Round up the rug rats and bring them downtown for Wilmington’s favorite fall festivities: Halloween! There’s plenty for kids to do to celebrate the spooky and sweet holiday, and parents will enjoy the fun too. Here are a few of the Halloween events downtown Wilmington has in store for 2017:

1. Little Explorers: Pumpkins!

10 a.m. Oct. 20-21, 2017

Cape Fear Museum

Free

Kids 3 to 6 and their adult helpers will explore the fruit of the fall with activities, story time, exploration stations, and experiments in Museum Park. (If the weather interferes, the program is moved inside.)

2. Batty Battleship’s Halloween Bash

5:30 – 8 p.m. Oct. 24, 2017

Battleship North Carolina

$5, Kids 2 and younger free

Trick or treat aboard the Battleship North Carolina! Batty Battleship, brother Buggy, and friends return to the Battleship for spooktacular trick or treating. There’s a petting zoo, storytelling, activities, and lots of candy and sweets. Not scary!

3. Halloween Ghost Trolley

6-9 p.m. Oct. 27– 31, 2017

Market and Water Streets, downtown Wilmington

Adults $12, Kids under 12 $5

Visit the Haunted Barn, hear ghost stories (tailored for young children), and get free treats for the little spooks on the Halloween Ghost Trolley.

4. Haunted Cotton Exchange Tour

Daily, call for times

Cotton Exchange, downtown Wilmington

Adults $12, Kids 5 to 12 $5

Travel back in time for a spooky time at one of the most haunted locations in Wilmington! Hear some ghost stories and see odd and strange things at the Cotton Exchange every day.

5. Trick or Trot 5K

9 a.m. Oct. 28, 2017

Greenfield Lake Park

Prices vary

Super heroes, princesses, ghosts, and goblins will invade Greenfield Lake Park for the craziest 5k in Wilmington! Smaller spooks will love the one-mile Candy Dash. Benefits Historic Wilmington Foundation.

6. Cape Fear Riverboat Cruise

Daily

Cape Fear Riverboat Dock, Water and Dock Streets

$10

Round out your downtown Wilmington Halloween fun with a 1-hour sightseeing cruise on the Cape Fear River. It’s fun, educational, and truly a different view of things! Grab some food and beverages from the barge restaurant, Anne Bonny’s Bar and Grill, and take them along on your cruise. This is a fall excursion the whole family will enjoy!

Book Now! Book your cruise!