Celebrate Oktoberfest & Spooky Season in WalCo

As fall colors emerge you won’t want to miss feeling a little German and being a part of traditional Oktoberfest folk festivals and other events for the entire family throughout Walworth County, Wisconsin. Or if you rather, celebrate apples, fall and other events devoted to fall.

Spooky season has a variety of favorite activities for adults and kids. Some will truly be scary and others are just plain cute. October is a time for spirits to shine bright that can’t be replicated at any other time of the year. Come to Walworth County for October fun and beauty.

Oktoberfest Celebrations and a few others, too

Oct 5Town of Delavan Oktoberfest, Waters Edge on Delavan Lake, Delavan Celebrate all things German on the shores of Delavan Lake for Oktoberfest. Polka music and dancers will entertain, contests will challenge participants, live music and German food will add to the festivity of the day.

Oct 5Duesterbeck’s Oktoberfest, Duesterbeck’s Brewing Company, Elkhorn Celebrate Oktoberfest with Duesterbeck’s Brewing Company and pick up a commemorative mug and t-shirt! Enjoy games, German dancers with dance instruction, live music, food trucks and lots of delicious beer including a special barrel Aged Oktoberfest release!

Oct 5-6October Kickoff Weekend, Apple Barn Orchard & Winery, Elkhorn A great fall destination to spend in the orchard, in the pumpkin patch or enjoy food, live music, vendors, wine sampling, yard games, tractor wagon rides and lots of goodies in the Country Store & Bakery.

Oct 5-6Pearce’s Farm Stand Octoberfest Weekend, Pearce’s Farm Stand, Walworth Kick off October with live polka music, German-style and Slovenian with Fox Trots and requests! Enjoy dancing,  brats and kraut, roasted sweet corn, concessions, mums, fall decorations and fall produce. The corn maze will be open. Lots of fun for the family!

Oct 12Lake Geneva Oktoberfest, Downtown Lake Geneva Located in the actual street on the 200 block of Broad Street in downtown Lake Geneva, celebrate traditional German festivities. Enjoy food, music and beverages as well as the “Great Geneva Pie Eating Contest,” and Dachshund Races at the premier Fall event in Lake Geneva.

Oct 12Family Fall Fest, Lake Lawn Resort, Delavan Come out to Delavan Lake for Lake Lawn Resort’s Fall Family Fest celebrations! This event is open to the public! Enjoy pumpkin painting, wagon rides, yummy eats and sweets, and festive fun all weekend long.

Oct 12-13Pumpkin Spice Weekend, Apple Barn Orchard & Winery, Elkhorn A great fall destination to spend in the pumpkin patch, in the apple orchard or enjoying food, live music, vendors, wine sampling, yard games, tractor wagon rides and lots of pumpkin goodies in the Country Store & Bakery.

Oct 12-13Pumpkin Fest & Corn Maze, Pearce’s Farm Stand, Walworth Come and spend a beautiful fall day at the farm where you’ll enjoy a large 12-acre Corn Maze, live music and great food options like Chicago-style hot dogs, brats, cheeseburgers, nachos, caramel apple in a dish, hot cider, hot chocolate, cappuccino (pumpkin spice, caramel, English toffee), Apple Cider Donuts. Don’t miss the fall decorations, seasonal produce, apples and much much more as we celebrate everything pumpkin!

Oct 18-20Fall Festival & Pumpkin Drop 1, Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures, Lake Geneva Soar down the 1,221′ Dual Racing Zipline at Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures and drop a pumpkin into the target below to win!  Or if looking for a smaller adventure, check out the Scavenger Hunt – Pumpkin Expedition. Embark on an app-powered adventure for a spooky hike along our trails! Search for pumpkins with riddles and challenges. Call or book online.

Oct 19Elkhorn Oktoberfest, Downtown Elkhorn Elkhorn Oktoberfest fills the entire downtown area with bands, brats, and golden beers. There will be lots to keep the whole family entertained and enough space to keep everyone safe including the park filled with craft and commercial vendors, local and German cuisine from a variety of food vendors, live music, an All-Around Town Beer/Wine Tasting, the Oktoberfest 5K Run/Walk and the Annual Classic Car Show.

Oct 19Downtown Delavan Brew Walk, Downtown Delavan Bring your friends and family and get your wrist bands, tasting passports, tasting glasses, and a map to SIP, STROLL, and SHOP while discovering downtown Delavan. Limited tickets available for this 21 and over event. Wear a costume and be part of the Costume Contest.

Oct 19Cider & Sweaters, Apple Barn Orchard & Winery, Elkhorn A great fall destination to spend in the apple orchard, in the pumpkin patch or enjoying food, live music, vendors, wine sampling, yard games, tractor wagon rides and lots of goodies in the Country Store & Bakery.

Oct 25-27Fall Festival & Pumpkin Drop 2, Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures, Lake Geneva Soar down the 1,221′ Dual Racing Zipline at Lake Geneva Ziplines & Adventures and drop a pumpkin into the target below to win!  Or if looking for a smaller adventure, check out the Scavenger Hunt – Pumpkin Expedition. Embark on an app-powered adventure for a spooky hike along our trails! Search for pumpkins with riddles and challenges. Call or book online.

Oct 26Halloweekend, Apple Barn Orchard & Winery, Elkhorn A great fall destination to spend in the apple orchard, in the pumpkin patch or enjoying food, live music, wine sampling, yard games, tractor wagon rides and lots of goodies in the Country Store & Bakery.

Oct 26Lutherdale Fall Festival, Elkhorn Celebrate 80 years on the beautiful Lutherdale grounds on Lauderdale Lakes. The day starts with the Harvest Hustle, a 1 mile or 5k course fun run and pancake breakfast. Then, enjoy food trucks, live music, face painting, a bounce house, a pumpkin patch, a silent auction and more.

Spooky Activities to Love

Oct 4-Nov 2, Fridays and Saturdays The Walk of Terror, Alpine Valley Resort, Elkhorn Voted one of the best haunted house attractions in the southeast Wisconsin region, spooky season brings screams to happy faces while also raising funds for scholarships at two community high schools. Badgerland Midway also has carnival rides and games. Get your tickets to experience the award-winning thrills and chills yourself.

Oct 4-66^th Annual American Horrors Film Festival, The Bottle Shop Grapevine Theater, Lake Geneva The 6th Annual American Horrors Film Festival is an international horror themed film festival where participants screen original shorts, features, music videos & documentaries. All of the film festival panels, red carpet events and the opening night party will be filmed for a television special streaming on the American Horrors network January 1st, 2025. Screening tickets available at americanhorrors.net.

Oct 4-25, Fridays Trick or Treat Trains, East Troy Railroad Museum, East Troy Bring the kids or grandkids in costume for a train ride that includes trick or treating, games and playground equipment before returning to pick out the perfect pumpkin to take home. Advance reservations required.

Oct 5Sordid and Scandalous: A Walking Tour of Lake Geneva Lake Geneva’s beauty has brought it plenty of fame – and more than its fair share of weird, wicked, and outright scandalous behavior. Hear all about it on this fascinating guided walking tour through the city’s beautiful, historic downtown and Maple Park neighborhoods. Get the truth about bank robberies, riots, prohibition-era gangsters, sea serpents, flying saucers, and much more. Advance registration required.

Oct 5Strange LaGrange Festival 2024, The Green House, Whitewater 13 bands, food trucks, vendors, merch and visual art installations are part of strange noises, loud voices and bad choices Tickets available in advance or at the door.

Oct 11Whitewater Spirit Tour Learn about the haunted legends of Whitewater. Hear the “Witches of Whitewater” stories. Learn how Whitewater go the name, “Second Salem.” Whether you’re a skeptic, a paranormal enthusiast or just looking to learn more about Whitewater’s haunted history, you won’t want to miss the annual Whitewater Spirit Tour!

Oct 12East Troy Area Historical Society Ghost Walk, Kubicki Museum on the Square, East Troy Enjoy a fun evening of ghost stories and talks of the past during this family-friendly walking tour. Tickets at the door.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins and More Pumpkins

Apple Barn Orchard & Winery,Elkhorn Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm, Sunday, 11 am – 5 pm You pick apples and pumpkins, Country Store, Winery

Elegant Farmer, north of East Troy Market open daily 9 am – 6 pm Autumn Harvest Festival, Saturday and Sundays, 10 am – 5 pm, apples, hayrides, and more Corn Maze, Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am – 4 pm

Geneva Lakes Produce, Corner of Hwy 120 & Hwy 11, north of Lake Geneva Open daily 9 am – 5/6 pm

JJ’s Pumpkins, Elkhorn Open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 am – 4 pm You Pick Pumpkins, Corn Maze, Petting Zoo, Hayrides, Kids Activities, Fair Food Concessions

Pearce’s Farm Stand, Williams Bay, Fontana, Walworth Open Daily, 9 am – 5:30 pm Produce, Bakery, Canned Goods, Corn Maze, Concessions