Tricks, treats, and costume fun — the Halloween season brings tons of family-friendly events and activities to Chicago. You can pick your own pumpkins, go trick-or-treating, see a spooky parade, and more. Explore things to do with your little ghosts and goblins with these family-friendly Halloween activities in Chicago.
Check out our guide on things to do for Halloween in Chicago.
Attend a spectacular Halloween parade
The popular Arts in the Dark parade is a one-of-a-kind Halloween celebration and the perfect family-friendly event. The artistic parade features giant puppets, whimsical floats, creative performances, and more parading down the heart of the Loop. Catch the unforgettable show on State Street every October.
Go trick-or-treating at Navy Pier
Navy Pier is one of Chicago’s most family-friendly attractions, delighting visitors of all ages with rides, games, and boat cruises. Embrace the spirit of the season with Navy Pier’s Slightly Spooky Saturday on the weekend before Halloween. Don your favorite costume and get ready for a fun-filled day of trick-or-treating, live performances, and more kid-approved activities on the lakefront.
Experience Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns
This beloved autumnal event lights up the night with hundreds of intricately hand-carved pumpkins. During Night of1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns at the Chicago Botanic Garden, visitors can wander the gorgeous grounds at night and admire the impressive jack-o’-lanterns, each handcrafted for hours by expert artists. There will also be plenty of fall snacks and sips, like spiked cider and seasonal beer for parents to enjoy.
Visit a city pumpkin patch
Jack’s Pumpkin Patch Pop-up is Chicago’s largest fall festival, with tons of activities for all ages. Kids will love exploring the corn maze and mining for gems, while teens and tweens will want to try their hand at axe-throwing and hit all the fall-themed photo opps. Round out the experience with seasonal food trucks and more than 10,000 pumpkins on display. The pop-up event, located on Goose Island, runs from late September to early November.
Enjoy fall fun at the zoo
Fall Fest is an annual highlight at the historic Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the country’s oldest free zoos. Enjoy autumnal activities as you stroll through the zoo, including live musical entertainment, a pumpkin patch, photo ops, and live pumpkin carving. Fall Fest also features ticketed attractions, including a slide, Ferris wheel, inflatable activities, and much more.
The zoo also hosts Spooky Zoo, a daytime Halloween event for kids and families featuring trick-or-treating, storytelling, music, free carousel rides, and more.
And don’t miss the festive fun during Brookfield Zoo’s Boo! at the Zoo. The suburban zoo will be decked out in pumpkins, hay bales, and giant inflatables to get visitors in the fall spirit. Look forward to lots of family-friendly fun, including a mini magic show, sweet treats, cute photo opps, and more. Don’t forget to wear your costume!
Celebrate Day of the Dead
While it takes place during the Halloween season, Day of the Dead is a cultural celebration all its own. Head to the city’s Pilsen neighborhood, a hub for Hispanic history and culture, for the free annual Día de los Muertos Xicágo event with live music, art activities, and ofrendas (alters) made by locals. And make sure to head next door to check out the free National Museum of Mexican Art to explore their Día de Muertos, Where the Past Is Present art exhibit.
Interact with animals at the BOO-seum Bash
Befriendfurry, feathered, and scaly creatures at the BOO-seum Bash, an afternoon celebration hosted by the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park. Enjoy museum exhibits, crafts, and animal encounters while wearing your favorite costume. Slither up to snakes, come face-to-face with creepy crawly bugs, and encounter animal bones at this all-ages Halloween event.
Enjoy Halloween events in Chicago parks
Chicago’s neighborhood parks are hosting an array of spook-tacular Halloween events in Chicago parks for kids of all ages — including pumpkin patches, campfire nights, movie screenings, festivals, fun runs, haunted houses, performances, and more. Look forward to themed treats, costumes, and a variety of hands-on activities, ranging from games to arts and crafts at parks and community spaces all around the city.
