BEWARE when venturing into Downtown Cary this weekend. It’s time for ghouls and zombies to rise once again.
If you haven’t visited Cary for Halloween, you may not realize that Downtown Cary is the Triangle’s best-kept secret for scary levels of fun. Despite our reputation as a small, quiet town, we throw a Howlin’ Good Halloween that takes over the entire downtown area, rivaling anything our larger neighboring cities have to offer.
The weekend before Halloween, Downtown Cary transforms into Halloween Town, with pumpkin patches, zombie walks, ghost houses, haunted tours, and pumpkin-flavored beers and sweets — all within walking distance.
The Howlin’ Good Halloween is quite a spooky spectacle to behold! Here’s a quick look at all of Cary’s best-loved Halloween traditions — all returning this weekend!
1. Zombiepalooza
Zombiepalooza has been a monster hit ever since its conception. Hundreds of zombies fill Chatham Street for a film festival featuring short zombie films made by local directors, played on a giant outdoor screen. There’s just something extra spooky about watching horror movies outside at night–especially when everyone around you is dressed like a zombie, providing a perfect hiding place for REAL zombies. Is your imagination playing tricks, or is that guy’s zombie makeup just a little too realistic?
Wear your best zombie costume — or, if you’re feeling brave, dress up as your favorite zombie survivor!
Spoiler: This year, they’re handing out Twinkies. Zombieland’s Tallahassee would be proud.
The Cary Theater | Friday, October 25 from 7-10:30 p.m. | FREE
2. Herbert’s Haunted House
If you manage to escape the zombies on Chatham Street, you’ll discover ghosts and ghouls have taken over the Herb C. Young Community Center — a beloved Halloween tradition set up by the Cary Teen Council.
Herbert’s Haunted House is an entire community center full of terrors, and it’s large size and long hallways provide plenty of room for surprises and jump scares!
3. Cary’s Great Pumpkin Carve
The Downtown Park sprouts a festive pumpkin patch for this kid-friendly event. Guests purchase their favorite pumpkin and spend a beautiful day outdoors carving their most creative Jack O’ Lanterns. It’s a Cary tradition to drive past the park after dark, when the community’s pumpkins are lit for display, and the iconic fountain begins flowing purple, teal, and orange Halloween colors.
Later, families sit on lawn blankets and watch an outdoor screening of It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!
Downtown Park | Saturday, October 26 from 2-8 p.m. | FREE
4. Nightmare on Academy Street
Built in 1900, the Pasmore House on Academy Street opened its doors as a boarding home for students of the original Cary High School. According to Cotton House Craft Brewers, who now occupies the space, “Some of the paranormal activity [taking place within their walls] would suggest there are souls of students that never really left.”
With dramatic fire-dancing and fire-spinning performances, electric violin, and tales of the Pasmore House haunting, the Nightmare on Academy Street offers a paranormal party unlike any other.
Cotton House Craft Brewers | Friday, November 1 from 7 p.m.-midnight | FREE
5. Ghost Walk Through Hillcrest Cemetery
The Ghost Walk in Downtown Cary traditionally sells out early every year. However, it’s still a historic Cary Halloween tradition that merits mentioning!
Even though tickets sell out fast, many locals still love to walk down to the beautiful Hillcrest Cemetery in October, taking a moment to appreciate the cobblestone archways, the ancient oaks, and the brick walkways. Cary’s earliest burials took place here in the 1840’s, and it’s the resting place for many of our town’s oldest families, including recognizable names such as Page, Harrison, and Jones.
Hillcrest Cemetery | Any day | FREE
6. The Pumpkin Flotilla
While Bond Park isn’t quite in downtown, it’s definitely worth mentioning the Pumpkin Flotilla. Guests gather to watch glowing pumpkins sail across the smooth dark waters of Bond Lake at twilight. It’s a moment of quiet magic that truly sets this tradition apart.
With food trucks, live music, face-painting, and discounted boat rentals, the Pumpkin Flotilla is quickly becoming a favorite Halloween tradition for many Cary families.
Fred G. Bond Metro Park, Boathouse | Friday, October 25 | 4-7 p.m. | Free
7. PAB Bread
Every October for the past 30 years, Once in a Blue Moon Bakery fills downtown Cary with the sweet smell of its traditional pumpkin-apple bread, known by locals as PAB. The recipe remains unchanged from decades ago, and it’s a smell that recalls the nostalgia of Autumns long past.
Tasting a slice (or a loaf) of the generational pumpkin-apple bread is a rite of passage for Cary families. It’s available any day (unless they sell out), so go experience one of Cary’s traditional sweet treats.
8. The Great Pumpkin Drop
Downtown Cary’s businesses also get involved in the spooky spirit, truly transforming Cary into Halloween Town. Douglas Realty hosts an annual “Pumpkin Drop,” with free pumpkins, arts and crafts, and Halloween classics played on a big outdoor screen.
Guests enjoy craft beer, wine, and food from locally-owned companies like Bond Brothers Beer Company, Cousins Maine Lobster, and Chatham Street Wine Market — because collaboration and community is a traditional part of Cary’s culture.
Douglas Realty Group | Friday, October 25 | 7-9 p.m. | FREE
A Walkable Spooktacular Halloween Town
Zombies, haunted houses, ghost walks, cemeteries, pumpkin bread, Twinkies, wine, beer, pumpkin carvings — nearly all of these Halloween traditions are packed into a single weekend, and all within walking distance of each other!
Once a year this quiet town transforms into a Halloween wonderland. Whether or not you live in Cary, come take a spooky stroll through the town’s Howlin’ Good Halloween customs–and maybe make it part of your own tradition.