Best Halloween Events for Kids in Chicago in 2026
Halloween Trick-or-Treating in Chicago for Kids
Oak Brook Pumpkin Swim
Oak Brook
Friday, October 16, 2026
Kids can dive for eggs that contain candy and a chance to win a full-sized pumpkin at Oak Brook Aquatic Center. Kids will be divided by age group into different pools at different times. Fee is for children only; adults are free. Website
Spooky Zoo (at Lincoln Park Zoo)
Lincoln Park
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Kids can trick-or-treat for sustainably sourced candy at Lincoln Park Zoo from 10am until the candy runs out. Kids can enjoy free carousel rides, spooky chats and learning activities, and fall rides and attractions to keep the party going. Website
Lincoln Park Spooktacular 2026
Lincoln Park - FREE
Saturday & Sunday, October 24 & 25, 2026
Trick-or-treat at select businesses along Lincoln Avenue between Wrightwood and Webster on Saturday or Clark Street on Sunday on the weekend before Halloween. Magicians, stilt walkers, and jugglers will meet and greet trick-or-treaters along the way. Website
Lincoln Scared and Ravenswoooooood
Lincoln Square and Ravenswood - FREE
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Lincoln Square and Ravenswood transform into Lincoln Scared and Ravenswooooooood for early trick-or-treating. Businesses hand out candy and other treats, and a pumpkin decorating station sets up on Damen Avenue. Website
Fall Fests and Halloween Parties in Chicago for Kids
Night at the Museum Halloween Party (at DuPage County Historical Museum)
Wheaton
Friday, October 2, 2026
Kids can enjoy after-hours fun at the DuPage County Historical Museum. Activities include a three-story flashlight scavenger hunt, crafts, and a live train demonstration. All kids must be accompanied by a paid adult. Website
Halloween Happening (at Wheaton Community Center)
Wheaton
Friday, October 9, 2026
At Wheaton's annual Halloween party, kids and their grown-ups enjoy crafts, games, and more. A Touch-A-Truck event, a trick-or-treat trail, a bounce house, a concession stand, and airbrush tattoos add to the fun for a small fee. Website
Wicker Park Boo-palooza and Bark-palooza
Wicker Park
Saturday, October 17, 2026
This family-friendly Halloween event features kids' musicians, a costume parade, and a pumpkin patch and decorating area. Play games including pin-the-tail on various popular cartoons, find the "needle" in the haystack, or work your way through a straw maze. Website
Pumpkins in the Woods (in Hubbard Woods)
Winnetka
Friday, October 23, 2026
Hubbard Woods is transformed into a magical pumpkin patch where kids can decorate pumpkins, play carnival games, bounce through inflatables, listen to music from a DJ, and participate in a costume contest. The whole family can enjoy this Halloween event. Website
Addison Park District Candy Carnival
Addison
Friday, October 23, 2026
Kids can play games to win candy at this annual event. Kids receive an extra treat for coming in costume. Inflatables, crafts, and games round out the fun. Parents must accompany their children at this event. Website
Naperville Halloween Happening
Naperville - FREE
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Visit the Naperville Riverwalk's Grand Pavilion for Halloween games, activities, and treats. Hayrides and a pumpkin patch add to the fall fun. This free event is intended for kids 10 and under. Website
Slightly Spooky Saturday: Family Halloween (at Navy Pier)
Downtown - FREE
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Halloween takes over Navy Pier! Families can enjoy circus acts, mad scientist demos, axe throwing, a costume contest, face-painting demos, and more at shops and restaurants around the Pier. Website
Family-Friendly Halloween Hikes, Walks, and Runs Around Chicago
Oak Brook Park District Halloween Trick-or-Treat Trail
Oak Brook
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Trick-or-treaters can walk a half-mile loop in the woods to receive treats from a variety of characters. Afterward, they can board a wagon to take them to the pumpkin patch to select their very own pumpkin (pumpkins are reserved for children). This event tends to sell out; call in advance. Website
Night of 1,000 Jack-o'-Lanterns (at Chicago Botanic Garden)
Glencoe
Wednesdays - Sundays, October 7-25, 2026
Don't be a scaredy cat—these hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns are a real treat! Explore the Chicago Botanic Garden for a spooktacular adventure with more than 1,000 hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns to light the way. Along the way you may come across interesting characters, watch haunted model trains in the garden, and catch an artist carving a new pumpkin for the path. Website
St. Charles Scarecrow Festival
St. Charles - FREE
Friday - Sunday, October 9-11, 2026
More than 100 handmade and mechanical scarecrows will be on display in downtown St. Charles for this 35th annual fall tradition. Families can make their own scarecrow, enjoy live entertainment, shop at the arts and crafts show, or ride carnival rides while enjoying the fall weather. Website
Haunted Forest Westmont
Westmont
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Kids can start at Diane Main Park and be driven on a haunted hayride to Sandra Smith Woods. Then, get off the wagon to walk through the spooky woods. Little kids can have fun at the earlier session, while teens and tweens can fear characters, ghouls, and goblins that jump out at them after dark at the 7pm edition. Website
Boo Bash Trick-or-Treat Trail (at Ackerman Park)
Glen Ellyn
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Families can trick-or-treat with their favorite characters along a trail in Ackerman Park for an early Halloween treat. At the end of the trail, each child can pick a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch. Website
The Great Sand Ridge (Tiny) Pumpkin Hunt
South Holland - FREE
Saturday, October 31, 2026
Discover all of the tiny pumpkins in Sand Ridge Nature Center in a scavenger hunt. Participants who find all the pumpkins can take home a pumpkin as a prize. Website
Halloween Parades in Chicago
Arts in the Dark (starting on Columbus Drive)
Downtown - FREE
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Arts in the Dark is an evening parade that celebrates Halloween as the "artist's holiday," bringing together Chicago institutions and organizations dedicated to art and education. Audience members will be delighted by unique floats, spectacle puppets, and creative performances set against the backdrop of Chicago’s majestic skyline. Website
Glen Ellyn Halloween Spooktacular Festival and Parade
Glen Ellyn - FREE
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Join in the parade in downtown Glen Ellyn before trick-or-treating at local businesses. Kids can also play games and make crafts in the downtown area. Website
Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade
Lakeview - FREE
Saturday, October 31, 2026
North Halsted Street in Boystown celebrates Halloween unlike any other neighborhood in Chicago. Parade entries may include LED robots, the Lakeside Marching Band, and Chicago Full Moon Jam fire performers. A costume contest awards cash prizes to contestants in seven different categories, including a category for youth. Website