Mississauga & Markham Halloween Guide: Family-Friendly Fall Events

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors with the whole family. Check out all the community events happening in Mississauga and Markham including their most popular Halloween “spooktaculars”.

Streetsville Spooktacular

Streetsville’s annual Spooktacular event will take place on October 27 at the Vic Johnston Community Centre. Bring your costumed witches, ghosts, and ghouls for a range of haunting activities, including crafts and games. Children aged 3-8 years old will be captivated by spooky ghost stories, dance to some groovy Halloween tunes, and decorate their own trick or treat bags. The Streetsville BIA will also be collecting non-perishable food items from event-attendees for the Eden Community Food Bank.

Halloween Monster Mash
The Halloween Monster Mash takes over Mississauga’s Celebration Square in late October for a day of spooky fun for both the young and old. Lace up your roller skates for the Monster Roller jam on the rink, trick-or-treat around the Square, or explore the Spooktacular Maze. Enjoy, live music, food trucks, face painting, ghost story time, and other seasonal activities at this annual city event.

Birding for Kids

On October 20, head to the Riverwood Conservancy and join Trishia Kluge in this free event. Hike through the trails at the conservancy and observe and learn about different kinds of birds. This is a great and memorable experience for kids and is perfect for beginning bird watchers. Binoculars are recommended.

Hogwarts Halloween Experience
With over 165 years of history, the Benares Historic House, (a Georgian-style estate), gets a magical makeover for the Halloween season. On October 28, wizards and muggles alike will get to enjoy a Harry Potter-themed Halloween. Hidden magical beasts of Benares, Quidditch, Diagon Alley, and the tasty treats of the wizarding world will be pulled from the pages of the successful fantasy Harry Potter novels and brought to life at the Benares House.

In Markham

Unionville Stiver Mill Farmers’ Market

The last day to enjoy the Stiver Mill Farmers’ Market is Sunday, October 7. This free event is perfect for the whole family. The farmers’ market offers some of the best local fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and baked goods. There are fun crafts, live entertainment and a market grill.

Kidapalooza Fall Festival

Happening on October 6, 7 and 8 at the Markham Fairgrounds is a three-day event with indoor and outdoor activities that are perfect for the whole family. Kidapalooza features activity stations, mechanical rides, interactive inflatables, and other fun activities. Kids can meet and greet their favourite PJ Masks characters.

Fall Walks Festival
From October 9 – 14 take part in the Fall Walks Festival in Rouge National Urban Park. Enjoy fascinating walks and activities with seasoned guides and guest educators. Learn about biodiversity, cultural, and agricultural heritage in the GTA. The event also includes walks, special guests, and activities for families with young children (ages 3-12). Parkbus will be running a free shuttle service from downtown Toronto to Rouge National
Urban Park. All walks are free and open to the public.
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Scaryfest 2018

On October 26 – 28, the Markham Museum is transformed into a 25-acre ghoulish town, perfect for children 10 and under. Run, scream, and encounter lively and not-so-lively Halloween characters. Have your fortune told by their fortune teller, and dance the night away at the Monster Mash Bash! Come in costume, have fun and enjoy the family activities. Don’t forget to share your pictures from #Scaryfest on social media.

Here are some fun facts about Halloween you may not know:

• Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in), which can be traced back 2000 years. Held at sunset on October 31 and lasting throughout the day on November 1, this festival marked the end of the summer harvest and the start of winter or “dark season.”
• Celts wore costumes and masks to disguise themselves and ward off ghosts. Food was offered in front of houses to ward off evil spirits that could potentially cast bad luck on their homes and the community.
• Halloween was brought to Canada in the mid-to-late 1800s by Scottish and Irish immigrants.
• The origins of trick-or-treating began in the early 9th century when beggars would knock on doors asking for a “soul cake.” In return, they would offer a prayer for the dead relatives of the household.
• Originally, trick-or-treaters were given fruits and nuts, not candies and chocolates. Instead of saying prayers, they could recite poems, sing songs, or perform entertaining tricks in exchange for treats.
• Children dressing in costumes became popular in the 19th century.
• Today, 52% of trick-or-treaters prefer receiving chocolate or candy bars over lollipops and other forms of hard candies. Tootsie rolls are ranked among the least popular Halloween treats.
• Turnips were traditionally carved as the first Jack O’ Lanterns. Since turnips were less common in North America, Irish immigrants used pumpkins as a substitute for their Halloween tradition.
• Jack O’ Lanterns have become the universal symbol of Halloween. They were originally carved by the ancient Celts to keep harmful spirits away from homes and protection against bad luck.
• The legend behind Jack O’ Lantern started with the death of a wicked blacksmith named Stingy Jack, who was doomed to roam the Earth. When Jack asked the devil for a light, he was given a burning coal to light up his path. Because nobody liked Jack, people started carving potatoes with scary faces to frighten him away.
• Orange and black are traditional Halloween colours and come with special meanings. Orange symbolizes the harvest season and is associated with land, farming, pumpkins, candle lights, bonfires, and fall leaves. Black represents death, dark of night, witches, and black cats.

The fall season revolves around the harvest with so many events for your family to enjoy. If you are looking for a reliable contractor who can transport your harvesting machinery, either locally or internationally, call Ready Machinery Movers at 1-800-211-2500 for machinery moving services.

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