The Great Big BOO!

About this event

Gilroy Gardens opens after dark on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through November 1 for The Great Big BOO — trick-or-treating along the BOO Trail, six live shows, and a park full of characters. This is the not-scary end of the season: nothing here is designed to frighten anyone, and the costume rules are enforced to keep it that way. The shows run through the evening. The Great Big BOO Musical Show is the one that started it, with the BOO Crew trying to break Wendella the Witch's curse. Around it: Sammy Jo Scarecrow's BOO Town Hall, Princess Priscilla's Perfect Tea Party, Cranium's Mad Lab brewing wacky potions, Frankie's Lounge where a lounge-singing Frankenstein needs help with his stage fright, and Wendella's House on the Hill, where you take your Boo Trail Pail and trick-or-treat at the house itself. Buy the Interactive Pumpkin Wand if you have a child who needs a mission — it lights up, blows bubbles, and unlocks a hidden message once you've found all eight BOO Zones. The BOO Alley Light Tunnel is an animated musical walk-through, and Downtown BOO Alley handles the food, including apple pumpkin funnel cake and loaded jumbo potatoes, with BOO Butter Brew and Hocus Pocus Punch for the adults. Four dates are worth planning around. On October 9, 11, 30 and 31, Ken Christopher of Christopher Ranch reads his book Elephant Garlic Halloween at the Lakeside Amphitheater and gives away free copies and free fresh garlic bulbs, with tote bags on the 30th and 31st. Gilroy Garlic Festival Association volunteers hand out free garlic bread in Downtown BOO Alley on October 9 and 11 — and free garlic ice cream on October 30 and 31, from 5 to 9pm on the Friday and noon to 4pm on Halloween itself. While supplies last. Two things to check before you go. The park is closed on Saturday, October 10 for a private event. And the costume rules are strict: no weapons or weapon-like props of any kind, including swords, axes, lightsabers and toy guns; nothing gory; and adults may not wear masks at all, with no exceptions.