Halloween Happenings 2025!

This guide is generously sponsored by Chicago Friends School.
Get to Know Chicago Friends School - For 300 years, Quaker schools have fostered integrity, peace, and community while recognizing each child’s uniqueness. Chicago Friends School offers a joyful, values-driven education for Kindergarten through 8th grade, where small classes and dynamic teachers nurture curiosity, kindness, and a lifelong love of learning. With a full hour of outdoor recess each day, experiential learning, and a focus on community care, students thrive both academically and socially. We are still enrolling for the 2025–26 school year - come see what a Quaker education can mean for your child!

Is it just me, or do you also enjoy Halloween now, as a parent, more than you ever did as a kid?  

I can't get enough of the decor, the costumes, the spooky-themed food, and all the fun events. This year, I am especially happy to see that my teens aren't out-growing any of it anytime soon either. My eighteen year old lays out her outfits for the whole month of October, and they are all combinations of orange and black. Whenever I catch her with her ear pods in, she is listening to Halloween movie soundtracks. Her room is decorated in cobwebs, (beyond the ones that were already there), and pumpkin lighting. This is going to be another fun year!  

The events we have always loved pre-pandemic are back, the innovative events created during the pandemic are returning, and even some new events are popping up. This may be the best year yet.

Stay tuned to Macaroni KID Chicago Northside, as we will keep you posted on all things sweet, and creepy, this season. Follow us on Facebook too, to ensure you don't miss a thing.

THE SWEET

Andersonville

Rogers Park Montessori Fall Fest
October 19 @ 10am-2pm
Fall festivities will include crafts, games, prizes, food trucks, a pumpkin patch, photo booth, costume parade, and more! This event is free and open to the public.

Aville-o-Ween
October 25 @ 12pm-3pm
Kids are welcomed to trick-or-treat at the businesses along Catalpa.There is also a pumpkin scavenger hunt all month long.
Cost: Free

Avondale

Fall Fest at Athletic Field Park
October 4 @ 10am-3pm
Come spend the day with us, full of family fun, great food, live music, and more!

Lakeview

Tubman Elementary Fall Fest
October 18 @ 10am-12pm
Games & Prizes. Costume Parade. Trunk or Treat. Pumpkin Decorating. Dance Party. Costume Swap.

Friends of Jahn Pumpkin Patch
October 18 @ 10am-2pm
We are thrilled to be welcoming our community back to the Jahn Pumpkin Patch this year! Join us for fall crafts, music, balloon twisting, pumpkin sales, face painting, bounce house, games, and more.

Roscoe Village Halloween Block Party
October 19 @ 12pm-5pm
Save the date for the Roscoe Village Halloween Block Party! Celebrate the season in a safe, outdoor, family-oriented environment on Roscoe. Wear your costume and join for Halloween themed activities, a live DJ, and more! The Roscoe Village Streetery will be open for your food and beverage needs.

Halloween at the Lake Boo YMCA
October 24 @ 5pm-7pm
Enjoy a frighteningly fun-filled time for the whole family with a haunted house, bounce house, scary (and family-friendly!) movie, and arts and crafts. Don't forget to wear a costume. This event is free and open to the public.

Hamilton Boo Bash
October 25 @ 2pm-5pm
Join us for a full day of fun activities, including a kid-friendly haunted house, a spooky haunted house created by our middle schoolers, a magic show, costume parade, carnival games, arts and crafts, spooky prizes, music, food for purchase, and so much more!

Trick-or-Treat Southport
October 27 @ 4pm-7pm
Trick or Treat on Southport is a free annual community event featuring family-friendly activities, a pumpkin patch, pet parade and trick or treating at local businesses.

Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade
October 31 @ 6:30pm-10:00pm
Join us for the 28th annual Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade, October 31st, 2025. The free parade is a spectacle of sights, frights & spooky mayhem concluding with an Awards Show, live performance and dance party.

Little Monsters Crawl
TBA
Here’s the scoop: the little ghouls and goblins will embark on a thrilling trick or tread adventure, strolling through the neighbourhood in their finest costumes. Local businesses will set up stations with various treats for both kids and parents. We will also have 4 pop up tents across the neighbourhood where you’ll find your kids favourite cartoon costume characters and entertainers ready to spread Halloween joy! They’ll be on hand to greet the kids, hand out candy, and create magical moments that will make this Halloween unforgettable. So, mark your calendars for a day of family fun and fantastic costumes and make sure to stop into local businesses, fill your candy bag, and enjoy a safe and tasty trick-or-treating adventure! Don’t miss out on this fang-tastic neighborhood treat!

Lincoln Park

Spooky Zoo
October 18 @ 10am-1pm (or while supplies last)
This year’s event will offer trick-or-treating on zoo grounds and family-friendly entertainment. Free carousel rides.

Spooktacular 2025
October 25 and 26 @ 1pm-4pm
Spooktacular returns for a full weekend of tricks and treats in Lincoln Park! Lincoln Avenue and Clark Street businesses will embrace the spooky season and transform into trick-or-treat stops.
Cost: Free

Monster Mash Bash at Wrightwood
TBA
Join us for a boo-ti-ful time! Come dressed in your Halloween costume and enjoy a fun night of dancing.

Lincoln Square Ravenswood

Trick or Treat Fest at Chase Park
October 25 @ 2pm-6pm
TREAT STATIONS, BOUNCE HOUSE, GHOULISH GAMES & CREEPY ARTS & CRAFTS, 'NO SCARE' HAUNTED HOUSE, PROFESSIONAL GHOST STORIES, HALLOWEEN DANCE PERFORMANCE, SPOOKY CIRCUS SHOW

Lincoln Scared Ravenswoooood
October 26 @ 11am-1pm
Trick-or-Treat with your kids this year in Lincoln Square Ravenswood!  On the Sunday of Halloween the business district transforms into LINCOLN SCARED and RAVENSWoooooD, as children trick-or-treat between participating businesses. And if you're interested in a fun activity, stop by The Perfect Cup (4700 N Damen)  with your costumed cuties. Concordia Place will be right out front with pumpkins and a variety of decorating supplies. This free event is rain or shine!

Hands-On Family Night: Haunted House Party at The Chopping Block
October 30 @ 6pm-8pm
Bring the whole gang (costumes encourage!) for a hands-on Halloween family class tonight! Have fun working together to prepare a spooooooky assortment of ghoulish bites everyone can sink their teeth into. This hands-on class is designed for children ages 6 and older to cook with their parents, families or guardians.
Menu:

• Spider Cheese Balls with Creepy Carrot Witch Fingers
• Spooky Spaghetti and Zombie Eyeballs (Meatballs) in Marinara
• Mummified Roasted Garlic Bread
• Vampire Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Raspberry “Blood” 

The Loop

Boo with Sue at the Field Museum
October 17 @ 5:30pm-9:30pm
Trick-or-treat yourself to a night at the Field Museum! This not-so-scary after hours event will spark curiosity for the entire family. Families with kids ages 2 to 12 will get up close and personal with creepy crawlers, conduct their own owl pellet dissection, explore fascinating exhibits, and learn about specimens in our collection from our team of scientists.
Costumes encouraged!

Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade
October 25 @ 6:00PM-8:00PM
This is not to be missed! Personally, my favorite parade of all time. The Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade will return to State Street as the finale of the city’s “Halloweek” program! Now in its 11th year, this event has drawn together close to 100,000 guests and participants for a magical evening parade that celebrates Halloween as the “artist’s holiday.” Past participants include world-renowned institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago, celebrated Chicago organizations like Lookingglass Theatre Company, important programs like After School Matters and aspiring artists in every field. It is a dazzling event that delights the audience with unique floats, spectacle puppets and creative performances – all set against the backdrop of historic State Street.

The Nightmare Before Christmas In Concert
October 25 @ 7:30pm-10:30pm
Back by popular demand, see one of Tim Burton’s most celebrated films like never before! The full-feature film, The Nightmare Before Christmas, will be projected on the big screen with live accompaniment by the Chicago Philharmonic bringing Danny Elfman’s darkly charming film score to life. Families are welcome and costumes are encouraged.

North Center

Pumpkin Patch at Horner Park
October 4 @ 10am-2pm
Celebrate the season with a perfect afternoon in the park at this family-friendly event.
At the Chicago Park District’s Pumpkin Patches and Harvest Fests, you can choose your favorite pumpkin from the patch and make it your own at the decorating station. Enjoy carnival games, inflatables, live music, and capture special moments at our festive harvest photo station.

Woodland Creatures’ Halloween 
October 4-19 and October 26 @ 11am
Theater for Young Audiences @ Corn presents our newest show, perfect for young ones and the entire family!
In Woodland Creatures Halloween, our friends are celebrating Halloween Break from their monster-sory school. Wolfie's birthday is approaching, and they can't wait to celebrate. But when new and exciting plans come up, the creatures try to cram too much into their break. Can they do it all before Wolfie's birthday? Is there a lesson here? How many Halloween puns can fit into one kids' sized show?? Find out this October!

North Center Trick-or-Treat
October 25 @ 10am-1pm
Put on your funniest, spookiest, most creative Halloween costumes and join for a morning of Trick-or-Treating and holiday fun! Stop at Northcenter Town Square, 4100 N Damen Ave, pick up a treat bag and a map before visiting local businesses along Lincoln/Irving/Damen and in Northcenter Town Square, that will be handing out candy and other fun prizes. 

River North

Slightly Spooky Saturday
October 25 @ 12pm-6pm 
Celebrate the spooky season with trick-or-treating throughout the Pier while wearing your favorite costumes. Enjoy free workshops, axe throwing, live performances, and more!

Rogers Park

Family Harvest Halloween Fest on Jarvis Square
October 25 @ 3pm-7pm
Bring your family and your costumes to the 3rd Annual Harvest Halloween Fest. Enjoy stilt walkers, jugglers, firepits and S'mores, face painting, Live interactive kids music, balloon artist, candy and more.
Cost: Free

Washington Park

Upside Down Halloween Parade
October 25 @ 12pm-2pm
Chicago children and their families will BECOME the parade when they don their costumes and join the procession down tree-lined Russell Drive. Dance teams, musicians, acrobats, sports mascots and other spectacles will dazzle them as they make their way down the route – and the first 5,000 kids will receive a complimentary candy bag and other goodies at the closing arches!

West Ridge

Halloween at the Indian Boo-ndary YMCA
October 17 @ 6pm-8pm
Calling all ghoulies, goblins, and ghosts to the Indian Boo-ndary YMCA! There are no tricks up our sleeves, but we do have lots of treats! Enjoy a frighteningly fun-filled time for the whole family with games, trick or treating, a bounce house, and more.
This event is free and open to the community. Don’t forget to wear a costume!  

Suburbs

Pumpkins & Pampering 
October 10 @ 9am-12pm
🎃 Pumpkins & Pampering 💆‍♀️ Because moms deserve a little extra. 👧 For the kiddos: Pumpkin painting 🖌️ Fall sensory bin fun 🍂 Book shopping with Bloom Bright Books 📚 💆‍♀️ For moms: Pampering with facials, brows & lashes from Symmetrical Artistry ✨ FREE blowouts & styling from KMV Hair 🙌 Childcare included so you can get pampered! 📍 Le Village Cowork Des Plaines

Paranormal Tours at Volo Museum
Now through November 2
This seasonal tour brings to life stories of paranormal encounters from Grams family members, employees, and even guests like you. More than just tales, you’ll see actual proof of the strange occurrences that have made this site legendary. 

Six Flags Great America Boo Fest
Now through November 2
Explore all your family-favorite coasters and attractions together during Kids Boo Fest! Kids areas are available from 11:00am-5:00pm. Enjoy the family-friendly classic adventure of trick-or-treat in the park! 

Jack O’Lantern World
October 2 - November 1
Step into a glowing wonderland this fall at The Forge: Lemont Quarries. Jack O’Lantern World (Presented by All Community Events) invites you to walk through an immersive, interactive trail featuring more than 20 themed worlds brought to life by the artistry of over 50 skilled carvers.

Discover thousands of real pumpkins, including massive 1,000+ lb jack-o’-lanterns, each carved with incredible detail. Along the way, you’ll find countless photo opportunities and dazzling displays that capture the magic of the season.

NEW THIS YEAR: Add even more fun for the little ones with the Kids Pass Add-On: includes access to the Creepy Crawly Climb Zone, a giant inflatable wonderland on the mount lawn and a round of Ghostly Graveyard Mini Golf! Themed food and beverage options will also be available from Creamery with seasonal treats.

Highwood Pumpkin Fest Carnival
October 3-5
HIGHWOOD'S ANNUAL PUMPKIN FEST features Carnival Rides, Games,  Food, Live Music and plenty of Pumpkins!

Boo at the Zoo
October 4-31 @ 10am-5pm (weekdays) 10am-6pm (weekends)
Gather your ghoulfriends, little ghosts, and goblins for this fun-filled family event. Check out the creatures, creepy crawlers, and more in your costumes at the Halloween-themed event that's perfect for family photo ops. All ages are in for a fang-tastic time, and the kids will leave with a sweet treat.

Lincolnwood Trunk-Or-Treat
October 26 @ 3pm-5pm
Wear your Halloween costume and join us for this FREE, family-friendly event of treats and spooky fun! Children must be accompanied by an adult.

THE CREEPY

Andersonville

Gallery of Terror
October 16 - November 2
Hidden among the steel shadows and ancient brick alleys of Andersonville in Chicago lies an abandoned art gallery few dare to speak of: The Event Horizon. Once a beacon of avant-garde expression in the early 1900s, the gallery was abruptly shuttered after a string of disturbing disappearances in 1925—visitors who entered… were never seen again.
Its collection was whispered to be "too evocative," with paintings that stirred madness, sorrow, or bloodlust. Artists claimed the canvases were alive. Curators went mad. The building was sealed, yet locals still report seeing lights flicker behind the boarded windows. Some even claim to hear voices calling… whispering... or screaming.
Now, for the first time in a century, the gallery has reopened. And its cursed collection beckons once more.
A parent or guardian must accompany anyone under the age of 16.

Lakeview

Nightmare on Clark Street
October 10 - November 2
Chicago’s favorite annual Halloween-themed extravaganza is back for the 2025 season starting October 10th! Step inside Nightmare on Clark Street, where spooky season takes over Stolen Saddle! Enjoy over-the-top haunted décor, creepy-themed cocktails, and Instagram-worthy photo ops designed to get you into the Halloween spirit! Happy haunting. NO KIDS ALLOWED THIS YEAR.

Lincoln Square/Ravenswood

The Park After Dark at Chase Park
October 17 - November 1
The Park After Dark is a charity event to raise money for the Chase Park after school teen program. Every year, we transform the old theater into a brand-new haunted house, never repeating the same theme twice creating a truly unique experience. This year we are pleased to present: The Ritual, a paranormal adventure. The attraction is PG -13 and no children under the age of 13 will be permitted without parental advisory. We STRONGLY suggest no one under the age of 10.

You must purchase tickets in advance, there are no onsite ticket sales!

Portage Park

The Catacombs at St. Pascal
October 3-25
Started in 1979 as Saint Pascal’s Haunted House, The Catacombs has continued its impressive legacy for over 40 years.  What was once just a building engineer and a small part of the school has evolved into a thriving haunted house that expands from the school to the depths of the church basement. Through various name changes (Ghostly Manor, Halls of Horrors, and The Underworld) the haunt has shown no signs of slowing down. We are currently the oldest haunt in the Chicago area. Our volunteers come from a broad range of backgrounds that allow us to put out the best product we can every weekend. Make no mistake, this is no run-of-the-mill charity haunt. The Catacombs will terrify, haunt, and frighten you to the core.  
We do NOT recommend this attraction for children under the age of twelve (12), but as the parent and/or guardian, we leave that choice completely up to you. There is a No-Scare Family Fun Fest on October 11 @ 10am-2pm with trick-or-treating @ 11am-1:30pm

Rogers Park

Dead on Damen
TBA
Dead On Damen is excited to invite you to our 6th annual FREE Halloween Party. We will have hot cider, hot dogs, chili, chips, juice drinks and, of course, CANDY! Donations will be accepted For The ALS Foundation and Jordan Community School.

Suburbs

Six Flags Great America Fright Fest
Now through November 2
We visit Great America every fall. It's the perfect time to go. The temperature is usually a little cooler, the lines are shorter, and the changing colors of all the leaves, really make it quite picturesque. Add to that all the fun Fall, Halloween decorations, and seasonal menu items, and it is an enjoyable day even for non-riders. At 5:45pm, The Uprising Parade: Nightly Call of the Dead begins. This is the cue for kids 13 and under to make their way to the park exit or dare to be scared.  

The 13th Floor Chicago
Now through November 9
Get ready for the most fun you've ever had getting scared at the world-famous 13th Floor Haunted House in Chicago!
In most buildings, the 13th floor doesn't exist--but here, in the heart of Chicago, it's terrifyingly real. The legendary 13th Floor has been praised by and featured on America Haunts, Travel Channel, MTV, Haunt World Magazine, and USA Today calls it "One of the best haunted attractions in the US." Purchase tickets early as Chicago's most horrifying haunted house is expected to sell out!

Old Joliet Haunted Prison
September 20 - November 9
A haunted house inside a real, abandoned prison! Get ready for the most fun you've ever had getting scared at The Old Joliet Haunted Prison in Joliet, IL! The madness from within the prison has spilled out into the yard where the queen of the damned rules over the most infamous and violent prisoners. This doomsday squad have launched an all-out assault on the living at an attempt to escape their eternal captivity. Journey through the chaos as the path winds through open air smoldering ruins and inside the prison’s machine shop, laundry room and other various industrial spaces. Escape from purgatory might be futile but it won't stop the prisoner’s from having a bloody good time.

Scream Scene
October 10 - November 8
Scream Scene is a seasonal haunted house held every October in Skokie. Each haunting season features new characters, sets and scenes making each new year more frightening than the last. Skokie Water Playground, abandoned for the season, becomes host to the most frightening experience in Skokie. With it's chainsaw maniacs and insane clown maze, Scream Scene has been terrifying visitors since 1997. Parental discretion advised: Not recommended for children under 10 years old! (Though, there is a "lights" on version on October 25 from 3pm-5pm for only $3.)

Don't forget to check out our Fall Guide for more fun this season!