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Best Halloween Events in NYC 2025 for Kids and Families

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9/21/25 - By Drew Kristofik

Halloween is one of the best nights to be a kid in NYC, and our 2025 list of the best Halloween events in New York City includes can't-miss Halloween activities from Manhattan to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and even some top-notch picks in the 'burbs.

We've rounded up our favorite 2025 Halloween events in NYC for families, including perennial kid-pleasers, like BAMBoo!, Boo at the Zoo, and the big Village Halloween Parade. 

So, read on for our curated list of the best Halloween events in New York City for kids, and start planning your spooky fun. Our Family Activity Calendar, and our New York City Kids' Halloween Guide are jam-packed with more seasonal fun, including top pumpkin patches and the best local costume stores to get you ready for the big night.

Before heading out, click through to our listings to confirm the final details, and keep in mind popular events in NYC have a tendency to sell out, so book your tickets in advance or plan to arrive early.

More Halloween Fun in NYC

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Top Halloween Events in NYC in 2025

Village Ghost Tours in Historic Richmondtown

Richmond, Staten Island
Fridays and Saturdays from Friday, September 19-Friday, October 31, 2025
From authentic colonial ghost stories to creepy modern-day encounters, Village Ghost Tours explore Richmond Town's historic houses by candlelight. Delve into folklore and mysteries from the past during a tour led by costumed storytellers who share unexplained and unnerving tales. READ MORE

Harvest Glow at the Bronx Zoo

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Select dates Thursday, September 25-Friday, October 31, 2025
The Bronx Zoo's nighttime, family-friendly, Halloween spectacular invites families to follow an animal-themed, illuminated, jack-o'-lantern trail, explore Dinosaur Safari at night, and enjoy live pumpkin carving, Wildlife Theater, games, and more.    READ MORE

Bronx Zoo's Boo at the Zoo

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Select dates from Saturday, September 27-Monday, October 26, 2025
Trek the candy trail, explore an extinct animal graveyard, and take in pumpkin carving demos as the Bronx Zoo's annual Halloween tradition returns, bringing with it tons of family-friendly activities. New this year: a trick-or-truth maze, face painting, a creepy mystery wall, and a Halloween mashup. Costumes are welcome. READ MORE

New York Ascarium!

Coney Island, Brooklyn
Weekends from Saturday, October 11-Sunday, October 26, 2025
The New York Aquarium dives into Halloween with marine-themed magic shows, Halloween crafts, a larger-than-life pumpkin display, Wildlife Theater shows, games, and more. READ MORE

Staten Island Zoo Spooktacular

West Brighton, Staten Island
Saturday, October 18-Sunday, October 19, 2025
The Staten Island Zoo Spooktacular is a walk-through experience, complete with live music, scare zones, costumed characters, giveaways, and plenty of enchantment, spread over the zoo’s eight-acre campus. READ MORE

Giant Pumpkin Palooza Weekend at the NYBG

Bronx Park, the Bronx
Thursday, October 23-Sunday, October 26, 2025
Adam Bierton returns for the pumpkin-carving season finale to carve one of the largest pumpkins in the world, sourced by the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth, into an organic masterpiece. Witness Bierton and his team chisel, carve, and detail a seasonal design. Final, completed design is on view during the day on Sunday, October 26.  READ MORE

Asphalt Screams

Upper East Side – FREE
Friday, October 24, 2025
Get into the Halloween spirit at Asphalt Screams, where the community comes together for an afternoon of ghostly delights, family-friendly frights, and unforgettable memories. READ MORE

Halloween Extravaganza and Procession of the Ghouls at St. John the Divine

Morningside Heights
Friday, October 24-Saturday, October 25, 2025
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine's beloved annual Halloween celebration returns! Following the screening of Lon Chaney's 1926 film, The Phantom of the Opera, with live organ accompaniment, ghouls and goblins from the Mettawee River Theater Company emerge to scare and delight audiences. READ MORE

Pumpkin Carving Contest in Washington Market Park

Tribeca – FREE
Saturday, October 25, 2025
Washington Market Park hosts this annual free community event with trophies awarded in five pumpkin-carving categories: cutest, scariest, funniest, most realistic, and most creative. Bring your own pumpkin to enter, or just stop by with your family to enjoy the festive display! READ MORE

High Line Halloween: Little Park of Horrors

Chelsea – FREE
Saturday, October 25, 2025
This spooky Halloween event celebrates NYC’s fierce and resilient nature, showcasing plants and creatures—both real and imagined—that come alive on the High Line at night.  READ MORE

Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest in Fort Greene Park

Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 25, 2025
It's time to get your costume—and more importantly, your pup's—ready for Fort Greene Park's annual Halloween Festival and dog costume contest. READ MORE

Halloween on the Farm

Floral Park, Queens
Saturday, October 25-Sunday, October 26, 2025
Halloween at the Queens County Farm Museum brings a monster mash to life. Costumed kids and their grown-ups are invited for fall-themed farm fun with hayrides, kids crafts, a run through the Amazing Maize Maze, a spooky farmhouse to explore, and best of all: trick-or-treating with furry farm friends. READ MORE

Children's Halloween Festival at Bleecker Playground

Greenwich Village – FREE
Sunday, October 26, 2025
This annual celebration begins with a toddler-friendly costume parade around the nabe to the Bleecker Street Playground, and includes face painting, craft tables, and trick-or-treating. READ MORE

Halloween Harvest at Luna Park

Coney Island, Brooklyn
Select dates through Sunday, November 2, 2025
Step into a world of pumpkins, hay bales, and colorful leaves as Luna Park’s iconic rides come alive in a cozy, fall-themed atmosphere.  READ MORE

Best NYC Halloween Events on Friday, October 31, 2025

Jackson Heights Halloween Parade

Jackson Heights, Queens – FREE
The Jackson Heights Halloween Parade—NYC’s largest children’s Halloween parade—lines up once again at 89th Street and 37th Avenue and marches down 37th Avenue to PS 69. READ MORE

Park Slope Halloween Parade

Park Slope, Brooklyn – FREE
The Park Slope Civic Council hosts the spookiest parade in Park Slope. Marchers line up at 7th Avenue and 14th Street and wind their way to the Old Stone House. Come early to trick-or-treat. READ MORE

Dumboween: Halloween March to the Arch

Dumbo, Brooklyn – FREE
Put on your most creative costume, and head to Dumbo for a Halloween March to the Arch. Beginning at Washington Street, between Front and Water Streets, costumed participants parade to the Dumbo Archway, led by live music and puppets. READ MORE

BAMboo!

Downtown Brooklyn – FREE
BAM’s annual free community Halloween celebration happily haunts the neighborhood with family-friendly music, carnival games, arts and crafts, candy giveaways, trick-or-treat popcorn, and more. Costumes are encouraged. READ MORE

Hippo Playground Halloween Parade

Upper West Side – FREE
The annual Hippo Playground Halloween Parade invites costumed kids to gather at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument at 89th Street and Riverside Drive and parade to Hippo Playground. READ MORE

Wave Hill-O-Ween

Riverdale, the Bronx
Venture through Wave Hill's iron gates (if you dare!) for an evening adventure with treats, tricks, and good old spooky fun. Grab a map to guide you on an eerie treasure trail through the gardens with “gourdgeous” photo-ops along the way. Personalize a treat bag and decorate a mini-gourd favor, then dance away the eve with family-friendly tunes in spooktacular Armor Hall. READ MORE

52nd Annual Village Halloween Parade

Greenwich Village – FREE
The world's most famous Halloween parade weaves through the streets of Greenwich Village once again. Hundreds of puppets, musicians, dancers, and artists, and thousands of other New Yorkers in creative costumes march in the nation’s most wildly creative public participatory event in the greatest city in the world. READ MORE

Destination-Worthy Halloween Events near NYC

Legoland's Brick-or-Treat Presents Monster Party

Goshen, New York
Various dates from Thursday, October 2-Sunday, November 2, 2025
The Monster Party begins the moment you step into the park with a boo-tifully decorated entry arch. Meet Lego Monster characters like Spider Lady and Wacky Witch and make your way to the treat stations around the park. Don’t forget your costumes! READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat Weekends at Storybook Land

Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Weekends from Saturday, October 18-Sunday, October 26, 2025
Little ones visiting Storybook Land can pick up treat bags and gather goodies from 12 stations. Then, find your way through Elmer’s Haymazin’ Maze. READ MORE

The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze at Van Cortlandt Manor

Croton-on-Hudson, New York
Select dates through Sunday, November 16, 2025
This renowned walk-through Halloween experience features more than 7,000 hand-carved, illuminated jack-o'-lanterns forming assorted impressive displays, with lighting and music enhancements. New for 2025 is a jack-o'-lantern big top adventure, a Wicked-themed, emerald-hued storybook pumpkin dreamscape, and the Headless Horseman’s Hideaway featuring spooky sips and haunting visits from the Horseman himself.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
BAM Peter Jay Sharp Lobby and Lepercq Space

About the Author

Drew Kristofik
Drew Kristofik’s career took a twist from editing teen magazines to a seven-year stint at MacNeil/Lehrer, followed by a long run at Nickelodeon/Viacom as Director of Content for Nick Online and Editor-in-Chief of ParentsConnect.com. A founding member of the Webby Award-winning GoCityKids, she’s written for Family Fun, Vanity Fair, and New York. Her middle school novel, The Time Boat, is available on Amazon Kindle. Drew keeps the MommyPoppins New York Events calendar spot-on and can be reached at events@mommypoppins.com.
Recent Articles By Drew Kristofik:
Read more articles by Drew Kristofik.