City Halloween Carnivals, Oct. 29–31: Four Austin Rec Centers, Four Nights, One Cash-Only Haunted House

Austin Parks and Recreation is running four Halloween events at four recreation centers from Thursday, Oct. 29 through Saturday, Oct. 31, and the city's event pages split them into two kinds: one with a published schedule, three that say little more than "games, prizes and spooky fun." According to ATX Things' read of the city pages on Oct. 26, 2026, only the Metz Park night in East Austin lists a free trunk-or-treat, a cash-only ticket booth and a haunted house.

AI-generated illustration, not a photo of any of these events.

We have not been to any of the four. Everything below comes from the City of Austin's own event pages, read Monday, Oct. 26, and we say where a page is silent.

Which Austin rec center Halloween events are on, and when?

Source: City of Austin Parks and Recreation event pages, austintexas.gov/parks/events, read Oct. 26, 2026.

Givens and Turner-Roberts overlap from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, so a family can do one, not both, unless they plan to arrive late at the second.

What does the Metz Park night actually include?

It is the only one of the four with a schedule on the page. The city lists it this way:

• 6 p.m.: table games, vendors, free trunk-or-treat and door prizes
• 6:30 p.m.: haunted house and concession stand open
• 7:30 p.m.: costume contest, with prizes for first through third place in ages 0–3, 4–6, 7–9 and 10–12

The page says the trunk-or-treat is free "for all." It also says: "Cash event. Must purchase tickets for table games, concessions & haunted house," and that tickets go on sale in person, in cash, starting at 5:30 p.m. The page lists no ticket prices. We can't tell you what the haunted house costs, and we won't guess.

The city says the haunted house runs through the Mendez building itself, so it is indoors. The trunk-or-treat is outside. The page also invites volunteers to set up a trunk and gives a city contact email for that.

What about Pan Am, Givens and Turner-Roberts?

The city's descriptions are short.

Hallo's Eve at Pan Am (Friday, 6–8 p.m.) is billed as a "Family Fun Carnival with Games, Candy, Costume Contests and Prizes," held "inside the spooky gymnasium" of the Pan American Recreation Center at 2100 E. 3rd St.

Howl-O-Scream at Givens (Saturday, 5–7 p.m.) and Howl-O-Scream at Turner-Roberts (Saturday, 5:30–7:30 p.m.) share the same line: "Join your community recreation center for a Halloween carnival! Games, Prizes and Spooky Fun Time!" Givens is at 3811 E. 12th St.; Turner-Roberts is at 7201 Colony Loop Dr.

AI-generated illustration of a typical gym carnival, not a photo from any of these centers.

None of the three pages states a price, an age range, a registration rule or whether a costume is required. We don't know if there's a haunted house, a trunk-or-treat or a candy limit at any of them. The Pan Am page's wording suggests the games are inside the gym; the Howl-O-Scream pages don't say where anything happens.

Will it rain on Halloween week?

Open-Meteo's Austin forecast, pulled Oct. 26, puts the best chance of rain on Friday, Oct. 30, at 45%, with a high near 72°F. Thursday sits near 78°F with a 19% chance and Saturday near 78°F with 14%. A forecast five days out moves, so check it again the morning of the event.

If Friday's carnival is the one on your calendar, remember Pan Am's page describes it as inside the gym. That is the page's wording, not a rain plan from the city, and we haven't seen one.

What should parents confirm before going?

• Price. Only Metz Park says anything, and it lists no amounts.
• Rain plan. None of the pages states one.
• Parking. None of the pages says anything. We didn't verify it.
• Ages. Only the Metz Park costume contest lists age groups.

If you have been to one of these in a past year, tell us what it was like. We'll add it, with credit if you want it.

For other family Halloween plans this week, our Pumpkin Nights guide covers the paid option at Pioneer Farms through Nov. 1, and our things to do in Austin page tracks what else is on. The city's own list is at austintexas.gov/parks/events.

FAQ

Is the Metz Park trunk-or-treat free? Yes, according to the city's event page, which lists "Free Trunk-Or-Treat for all." Tickets for table games, concessions and the haunted house are separate, cash-only, and on sale in person starting at 5:30 p.m.

What time is the Metz Park costume contest? 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, with first- through third-place prizes in four age groups: 0–3, 4–6, 7–9 and 10–12, per the city's page.

Are the city's Halloween events really virtual? The pages carry a "Virtual Event" label, but each lists a street address and in-person activity, so they appear to be in-person events. Call the recreation center to be sure.

Which events are on Halloween night itself? Two: Howl-O-Scream at Givens (5–7 p.m.) and at Turner-Roberts (5:30–7:30 p.m.), both Saturday, Oct. 31, per the city.

Where do I find the official list? The City of Austin Parks and Recreation events page at austintexas.gov/parks/events.

Weather figures are from Open-Meteo, pulled Oct. 26, 2026, and will change. This desk publishes twice a day, morning and afternoon, on what is open, happening and worth the trip; follow @austintexasthings for the next one.