The Ultimate Guide to Monster Month in Elora Ontario 2024
If your family loves Halloween, then visiting Elora Ontario and taking part in their Monster Month, should be at the top of your list!
With so many wonderful things to do and experiences to be had, you are sure to find a favourite activity.
Taking place every October, Elora’s Monster Month is a spooky celebration like no other!
Where is Elora Located?
Located in Wellington County, Elora is about an hour and a half drive from Toronto. Nestled along the gorgeous Grand River in Southern Ontario, travelling to the area for a day trip is quite easy.
How Many Days Should I Spend in Elora?
With such a variety of fun things to do in Elora Ontario, you can spend the day, or even a few days, in this quaint little town.
We often visit Elora just for the day. But if this is your first time, we would definitely recommend spending at least one night in town to make the most of your time there.
What is Monster Month in Elora?
October is Monster Month in Centre Wellington. It is a town-wide celebration of ghosts, ghouls, and creepy critters.
You will find that every corner of Elora is decorated with monsters and creatures from the Twilight Zoo, and that “Zombies” roam the streets after dark.
During Monster Month, Elora comes to life with Halloween-themed activities, Fall fairs, special events, parades, and a festive spirit that fills the town with magic.
Is Monster Month in Elora Family-Friendly?
Although Halloween can be a little scary for some of the younger kids, Elora strives to make this Halloween extravaganza very family-friendly. Think fun, not fear!
With many activities geared towards the younger crowd, parents can rest easy, knowing their kids will be in a safe and child-friendly environment.
What is the Twilight Zoo?
The first thing you can expect when visiting Elora during Monster Month is the Twilight Zoo. Artist Tim Murton’s monsters have been coming to the community since 1996.
His tradition of decorating the streets of Elora with his own collection of over 60 sculptures, brings tourists in from all over the province!
These awesome creatures, which are sculpted from tissue paper, cheesecloth, wire, and glue, can be viewed during the day or when they are lit up at night.
On weekends throughout October, most of Elora’s main downtown streets are closed to vehicular traffic.
This makes it easy for families with younger children to walk through the village and get up close and personal with the resident monsters.
Also, for the first time, some of the monsters will feature QR codes. This will allow visitors to access additional information about the creations through a creepy story.
It may also give you some ideas for visiting elsewhere in the village, or even another attraction nearby.
We recommend taking a walk through town during twilight, to experience the full effect of the magical and spooky creatures that lurk around every corner.
The Twilight Zoo definitely gives Elora’s landscape an eerie feel!
Be sure to download the Monster Map, so you don’t miss any of these spooktacular creations!
Things to Do During Monster Month in Elora
There are a ton of awesome things to do in Elora during Monster Month. Most are family-friendly, however, some are aimed at the older crowd.
Your best bet is to take a look at the Monster Month website, where they will post a complete itinerary of events for the month of October.
1. Dress Up in Your Favourite Costume
Part of the fun when heading out to Elora for Monster Month is dressing up in your favourite costume.
You will find that not only are the visitors dressed up, but many of the shopkeepers and locals will join in on the fun as well.
Keep in mind, that costumes must be family-friendly!
2. Join a Monster March
And speaking of costumes, you definitely won’t want to miss the Monster March!
This non-motorized parade encourages families (and their pets!) to dress up and march through the streets of downtown Elora.
The parade happens rain or shine. And there is no need to sign up!
Just jump on in and join the Monsters as they roam the streets for a celebration like no other!
The parade starts off at 24 Henderson Street, which is the home of One Axe Pursuits. After a brief presentation, the parade begins winding its way through downtown Elora.
The Monster March wraps up at Bissell Park, however, the festivities don’t end here!
While in the park, show off your costume in the Twilight Zoo Zone, plus enjoy free hot chocolate, cider, popcorn & fruit treats at the Bissell Park Shelter.
3. Shop at a Fall Fair
During October, you will find a variety of Fall fairs happening throughout town.
As these change yearly, you will need to consult the Monster Month calendar for up-to-date happenings.
The weekly Farmer’s Market at Bissel Park will have a ton of Fall produce, wine, crafts, artisan meats, and cheeses, as well as décor to choose from.
This outdoor market takes place on Saturdays from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm.
You can also check out the Spooktacular Market at the Elora Center for the Arts, where you will find a ton of spooky exhibits.
Explore arts, crafts, and other goodies made by local vendors.
The Fieldstone Barn also hosts a special Fall Fair, where you will find many unique and wonderful gifts, décor, and treats.
4. Take a Cemetery Tour
If you are looking for a creepy, but historical, activity to do while in Elora, check out the Cemetery Tour offered by the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
This tour shows the dark side of history with gruesome tales of the House of Industry and Refuge.
Explore some of the more unsettling stories of inmates and staff who called this place home.
This guided walking tour takes place outside on museum grounds and at the House Cemetery, where over 200 inmates were laid to rest.
My guide was extremely knowledgeable. He had some absolutely fascinating tales of grave robbers, gang leaders, and unruly inmates.
Just be aware, that this tour is designed for a 14+ audience. This tour is also not accessible, with several stairways and uneven ground.
Tickets are $10 plus HST and must be purchased in advance from the Wellington Museums’s website.
5. Take Your Picture with a Local Zombie
Another family-favourite event that occurs during Monster Month, is the Zombie Walk.
On Fridays in October, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm, wandering zombie tourists take over downtown Elora for photos and selfies with visitors.
A Halloween Flash Mob in the village’s greenspace closes off the night. This event is family-friendly and not meant to be at all scary.
6. Try a Local Cauldron Cocktail
This activity is obviously geared toward the adults in your family!
Several of the restaurants and establishments in Elora will create special cocktails, and even menu items, for Monster Month. A quick search online will give you a list of the must-try items!
During our visit to Elora, the Elora Mill was serving Cauldron Cocktails, while the Elora Brewing Company had scary eyeball burgers on their menu!
You can also head to the Elora Distilling Company to sample some of their creepy cocktails.
All of their spirits are made in-house, with a few seasonal favourites added to their usual line-up.
We sampled the Pumpkin Spice Liqueur, which was absolutely amazing!
7. Get Lost in a Corn Maze
The Fieldstone Barn is the place to be if you are looking to get lost in a Corn Maze!
With 4 awesome courses to choose from, it’s a great place to spend part of the day.
The Fieldstone Barn is located just a short walk from Elora.
They have limited parking spots, and require you to make an appointment in order to visit the cornfields.
They also have pumpkin picking, photography opportunities, sunflowers, as well as a Fall Fair happening on-site.
You can check the website for their list of events, and to book your timeslot for the Corn Maze.
8. Hunt for Scarecrows During the Walk & Gawk Challenge
As you are walking around Elora during Monster Month, you may notice several scarecrows hanging around town.
They are part of Centre Wellington’s Walk & Gawk scarecrow contest.
You will find the scarecrows located in front of both businesses and private homes.
The kids enjoyed looking for them while we were walking around town. And some were quite creative!
To make things easy, you can download a tour map online.
After you check out all of the scarecrows, pick your favourite, and then fill out a ballot located on the Walk & Gawk website.
Winners will be chosen on October 31.
9. Take a Break During Storytime
Storytime is the perfect time for families with younger kids to sit and take a break.
Listen to fabulous Halloween-themed stories being told by local celebrity readers.
Storytime takes place every Saturday in the Elora Greenspace downtown from 11-11:45 am, weather permitting.
The stories are designed to entertain kids 10 and under.
All books can be found in Elora’s Magic Pebble Bookstore.
10. Catch a Scary Movie at the Gorge Theatre
In the mood to catch a scary movie?
The Gorge Cinema is a pillar of the Elora Community! Dating back to 1974, it is Canada’s longest-running repertory cinema.
The building originates back in 1848 when it was home to the Historic Commercial Hotel.
Today, the theatre showcases a variety of films, both old and new, in every genre from Hollywood blockbusters, to Canadian cinema, documentaries, and even an occasional indie movie.
And, every weekend during Monster Month, the Gorge Cinema features several classic creepy movies, many of which can be enjoyed by the whole family.
Last year, we were happy to take in a family favourite, The Lost Boys, during our visit to Elora. We also noticed that Ghostbusters was playing.
Final Thoughts on Monster Month in Elora
Monster Month is an incredible time to visit Elora with the kids.
From all of their family-friendly activities to the amazing atmosphere and wonderful sense of community, you will want to make this part of your family’s annual Halloween traditions!
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