What’s Happening in the Fox Valley: Things to Do in St. Charles, Geneva, and Batavia This Month

Events in the area.

Scarecrow Weekend, trick-or-treat hours, every pumpkin patch still open, BatFest, haunted houses, and the shows worth a babysitter, all within about 10 miles of Fox Haven Square, October 6 through November 6. Pick your weekend. We will handle dinner.

Simple EJ’s Kitchen & Tap · Fox Haven Square, St. Charles IL · Updated October 8, 2026

October is the month the Fox Valley gets weird on purpose. Downtown St. Charles ties 120 scarecrows to its lamp posts, Batavia throws a costume parade for 5,000 people and their dogs, Geneva lets kids trick-or-treat the shops on a Thursday afternoon, and five pumpkin farms within 15 miles of Fox Haven Square stay open until the first of November. Here is the whole stretch from October 6 to November 6, week by week, with a link for every single thing. One of them is ours, and it is right below.

Open All Month: Pumpkin Patches, Haunts, and Markets

These run most days through Halloween weekend, so they fit around whatever else your weekend holds. Closest to Simple EJ’s first.

Daily through Nov 1 Windy Acres Farm Fall Fest, Geneva. The closest pumpkin farm to Fox Haven Square, about four miles down Fabyan Parkway. Rides, u-pick apples, a bakery, and a farm stand, 10 am to 5:30 pm daily. $15 weekdays, $17.99 weekends and Columbus Day, kids under 2 free.

Tue to Sun through Oct 30 Sonny Acres Farm Fall Festival, West Chicago. The North Avenue classic, five miles east. Free admission Tuesday through Thursday, $10 Friday to Sunday with kids 12 and under free, open until 10 pm Fridays and Saturdays. The haunted hayride and haunted barn run select nights for ages 12 and up ($20 to $38). Last day is Friday, October 30.

Wed to Sun through Nov 1 Pumpkin Daze at Abbey Farms, Aurora. Corn maze, hayrides, cider donuts, and a bring-your-own-flashlight night maze every October Saturday until 10 pm. $17 to $23 depending on the day, kids 2 and under free. Halloween is a daytime-only day there.

Daily through Nov 1 Kuipers Family Farm Fall Harvest Fest, Maple Park. Thirty-plus attractions, pig races, weekend live music, and u-pick apples still running. Pumpkin FunFarm from $19.99, orchard from $11.99. Call ahead for which apple varieties are left.

Daily through Nov 1 Randall Oaks Zoo Fall Festival, West Dundee. Fall decorations and family activities throughout the little zoo, 9 am to 5 pm, with trick-or-treating and costume parades on Halloween weekend. Dinosaurs take over for DINOvember starting November 2.

Most nights through Nov 7 Basement of the Dead, Aurora. Downtown Aurora’s long-running indoor haunted house plus its 3D sister haunt, generally 7 to 10 pm on open nights, later on Fridays and Saturdays. Online tickets start around $29 and climb closer to Halloween.

Thu to Sun through Oct 31 5 Points Haunted House, West Chicago. A family-built haunt inside a century-old barn on Roosevelt Road. From $25, with daytime no-scare sessions from $15 for younger kids.

Sundays through mid-Nov Geneva French Market. Sundays 9 am to 2 pm in the Metra lot at Fourth and South streets. Free. The last outdoor market of the season in the Tri-Cities once Batavia wraps on October 17.

Through Jan 3 Million Dollar Quartet, Stolp Island Theatre, Aurora. Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins jamming in a 98-seat room where you can see the sweat. $87, grown-up date night.

Week 1: October 6 to 11, Scarecrow Weekend

The biggest free weekend of the fall in St. Charles. Downtown fills with scarecrows Friday through Sunday, and the Simple EJ’s dining room at Fox Haven Square is a six-minute drive east on Main Street when the kids hit the wall. Saturday is also the Bears’ first trip to Green Bay this season, Sunday at noon.

Fri to Sun, Oct 9 to 11 Scarecrow Weekend, Downtown St. Charles. The 41st annual. More than 120 handmade scarecrows displayed around downtown for viewing and voting, live music on 1st Street Plaza, a Family Zone at Lincoln Park with pumpkin bowling and food trucks, and an Activity Zone on Riverside Avenue with an inflatable corn maze, pumpkin painting, a rock wall, a professional pumpkin carver, and a magician. Friday noon to 6, Saturday 10 to 6, Sunday 10 to 5. Free; build-your-own scarecrow kits are $15.

Fri to Sun, Oct 9 to 11 Autumn on the Fox Art & Craft Show, Pottawatomie Park. More than 100 juried Midwest artists and crafters plus food booths at 8 North Ave, a short walk from the scarecrows. Friday and Saturday 10 to 5, Sunday 10 to 4.

Fri, Oct 9 Second Fridays at Water Street Studios, Batavia. Open studios and a new gallery show along the Batavia riverfront, 6 to 9 pm. Free, donations welcome.

Fri to Sun, Oct 9 to 11 Young Sherlock, Playhouse 38, Geneva. Geneva Park District’s youth company stages a Sherlock Holmes origin mystery. $10 in advance, $15 day of.

Sat, Oct 10 Ghost Story Train, Fox River Trolley Museum, South Elgin. An evening trolley ride along the river to campfire ghost stories, s’mores, and hot chocolate. Departures at 5, 6:15, and 7:30 pm, with more Saturdays planned on October 17 and 24. Kid-safe spooky.

Sat, Oct 10 Fall Fun Days at Primrose Farm, St. Charles. Wagon ride to the pumpkin patch, pumpkin decorating, and farm games at the park district’s working farm on Crane Road, 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. Also October 17 and 24. Advance registration.

Sat Oct 10 and Sun Oct 11 Elgin Symphony: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1, Hemmens. The season opener with the most famous piano concerto ever written and Copland’s Rodeo. Saturday 7:30 pm, Sunday 2:30 pm. $20 to $68, and kids 17 and under get in free.

Through Sun, Oct 11 Mean Girls, Paramount Theatre, Aurora. Closing weekend of the Tina Fey musical’s local premiere. Teens and up. Tickets through the Paramount box office.

Mon, Oct 12 Scooby-Doo (2002), $1 Movie Night, Paramount Theatre. Columbus Day, no school, and a buck to see Scooby in a 1931 movie palace. 7 pm, cash at the door. Sonny Acres, Abbey Farms, Windy Acres, and Kuipers are all open that Monday too.

Week 2: October 12 to 18, Ghoulish Homes, Witches, and the Last Outdoor Market

Mid-October is when the Halloween calendar in the Fox Valley actually starts. The St. Charles Park District releases its map of the most over-the-top yard displays on the 16th, Elgin turns eight downtown blocks into a zombie street party, and Batavia’s farmers market has its last Saturday of the year.

Tue, Oct 13 Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Arcada Theatre, St. Charles. “Bittersweet” in a 900-seat room, 7:30 pm. Strong Gen X date night two miles from Fox Haven Square. Pricing on arcadalive.com.

Thu, Oct 15 Cemetery Walk, West Side Cemetery, Batavia. Depot Museum staff tell the stories of Batavia’s past on a respectful 45-minute walk, 6 pm. $12, all ages. Repeats Saturday, October 24 at 1:30 pm.

Fri, Oct 16 Boo Bash, ARC Center, West Chicago. Haunted hayride, pumpkin patch, inflatable run, scavenger hunt, and a Nerf room for ages 17 and under, 5:30 to 8:30 pm. Free with pre-registration, $15 walk-up.

Oct 16 to 31 Gallery of Ghoulish Homes Tour, St. Charles. The park district’s free, self-guided drive-by tour of the most committed Halloween yards in St. Charles, best viewed dusk to 10 pm. The map drops October 16 and there is a People’s Choice vote. Homeowners can still enter through October 13.

Fri and Sat, Oct 16 to 17 Nightmare on Chicago Street, Downtown Elgin. Two nights this year instead of one. Eight blocks of downtown Elgin become a post-apocalyptic street party with bands, performers, and the Nightmare Alley haunt. Gates at 6 pm. $35 online, $40 at the gate, 17 and up. Each night is a separate ticket.

Fri and Sat, Oct 16 to 17 Greg Fitzsimmons, The Comedy Vault, Batavia. Emmy-winning writer and Howard Stern regular, 7 and 9:30 pm both nights. About $31, 21 and up.

Oct 16 to 25 The Dining Room, Playhouse 38, Geneva. A.R. Gurney’s funny, bittersweet mosaic of family scenes around one table. Fridays and Saturdays 7:30 pm, Sundays 3 pm, two weekends.

Sat, Oct 17 Batavia Farmers’ Market, final outdoor Saturday. Last regular market of the season on N. River Street, 8 am to noon, with the Artisan Collective makers’ pop-up alongside. It returns for one bonus date at BatFest on October 24, then moves indoors to Sturdy Shelter Brewing starting October 31.

Sat, Oct 17 Witches Night Out, Batavia Boardwalk Shops. A witchy shopping night at 114 E. Wilson St, 5 to 8:30 pm, with a costume contest and a candle magic workshop. Free to attend, grown-ups mostly.

Sat, Oct 17 Howard Levy: I Speak Music, Baker Community Center, St. Charles. The two-time Grammy winner from Bela Fleck and the Flecktones plays a century of songs on harmonica and piano to celebrate the Baker Center’s 100th birthday. 7:30 pm, $30.

Sat, Oct 17 Escape the Mansion, Persinger Recreation Center, Geneva. An escape-room style Halloween challenge for groups of 10, timed slots from 1 to 9 pm. Registration through the Geneva Park District.

Sat, Oct 17 All Animal Expo, Kane County Fairgrounds. Reptiles, birds, and small animals in the Rabbit and Poultry buildings on Randall Road, 10 am to 3 pm.

Sun, Oct 18 Marklund Run, Walk & Roll 5K, Geneva. The all-abilities 5K and 1-mile benefiting Marklund, 8:30 am start at the Hyde Center on Wyatt Drive. $40 for the 5K, $30 for the mile.

Sun, Oct 18 Chicago Railroad Collectibles Show, Kane County Fairgrounds. The 31st annual, 10 am to 3 pm in Robinson Hall. $6, kids under 12 free. About a fifth of it is model trains, which is the fifth your kid cares about.

Week 3: October 19 to 25, Pumpkin Carving, BatFest, and the World Series

The busiest seven days of the month. Simple EJ’s hosts its own family pumpkin carving night on Tuesday, the Bears play a Thursday night home game, the World Series starts Friday, and Saturday the 24th has more Halloween events than any other day on this list.

Mon, Oct 19 Friday the 13th (1980), $1 Movie Night, Paramount Theatre. The original slasher for a dollar, 7 pm, cash at the door. Not one for the kids.

Tue, Oct 20 Family Pumpkin Carving Celebration at Simple EJ’s, St. Charles. Our own. Sessions at 4, 5, and 6 pm at Fox Haven Square. A $19.99 Family Pass covers one pumpkin, two kids’ meals, carving tools, games with candy prizes, a photographer, and a meet-and-greet with Charlie. Extra pumpkins and kids’ meals are $9 each. Ticketed on Tock so the kitchen knows how many pumpkins to order.

Tue, Oct 20 $10 Silent Film: The Cat and the Canary (1931), Arcada Theatre. A spooky old-dark-house silent with live organ, 7 pm. Ten dollars for a pre-Halloween night in a 100-year-old theatre.

Thu to Sat, Oct 22 to 24 Spooky Trail, Reed-Keppler Park, West Chicago. A quarter-mile haunted trail with clowns and creepy crawlies, 7:30 pm start. $15 presale (150 per night), $18 at the door. A real scare, not for little kids.

Fri, Oct 23 Trick or Treat on the Trails, Hickory Knolls, St. Charles. A flashlight night walk through the oak savanna with activity stations, animal facts, and treats at every stop, 6 to 8 pm in timed slots. Advance registration through the park district.

Fri, Oct 23 Family Night Trick-or-Treating, Cantigny Park, Wheaton. A walking route through the park with candy stations, teal pumpkins for allergy-safe treats, and entertainment along the path, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Per-car parking fee.

Fri and Sat, Oct 23 to 24 Autumn Hayrides at Primrose Farm, St. Charles. A 30-minute tractor-drawn wagon ride around the farm after dark, then s’mores at the firepit. Evening slots, advance registration.

Fri and Sat, Oct 23 to 24 Harland Williams, The Comedy Vault, Batavia. The biggest name on the Vault’s fall calendar (Dumb and Dumber, There’s Something About Mary). 7 and 9:30 pm both nights, about $48, 21 and up.

Sat, Oct 24 BatFest, Downtown Batavia. Batavia’s free Halloween street party, 10 am to 2 pm. A costume parade down Houston and Wilson, trick-or-treating at 60-plus downtown businesses, costume contests for kids and pets, a reptile show, a pumpkin roll, and a bonus farmers market at the Peg Bond Center. Water Street Studios runs a free make-and-take craft morning from 10 to noon. Draws 5,000 people.

Sat, Oct 24 Batavia Bat Race 5K and 10K. Halloween-themed, chip-timed race on the Fox River path before BatFest. 10K at 8:15 am, 5K at 8:30, kids’ quarter-mile at 9:30. Costume prizes. $40 for the 5K, $5 for the kids’ run.

Sat, Oct 24 Howl O’ Ween Dog Parade, Peck Farm Park, Geneva. Costumed dogs parade for prizes, 9 to 10 am. Free with pre-registration, one handler per dog.

Sat, Oct 24 Halloween Hayday, Persinger Recreation Center, Geneva. The Geneva Park District’s kids’ Halloween party, 10 am to 1 pm: costume contest, Mad Scientist show, bounce houses, a Halloween egg hunt, and hayrides. $11 to $16 for kids 14 and under, adults free.

Sat, Oct 24 SCREAM 30th Anniversary with David Arquette, Paramount Theatre. A screening plus a live Q&A with Dewey himself, 8 pm. $41 to $71, VIP photo op $171.

Sun, Oct 25 Kid-Prov Improv Comedy Show, The Comedy Vault, Batavia. The one truly kid-friendly comedy show of the month, improv built for children at noon. $10 for kids 12 and under, $20 adults.

Sun, Oct 25 Chicago Toy Show, Kane County Fairgrounds. The big antique and collectible toy and doll show takes over the whole fairgrounds, 8 am to 3 pm. $10, kids and parking free.

Sun, Oct 25 The Stylistics, Arcada Theatre, St. Charles. Philly soul legends at a 3 pm Sunday matinee. Bring your parents, then bring everyone to dinner.

Sun, Oct 25 Fox Valley Orchestra & Chorus: The British Are Here, Aurora. Elgar, Britten, and Vaughan Williams with full chorus at St. Mark’s Lutheran, 3 pm. $21, kids 8 and under $13.

Week 4: October 26 to November 1, Halloween Week

Halloween is a Saturday this year, which means trick-or-treating, the Kane County Flea Market, and the last day at four pumpkin farms all pile into one weekend, and the clocks fall back Sunday morning. Simple EJ’s is family friendly until 8 pm on Halloween night, so costumes are welcome at dinner before the candy coma sets in.

Wed, Oct 28 Murder at the Pirate King’s Ball, Club Arcada, St. Charles. An interactive comedic murder mystery over dinner in the speakeasy, with a costume contest, 7:30 pm. $69.95 to $139.95 including dinner, tax, and tip. The October 1 edition sold out.

Wed, Oct 28 Ben Franklin: Designing a New Nation, Baker Community Center. A free daytime living-history performance for America’s 250th, 1 pm. Homeschoolers and grandparents, this one is yours.

Thu, Oct 29 Downtown Geneva Trick-or-Treating. Kids in costume trick-or-treat the downtown Geneva shops and restaurants that display the sign, 2 to 5 pm on the Thursday before Halloween. Free, and a good dress rehearsal for Saturday.

Thu, Oct 29 Elgin Symphony: Dia de los Muertos, Hemmens. Marquez, Moncayo, and Ponce with ballet folklorico and singers, 7:30 pm. $20 general admission, students and kids 17 and under free with code LLORONA.

Fri, Oct 30 Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Tomorrow Mourning, Batavia. Build a community ofrenda and learn the traditions behind Day of the Dead at the Wilson Street shop, 6 to 7:30 pm.

Fri and Sat, Oct 30 to 31 Chris Porter, The Comedy Vault, Batavia. The Last Comic Standing finalist, 7 and 9:30 pm both nights. 21 and up. A Halloween weekend plan that does not involve a costume.

Sat, Oct 31 Halloween Trick-or-Treating, St. Charles and Geneva. 3 to 7 pm in both cities. Batavia, West Chicago, and South Elgin have used the same 3 to 7 pm window every year and are expected to again; check the town sites for the official 2026 post.

Sat, Oct 31 Barnyard Trick or Treat, Primrose Farm, St. Charles. Costumed kids ages 2 to 10 play games, collect treats, and take a costume selfie with the farm animals. Sessions at 10 am and 2 pm, advance registration.

Sat and Sun, Oct 31 to Nov 1 Boo at the Zoo, Randall Oaks Zoo, West Dundee. Trick-or-treating all weekend for everyone, with costume parades at 11 am and 2 pm both days.

Sat and Sun, Oct 31 to Nov 1 Kane County Flea Market, Kane County Fairgrounds. Up to 1,000 dealers of antiques and collectibles on Randall Road. Saturday 11 to 4, Sunday 7 to 3. $7, kids 12 and under free.

Sat, Oct 31 Batavia Indoor Market opens, Sturdy Shelter Brewing. The winter market’s first Saturday, 9 am to noon at 10 S. Shumway Ave, then every Saturday through May.

Sat, Oct 31 La Llorona, Ballet 5:8, Hemmens, Elgin. A dramatic ballet reimagining the Latin American ghost legend, 2 pm. A Halloween culture pick for couples or older kids.

Sat, Oct 31 Haunted Halloween Flea Market, DuPage County Fairgrounds, Wheaton. Oddities, horror vendors, and costumes from 3 pm to midnight on Halloween night. Admission at the door.

Sat, Oct 31 Foreigner and Heart tributes, Arcada Theatre. Halloween night classic-rock double bill, 8 pm, with dueling pianos downstairs at Rock ‘N Ravioli after.

Sun, Nov 1 The Vampire Circus, Arcada Theatre. Ninety minutes of acrobatics, dance, and dark cabaret, 7 pm. Teens and up. Also the last day for Abbey Farms, Kuipers, Windy Acres, and Randall Oaks, and the morning the clocks fall back.

Sun, Nov 1 Free Cello Recital, St. Charles Public Library. Elgin Symphony principal cellist Matthew Agnew plays Bach, Vivaldi, and Saint-Saens at 1 S. 6th Ave, 2 pm. Free. The Fox Valley Concert Band plays a free concert at the Norris Theatre at 3 pm the same afternoon.

Sun, Nov 1 Great Midwest Train Show, DuPage County Fairgrounds. Billed as the nation’s largest monthly model train show, 300-plus tables, 9 am to 3 pm.

Week 5: November 2 to 6, Fall Back, Vote, Spin the Wheel

The first week of November is quieter, which is the point. The Bears play Monday night in Seattle, Tuesday is Election Day, and the Arcada brings a game show to St. Charles on Wednesday.

Mon, Nov 2 Bears at Seahawks, Monday Night Football, on the wall at Simple EJ’s. 7:15 pm kickoff on ESPN and ABC, every snap on the 22-foot LED wall at Fox Haven Square. A school night, so the kitchen is ready at 5 for the under-8 crowd.

Tue, Nov 3 Election Day. Polls are open 6 am to 7 pm across Illinois. Vote, then eat. We do not care who you picked, only that you are hungry.

Wed, Nov 4 Wheel of Fortune LIVE!, Arcada Theatre, St. Charles. Audience members get pulled on stage to spin a full-size wheel and solve puzzles for prizes up to $10,000, 7:30 pm. The most family-friendly big show of the month.

Thu, Nov 5 Lee Rocker of The Stray Cats, Arcada Theatre. Rockabilly Hall of Fame bassist plays the Stray Cats catalog, 7:30 pm.

Thu to Sat, Nov 5 to 7 Timmy No Brakes, The Comedy Vault, Batavia. Viral character comedy with high-energy rants, Thursday 7:30 pm, Friday and Saturday 7 and 9:30 pm. 21 and up.

Fri, Nov 6 Made in America: A Tribute to Toby Keith, Arcada Theatre. An eleven-piece country tribute dedicated to veterans and first responders, 8 pm. Basement of the Dead in Aurora also runs its final two nights, November 6 and 7.

On the 22-Foot Wall at Simple EJ’s This Month

Every game below is on the 22-foot LED wall and the 34 screens at Simple EJ’s in St. Charles, with the sound up for the Bears. Times are Central and current as of October 7; the baseball rows depend on how far the White Sox go, and our playoff guide is updated every round.

Date	Game	Time (CT)	TV
Sat Oct 10	Northwestern vs Ball State; Illinois at Michigan State; Notre Dame vs Stanford	11:30 am; 2:30 pm; 2:30 pm	BTN; FS1; NBC
Sun Oct 11	Bears at Packers	Noon	FOX
Mon Oct 12 on	American League Championship Series (White Sox if they close out Cleveland)	Varies	TBS
Sat Oct 17	Northwestern at Michigan State	11 am	Peacock
Sun Oct 18	Bears at Falcons	Noon	FOX
Wed Oct 21	Bulls season opener at Toronto	6:30 pm	Local
Thu Oct 22	Bears vs Patriots, Thursday Night Football	7:15 pm	Prime Video
Fri Oct 23	World Series Game 1 (Games 1 and 2 Oct 23 to 24, Games 3 to 5 Oct 26 to 28, Games 6 and 7 Oct 30 to 31 if needed)	Evening	FOX
Sat Oct 24	Northwestern vs Rutgers; Illinois vs Oregon; Bulls home opener vs Wizards	TBA	TBA
Sat Oct 31	Northwestern at Oregon; Illinois at Maryland; Notre Dame vs Navy	TBA	TBA
Mon Nov 2	Bears at Seahawks, Monday Night Football	7:15 pm	ESPN and ABC
Sun Nov 8	Bears vs Buccaneers, Sunday Night Football	7:20 pm	NBC

There is no Bears game the weekend of October 24 to 25 or on Sunday, November 1, and the Bears’ bye is not until mid-November. The college football guide has the full Big Ten slate.

Trick-or-Treat Hours 2026, Town by Town

Town	When	Hours	Status as of Oct 7
St. Charles	Sat, Oct 31	3 to 7 pm	Posted by the city
Geneva (citywide)	Sat, Oct 31	3 to 7 pm	On the city calendar
Geneva (downtown shops)	Thu, Oct 29	2 to 5 pm	Posted by the city
Batavia	Sat, Oct 31	3 to 7 pm expected	Not yet posted; BatFest downtown is Oct 24
West Chicago	Sat, Oct 31	3 to 7 pm expected	Not yet posted; downtown event usually the Saturday before
South Elgin	Sat, Oct 31	3 to 7 pm expected	Not yet posted

Where to Eat Before or After a Fox Valley Event

For a family coming off Scarecrow Weekend, a pumpkin patch, or a Saturday of trick-or-treating, Simple EJ’s Kitchen & Tap at Fox Haven Square in St. Charles is the practical pick: it is walk-in only and first come, first served, so there is no reservation to miss when the hayride runs long, the room stays family friendly until 8 pm, and kids eat free Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 pm with an adult entree. Grown-ups get a scratch kitchen held to Bib-worthy standards, wings in five sauces, a smashburger on a special blend made exclusively for Simple EJ’s, and every Bears game on a 22-foot LED wall. See the menu, check what is on our own calendar this month, or read exactly how seating works.

Fox Valley Events, Quick Questions