How Should You Plan Halloween Weekend 2026 in Branson?

Last Updated: October 2026

In This Article

1. What Does Halloween Saturday Look Like in Branson, Hour by Hour?
2. What Happens in Branson on the Friday Before Halloween?
3. Can You Wear a Costume at Branson Attractions?
4. Which Branson Halloween Events Are Too Scary for Young Children?
5. What Changes in Branson on Sunday, November 1?
6. Where Should You Stay for Halloween Weekend in Branson?
7. Frequently Asked Questions

Branson goes all in for Halloween, and in 2026 the holiday lands on a Saturday, so the parade, the trick-or-treating, the last night of the fall festivals and the haunted rides all fall within one weekend. This plan lays it out hour by hour, with Thousand Hills Resort Hotel as the base between stops.

Dates and times come from each operator’s own website, read in mid-October 2026. Prices are left out because they change, and events can change too, so confirm with each operator before you go.

What Does Halloween Saturday Look Like in Branson, Hour by Hour?

Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31, and Branson fills it from morning to late evening. The day opens with a free 10am parade at Branson Landing, runs through the final day of Silver Dollar City’s Harvest Festival, then moves to trick-or-treating, glowing pumpkin trails and haunted coaster rides after dark.

Time	What is on	Where	Best for
9:30am to 10:00pm	Final day of the Harvest Festival and Pumpkins in the City	Silver Dollar City	Families, no costumes
10:00am	Trick or Tree Christmas Parade, free, as Silver Dollar City’s 50-foot Grand Fir arrives with Santa	The Promenade, Branson Landing	All ages
From 5:30pm	Evening Plaza with family dance parties and photos with Peter and Penelope Pumpkin	Silver Dollar City	Families
5:30pm, 6:15pm, 7:05pm	Thriller dance during the 20th Annual Safe Street Trick-or-Treating	Near Belk, Bass Pro and The Fountains, Branson Landing	Children in costume
Dusk to 10:00pm	Pumpkins Aglow trail and Haunted Copperhead Mountain Coaster Nights	Shepherd of the Hills	Pumpkins Aglow suits young children
7:00pm to 10:00pm	The Curse at The Branson Ghoster Coaster	The Branson Coaster, 76 Country Boulevard	Ages 13 and up
7:00pm to 11:00pm	Field of Screams and its 9th Inning Nightmare haunted house	1000 Pat Nash Drive, Branson	Teens and adults

Branson Landing does not print a start or finish time for the trick-or-treating itself, so the three Thriller dances are the fixed points to plan the evening around. Silver Dollar City’s calendar shows the park open from 9:30am to 10:00pm on both October 30 and 31, which leaves room for a full last day at the Harvest Festival and its pumpkin displays before the evening events start.

What Happens in Branson on the Friday Before Halloween?

Friday, October 30 is the easier night for younger children. The City of Branson holds its free Halloween BOOnanza at the Branson RecPlex Ballfields from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, with a trick-or-treat trail, fall-themed games, face painting, inflatables and a costume contest.

Several of Saturday’s evening events also run on Friday, which takes pressure off Halloween night itself:

• Shepherd of the Hills opens Pumpkins Aglow from dusk until 10:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and its Haunted Copperhead Mountain Coaster Nights run Fridays and Saturdays through October 31.
• The Branson Coaster runs The Curse on Friday and Saturday nights from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.
• Field of Screams lists October 29, 30 and 31 among its open nights, with the box office opening at 6pm.

Splitting the weekend this way gives the youngest trick-or-treaters the BOOnanza on Friday, and frees Saturday evening for Branson Landing if you choose.

Can You Wear a Costume at Branson Attractions?

It depends on the attraction. Silver Dollar City states that costumes are not allowed to be worn by guests, and that still applies on Halloween, the final day of its Harvest Festival. Costumes belong at Branson Landing’s Safe Street Trick-or-Treating on Saturday and the BOOnanza costume contest on Friday.

The simple fix is to split the day. Spend the daytime at Silver Dollar City in ordinary clothes, then change into costumes for the evening at Branson Landing, where store windows with a Halloween pumpkin sign mark the businesses handing out treats. Teal pumpkins mark the businesses offering food allergy-friendly treats or non-food goodies.

Pack costumes from home if you can. Spirit Halloween’s 2026 store list shows no store in Branson or Hollister, and its nearest locations are two in Springfield, one at Battlefield Mall and one at Primrose Marketplace, both on South Glenstone Avenue.

Silver Dollar City’s evening Plaza still gives children plenty of Halloween atmosphere without a costume, with family dance parties from 5:30pm and photos with Peter and Penelope Pumpkin among the lit pumpkins of Pumpkins in the City.

Which Branson Halloween Events Are Too Scary for Young Children?

The Branson Coaster recommends its haunted nights for ages 13 and up, while Shepherd of the Hills says Pumpkins Aglow has no jump scares and is designed to be family-friendly. Field of Screams publishes no age guidance, so check with the attraction before bringing younger teens.

• The Curse at The Branson Ghoster Coaster: needs a special event ticket, and regular coaster tickets, third-party tickets, discounts and coupons are not accepted. Children 12 and under can ride in the daytime, from 11:00am to 6:00pm, while the decorations are up, with no live scaring.
• Field of Screams: a haunted attraction complex built inside a former sports venue, with live actors, fog and strobe lights in its 9th Inning Nightmare haunted house.
• Pumpkins Aglow: a half-mile, one-way trail with timed entry from dusk, lit by thousands of glowing pumpkins.
• Exeter Corn Maze: outside Branson in Exeter, Missouri, with haunting from 6pm each night, daytime activities with no scares for children, and a waiver required to enter.

Grown-ups after a quieter night can turn to Branson’s bars and late-night spots once the family events finish. No Branson venue we checked had listed an adults-only Halloween party for 2026 by mid-October, so check each venue’s own calendar closer to the date, or look at the wider list of things for adults to do in Branson.

What Changes in Branson on Sunday, November 1?

Daylight saving time ends at 2:00am on Sunday, November 1, 2026, so clocks go back one hour and a late Saturday gains an extra hour of sleep. Silver Dollar City’s calendar then shows the park closed from November 1 through November 6, before it reopens on November 7.

Sunday also closes out the season for Exeter Corn Maze, which runs through November 1. Anyone staying on into November will find Field of Screams listing Halloween and Christmas crossover nights on November 6, 7, 13 and 14, and Silver Dollar City reopening on November 7.

Planning a return trip for the holidays is easier once you know what to look for in a Branson hotel at Christmas, from location to an indoor pool for cold evenings.

Where Should You Stay for Halloween Weekend in Branson?

Halloween weekend moves between Branson Landing, Silver Dollar City, Shepherd of the Hills and 76 Country Boulevard, so it helps to have one comfortable base. Thousand Hills Resort Hotel has heated indoor and outdoor pools, an adults-only swim from 10:00pm to midnight and a daily breakfast buffet.

The hotel sits on South Wildwood Drive in Branson, and its heated indoor pool is open to all guests from 8:00am to 10:00pm. The adults-only swim then runs from 10:00pm until midnight, a quiet end to an evening for grown-ups back from the haunted rides.

The daily breakfast buffet covers an early start before the parade or the park, and Wildwood Bar offers casual cocktails and games for a quieter evening back at the hotel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Spirit Halloween store in Branson?

Spirit Halloween’s 2026 store list shows no store in Branson or Hollister. Its nearest stores are two in Springfield, at Battlefield Mall and Primrose Marketplace on South Glenstone Avenue.

Can you wear a Halloween costume at Silver Dollar City?

No. Silver Dollar City states that costumes are not allowed to be worn by guests at the park, and that includes Halloween, the last day of its Harvest Festival.

What time is the Thriller dance at Branson Landing on Halloween?

On October 31, Sonshine Dance and Fitness performs it near Belk at 5:30pm, near Bass Pro at 6:15pm and near The Fountains at 7:05pm.

Is The Curse at The Branson Coaster suitable for young children?

The Branson Coaster recommends its haunted nights for ages 13 and up. Children 12 and under can visit in the daytime, when the decorations are up but there is no live scaring.

Is Silver Dollar City open on November 1, 2026?

No. Silver Dollar City’s calendar shows the park closed from November 1 through November 6, 2026, reopening on November 7.

Does Thousand Hills Resort Hotel have an adults-only pool time?

Yes. Thousand Hills Resort Hotel opens its pool to all guests from 8:00am to 10:00pm, then runs an adults-only swim from 10:00pm to midnight.

To plan Halloween weekend in Branson, reserve your room direct or call (877) 815-0990 to book with Thousand Hills Resort Hotel, and ask about the Silver Dollar City package with two one-day passes for the festival’s final days.