Halloween is not complete without digging into the goopy center of pumpkin and transforming the orange gourd into a snaggletoothed jack-o’-lantern. And while it’s certainly possible to pick up a pumpkin at the supermarket, doing so means missing out on candied apples, maize mazes and bumpy hayrides. Here is a list of pumpkin patches and other family friendly activities to check out this season.

Halloween Comic Fest
Oct 27-Oct 31
Wow Cool Alternative Comics
21607B Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino
Some of the spookiest and freakiest fun comes in the form of comic books. Join the folks over at Wow Cool in Cupertino—along with special guests Brandon Dayton (Green Monk) and Yancy Labat (Deadpool), who will be on hand on Saturday. Special deals continue through the end of the week.

Family Concert
Oct 28, 3pm
Cañada College Main Theatre
4200 Farm Hill Blvd, Redwood City
Plucking out light-hearted classical works related to creatures of the night and evil spirits—such as Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf and John Williams’ “Devil’s Dance” from the score of The Witches of Eastwick—Redwood Symphony invites the audience to enjoy a little musical magic. Designed especially with young audience members in mind, there will be a “tour of the orchestra” in addition to the concert. Costumes are welcome.

Halloween Haunts
Oct 26 & Oct 27
Hidden Villa
26870 Moody Rd, Los Altos Hills
Families with children ages 4-12 can enjoy a scare-free Halloween outing in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Wander the trails surrounding the Hidden Villa farm, collect treats and be awed by a magic show.

Pumpkin Palooza
Oct 27, 6pm
Family Community Church West Parking Lot
478 Piercy Rd, San Jose
Mazes, inflatable obstacle courses, games and plenty more family friendly activities are highlights of this annual community event, along with music and food trucks.

Spooky Times at Deer Holloween
Oct 27, 10am
Deer Hollow Farm
22500 Cristo Rey Dr, Cupertino
Little munchkins can explore haunted barns in the safety of daylight at Deer Hollow Farm—and meet the animals that live there. Crafts and additional activities are also available.

Monster Bash
Oct 27, 1pm
Pioneer Park
1146 Church St, Mountain View
Arts, crafts, games and a “Giant Pumpkin Seed Hunt” are geared for families with children preschool-age up to 10 years old. Trick-or-treaters can venture out to the businesses of downtown Mountain View directly following the event.

Creepy Crawly Halloween
Oct 28, 4pm
Downtown Campbell
E Campbell Ave & N 1st St, Campbell
The streets of downtown Campbell are closed and given over to trick-or-treaters so that they can safely wander, visiting the businesses, enjoying kids activities and mingling with other members of the community. The evening finishes off with a costume contest.

Blossom Halloween Carnival
Oct 28, 10am
California Ave between Birch St & Park Blvd, Palo Alto
In addition to trick-or-treating at the businesses along California Avenue, families can enjoy performances by children’s entertainer Andy Z, the Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band and Dance Connection. Carnival games and a costume contest round out this community event.

Spellbound
Oct 31, 6pm
Children’s Discovery Museum
180 Woz Way, San Jose
At a rare after-hours event, children can explore the museum exhibitions plus special Halloween-themed art and science activities. Get some fresh air by travelling the “healthy treat trail” in Bill’s Backyard, the museum’s outdoor play space.

Halloween in Japantown
Oct 31, 4pm
Japantown San Jose
Jackson & 5th streets
From the tiny taiko drummers of Lotus Preschool to the “Layers of SJ” maker booth hosted by artist Corinne Okada Takara at Roy’s Station, Halloween in Japantown offers many ways to explore this historic San Jose community while celebrating All Hallows’ Eve. Arrive early to catch all of the arts and crafts, performances, carnival activities, trick-or-treating and children’s book giveaway, but stay to the end to witness (or participate in) the Thriller Flash Mob led by the Get Down Dance Studio and featuring the distinctive rhythms of San Jose Taiko.

The Pumpkin Patch
Thru Oct 28, 11am
Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad
233 Blossom Hill Rd, Los Gatos
Picking the perfect pumpkin to carve can be an event in itself, but finding that pumpkin at Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad is a perfect excuse to enjoy some charming early 20th-century entertainment. The railroad features one-third scale steam locomotives, including an original 1905 model, and diesel locomotives that wind through Oak Meadow and Vasona parks. A restored carousel originally manufactured for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition also found its way to Oak Meadow. Both attractions are $3 per ride.

Gardens@Night
Thru Oct 28, 5pm
Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
3050 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy
The rides and attractions of Gilroy Gardens take on a spooky atmosphere after dark. Between rides, trick-or-treaters can travel the “Boo Trail” for some candy and extra Halloween ambiance. Costumed characters provide live musical entertainment in The Great Big Boo! on the Lakeside Amphitheater stage.

Pick of the Patch Pumpkins
Thru Oct 31
Multiple locations throughout South Bay
Attractions vary by patch and may include duck boats, a paintball range, pony rides, a petting zoo, a haunted house and more, but every location features pumpkins and inflatable fun for children.

Shoreline Pumpkin Splash
Thru Oct 31
Shoreline Lake
3160 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View
After picking out pumpkins and carving or painting them, families can take a turn on the lake in a pedal boat. A bounce house, crafts and cookie decorating are also available to round out a mellow autumn afternoon excursion.

Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch
Thru Oct 31
Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch
Santa Teresa Blvd at Bailey Ave, San Jose
Go straight to the source at Spina Farms, where over 60 varieties of pumpkins are grown and harvested. For a feast for the senses, tour the farm on a tractor-pulled hayride past the pumpkins and fields of sunflowers. On weekends, there are also pony rides and a petting zoo.

Uesugi Farms Pumpkin Park
Thru Oct 31
Uesugi Farms
14485 Monterey Rd, San Martin
The park features a two-acre corn maze made easier to navigate via hints in the form of trivia cards. Folks with corn-maze claustrophobia can take a hay ride to explore more of the farmlands. For a photo op, families can pose in front of a 4,000-pumpkin pyramid. Musicians provide live entertainment on certain days.