All Month…

Pick Your Own Apples or Pumpkins

October Oddities.  10am-2pm.  Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.   Enjoy vignettes designed to provoke a sense of curiosity and wonder using underappreciated oddities of nature and ‘horti-torture.’ Every Saturday in October the Garden presents opportunities to explore “Oddities and Curiosities” in the Children’s Garden.  Refresh your “garden spirit” with displays and activities for all ages.  Free with garden admission.  Through October 31st.

The Great Pumpkin Fest.  King Dominion.  Families can enjoy Halloween together with a street party of frightful fun including a petting zoo, foam pit, pumpkin painting and more!  Activities are from 12:00pm until 5:00pm.  *The Great Pumpkin Fest is for kids under 54”.  Fee.   Select Saturdays and Sundays through October 31st.

Scary Halloween Options and Ghost Tours for bigger kids.  Through October 31st.

Monday, October 26th

Music & Movement Mondays.  Children’s Museum of Richmond – All Locations.  Activity times vary by location.  Kids can take part in an activity that focuses on music and movement every Monday!  Free with museum admission.

Itsy Bitsy Artists.  10am. Cartwheels and Coffee, Carytown.  Explore your creative side with Miss Lisa.  FREE with admission.

HALLOWEEN FAIR.  6:30pm.  Glen Allen Library.  Get into the Halloween spirit with some not-too-spooky games and crafts. Trick-or-treating stations will be set up throughout the library, so don’t forget to wear your costume! This program is presented by volunteers from the Northwest Teen Advisory Board and supported by the Friends of the Library. Ages 3-11.  Free.

Tuesday, October 27th

Tinker Tuesdays.  Children’s Museum of Richmond – All Locations.  Activity times vary by location.  Kids can take part in an fun Math or Science project every Tuesday!  Free with museum admission.

Time to Sing. 10am. Cartwheels and Coffee, Carytown.  You and your little ones will enjoy singing, dancing, and making music together. Kids will use simple instruments and movements to learn new songs as well as sing along with their favorites. FREE with admission.

Weekly Storytime.  11am.  Pottery Barn Kids, Short Pump Mall.  Kids can enjoy some of their favorite books read aloud.

Children’s Storytime. 11am. Barnes and Noble Chesterfield. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am. Free.

Family Jump Night.  6pm-8pm.  Pump It Up, 9555 Kings Charter Drive, Suite I, Ashland , VA.  Come play on the giant, soft, fun-filled interactive inflatables during Family Jump Time, then enjoy a pizza dinner together! Pizzas and 2-liter drinks can be ordered at check-in, and food will be available later in the playtime. Check the calendar for any schedule changes. Fee.

HALLOWEEN DANCE PARTY.  6:30pm.  Twin Hickory Library.  Put on your costume, bring a treat bag, and you’re ready to boogie and gather some treats! For ages 3 and older.  Free.

Wednesday, October 28th

Art Workshop Wednesday.   Children’s Museum of Richmond – All Locations.  Activity times vary by location.  Kids can head to the Art Studio for an instructor-led art activity every Wednesday!  Free with museum admission.

Move with Me. 10am. Cartwheels and Coffee, Carytown.  Clap your hands, stomp your feet, move your bodies to the beat! Miss Sarah Ruppel, of the Richmond Ballet, leads a creative and energetic movement time for your little dancers every Wednesday at 10. Free with admission.

Story Time.  11am.  bbgb tales for kids, 3003 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221.  A local children’s bookstore in Carytown with story time every Wednesday at 11am.

TEEN SCARE-O-THON.  6:30pm.  North Park Library.  Join us for diabolical and disgusting fun, interactive games and terrifying treats! Middle and High School students are welcome. Come prepared to get messy.  Registration required.  Free.

Thursday, October 29th

Thoughtful Thursdays.  Children’s Museum of Richmond – All Locations.  Activity times vary by location.  Kids can take part in an activity that focuses on helping others!  Free with museum admission.

Fit Tots. 10am.   Cartwheels and Coffee, Carytown.  It’s never too early to instill the importance of leading healthy and active lifestyles! Participants will be lead through various activities that help develop flexibility and hand-eye coordination.  Free with admission.

Children’s Storytime. 10:30am. Barnes and Noble Short Pump. Every Thursday. On the fourth Thursday of each month, enjoy a special visit from Seymour and the folks from the Children’s Museum. Free.

Children’s Storytime. 11am. Barnes and Noble Chesterfield. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 am. Free.

Mini Masterpieces.  4:15pm – 6pm.  VMFA, Art Education Center.  Ages 5 – 8 | Draw masterpieces, using colors and styles similar to the artists who originally created them, on shrink plastic—a revolutionary material that shrinks, hardens, and preserves your work. Turn these works of art into jewelry pendants, fridge magnets, and much more.  Fee.

Twilight Tree Tour.  5pm.  Maymont Grounds.  Join Peggy Singlemann, Maymont’s Director of Horticulture, on this exclusive after-hours tour of Maymont’s Arboretum. Meet at the Nature Center parking lot. Register online by October 28.  Free; donations accepted.

LIBBIE MILL LIBRARY OPENING CELEBRATION.  6pm.  Libbie Mill Library.  Attend the opening ceremony and see the new state-of-the-art Libbie Mill Library. All are welcome to attend. No registration necessary.  Free.

Parent’s Night Out.  6:30pm-10:30pm.  Pump It Up, 9555 Kings Charter Drive, Suite I, Ashland , VA.  The kids will be happy with an evening of jumping, games, dinner and a movie! 4-12 years old.  Fee.

HALLOWEEN MAGIC SHOW.  7pm.  Fairfield Library.  Celebrate Halloween with a magic show starring Amazing Mr. B. Halloween treats will be shared at the end of the show.  Free.

Friday, October 30th

Fit Fridays.  Children’s Museum of Richmond – All Locations.  Activity times vary by location.  Kids can take part in an activity that focuses on getting fit every Friday!  Free with museum admission.

Storytime. 10am. Cartwheels & Coffee, Carytown.  Sponsored by bbgb tales for kids and lead by Miss Hannah, story time will take you to far away lands, introduce you to new friends with all sorts of interesting creatures, and allow you to discover a world of imagination inside your favorite books!   Free with admission.

Rompy’s Halloween Bash. 2 sessions: 4pm – 5:30pm and 6pm – 7:30pm.  All Richmond Romp n’ Roll locations. Bring your little pumpkins to Romp n’ Roll for a not-so-scary good time. Join us for a night of Halloween fun including crafts, games, activities and pizza! We encourage everyone to dress up, but please no glitter or restricting costumes. Space is limited and pre-registration is required  via these links Mechanicsville, Midlothian or West End.  Members: $10 per child or $20 per family.  Non-Members: $15 per child or $30 per family.

Monster Mash.  5pm-8pm.  Dorey Recreation Center.  A creepy camp site to ceMonster Mashlebrate the hair-raising fun of Halloween! Experience s’mores and spooky stories by a larger-than-life bonfire, show off your costume in a contest of epic proportions, create Halloween crafts to delight the senses, and eat candy and play games till your heart’s content! Concessions will be available for purchase.  Free.

Gayton Crossing Pumpkin Festival and Trick or Treat Night.  5pm-7pm.  Gayton Crossing Shopping Center.  Trick or Treat with Merchants, Costume Parade and Meet and Greet Local Mascots.

Squirreloween.  5pm-8pm. The Diamond.  Free cany, costume contest, arts and crafts and games.  Free.

Saturday, October 31st

Boot Camp for New Dads.  9am-Noon.  Locations vary.  Delivered by First Things First of Greater Richmond.  A unique father-to-father community-based workshop prepares and equips expectant dads to become confidently engaged with their infants, support their mates, and navigate their transformation into dads.  Fee.

Great Pumpkin Run 5K & Kid’s Mile.  8:30am.  Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.  There’s no trick, but it’s a treat: the first-ever Great Pumpkin Run allows participants to run through Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden on Halloween morning. The event, organized by Richmond Multisports, is Saturday, October 31 and starts with a 1K Kid’s Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. and a 5K at 9 a.m. Costumes are allowed, but please remember this is a family-friendly event, so no scary costumes.  Fee.

HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR.  11am.  Carpenter Theatre at Richmond CenterStage.  Come in your favorite costume and listen to the RSO perform music from Frozen, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean and more. Your special ghosts, goblins and princesses may even receive a special pre-concert Trick or Treat bag!  Arrive early!  Pre-concert festival opens at 10am featuring the popular instrument petting zoo. LolliPops concerts are ideal for children ages 5 and up.  Fee.

Just Say BOO: Musical Playdate. 10:00-10:40am. Melody Magic Music Studio, 3041 Lauderdale Drive.
This is a perfect fit for this time of year! Feel free to come dressed up as a princess, prince, pirate, superhero, animal, or anything you like! We will move and groove to some favorite Halloween tunes (nothing scary!). Your child will love getting dressed up and using their imagination in this awesome class! For ages 0-7 years. Cost is $10/child, and advance registration is required. Fee.

Spooky Party.  10am-4pm.  CMoR Short Pump, Chesterfield & Fredericksburg will be hosting a not-so-spooky party on Halloween!  Put on your costume and join us for some Halloween-themed fun and games all day long!  Free with Museum Admission.

Curious George’s Halloween BooFEST.  10am – 12:30pm.  23 Sesame Street, Richmond, VA.  Curious George is coming for Halloween!  The event is for children ages 2-8 years old and their families. Cost:  $5 per person.  Free for IdeaKIDS Club members and their parents.  Ghoulish games, Creepy crawlies from the VCU Bug Club , Spooky stories and tempting treats.  Space is limited, please register.  Free.

Apple Door Systems’ Fall Festival.  Noon-4pm.  John Rolfe Commons Shopping Center, 2200 John Rolfe Parkway, Richmond, VA 23233.  Locally owned Apple Door Systems of Richmond is having a Fall Festival. Wear your costume and bring the whole family for this FREE event sponsored by the shops at John Rolfe Center Commons!  This event will include a bounce house, face painting, children’s costume contest, pet costume contest, games, and more!

HALLOWEEN FAIR.  3pm.  Tuckahoe Library.  Games, face painting, crafting, storytelling, and more! This free event is great for families looking for a safe and fun indoor Halloween celebration. Costumes encouraged. Hosted by the West End TAB and sponsored by the Friends of the Tuckahoe Library.  Free.

University of Richmond Football vs. UAlbany.  3:30pm.  Robins Stadium at the University of Richmond.  It’s the Homecoming game as the University of Richmond Spiders take on UAlbany at Robins Stadium! Come take part in the festivities, including our McDonald’s Spiderlings Kids Club Halloween Party (Join the Spiderlings for free admission), Sweet Frog Family Fun Zone, and performances by the Varina High School Band. Gates open at 2:00PM. Tickets can be purchased online at RichmondSpiders.com.  $30 per ticket.

Halloween Hoopla.  4pm-8pm.  CMoR Central will close at 2pm to host this special ticketed event.  Adults and children are invited to dress in their Halloween best for an evening full of family fun!  Trick or Treat through the Holiday Village and enjoy Halloween-themed activities and crafts.  Adult tickets are $4 and kids get in free, but even though children are free, they still require a ticket! Purchase yours online.

Sunday, November 1st

El Dia De Los Muertos.  1pm-5pm.  Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen.  For all ages! In conjunction with the Latin Ballet of Virginia, “Dia de los Muertos” is a festive celebration of life with live performances, dancing, music, sweets, treats, and fun art activities for the whole family! Wear your Halloween costume to join in the fun at this community tradition!  Free.