Family events in Martinsburg, WV

A free STEM conference for students in grades 5 through 8.

Search designated public areas in downtown Martinsburg for hidden Halloween ducks, with each duck redeemable for a prize donated by a participating vendor. Bring a found duck inside Wandering Roots Market to claim its prize. Each person may find one duck, with a maximum of two per family or household, and the finder must be present to redeem it. Ducks may only be claimed during the redemption period, and prizes are available while ducks last. Please stay out of businesses, private property, landscaping, and restricted areas, and do not follow or watch the crew hiding the ducks.

Bakerton Market hosts a family friendly Halloween celebration filled with activities for all ages. Highlights include a mechanical bull, trick or treating with costumes encouraged, a contest for carved pumpkins, spooky hayrides, and music around a fire pit. Barbecue from the grill will be available throughout the event. Costumes are welcomed for children and adults alike, from ghosts and witches to cowboys, superheroes, and other playful creatures.

The first annual trunk or treat at Amherst Commons offers a family friendly Halloween afternoon hosted by businesses including Stix & Stones Indoor Golf, Boxwell Pharmacy, and the Adult Care Center of the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Guests can visit creatively decorated vehicles for free candy, enjoy activities with prizes, capture memories at a festive photo spot, and find food and beverages available. Costumes are encouraged, and bringing a candy bag is recommended. The event is seeking volunteers to decorate vehicles, hand out candy, and assist with the festivities. Businesses, organizations, families, and community members can participate. Up to 30 trunk spots are available and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Explore a spooky, carnival-themed walk-through filled with Halloween fun and surprises. The experience is relatively kid-friendly, with creepy carnival effects rather than gore or graphic content. During the no-scare hour, actors will not intentionally scare guests; live actors are present during scare hours. The walk-through may include flashing lights and visual effects that could trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Please follow the safety rules: do not touch, run, or turn around, and keep moving forward. A food drive invites guests to donate non-perishable items for local families, though donations are not required for entry. Donors are entered into a raffle for a Boo Basket. The first 100 children will receive a goodie bag, with fun-size candy available afterward while supplies last.

Sharpsburg Civil War Ghost Tours partners with High Priestess Tarot for an evening that blends historical ghost storytelling with card reading intrigue at Bender’s Public House & Eatery. The guided walk lasts about 90 minutes and follows sidewalks and alleyways through Sharpsburg, a town known for its Civil War era hauntings, sharing accounts of soldiers, civilians, and locations shaped by the Battle of Antietam. Featured routes include Graveyards, Cemeteries, and Soldiers, which visits sites connected to a deadly artillery blast, timeworn burial grounds, and the legend of the Black Dog, and The Soldiers’ Passageway, which highlights the town’s ordeal after the battle and recurring reports of Confederate figures moving west toward the Potomac. Stories may include Jacob McGraw, drummer boy Charley King, a lone Confederate sentry, unusual experiences at the Rohrback House, echoes tied to broken artillery, and legends around Indian Head Hill, also called Copperplate Hill. High Priestess Tarot offers 15 minute readings for $15, with Julia reading the cards you select to explore past, present, and future, and appointments are required. Tour admission is $15 for those over 17 and $10 for ages 10 to 17, and active duty military can tour for free. Reservations are required and tours often fill in advance.

Shelter dogs will receive baths and nail trims to help them feel comfortable and look their best while waiting for homes. Visitors can meet adoptable dogs and support local animal welfare efforts, helping increase adoption opportunities for dogs in need.

Settle in for a warm weekend focused on getting the bears ready for hibernation. Put on pajamas for a lively PJ Dance Party, wind down with a cozy movie night, and personalize a pillowcase with coloring. The weekend concludes with a sweet send-off as the bears are tucked into bed for their winter rest. Activities take place on the weekend only.