Things to do in Jackson Oct. 23–25: downtown ghost hunts, a free mall trick-or-treat and Sunday’s Touch a Truck

JACKSON, Mich. — The last full weekend before Halloween gives Jackson families a choice of a free indoor trick-or-treat at Westwood Mall, a Sunday afternoon Touch a Truck and, for older thrill-seekers, ghost hunts through downtown buildings led by paranormal investigators.

Most of the family events cost nothing. The haunted tours, hayrides and haunted houses charge admission, and space on the downtown tours is limited, so check ticket pages before you go.

Friday, Oct. 23. The Jackson Downtown Development Authority and Central Michigan Paranormal Investigators run their haunted experiences again this weekend, with 7 and 10 p.m. time slots that last about two to two and a half hours. The DDA’s ticket page lists a Friday investigation inside the Theodore Event Center, 402 W. Michigan Ave., and a Saturday walking tour that starts at Grand River Brewery, 117 W. Louis Glick Highway. Guests use the investigators’ gear, including K2 meters, REM pods and laser grids. MLive listed tickets at $15. Proceeds support the DDA’s downtown work, and Halloween weekend is reserved for a private event.

Out in the Irish Hills, Mystery Hill, 7611 U.S. 12, runs a spookier “Darkside of the Circus” tour Friday for $19.95, according to MLive.

Saturday, Oct. 24. Westwood Mall, on West Michigan Avenue, hosts the Booth or Treat Craft Show from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with free indoor trick-or-treating for all ages and booths from local crafters, bakers and small businesses. Admission is free, and organizers are collecting winter clothing for Jackson County foster children, according to the event listing.

Downtown, Forgotten Generations Antiques Mall, 111 S. Horton St., holds its own Booth and Treat from 5 to 7 p.m. Mystery Hill offers family-friendly haunted tours the same day for $15.95 for adults and $9.95 for children 4 to 12; children 3 and younger get in free.

Near Brooklyn, Nite Lites at Michigan International Speedway hosts a 2-mile Halloween walk past lighted scenes starting at 8 p.m. MLive listed admission at $28 for adults and $18 for children 6 to 12, with children 5 and younger free.

Sunday, Oct. 25. The HBA Community Appreciation Trunk or Treat & Touch a Truck runs from 1 to 3 p.m. in the HBA office parking lot, 1815 E. High St. Admission and candy are free, and the event is open to everyone, according to WKHM’s community calendar.

All weekend. Silence Family Farms, 6161 Lansing Ave., runs haunted hayrides from 6 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and 2 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Wagons leave about every 30 minutes, rides cost $5 and children under 3 ride free. For teens and adults, Jackson’s Underworld, 1318 Wildwood Ave., a four-story haunted house, is open Thursday through Sunday nights in October, with general admission at $35 and VIP line-skipping at $55, MLive reported.

Sources:
MLive, “Get into the Halloween spirit with these spooky October events in the Jackson area,” Oct. 18, 2026, https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2026/10/get-into-the-halloween-spirit-with-these-spooky-october-events-in-the-jackson-area.html
Jackson Downtown Development Authority, “Jackson’s Haunted Tours 2026,” Eventbrite, accessed Oct. 19, 2026, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jacksons-haunted-tours-2026-tickets-2001405364321
WKHM, “Trunk or Treat & Touch a Truck,” community calendar, accessed Oct. 19, 2026, https://www.wkhm.com/event/trunk-or-treat-touch-a-truck/
“Booth or Treat Craft Show @ Westwood Mall,” event listing, accessed Oct. 19, 2026, https://happeningnext.com/event/booth-or-treat-craft-show-westwood-mall-eid1ef0ksca1hfa
Photo: EvanCarroll, “Trunk or Treat 2025 (Westbury United Methodist Church) (27205).jpg,” Oct. 26, 2025, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trunk_or_Treat_2025_(Westbury_United_Methodist_Church)_(27205).jpg

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Tags: Halloween · Things to Do · Jackson · Trunk or Treat · Haunted Tours