10 Family-Friendly Drive-In Movies in Edmonton This October (2026)
October is a good month for drive-in movies. The sun sets earlier, so screenings start at a reasonable hour for little ones. The cooler nights also make it a good excuse to bring blankets, pyjamas and a thermos of hot chocolate. Kids can talk, snack and fall asleep in the back seat, and nobody in the next row will mind.
We’ve gathered the family-friendly drive-in screenings happening in Edmonton this month. The lineup includes Halloween favourites that are spooky without being scary, plus a few classics the whole car can agree on. We’ve noted which shows suit little ones and which are better for tweens and teens. Dress warmly, too: fall evenings in Edmonton get chilly once the movie starts.
Family Drive-In Movies in Edmonton, October 2026
Hotel Transylvania at Spook & Screen, Lake Summerside | Tickets
On October 17, the Lake Summerside community hosts its Spook & Screen drive-in, with Hotel Transylvania as the family show at 4 p.m. The daylight start makes it a good choice for toddlers and preschoolers who won’t last through an evening screening. Food trucks and costumed characters wandering the grounds make it feel like a small Halloween festival, not just a movie. Families can watch from the car, or buy the walk-up rate and set up lawn chairs outside.
You must RSVP in advance; no tickets are sold on site. The organizers also welcome donations of new winter socks or food bank items.
Indiana Jones Carload Night at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
Later on October 17, Horizon Drive-In screens an Indiana Jones adventure, and it’s a carload night: one ticket covers everyone with a seatbelt. Parents can share a childhood favourite with kids who are old enough for a little peril. Snakes, booby traps and a few intense scenes make it a better fit for kids around 8 and up.
Moana Carload Night at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
On October 18, Moana sets sail at the drive-in, with carload pricing that makes it the most budget-friendly night of the month for bigger families. It’s the easiest pick on this list for preschoolers and young kids. Expect the car to sing along, and it’s an early show that ends in time for a school-night bedtime.
Titanic Carload Night at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
On October 28, Titanic gets the carload treatment, with one ticket covering everyone with a seatbelt. At just over three hours, it’s a long night out. It’s best for tweens and teens who are ready for the romance and the sinking.
Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo! at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
On October 29, Horizon Drive-In screens Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo!, and it’s a costume night. Kids can wear their Halloween costume to the drive-in and get a second outing out of it before trick-or-treating. The movie is short, mildly spooky and full of Mystery Inc. silliness, so it’s a good pick for preschoolers and young kids. It also wraps up in time for a reasonable bedtime.
The Addams Family at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
Later on October 29, The Addams Family is the late show of costume night. It starts after dark, which suits the creepy-cozy family. It’s best for older kids and tweens who can stay up past their usual bedtime. Families with little ones can catch Scooby-Doo earlier the same evening.
The Nightmare Before Christmas at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
On October 30, Jack Skellington takes over the big screen. Tim Burton’s stop-motion classic works for both Halloween and Christmas, and it’s a good first “spooky” movie for kids who are ready for something a little darker than cartoons. It’s an early show, so families with younger kids can be home at a reasonable hour. Costumes are encouraged.
Beetlejuice at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
Later on October 30, Horizon Drive-In screens Beetlejuice. Tim Burton’s afterlife comedy is a nostalgic pick for parents who grew up with it, and it makes a fun late night out with tweens and teens. It has some crude humour and language, so it’s best for kids 12 and up.
Hocus Pocus on Halloween Night at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
On Halloween night, the Sanderson sisters return to the drive-in. The early show lets families do a round of trick-or-treating first, or skip the doorbells altogether and spend the night in costume watching witches, a talking cat and plenty of mischief. It’s a fun pick for school-age kids.
Ghostbusters on Halloween Night at the Edmonton Valley Zoo | Tickets
Ghostbusters closes out Halloween night as the late show. It makes a fun way to end the night in costume after trick-or-treating, especially for families with tweens and teens. There’s some mild language and a few jump scares, so it’s best for kids 10 and up.
Edmonton Drive-In Movie Tips for Families
Bring an FM radio. At the Valley Zoo, movie audio plays through your car’s FM radio. If your vehicle doesn’t have one, bring a battery-powered radio.
Arrive early. Parking is first-come, first-served and assigned by vehicle size at both venues. Aim to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before showtime.
Pre-order snacks. Horizon Drive-In takes concession orders online, with an express pickup lane. Lake Summerside has food trucks on site. Our suggestion? If you don’t pre order, pack the car with snacks to make it a budget friendly night.
Get the best bang for your buck with a carload night. For big families, the Indiana Jones, Moana and Titanic screenings cover everyone in the car for a single ticket price.
Pack for the cold. Bring blankets, warm pyjamas, a thermos and a phone charger. Thermoses full of hot chocolate are a win for a fall drive-in movie night in Edmonton.
Know the refund policy. Horizon Drive-In tickets are final sale. If a show is cancelled for weather, it’s rescheduled, and your tickets carry over to the new date.
Supporting the zoo: a portion of every Horizon Drive-In ticket goes to the Valley Zoo Development Society.
