Witches in the Woods - Halloween at MacGregor Point Provincial Park

Are you looking for a campground Halloween event that is fun for the whole family?

Look no further than MacGregor Point Provincial Park!

Every October, this Ontario park transforms into one of the most spooktacular campgrounds in the province.

Witches in the Woods is an annual Halloween celebration held the weekend after the Canadian Thanksgiving, and it really is pretty awesome.

From decorating your campsite to dressing in costumes, carving pumpkins and taking part in spooky fun around the park, it really is one of the most popular fall events at Ontario Parks.

Want to learn more? Let’s jump right in!

🧙🏻‍♀️ What is Witches in the Woods?

Witches in the Woods is a family-friendly Halloween weekend held each October at MacGregor Point Provincial Park.

The event takes place the weekend after the Canadian Thanksgiving and has become one of the park’s most popular traditions.

MacGregor Point Provincial Park - Park Sign

And definitely something that I’d like to add to our yearly camping calendar!

Campers decorate their sites, kids dress up in costumes, and families join in a variety of activities organized by park staff and volunteers.

And when I tell you that some families go all out, I really mean that they go ALL OUT!

Witches in the Woods - Witches in the Woods Sign

We could not believe the amount of work that went into some of the campsites, and even the costumes!

🧙🏻‍♀️ Event Details

Here is everything you need to know before you go.

🎃 When is Witches in the Woods?

As I mentioned earlier, the event runs annually on the first weekend after the Canadian Thanksgiving.

So for this year, the dates are October 17–19, 2025.

Witches in the Woods - BBQ station — BBQ at the Visitor’s Centre

The main events take place at the Visitor’s Centre on Saturday, October 18, 2025.

BBQ Lunch & S’mores – 11:30 am to 1:30 pm
Pumpkin Carving: 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Judging: 3:30 pm
Trick-or-Treating: Dusk

All proceeds from the BBQ support The Friends of MacGregor Park.

🎃 What Activities Can You Expect at Witches in the Woods?

Aside from your usual campground activities, you will find a ton of themed and seasonal things to do. The main activities usually include:

Mystery Night – A fun event for families occurring on Friday night.
Campsite decorating contest – Families transform their sites into spooky (and over the top) scenes.
Trick-or-treating – Kids make their way around the campground in costumes.
Pumpkin carving – Bring your own pumpkin to carve, or purchase one from the Visitor’s Center. Don’t forget tealights for the jack-o-lantern and pumpkin carving tools! (We almost did!)
Guided hikes – Hike the Tower Trail with an expert guide, or do a Medicine Walk with a knowledeable educator.
Stargazing – Learn about the stars, constellations, and galaxies from the experts at Blue Water Astronomy.
Pitcher Plant Painting – Head out to the marl to try your hand a painting with watercolours.

Witches in the Woods - Pumpkin Carving contest

🎃 How Much Does Witches in the Woods Cost?

The great thing about Witches in the Woods is that most of the activities are free.

So, you are only paying for your regular camping fees.

Witches in the Woods - Cupcake decorating table — Cupcake decorating

Only the fundraiser events, like the BBQ and the photoshoots, have additional fees. There is also a raffle where you can win some pretty awesome prizes like a mountain bike or a kayak.

And these activity fees go back into supporting the park, which really is a win for everyone.

Witches in the Woods - Raffle prize — Raffle prize

🧙🏻‍♀️ Our Experience

The festivities start on Friday night, with Mystery Night. Unfortunately, we were only able to camp from Saturday to Sunday, so we missed out on this event.

I never did find out what the Mystery Night was about, either. I just know that the Huron Fringe Trail was all lit up for the occasion.

I will need to crack the mystery next year!

But Saturday is when the real fun begins anyway!

Witches in the Woods - Mystery Night Sign

During the day, all park visitors are welcome to attend the many special activities put on by The Friends of MacGregor Park volunteers.

🎃 Expert Tip – Many of the events taking place on Saturday happen before the usual 2 pm check-in time. We would recommend staying from Friday night so that you can take advantage of all the activities that this event has to offer.

We made sure to arrive at the park early. Luckily, our site was already empty, so we dropped off our Teardrop Trailer and went straight to the Visitor’s Center.

(We were fully prepared to park in an overflow lot, had our site still been occupied)

Witches in the Woods - Our campsite — Our campsite

The parking lot at the Visitor’s Center is quite large, but it did fill up quickly (even though we arrived closer to the tail end of the festivities).

BBQ

From photoshoots to a BBQ, pumpkin carving, cupcake decorating, and s’mores, there was plenty to keep you busy.

We got ourselves some food from the BBQ (hot dogs), two cupcakes to decorate, and 2 s’mores kits to roast.

Everything took place right next to the Amphitheatre, so there were plenty of places to sit and enjoy the food.

Pumpkins

After checking out some of the pumpkins in the Visitor’s Center and buying a raffle ticket, we made our way back to our campsite.

Witches in the Woods - John carving our pumpkin

It was time for John to put his carving skills to the test!

Unfortunately, we didn’t have the chance to get our pumpkins done in time for the contest.

Witches in the Woods - Carved pumpkins on display

We still headed back to the Visitor’s Center to check out the winning pumpkins. They were awesome! Sooo much fun to see!

From there, we hopped on the Huron Fringe Trail, where we were able to feed a few chickadees, see a turtle in the pond, and enjoy the warm, sunny afternoon.

Witches in the Woods - Feeding the Chickadees on the Huron Fringe Trail

Campsite Decorations

It was then time to head back to the campsite, where we put up a few decorations and got ready for the Trick-or-Treating.

We packed some lights, a small inflatable, and other decorations to hang in the trees.

Witches in the Woods - Our site decorations

We also made sure to bring enough tealights to keep our pumpkins glowing well into the evening!

We also took a quick stroll around the campground to check out some of the masterfully decorated sites. Just WOW!

Witches in the Woods - Scary circus campsite

🎃 Expert Tip – When you check in, you need to let the Park Staff know that you will be participating in the Trick-or-Treating and the campsite decorating. This way, they can make a note of it for judging purposes.

Trick-or-Treating

Once dusk arrived, the campground Trick-or-Treating began!

It was awesome! Even though my kids are all grown up, I still find it so much fun to see all the kiddos in their costumes while handing out candy.

It’s even more fun at the campsite, to be honest.

Witches in the Woods - Me in a witch costume

I have to say, my favourite costume went out to 2 girls dressed as rats. We came across them at the Visitor’s Center, where they were going around giving people “the Plague.”

The card they handed to us informed us that the cure could be found at their campsite! Creative, right?? Definitely got us curious!

Turns out the whole family was in on it. Dad was dressed in a hospital gown with realistic “pague-induced wounds” all over his face.

Witches in the Woods - The rat who gave us the Plague

When we went to the campsite, we were absolutely blown away. This family had taken two whole days to transform their campsite into a Medieval-themed showpiece.

They had swordfighting demonstrations, archery, a pillory (and crocheted fruit to throw at the person trapped inside!), and even a blacksmith working in the fire.

Their costumes were fantastic, as was the whole set-up. If they didn’t win first prize for their site setup, I would be dumbfounded.

Witches in the Woods - Medieval themed site

Overall Thoughts

I was actually quite surprised by the number of families participating in the Trick-or-Treating and the campsite decorating, which was amazing.

I guess that makes perfect sense, considering the park is pretty booked solid this weekend!

It also means that you need to remember to bring plenty of candy (and keep the husband from eating it all before the event)!

Witches in the Woods - Our pumpkins with Nellie

The Trick-or-Treating lasted for about 3 hours, give or take. So be prepared to sit at your site for a while.

Our site was towards the end of the road, with several empty sites around us, so I’m thinking we would have had even more kids had we been closer to the “action”.

Witches in the Woods - Photo booth at a capmsite — Photo booth at someone’s campsite

Stargazing

While the weather ended up being fantastic for most of the day, it was pretty overcast by the time it got dark.

With not a star to be seen, unfortunately for us, the Stargazing program put on by the Bluewater Astronomical Society was cancelled.

Witches in the Woods - Astronomy Night Poster

I’m a space nerd, so Astronomy is totally up my alley! Better luck next year!

🧙🏻‍♀️ Tips for Attending

After attending the event with our family, we have a few tips that we want to pass along:

Witches in the Woods - Making s'mores over the fire at the Visitor's Centre

Reserve early – Campsites for this weekend sell out quickly. And since it’s an annual event, you can reserve as soon as the date becomes available on the Ontario Parks booking portal.
Bring decorations – Lights, pumpkins, and reusable props make your site festive.
Pack plenty of candy – Trick-or-treating is one of the main highlights, and we had a ton of kids visit us.
Dress warmly – Evenings in October are cool by Lake Huron, so bring hats, gloves, and extra layers.
Think eco-friendly – Avoid decorations that can blow away or leave litter. Always clean up before leaving.
Bring flashlights – As you can imagine, the campground roads get pretty dark after the sun goes down. Glowsticks can also help your kids be seen after dark.
Wear a costume – John and I dressed up to give out candy. But we also noticed that even the adults just walking around the campground were in costume.

Witches in the Woods - John and I in costume at our campsite

🧙🏻‍♀️ Is Witches in the Woods Worth It?

Most definitely! If you enjoy camping and Halloween, the answer is yes.

Witches in the Woods is one of Ontario Parks’ most popular Halloween events for good reason.

John and I had a fabulous time and could not get over how much time people put into their campsite decor and their pumpkin carving.

We found it to be a safe, fun, and great way for families to celebrate the season while enjoying an awesome camping weekend.

With treats and fun to be had by all, what more could you ask for?

Next year, we REALLY need to up our game!

🧙🏻‍♀️ Event FAQs

Witches in the Woods - S'mores and hot chocolate table — Hot Chocolate and S’more stand

Do you need to camp overnight to participate?

Yes. Most activities, including trick-or-treating and campsite decorating, are for registered campers.

Is it scary or family-friendly?

The event is designed for families. It’s fun and festive rather than frightening.

Can you bring pets?

Yes, pets are welcome, but must be leashed. Some campers even dress up their pets in costumes.

What happens if it rains?

Events usually run rain or shine. Bring tarps and rain gear just in case.

Do you need to bring your own candy?

Yes. Trick-or-treating depends on campers handing out candy. Make sure to bring enough to share.

Witches in the Woods - Sign at the Visitor's Centre

🧙🏻‍♀️ Final Thoughts

Witches in the Woods is a fun way to enjoy fall camping at MacGregor Point.

With decorated campsites, family programs, and safe trick-or-treating, it combines the best of Halloween with the outdoors.

If you’re looking for a seasonal tradition to share with your family, you will DEFINITELY want to add this event to your camping calendar.

Witches in the Woods – Halloween at MacGregor Point Provincial Park