Lake Lawn Resort · Delavan Lake, Wisconsin

October at the Lake

Fall colors, festival weekends & a little mischief

Seven ways to do autumn right on Delavan Lake: foliage cruises aboard the Lake Lawn Queen, a free family festival weekend, stargazing and bourbon on the water, and two Halloween nights you won’t forget.

Updated monthly — check back for what’s next at the lake.

EST. 1878  ·  THE GENEVA LAKES AREA  ·  TWO MILES OF DELAVAN LAKE SHORELINE  ·  90 MINUTES FROM CHICAGO
This month’s lineup

Seven reasons to be on the lake in October

Staying the weekend, driving in for the day, or lucky enough to live nearby — every event below is open to all, easy to get to, and even easier to stay for.
Oct3Golfers in Oktoberfest attire at the Craft Brew Open at Majestic Oaks Golf Course

8th Annual Craft Brew Open

Sat · 9:30 AM · Majestic Oaks · $250–$450 per team

An Oktoberfest-themed scramble with craft beer sampling across the course, contests on nearly every hole, and a Best Attire crown. Benefits Open Arms Free Clinic. Capped at 36 teams.

Register a Team
Oct3–31The Lake Lawn Queen decorated for fall at the dock on Delavan Lake

Fall Colors Tours

10 sail dates · 1.5 hours · $25 adults / $15 kids 4–12

Crimson, gold, and amber from the best seat in the county — the water. Cruise Delavan Lake’s historic shoreline aboard the Lake Lawn Queen. Kids 3 and under sail free.

See Sail Dates
Oct8Couple stargazing from the deck of the Lake Lawn Queen on the Night Sky Cruise

Night Sky Cruise

Thu · 8–10 PM · $40 adults / $35 kids 4–12

Two hours under the stars with GLAS Education: telescopes, constellation spotting, and — if the Draconids cooperate — a shooting star or two. Limited to 60 guests.

Get Tickets
Oct9–11Children in costumes trick-or-treating at the Family Fall Festival

Family Fall Festival

Fri–Sun · Free admission · Open to the public

Pumpkin painting, a hay bale maze, lawn games, the Pumpkin House, a Friday Glow Party, lakeside s’mores, a lantern walk, and live music — a full weekend of it.

See the Weekend
Oct21Bourbon cocktail and dinner at sunset aboard the Lake Lawn Queen

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Dinner

Wed · 6–8 PM · $135++ per person

America’s oldest continuously operating distillery meets Delavan Lake at sunset: a paired bourbon sampling with every dinner course aboard the Lake Lawn Queen. Boarding at 5:45 PM.

Get Tickets
Oct30Skeleton at the rail of the Lake Lawn Queen with fall colors across Delavan Lake

Haunted History Cruise

Fri · 6 PM · $40 adults / $35 kids 4–12

American Ghost Walks brings the lake’s darker history to life: circus-era lore, shoreline legends, and unexplained accounts as darkness settles over the water. Storytelling, not jump scares.

Get Tickets
Oct31The Traitors' Masquerade Halloween Party at Lake Lawn Resort

The Traitors’ Masquerade

Sat · 8 PM–11:30 PM · $40 · 21+

Dress to deceive. DJ Felix in the Geneva Ballroom, hypnotist Nino Cruzillini at 9:30, tarot in the Mystic Parlor, and a themed cocktail in hand — one specialty drink included.

Get Tickets
Pumpkins on the Lake Lawn Resort lakefront at sunset

Make It a Weekend

Two miles of shoreline · 90 minutes from Chicago

Most of these events are steps from your room. Stay the night and trade the drive home for a lakeside sunrise.

Check Room Availability
Fall Colors Tours · Aboard the Lake Lawn Queen

Ten sail dates. One brilliant shoreline.

Tours run about 90 minutes. Boarding begins 30 minutes prior at the Hut Pier on the Lakefront. Most tours depart at 11:00 AM; select dates add a 2:00 PM sailing, and Thursday, October 8 sails at 2:30 PM.

October

SatOct 3 SunOct 4 ThuOct 8 SatOct 10 SunOct 11 ThuOct 15 SatOct 17 SunOct 18 SunOct 25 SatOct 31 · Halloween
$25 adults · $15 children 4–12 · 3 and under sail complimentary. Peak color weekends fill first.
Book a Fall Colors Tour
October 9–11 · Free & open to the public

The Family Fall Festival weekend

Festival activities run Saturday and Sunday, 12–4 PM on the Lakefront Lawn, with the Pumpkin House open all weekend and the Oktoberfest Street Kitchen serving from The Hut.

Friday, October 9

  • 5:00 PM — Welcome Reception, Fireside Lounge
  • 6:00–8:00 PM — Family Glow Party with DJ Koz’s Entertainment, Great Room (complimentary for resort guests)
  • 9:00 PM — DJ Karaoke, The Lookout

Saturday, October 10

  • 11:00 AM & 2:00 PM — Lake Lawn Queen Fall Colors Tours (separately ticketed)
  • 12:00–4:00 PM — Festival activities: pumpkin painting, hay bale maze, lawn games, candy bags
  • 6:00–8:00 PM — Lakeside firepits & s’mores ($6 kits at The Hut)
  • 6:30–8:00 PM — After Dark Lantern Walk on the golf course cart paths
  • 9:00 PM — Live music with Kevin Kennedy, The Lookout

Sunday, October 11

  • 9:30–10:30 AM — Beginner-friendly yoga, Geneva Club (complimentary, space for 25)
  • 12:00–4:00 PM — Festival activities, Lakefront Lawn and The Hut
  • 6:00–8:00 PM — Lakeside firepits & s’mores
Children in costumes dancing at a family Halloween party at Lake Lawn Resort Boy building a scarecrow at the Family Fall Festival Halloween decorations at Lake Lawn Resort Pumpkins on the lakefront at sunset during the Family Fall Festival
Stay for Festival Weekend

Good to know

  • Events, dates, times, and pricing are subject to change; ticketed events are based on availability.
  • Cruise prices are per person, plus tax and service. Lakefront activities, cruises, and firepits are weather dependent.
  • Fall Colors, Night Sky, and Haunted History cruises board at the Hut Pier — boarding begins 30 minutes before departure.
  • The Traitors’ Masquerade is 21+ with valid ID; the Craft Brew Open is amateurs only, with wristbands for guests under 21.
  • All children must remain with a parent or guardian during festival activities.
Questions or group bookings? Call 262.728.7950
October at the Lake
7 events · 10 cruise dates
See Events