Lake Geneva Trick-or-Treat Times and Halloween Events 2026

Updated Oct. 5, 2026. Trick-or-treat hours come from each municipality’s own posting. Event details come from the organizers.

Pick your Halloween

Match what you want out of the night to the event that does it best.

• Candy while it’s still light outLake Geneva’s 3 p.m. start is the earliest in the area on Oct. 31. A week earlier, the free Jaycees Trunk or Treat fills the lot at Lake City Social.
• A first scare that stays gentleThe Dan Patch hayride wagons from about 6 to 7 p.m. Monsters stay in the woods and the loud effects are off.
• A real scareThe same hayride after about 7 p.m., once it’s dark and the monsters start climbing on the wagons.
• Ghost stories with real historyThe Baker House tour at $20, or the Lake Geneva Ghost Walk through downtown. Both are 13 and up.
• Halloween on a trainThe Trick-or-Treat Trains in East Troy, every Friday evening in October.
• A 21+ night outThe Boo-On-The-Bay costume cruise, then the Fall Wine Walk downtown on Sunday, Nov. 1.
• Something bigger, 40 minutes awayHalloween Legends & Lore at Old World Wisconsin in Eagle.

Saturday, Oct. 31 at a glance

Each bar is one community’s trick-or-treat window on Halloween. Solid bars are 2026 hours the town has posted. Striped bars are 2025 hours for towns that haven’t posted yet.

The dashed line is sunset, around 5:45 p.m. Windows that start at 3 or 4 give you daylight for the first stretch. The 5 p.m. starts run mostly in the dark, so pack a flashlight or glow sticks.

2026 hours postedNot posted yet, 2025 hours shownSunset, about 5:45 p.m.

2345678

Lake Geneva3 to 6 p.m.

Delavan4 to 6 p.m.

Town of Troy4 to 7 p.m.

Elkhorn5 to 7 p.m.

East Troy5 to 7:30 p.m.

Williams Bay (2025)4 to 7 p.m.

Fontana (2025)4 to 7 p.m.

Genoa City (2025)4 to 7 p.m.

Twin Lakes (2025)4 to 7 p.m.

Whitewater (2025)4 to 7 p.m.

Darien (2025)4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Burlington (2025)6 to 8 p.m.

2026 trick-or-treat hours by town

Each city, village and town around Geneva Lake sets its own hours, and a city and a town with the same name often pick different ones. Type a town to filter the list.

Why Lake Geneva’s date keeps moving

The Lake Geneva City Council picks the trick-or-treat date every year, and it’s a debate most years. The city went on a Sunday in 2023 (Oct. 29), 2024 (Oct. 27) and 2025 (Oct. 26), even though Halloween 2025 was a Friday.

For 2026 the city posted Saturday, Oct. 31, from 3 to 6 p.m. If you’re driving up from Illinois for the weekend, plan on Saturday afternoon, and don’t go by what you remember from last year.

Halloween events around Lake Geneva in 2026

These are the events with 2026 dates on the organizers’ own calendars as of Oct. 5. Start with the table, then read the details for anything you’re considering.

Dan Patch Stables Haunted Hayride

The hayride moved for 2026. Grand Geneva is using the old hayride woods for something else, so Dan Patch set up behind the Emagine movie theater on Highway 120. Pull into the theater lot and follow the drive around back; signs point the way.

The haunted barn is off this year, so the hayride is the whole show.

When you go matters more than anything else here. The first wagons, from about 6 to 7 p.m., keep the monsters in the woods and drop the loud noises, though the actors still wear masks and costumes. Around 7, once it’s dark, the scary rides start. Tickets go on sale at 5:45 p.m. with no reservations, so get there by 6 if you want a gentle wagon.

Rides last about 15 minutes. 2 tractor-pulled wagons hold 30 people each and leave roughly every 15 minutes, and there’s a bonfire and concessions while you wait.

When

Fri. and Sat., Oct. 2 and 3, 9 to 11 (Sunday included), 16 and 17, 23 and 24, 30 and 31. 6 to 11 p.m.

Where

Behind the Emagine theater, 2567 Highway 120, Lake Geneva

Cost

Cash only. $25 adults, $10 ages 4 to 10, free under 3

Getting there

A trolley still runs to and from Grand Geneva and Timber Ridge

Weather

Check the website for weather calls instead of phoning

Skip it if

You need a reservation. It’s first come, first served.

Lake Geneva Jaycees Trunk or Treat

The Jaycees’ Trunk or Treat is Sunday, Oct. 25, in the back lot at Lake City Social, 111 Center St., downtown. It’s free.

The Jaycees hadn’t posted 2026 hours by Oct. 5. The 2024 edition ran 1 to 5 p.m. with face painting and a strolling magician. This year it falls 6 days before the city’s door-to-door night, so a costume gets 2 outings.

When

Sun., Oct. 25. Hours to be posted

Where

Lake City Social parking lot, 111 Center St., Lake Geneva

Cost

Free

Parking

Downtown meters run $4 an hour Friday through Sunday. Come early for a spot close to the lot.

Boo in the Bay Trunk-O-Treat, Williams Bay

Williams Bay starts Halloween early. The Trunk-O-Treat Fall Festival is Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 2 p.m. in the school parking lot, with pumpkin carving and decorating next to the decorated cars.

The village hadn’t posted its Oct. 31 door-to-door hours as of Oct. 5. In 2025 it ran 4 to 7 p.m. on Halloween.

When

Sat., Oct. 17, noon to 2 p.m.

Where

Williams Bay School parking lot, 500 W. Geneva St.

Contact

262-686-8001

East Troy Railroad Museum Trick-or-Treat Trains

Every Friday in October (Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30), riders in costume board a historic electric railcar at the East Troy Depot and ride to Byrnes Park for trick-or-treating and games at the playground. Back at the depot, each child picks out a pumpkin to take home.

The route is a 6-mile piece of the old electric interurban line that reached East Troy in 1907. Board at the East Troy Depot and buy tickets ahead. From Lake Geneva the drive is about 30 minutes.

When

Fridays, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30

Where

East Troy Depot, 2002 Church St., East Troy

Tickets

Buy in advance through the museum

Make a day of it

See the East Troy community guide for dinner on the square

The Baker House Haunted House Tour

The Baker House on Wrigley Drive runs haunted tours on the last 3 weekends of October. A guide walks you through the halls and up the staircases while telling the mansion’s ghost stories, including its Lady in White.

Tours are $20 and recommended for ages 13 and up. It’s indoors, so it’s the best rainy-night plan on this list.

When

Oct. 15 to 17, 22 to 24 and 29 to 31. Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at 7 and 7:45 p.m.

Where

The Baker House, 327 Wrigley Dr., Lake Geneva

Cost

$20

Ages

13 and up recommended

Tickets

Reserve on Tock

Lake Geneva Ghost Walk

Ghost walks leave every night at 7:30 p.m. from the gazebo in Seminary Park and run through Nov. 1. Plan on 1.5 to 2 hours on foot downtown.

The route covers the Maxwell Mansion, The Baker House, the story of Otto Young’s 100-room Stone Manor, the lakefront and a movie theater with its own ghost. The Baker House tour and the ghost walk start within 30 minutes of each other, so do them on different nights.

When

Nightly at 7:30 p.m. through Nov. 1

Meet

Seminary Park gazebo, 521 Baker St., Lake Geneva

Cost

$33.57 per person

Ages

13 and up

Bring

Shoes for about 1.5 miles of walking and a layer for the lakefront

Poe at the Point

Lake Geneva Cruise Line pairs an evening cruise with live Poe readings in the parlor of Black Point Estate, the 1888 Queen Anne summer house on the south shore. Author Joshua Dubbert reads “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Mask of the Red Death” and “The Raven,” then takes questions, and you get to walk the first floor after dark.

Tickets start at $85 for about 3 hours, and guests must be at least 13. Listings put the 2026 run at Oct. 15 to 17. Expect roughly 100 stairs between the pier and the house.

When

Listed for Oct. 15 to 17. In 2025 boats left at 5:30 p.m.

Where

Departs the Riviera Docks, downtown Lake Geneva

Cost

From $85

Ages

13 and up

Skip it if

Stairs are a problem. Call the cruise line about access first.

Boo-On-The-Bay Halloween Costume Party Cruise

This is the 21+ Halloween option on the water: a 2-hour party cruise with a DJ, a costume contest, Halloween appetizers and 1 drink included, plus a cash bar. Tickets start at $55.

If weather keeps the boat in, the party happens at the pier. The Lady of the Lake’s main deck is wheelchair accessible. The cruise line’s season ends Oct. 31, so check the booking page for this year’s date and book early.

Cost

From $55, appetizers and 1 drink included

Ages

21 and up

Length

About 2 hours

Access

Main deck is wheelchair accessible

Halloween Legends & Lore at Old World Wisconsin

Old World Wisconsin in Eagle is about 40 minutes north of Lake Geneva. On 3 October weekends it opens its historic Crossroads Village after dark for ghost stories and lantern-lit performances.

The grounds open at 4 p.m. for shopping and food, and the program runs 5 to 9:30 p.m. Advance registration is required.

When

Fri. and Sat., Oct. 9 and 10, 16 and 17, 23 and 24

Where

W372 S9727 Highway 67, Eagle

Cost

$26 ages 13 to 64, $22 ages 65+, $18 ages 5 to 12, free under 5

Book

Advance registration required

Also on the calendar

• City of Delavan Goblin Walk, Oct. 31. After the 4 to 6 p.m. trick-or-treat, a costumed walk heads to the American Legion’s haunted house. In past years the walk left the post office at 335 E. Walworth Ave. around 6 p.m. for the Legion at 111 S. 2nd St.
• Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures Pumpkin Drop. Riders drop a pumpkin at a target from the dual racing zip line. It usually runs the last 2 weekends of October at N3232 County Road H; check the site for 2026 dates.
• Spiritualism in the Victorian Era at Black Point Estate. Select October evenings through Oct. 23, run by the Wisconsin Historical Society.
• Fall Wine Walk, Sun., Nov. 1. Noon to 4 p.m. downtown with more than 20 tasting stops. Tickets are $45 ($20 for designated drivers), and everyone must be 21 or older. Check-in is 10 a.m. to noon at The Bottle Shop, 617 W. Main St.

Halloween weekend, Oct. 30 to Nov. 1

If you’re coming up for the weekend, here’s how the 3 days stack up.

Mistakes to skip

• Bringing only a card to Dan Patch. The hayride is cash only, and there’s no advance sale.
• Showing up at 6:30 for a gentle wagon. The early, low-scare wagons fill first. Arrive by 6.
• Going by last year’s Lake Geneva date. 2025 was a Sunday afternoon. 2026 is Saturday, Oct. 31, 3 to 6 p.m.
• Booking Poe at the Point without checking the climb. There are about 100 stairs from the pier up to Black Point.
• Stacking the Baker House tour and the Ghost Walk on one night. They start within 30 minutes of each other.

If you live here or you’re moving here

Trick-or-treat is set municipality by municipality. Lake Geneva, Delavan, Elkhorn and East Troy each post their own hours, and the surrounding towns post separately, sometimes on a different day entirely. In 2025 the Town of Delavan went noon to 3 p.m. while the City of Delavan went 4 to 6 p.m.

Most postings land on municipal websites in September or early October. If you’re handing out candy, turn on the porch light; the Village of East Troy’s notice spells that out as the signal.

House hunting around the lake? Check which municipality an address sits in. That decides the trick-or-treat night, and plenty more on the local calendar.

For the rest of the season, see the October 2026 Lake Geneva events guide, the farmers markets and fall festivals roundup and the fall scenic drive guide.

Lake Geneva Halloween questions

When is trick-or-treat in Lake Geneva in 2026?

Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, from 3 to 6 p.m. The City of Lake Geneva posted the date and hours on its news page on Sept. 22.

What are the 2026 trick-or-treat hours in Delavan, Elkhorn and East Troy?

All 3 are on Saturday, Oct. 31. The City of Delavan runs 4 to 6 p.m., the City of Elkhorn runs 5 to 7 p.m. and the Village of East Troy runs 5 to 7:30 p.m. The Town of Troy runs 4 to 7 p.m.

When is trick-or-treat in Williams Bay and Fontana in 2026?

Neither village had posted 2026 hours as of Oct. 5. In 2025 both went on Halloween itself, Oct. 31, from 4 to 7 p.m. Check the village websites in mid-October.

Is Lake Geneva trick-or-treat always on Halloween?

No. The Lake Geneva City Council sets the date each year. The city went on a Sunday in 2023, 2024 and 2025. For 2026 it chose Saturday, Oct. 31.

Where is the Dan Patch Stables haunted hayride in 2026?

Behind the Emagine movie theater at 2567 Highway 120 in Lake Geneva. It runs Friday and Saturday nights from Oct. 2 to Oct. 31, plus Sunday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 11 p.m. It is cash only: $25 for adults and $10 for ages 4 to 10.

Is there a trunk-or-treat in Lake Geneva?

Yes. The Lake Geneva Jaycees Trunk or Treat is Sunday, Oct. 25, at Lake City Social, 111 Center St. Williams Bay holds its Trunk-O-Treat on Saturday, Oct. 17, from noon to 2 p.m. at the school parking lot, 500 W. Geneva St.

What Halloween events around Lake Geneva are for adults?

The Boo-On-The-Bay costume cruise and the Fall Wine Walk on Nov. 1 are both 21 and older. The Baker House haunted tour, the Lake Geneva Ghost Walk and Poe at the Point are open to ages 13 and up.

When does daylight saving time end in 2026?

Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m., the morning after Halloween. Clocks fall back 1 hour, so Halloween weekend ends with an extra hour of sleep.

Sources: trick-or-treat hours from the City of Lake Geneva, City of Delavan, City of Elkhorn, Village of East Troy and Town of Troy postings; 2025 hours for unposted towns from local news listings. Event details from each organizer’s website, checked Oct. 5, 2026. Hours can change, so confirm with the host before you go.