Village Finds: Halloween Edition! 🎃

If you know Maddie and me, you probably already know this: Halloween is our FAVORITE holiday of the entire year.

We love all of it. The costumes. The pumpkins. The decorations. The spooky houses. The ridiculous amounts of candy. The excuse to spend basically an entire month doing Halloween activities and combing through thrift stores to create truly unique looks.

But October can also get expensive FAST. A pumpkin patch here, a haunted attraction there, throw in some apple cider donuts because obviously those are necessary...and suddenly you've spent a small fortune. I know that the wallet is looking tight this year, so one of our traditions has been booted out of the door due to the cost of inflation.

So this Village Finds is all about doing Halloween without terrifying your bank account.

Here are 10 FREE or budget-friendly Halloween adventures around the Portland Metro area, including some of Maddie and my favorites, a couple we're trying this year, and plenty of opportunities to get those costumes out more than once!

Here we go...

1. Pirates of Pinehurst — Sherwood

Cost: FREE
Dates: October 2–30, select Thursday–Sunday evenings
Times: Multiple shows between 7:00–8:30 PM, depending on the date
Where: Pinehurst Court at Woodhaven Drive, Sherwood

Starting with one we can personally vouch for!

My daughter and I went to Pirates of Pinehurst last year and it was a BLAST. A Sherwood neighborhood transforms into a pirate adventure filled with animatronics, lights, fog, sound and video, all leading up to an approximately 10-minute show created by the people who actually live on Pinehurst Court. Almost every house spends hours decorating their yards in epic pirate decorations. Go during the day and conduct a hunt for treasured Pinehurst Gold which has been hidden across Sherwood.

And did I mention it's FREE?!

For October 2–11, shows run Thursdays and Sundays at 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00 PM, with an additional 8:30 PM show on Fridays and Saturdays. From October 15–30, shows run Thursday through Sunday at 7:00, 7:30 and 8:00 PM. There are no shows on Halloween night, so don't wait until the 31st!

💛 Noelle Notes: Put this one on your list. Seriously. Apparently this year is the last chance to see the show before it's retired. We had SO much fun last year. Park near Woodhaven and Pinehurst and walk into the neighborhood. Since the shows are weather-dependent, check their social media before you head out if our lovely Oregon weather is doing its thing.

2. Bella Organic Farm — Sauvie Island

Cost: FREE admission; activities and pumpkins extra
Pumpkin Patch: September 26–October 31
Hours: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM through October 30; 9:00 AM–3:00 PM Halloween
Where: 16205 NW Gillihan Road, Portland

Bella Organic Farm is already a Maddie-and-me favorite.

One of the things I love about Bella is that you don't have to purchase a big admission package just to enjoy the farm. You can come out, wander around, take adorable fall pictures and pick out a pumpkin while choosing which extras are actually worth paying for. And they are having an epic costume party and contest on October 30th!

Their pumpkin patch is open daily during the season, and there are plenty of optional add-ons including the corn maze, farm activities, food and treats. Corn maze tickets range from $10-$12 dependent on which day you book. Hayrides are free and most activities are only $2-$5 each.

And yes, there's a haunted corn maze for the braver members of the Village with tickets priced at $35-$55. I will leave you to determine your own level of bravery. I do it every year and it is a blast.

💛 Noelle Notes: We LOVE Bella! You can keep this outing inexpensive by skipping the big activity packages and just choosing one or two extras. Also, this is October in Oregon and you are walking through a farm field. Bring the boots. Future You will be grateful.

3. The Pumpkin Patch — Sauvie Island

Cost: FREE admission
Pumpkins: $5, $10 or $15, depending on size
Hayride: $2/person
Pumpkin Season: Last weekend of September through October
October Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM
Where: 16511 NW Gillihan Road, Portland

Right down the road is another one of our favorites: The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island, Portland's original.

There is no general admission fee, which makes this such an easy fall outing. You can visit the farm, check out the market and enjoy the atmosphere without paying just to walk through the gate.

If you want to head out to the 25-acre pumpkin field, the hayride is only $2 per person and takes you on about a two-mile loop. Pumpkins are currently listed at $5, $10 and $15. There's also an 8-acre corn maze if you want to turn it into a bigger outing.

💛 Noelle Notes: Another Maddie-and-me favorite! You absolutely do not need to do every paid attraction to make this feel like a full fall day. Also, if you're heading to Sauvie Island on a beautiful October weekend, GO EARLY. The traffic trying to get on and off the island can become the scariest attraction of the day.

4. Smith Berry Barn — Hillsboro

Cost: FREE admission
Pumpkins: Approximately late September through October
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM; closed Mondays
Where: 24500 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Hillsboro

If your ideal pumpkin-patch outing is a little more relaxed, Smith Berry Barn deserves a spot on the list.

Visiting the farm is completely free for the whole family. Their fall setup includes a pumpkin patch, Straw Pyramid House, Tiny Tots Hay Maze and farm animals. Bring some quarters if the kiddos want to feed the animals.

And then there are the treats.

Apple cider donuts. Honeycrisp caramel apples. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Pumpkin pie milkshakes. Pumpkin spice lattes.

Apparently the children are not the only demographic they're trying to lure in.

💛 Noelle Notes: This is a great choice if you have younger kids or just want a quieter fall afternoon without paying an admission fee before you've even bought a pumpkin. And I'm just saying...if somebody gets a pumpkin pie milkshake, I would like a review.

5. Hoffman Farms — Beaverton

Cost: FREE admission
Corn Maze: $6
Train: $5
Fall Festivities: Beginning September 22
Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Where: 22242 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Beaverton

This one is officially a 2026 experiment!

We've been to Hoffman Farms for berry picking, but somehow we have never gone for pumpkin season. That changes this year.

Admission to the farm is FREE, there are more than 50 varieties of pumpkins, and you can decide whether you want to add the 10+ acre corn maze for $6 or hop aboard the farm train for $5 (infants under the age of 1 may ride on a lap and don't require a ticket). Fall weekends also bring live music, and of course there are plenty of treats available if you're hungry.

Bonus Find: Hoffman Farms is also hosting Spooky Night on Friday, October 23 from 5:00–7:00 PM. It's free to attend and includes costumes, trick-or-treating and spooky fall fun, although some individual activities cost extra.

💛 Noelle Notes: We've loved Hoffman for berry picking, so we're officially testing out their pumpkin patch this year! I feel like the $5 train is probably going to happen. Who am I kidding? The train is absolutely going to happen.

6. Halloween Silly Walk & Dance Party — Beaverton

Cost: FREE
Date: Sunday, October 18
Time: 3:00–5:30 PM
Where: Conestoga Recreation & Aquatic Center, 9985 SW 125th Avenue

I don't know who came up with the words Halloween Silly Walk & Dance Party, but I already like them.

The front parking lot at Conestoga transforms for an afternoon of daylight trick-or-treating, costumed characters and dancing with DJ Will. Costumes and your absolute silliest walk are encouraged.

It's FREE, open to all ages and happening rain or shine.

💛 Noelle Notes: I LOVE daytime Halloween events. The kids get another excuse to wear their costumes, there's trick-or-treating AND dancing, and everyone can still be home at a reasonable hour. Also, I fully expect the parents to participate in the silly walking. Don't disappoint me, Village.

7. BOOverton — Downtown Beaverton

Cost: FREE — including the activities!
Date: October 26
Time: 11:00 AM–3:00 PM
Where: Downtown Beaverton

BOOverton is back!

Throw on those costumes and head downtown for an afternoon of Halloween fun right here in Beaverton. Even better for the Village Finds budget: the event and activities are FREE.

It's exactly the kind of event I love including in these lists because you don't have to mentally calculate the cost of admission times however many people are in your family before deciding whether you can go.

Just grab the costumes and head out!

💛 Noelle Notes: Halloween is our favorite holiday, so I am firmly in the camp of wear the costume as many times as humanly possible. A free four-hour Halloween event sounds like a pretty good excuse to me.

8. Halloween in Downtown Hillsboro

Cost: FREE
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 5:00–7:00 PM
Where: Downtown Hillsboro

Need plans for Halloween night itself? Downtown Hillsboro has you covered.

Families can walk through Downtown Hillsboro in costume and visit participating businesses for candy and treats during Trick or Treat on Main Street. It's a long-running Hillsboro tradition built around local businesses creating a fun place for families to celebrate Halloween together.

One important parent note: the streets remain open to vehicle traffic, so keep the little ghosts, dinosaurs, princesses and superheroes close while you're making the rounds.

💛 Noelle Notes: I especially like options like this for families who don't live in neighborhoods with a ton of trick-or-treating. You still get that classic walk-around-and-fill-the-candy-bucket Halloween experience without having to buy a ticket to anything.

9. Halloween Hunt — Bethany Village

Cost: FREE
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 3:00–6:00 PM
Where: Bethany Village

Want to start Halloween before dinner?

Bethany Village is hosting its Halloween Hunt from 3:00–6:00 PM with trick-or-treating at participating businesses, plus games and a bounce house.

The whole thing is FREE, and because it ends at 6:00pm, families could make this their main Halloween event or use it as the warm-up before heading home for neighborhood trick-or-treating.

Which means the children could potentially obtain an absolutely unreasonable quantity of candy.

You have been warned.

💛 Noelle Notes: This is a good one for younger kids who might not make it through hours of nighttime trick-or-treating. Start early, let them have their fun, and if everybody still has energy afterward...Round Two!

10. Halloween in Multnomah Village — Portland

Cost: FREE
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 3:30–5:30 PM
Where: Multnomah Village, SW Capitol Highway & SW Troy

We're finishing our Halloween Village Finds with one more completely FREE Halloween-day adventure.

Multnomah Village's annual Trick-or-Treat Costume Parade runs from 3:30–5:30 PM. Families can start at any participating business along SW Capitol Highway and SW Troy and make their way through the village collecting treats.

Organizers recommend walking, rolling or taking public transportation when possible because there will be lots of little Halloween visitors wandering through the neighborhood.

💛 Noelle Notes: I lived in Hillsdale/Multnomah Village for years and love this community. Their neighborhood business-district events like this are amazing because we're getting the kids out, supporting local businesses and building those fun little Halloween traditions without spending money just to participate. That's a Village Finds win in my book.

One Month. Ten Finds. LOTS of Halloween.

I will fully admit my bias on this one: Halloween is our FAVORITE.

My daughter and I love the costumes, pumpkin patches, decorations, spooky adventures and all the little traditions that come with October. But those memories don't have to come from the biggest or most expensive attraction.

Sometimes it's a $2 hayride.

Sometimes it's wandering through a pumpkin patch in muddy boots.

Sometimes it's dancing in a rec center parking lot dressed like a witch.

Sometimes it's watching an entire neighborhood in Sherwood transform into a pirate village.

And sometimes it's simply getting one more excuse to put on that Halloween costume before it gets shoved into a closet and mysteriously becomes too small by next October.

That's what Village Finds is all about.

Getting out. Trying something new. Supporting the places and people in our community. Making memories with our kiddos.

And finding ways to do all of it without spending a fortune.

Maddie and I already have a few of these on our October list, and I can't wait to hear which ones make yours!

Happy haunting, Village!

It takes a village — let's make our own.