpkin carver.
• Boo at the Zoo, Moorpark College Teaching Zoo. VenturaCountyLocal lists October 24 and 25 and October 31 and November 1, from 11 AM to 4:30 PM, with trick-or-treat stations, pumpkin bingo, and animal meet-and-greets. Advance tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for kids and seniors. Confirm the dates with Moorpark College before you go.
• Old Town Camarillo Boo Fest (13th annual). Saturday, October 31, noon to 3 PM, on Ventura Boulevard. Trick-or-treat at participating businesses, enter the costume contest (family, adult, youth, and pet divisions), and visit the free carnival at Chapel City Church. Everything is free.
• Simi Valley Youth Halloween Carnival. The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District runs this annual carnival on Halloween weekend. Online tickets are $5, and kids 2 and under are free. Ticket sales open October 1. Check rsrpd.org for the exact time and venue, since listings differ.
• Haunted High Street, Moorpark. Saturday, October 31, 4 to 7 PM, at the North Metrolink lot on High Street. Entry is free. It has a trunk-or-treat, a costume contest, a pumpkin patch, a haunted house, a DJ, and food trucks. The carnival is for ages 3 to 10 and costs $5 in advance (October 1 to 30) or $10 cash at the gate.
• Halloween Night Market, Downtown Ventura. Saturday, October 31, 2 to 9 PM, at California and Main. It's free, and it includes a classic car trunk-or-treat.

Moorpark packs the most Halloween into one weekend: Underwood Family Farms, Boo at the Zoo, and Haunted High Street are all there. Our Moorpark area guide shows what it's like to live near all of that.

• Reign of Terror. The scariest ticket in Ventura County. It's built for ages 13 and up.
• Halloween Haunted Trail, Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treat Street, Thousand Oaks. Saturday, October 24, 6 to 9 PM, at the Thousand Oaks Community Center (2525 N. Moorpark Road). It has a haunted trail, a costume contest, a hayride, and Trick-or-Treat Street. Advance tickets are required, entry runs on short time slots, and it has sold out in the past, according to VenturaCountyLocal.
• Bloodsuckers Ball, Ventura. Saturday, October 24, 8 PM to midnight, at the Majestic Ventura Theater. It's adults-only, tickets start at $20, and a vampire costume is required.
• Halloween Bar Crawl, Ventura. October 24 and 31, 4 to 10 PM, at multiple downtown bars. Ticket pricing varies.
• Night of the Jack. A one-mile glowing trail plus food trucks and themed drinks. It works well for date night.

Yes, and they're free. Plan on Saturday, October 24.

• Howl-O-Ween, Mission Oaks Dog Park, Camarillo. 10 AM to 1 PM. Costume and best-trick contests, pet vendors, adoptions, and food trucks.
• HOWL-O-WEEN Dog Costume Contest, Ventura Harbor Village. Noon to 2 PM, with a costumed pup parade and five award categories.
• Witches Paddle, Ventura Harbor. Friday, October 30, 4 to 5:30 PM. Costumed paddleboard and kayak fun, with rentals available.

The biggest one is in Downtown Ventura on Halloween weekend. It's free, runs seven blocks, and features about 200 lowriders decorated with altars and marigolds, according to the Santa Barbara News-Press. Hours are Saturday, October 31, 2 to 9 PM and Sunday, November 1, 11 AM to 6 PM. You'll also find sugar skull displays, alebrije workshops, food, and live music.

Two more to add to your list: Panteón Fest on Saturday, October 17, from 1 to 9 PM at Heritage Square in Oxnard, and Prancer's Farm's Halloweekend and Día de los Muertos weekend in Santa Paula on October 31 and November 1.

Pick one big night per weekend, then save the free events for Halloween week.

• Saturday, October 17: Trail or Treat in Camarillo (10 AM), Reign of Terror Lights On (noon), or Panteón Fest in Oxnard (1 PM)
• Saturday, October 24: Howl-O-Ween with your dog, then the Thousand Oaks Haunted Trail that evening (buy tickets early)
• Wednesday to Friday, October 28 to 30: Halloween in the Park, the Downtown Ventura Spooktacular, and Seaside Trick or Treat
• Saturday, October 31: Boo Fest in Old Town Camarillo (noon), then Haunted High Street in Moorpark (4 PM), then the Downtown Ventura Night Market

Dates and prices come from organizer pages and local calendars checked in October 2026: the City of Moorpark, Visit Camarillo and the Camarillo Old Town Merchants, the Reign of Terror event site and Hillcrest Center for the Arts, Prancer's Farm, Night of the Jack, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, the Conejo Valley Guide, VenturaCountyLocal, in805, and the Santa Barbara News-Press. If we missed your favorite event, tell us and we'll add it.