There’s no better place to enjoy the Halloween season than in New York City. From month-long events to neighborhood harvest fests, the month of October is chocked full of spooky fun for little ghouls and girls of all ages. Start your planning now with our Halloween in NYC with kids guide to the city, and our curated list of favorite can’t-miss Halloween favorites.
Halloween in NYC with Kids – Continuous Month-Long Celebrations
Luna Park’s Halloween Adventure
No bones about it, Halloween Harvest at Luna Park is the perfect place for little ones to bring in the fun fall season. Every weekend through Halloween there will be costumed trick or treating, the city’s best pumpkin patch, and Halloween-themed arts and crafts – there are endless activities, and our favorite amusement park pulls out all the stops for Halloween. The entire park was beautifully transformed into a fall fest, with hay bales, autumn flowers, pumpkins, corn stalks, and more! And the best part – it’s just a quick subway ride from the city. Luna Park Halloween Harvest. Luna Park in Coney Island. 1000 Surf Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11224. More information HERE.
Seaport Pumpkin Arch
The arch is back, and it’s gourd-ous! The epic pumpkin arch (with a killer view of the Brooklyn Bridge) is back at Pier 17. The beloved 10-foot-tall Pumpkin Arch sits right on the waterfront overlooking the river. The perfect spot for Fall Pics. More fun fall festivities this year at the Seaport, mark these in your calendar. Pumpkin Decorating. October 15th from 12-3pm at Taste of the Seaport Kids Zome (free!). Annual Halloween Block Party. Enjoy live music, trick-or-treating, a neighborhood scavenger hunt, a Halloween movie marathon, and catch a live pumpkin carving demo. October 30th from 12-2pm. Pier 17. More info HERE.
Fall-O-Ween at the New York Botanical Garden
Plentiful pumpkins, gourds and ghouls, and fun-filled activities are on tap to celebrate this season of frights and foliage at the New York Botanical Garden. Visit to see the massive pumpkin displays, and then take a spooky stroll through the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden, where fearsome and friendly scarecrows greet you as you walk along the trails. Mark your calendar for special weekends of pumpkin parades and pumpkin carving face-offs, and evening events to give kids (and adults!) the chance to show off their Halloween costumes. Fall-O-Ween. NYBG. 2900 Southern Boulevard. More information HERE.
Web of Fun
At Liberty Science Center, they celebrate Halloween all throughout October! Visit the giant indoor pumpkin patch, check out a 3D movie about a haunted house, and meet some creepy, crawly animals.You can also get tickets to the Halloween-themed laser show or the “Monsters of the Night Sky” program in America’s biggest planetarium. Don’t miss the outdoor spider web where you learn about spiders along the path. Don’t worry: there won’t be anything jumping out at you – except for the incredible Manhattan Skyline view. Halloween Party at Liberty Science Center. Liberty State Park. 222 Jersey City Boulevard. Jersey City, NJ. More info HERE.
Halloween on the Farm
Celebrate the season at Queens Farm. Enjoy the crisp fall air as you wander through the patch in search of the perfect pumpkin, or get lost in the amazing maize maze! Walk the farm grounds and soak in some New York history – Queens Farm is one of the longest continually farmed sites in the state, dating back to 1697. Visit on October 30th for their annual Halloween event, with hay-rides, trick-or-treating and dance parties. Queens Farm Halloween. 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens. More HERE.
Boo at the Zoo
Pick out your spookiest costume and get ready for 10 days of the annual Halloween craze – Boo at the Zoo. This family-friendly, not-so-scary cherished tradition brings together fun Halloween activities with the Bronx Zoo’s resident wildlife. From annual favorites such as the hay maze, pumpkin carving demos, and wild costume parades, this is one event you will not want to miss! This year the event is bigger and better than ever for parents of teens – Boo After Dark! The Bronx Zoo now has a scarily fun nighttime Halloween walk-through experience that gets you up close with prehistoric creatures. (Recommended for adults and children ages 13+). Boo at the Zoo. Bronx Zoo. 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York 10460. More on the fun festivities HERE.
Halloween in NYC with Kids – Just Outside the City Fun
The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze
Long Island’s most electrifying fall event is back! At the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze Long Island, you can walk the immersive pumpkin trail on the grounds of a 19th-century village, and see more than 7,000 hand-carved jack o’lanterns, all carved by a team of artisans! Gaze in wonder at the Pumpkin Planetarium, see larger-than-life sea creatures, and watch your head as an animated Headless Horseman rides into the night. The experience is complemented by an original soundtrack and awesome synchronized lighting. The Great Jack O’ Lantern Blaze. Old Bethpage Village Restoration. 1303 Round Swamp Rd. Old Bethpage, NY. There is also a location of Blaze in the Hudson Valley. More on the Blaze HERE.
Haunt-o-ween
Halloween like you have never seen before! This expansive, 200,000 sq ft experience offers performances, games, decorations, photo ops, rides, and immersive entertainment; it’s the perfect family-friendly playground to celebrate the season. Visitors can expect trick-or-treating, carnival-esque games, carousel rides, multiple bounce houses, slides, face painting, food, drinks, and more. Costumes encouraged! Haunt-o-ween. September 30th – October 31st, 2022, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only with the exception of the week leading up to Halloween.Bell Works. 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ. Get your tickets HERE.
Halloween in NYC with Kids – Fun (and mostly FREE!) Halloween Festivities
Pumpkin Point – October 20-23 & 29-30
Governors Island’s annual pumpkin patch, Pumpkin Point, is back! This year’s patch will feature thousands of pumpkins and fall-themed activities and treats in historic Nolan Park. Each visitor will be encouraged to take one pumpkin home with them, free of charge. the exciting lineup this year, including arts & crafts, performances, storytelling, and more to be announced in the coming weeks. Pumpkin Point. Governors Island Nolan Park. October 22-23 & 29-30. FREE. More info HERE.
Tompkins Square Park Dog Halloween Parade – Sunday October 22
Got a four-legged friend who likes the Halloween season? Creative Canines (and their owners!) let their alter-egos shine, putting on some of the cutest and most creative costumes you’ve ever seen at the annual Tompkins Square Park Dog Parade that celebrates Halloween. Once called “the largest dog costume parade in the world” by CNN, this annual fur friend event showcases hundreds of dogs in costumes and thousands of spectators. And the crowds aren’t the only thing that’s big! This year’s parade contestants will be competing for thousands of dollars in prizes.Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade. 500 East 9th Street in Alphabet City. Runway competition begins at 1pm. More information HERE.
Brooklyn Bridge Park Harvest Fest – Saturday October 22
Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Harvest Fest is back! The event includes arts, crafts, games, storytelling, and more. Don’t miss the pumpkin patch! Brooklyn Bridge Park Harvest Fest. Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6. October 22nd, 11:00-4:00. More info HERE.
Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Flotilla – Thursday, October 27th
The iconic festive flotilla—featuring homemade jack-o’-lanterns floating over the open waters —is a must-see NYC event for kids of all ages. This year the event happens over two evenings. Visit Wednesday, October 26th: Halloween crafts, entertainment, and a pumpkin patch. Then on Thursday, October 27th to see the annual Pumpkin Flotilla. 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Sail starts at dusk. Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla. Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, located inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues. Read more about pumpkin guidelines and the event HERE.
Asphalt Screams – Friday October 28
Wear your best costume and join Asphalt Green for a spooktacular family-friendly bash featuring active Halloween games and a haunted maze in Mazur Hall. The first 500 kids to arrive will receive a treat! Asphalt Screams. Asphalt Green. Upper East Side campus. 4 pm to 6 pm. More info HERE.
Haunted Carousel – Saturday October 29
Celebrate Halloween in Prospect Park at the beloved Carousel, complete with haunted horses! Don your best costume and take a spin on this spooky ride to your favorite Halloween jams. Prospect Park Carousel. Saturday, October 29th. $3 per ride; $13 for a book of 5 tickets. More HERE.
Magical Masquerade Family Day at the Whitney Museum – Saturday October 29
A fest for the whole fam! Bring the little ghosts and goblins to this family-friendly Halloween celebration at the Whitney Museum! There will be a mysterious scavenger hunt, hands-on art-making, a festive photo booth and so much more. Free with museum admission! Magical Masquerade Family Day. Whitney Museum. 99 Gansevoort Street. Saturday, October 29th. Included with museum admission. More HERE.
Brookfield Place Halloween Bash – Saturday October 29
Celebrate Halloween at Brookfield Place, with their family-friendly Halloween party. Bring your costume-clad kids to a spook-tacular afternoon full of FANGtastic afternoon of activities and trick-or-treating. Halloween Bash at Brookfield Place. 230 Vesey Street, New York, NY. Halloween Bash is from 12-3. FREE. More information HERE.
Historical Hallowe’en Featuring The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming – Sunday October 30
Get dressed up and come on over to the Upper West Side’s annual spooky celebration at the New-York Historical Society. The event will take place indoors in the special exhibition The Salem Witch Trials: Reckoning and Reclaiming and then outdoors in the tented courtyard. Enjoy interactive games, listening to stories, making Halloween crafts, and, of course, enjoying lots of candy! New-York Historical Society. 170 Central Park West. Sunday October 30th, 4-6pm. $20. More information HERE.
Harvest Fest and Pumpkin Patch at the Queens Botanical Garden – Sunday October 30
Come for a festive, spooky afternoon of Halloween fun! Little ones show off their Halloween costumes, walk our Trick-or-Treat Trail, make crafts, and enjoy live performances—including a magic show! Adults 21+ can enjoy harvest beers and ciders for purchase at the Beer & Wine Garden. Harvest Fest and Pumpkin Patch. Patch open weekends Oct 15-Oct 30. Halloween Celebration on October 30. Queens Botanical Garden. October 30th. Free with Garden Admission. 43-50 Main Street Flushing, NY 11355. More information HERE.
Washington Market Park Halloween Parade & Party – Sunday October 30
The annual Washington Market Park’s Halloween Party and Costume Parade is the park’s longest-running event and is a Halloween highlight every year. The festivities start with a children’s costume parade that leads into the park. In the park, you will find a dozen free events, from penny-in-a-haystack to a bone dig in the sandbox, carnival games and a hay circle on the lawn. Washington Market Park. 310 Greenwich Street, Tribeca. 1:00-3:00. Parade line up at 12:50 near CitiGroup Plaza (Beach Street at N. Moore Street). More information HERE.
Village Halloween Parade – Monday October 31
You are not a New Yorker unless you participate at least once in NYC’s spookiest Halloween procession (and one of the best Halloween parties in our nation) the Village Halloween Parade. This famous ghoul fest runs every year on Halloween eve and consists of a massive costumed Halloween parade through Greenwich Village’s streets. Anyone is allowed to march – but you MUST be in costume. The people you will meet while marching in the crazy NYC scene guarantees a ghoulishly good time for all. NOT recommended for small children due to the scariness and content of the costumes and craziness of the Village neighborhood, but a great event to either watch or march in with older kids. Village Halloween Parade. 7:00 – 11:00 Halloween night. The parade runs up Sixth Ave from Canal Street to West 15th St in Manhattan. FREE. Must be in costume to march. Route Map HERE More info HERE.
