Southwest Illinois plays host to some of the most chilling tours in the country- and for good reason.

Known for its eventful and often dark history, the City of Alton is especially renowned for being haunted. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there are many who’ve shared stories of things going bump in the night- and day- across the region and Alton has gained a reputation as one of the ‘Most Haunted Small Towns in America’.

Join Troy Taylor, author of renowned Haunted Alton, on Ghosts of the River Road Shuttle Tours or Dinner and Spirits Tours - where good food combines with terrifying tales, or go on an Alton Hauntings Walking Tour for a jaunt along the dark streets with Alton’s apparitions.

Alton Odyssey Tours offers Haunted Craft Beer Walks, Witching Hour Haunted Trolley Tours, and Behind the Bricks Haunted Walking Tours all catered to the city’s eerie history.

Descend into the cold wine cellar of McPike Mansion in Alton, and feel the chill creep up your spine on one of the home’s themed tour nights. The gorgeous Victorian era mansion is the most notoriously haunted home in the city and is sure to give you a thrill.

Visitors to Jersey County can book historic and haunted tours of beautiful Cheney Mansion, the oldest structure in Jerseyville - you might even run into the angry spirit of the old groundskeeper while you’re there!

For even more spooky, metaphysical, and historic experiences in Alton, visit Troy Taylor’s American Oddities Museum, full of eerie and curious collections, or consider a stroll around the Civil War Prison on State Street, site of the smallpox epidemic of 1862 that claimed the lives of up to 5,000 Civil War prisoners.

You can also make a stop at beautiful Alton City Cemetery, site of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Monument- while you’re there be sure to whisper into the corner of the bench seat. It’s a whispering wall- your whispers can be heard on the opposite side!

Southwest Illinois is pulling out all the stops this year with its October magic and everyone is invited for food, fun, and frights!

Granite City is dedicating every Saturday in October to a Month of Magic and Mayhem including a parade, trunk or treat, games, an autumn-themed Melting Pot Market, live music, a car show, and more so dust off your costumes pronto!

Feeling witchy? Grafton’s annual Witches on the Water event Oct. 19 brings pointed hats and black cats to the river’s edge with entertainment, a costume contest, and specials throughout the city! Another spooky-season event coming to Grafton is the Dead Like Me Dinner Theater at Pere Marquette Lodge Oct. 4. Be teleported to the land of the living for a union meeting of The Brotherhood of Obituary Occupants (BOO!). Get your tickets to both Halloween events by clicking their link!

Pere Marquette Lodge is hosting a Boos and Booze Halloween Party Oct. 18 for all you ghouls and gals - dress to the nines and partake in specialty cocktails with tarot readings, a costume contest, historic tales, and more. Gateway Center is also joining in on the Halloween magic with the KC Metaphysical Halloween Fair- shop new age vendors, listen to guest speakers, and engage in services like Reiki, fortune telling, and tarot with door prizes every hour!

Want to find more events taking place this October? There’s a lot to do in southwest Illinois this time of year! Visit our Events Page for more!

Looking for something just a LITTLE scary? Come and see the Tiny Creepy Things Art Show at the Macoupin County Art Collective in Staunton! Shop and admire the bizarre mini artworks all made by local and regional artists throughout October!

Get ready for chills and thrills this Halloween at Raging Rivers in Grafton! The water park's annual Haunted Trail is back every Friday & Saturday in October from Oct. 4 to Oct. 26! The event runs from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., with the last trek starting at 10:30 p.m. Will you brave The Cursed Graveyard?

Get spooky at the Pink Elephant Antique Mall at the Area 66 Haunted School House in Livingston on Fridays & Saturdays from Oct. 6 - Oct. 31. The haunted schoolhouse is open from 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.!

R Acres of Terror returns to Dow this year with more scares than ever Fridays and Saturdays through the end of October. Dare to enter the haunted forest attraction where the undead, nightmarish creatures, and tortured souls tread- think you can make it out of the woods?

Are you brave enough to enter the Field of Screams in Collinsville? This haunted hayride event, sponsored by the Collinsville Recreation Club, isn't for the faint of heart! Take a seat on a haybale 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. select days in October and settle in for some scares for all ages!

This year's Great Godfrey Maze opened Sept. 20 and will run through Oct. 28 on Fridays through Sundays. The theme for 2024 is the Peanuts character Snoopy asleep on top of his dog house in a fall pumpkin scene to celebrate 75 years of the beloved American cartoon- weave your way through the design and try to find your way to the end! The haunted maze will begin Oct 4 and be open from dusk (8 p.m.) to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays until Saturday Oct. 26. Try to navigate the spooks wandering the haunted maze with only a flashlight to lead the way!

Demange Farm in St. Jacob is celebrating 150 years on their farm this year. Open Friday – Sunday with normal corn maze hours, Demange is hosting a family-friendly spooky maze night on Oct. 19 and a thrilling haunted corn maze Oct. 26 alongside a more adult-friendly horror films night the same evening.

Alton Illinois just might have the oldest Halloween Parade in the United States - over a century of ghastly spectacles - and Edwardsville’s Halloween Parade isn’t far behind. Bring the family to see decorated floats, listen to marching bands, and see costumes sure to scare away bad-tempered spirits at one of the region’s many Halloween jamborees!

Alton Halloween Parade: Oct 31 at 7 p.m.
Bethalto Rotary Halloween Parade: Oct 28 6:30 p.m.
Carlinville Halloween Parade: Oct 26 6:15 p.m.
East Alton Halloween Parade: Oct 24 7 p.m.
Edwardsville Halloween Parade: Oct 31 6:30 p.m.
Granite City Nightmare on Niedringhaus Parade: Oct 26 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Hartford Halloween Parade: Oct 26 1 p.m.
Hillsboro Halloween Parade: Nov 1 3 p.m.
Litchfield Halloween Parade: Oct 26 4 p.m.
Mt. Olive Turner Hall Halloween Parade: Oct 30 5 p.m.
Wood River Halloween Parade: Oct 26 10:30 a.m.