October 2026 · 6 min read

Free Trunk-or-Treat Events in San Antonio 2026: 10 Family Stops (Oct 16–31)

Quick answer

Looking for a free trunk-or-treat in San Antonio this Halloween? There are ten verified stops between Friday, October 16 and Halloween night — and nine of them are completely free. They run from a car-free candy trail at Brackenridge Park to a Halloween-night bash at the Tower of the Americas. The one exception: the San Antonio Aquarium charges $10 — unless your child comes in costume, then it's free. Every event below was checked against the organizer or a verified listing, with the real address and phone number, so you can plan your route tonight.

1. San Antonio Aquarium — Trunk or Treat (free in costume)

When: Friday, October 16, 6:30–9:00 PM

Where: 6320 Bandera Rd, San Antonio, TX 78238

Cost: $10 admission, or free if your child is in costume

What: Trunk-or-treating at the aquarium — the costume is the ticket, so dress them up before you go.

Questions: 210-793-6734

2. United Way Family Resource Center — Trunk or Treat Spooktacular

When: Saturday, October 17, 5:00–7:30 PM

Where: 4212 E Southcross, San Antonio, TX 78222

Cost: Free

What: A family-resource-center trunk-or-treat on the Southeast side — friendly, early-evening hours that work well for younger kids.

Questions: (210) 634-6027

3. Rush MAXX — Trunk or Treat at Ingram Park Mall

When: Saturday, October 17, 6:00–10:00 PM

Where: Outside Rush MAXX at Ingram Park Mall, 6301 NW Loop 410 Ste 200, San Antonio, TX 78238

Cost: Free (the outdoor event; indoor attractions are separate)

What: The first 1,000 trick-or-treaters get a free 2-hour game card, and there's a costume contest at 8:30 PM.

Questions: (210) 961-9917

4. Trick or Treat on the Trail — Brackenridge Park

When: Friday, October 23, 5:00–8:00 PM

Where: Koehler Pavilion, 3700 N St Mary's St, San Antonio, TX 78209

Cost: Free — RSVP requested

What: 15+ candy stations along a car-free trail, hosted by Ghisallo Cycling Initiative and the Brackenridge Park Conservancy. No traffic to watch for — a great first trunk-or-treat for little ones.

Questions: 210-826-1412

5. Transplants for Children — 6th Annual Trunk or Treat

When: Saturday, October 24, 12:00–2:00 PM

Where: 5247 Vance Jackson Rd, San Antonio, TX 78230

Cost: Free

What: 30+ decorated trunks, a costume contest, and games — a daytime event, so nobody has to stay up late.

Questions: (210) 949-1212

6. Spooktacular Halloween Bash — Tower of the Americas

When: Friday, October 30, 7:00–11:00 PM

Where: 739 E César E. Chávez Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78205

Cost: Free admission (the Dracula 4D movie inside needs a Tower ticket)

What: A trunk-or-treat car show, costume contest, and pumpkin carving under the Tower — the biggest Halloween-weekend stop downtown.

Questions: (210) 223-3101

7. Halloween Spooktacular — The Rock at La Cantera

When: Saturday, October 31 (Halloween), 6:00–10:00 PM

Where: 1 Spurs Way, San Antonio, TX 78256

Cost: Free entry and free parking — a digital ticket/RSVP is requested so they can plan treats

What: Trunk-or-treat, a costume contest, a petting zoo, and a live DJ on Halloween night itself.

Note: An older post listed 5–11 PM — the organizer's 2026 page says 6:00–10:00 PM, and that's the time to trust.

8. Hall-O-Fest — Chicken N Pickle (hosted by HUG ME Ink)

When: Saturday, October 31 (Halloween), 6:00–10:00 PM

Where: 5215 UTSA Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78249

Cost: Free admission — an optional $10 donation adds a VIP Boo Box and Bingo entry

What: Kids' costume contest at 7 PM, Bingo at 8 PM, adult costume contest at 9 PM.

Questions: (210) 874-2120

9. Halloween Artfest — Contemporary at Blue Star

When: Saturday, October 31 (Halloween), 4:30–7:00 PM

Where: 116 Blue Star, San Antonio, TX 78204

Cost: Free — the Contemporary is a nonprofit museum where admission is always free

What: Hands-on art, a photo booth, candy, and a dog costume contest — the earliest Halloween-night start on this list, so you can do this one first and still make another stop.

Questions: (210) 227-6960

10. Ernest T. Dixon UMC — 7th Annual Spooktacular Trunk or Treat

When: Saturday, October 31 (Halloween), 6:00–8:00 PM

Where: Church parking lot, 6060 US Highway 87 East, San Antonio, TX 78222

Cost: Free, no registration required

What: A neighborhood church trunk-or-treat on the Southeast side — simple, friendly, and done by 8 PM.

Worth the drive: Natural Bridge Caverns — Cavern Bat Fest

When: Weekends through November 1

Where: 26495 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266

Cost: Festival activities are mostly free; parking is $10 and cavern tours are ticketed separately. No full-face masks for ages 10+.

Questions: 210-651-6101

Note: Guides disagree on the exact trick-or-treat times here, so check the Caverns' own event page before you drive out — everything else about the festival is confirmed.

Need a costume first?

Don't buy one at full price the week before Halloween. San Antonio's thrift stores are stacked with costume pieces right now — our friends at San Antonio Thrift track the local stores and deals so you can build a costume for a few dollars instead.

Are these trunk-or-treats really free?

Nine of the ten are completely free. The one exception is the San Antonio Aquarium on October 16: $10 admission, or free if your child wears a costume. At the Rock at La Cantera and Brackenridge Park, admission is free but an RSVP or digital ticket is requested so the hosts can plan enough treats.

What should we bring?

A bag or bucket for candy, a flashlight for the evening events, and a charged phone for directions. Arrive near the start time — the most popular stops run low on treats before the end.

What if we need food help, not just Halloween fun?

Our Find Free Meals directory lists 60+ verified free-meal and pantry locations across San Antonio, every week of the year — no costume required.