The best Halloween events for 2026 in NYC

Carving a jack-o'-lantern may be a time-honored American tradition for many, but nobody—and we mean nobody—does pumpkin carving quite like Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze.

Every fall, pumpkins aplenty decorate this festive, family-friendly attraction. This year promises thousands of intricately carved jack-o'-lanterns in mesmerizing displays, plus dazzling new experiences.

Blaze: Hudson Valley runs at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County from September 18 through November 8. Get tickets here.

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine’s annual Halloween Extravaganza returns to celebrate All Hallow’s Eve on Friday, October 23 at the uptown house of prayer.

The long-standing Upper West Side tradition was born decades ago under the direction of Artist in Residence Ralph Lee, founder of the Mettawee River Theatre Company. This year, the event features a screening of the 1920's silent film, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and will, for the first time, welcome artist in residence David Briggs for live organ accompaniment.

The evening ends with the Ghosts and Goblins from the Mettawee River Theater Company processing through the audience and out into the night. Showings begin at 7pm and run until 9pm.

Bryant Park’s free spooktacular annual Halloween event, Tricks and Treats, makes its grand return to the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park on Friday, October 30. The event kicks off with a 4pm magic show from Chris Capehart and a 5pm science show from Crazy Science—both at The Deck. Over at Le Carrousel, families can enjoy face painting, pumpkin decorating and arts and crafts, plus $5 rides with the Headless Horseman. Festivities run from 4 to 6pm.

Beware: All of the eerie fun is first-come, first-served and weather permitting, so it's best to consult the event's website ahead of the event.

The only thing better than the Bronx Zoo is the Bronx Zoo during a celebration. The famed zoo's annual family-friendly daytime celebration is back and at its best. 

Every Saturday and Sunday from September 26 until November 1, families are invited to hear from animal experts, run through a new hay bale adventure course and play carnival-themed inflatable games. There's also wildlife-themed theater, magic and mind-reading shows, spooky storytime, a costume parade and more.

The best part? It's all free with admission!

Frigid New York gives you the chills in a festival inspired by Mexico's dead-lifting Día de los Muertos. The lineup features spooky variety shows, short horror plays, Edgar Allan Poe works, a traditional ofrenda, psychic mediums, a tiny interactive matchbox theatre, a murder ballad musical, necromancer burlesque and other tales of the macabre that all come together in a celebration of independent theatre and performance.

Visit the festival's website for a schedule and a full list of offerings for shows running October 16 through November 1. 

Cheer for all the cute doggos in their Halloween finery during this year's 28th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest on Saturday, October 24. Held every year by Fort Greene Park Users and Pets Society since 1998, the event is held at the bottom of the Fort Greene Park Stairs, where more than a hundred dogs run around in silly and creative costumes from hot dogs to RBG and more.

Each dog is presented to a panel of judges, but the audience decides the top three winners with rounds of applause.

The last round of registration opens on October 19 and will run participants' humans $53. There will be no walk-up, on-site registration. It's free to watch the show with no registration required. The event will also be streamed live on the Fort Greene PUPS instagram in case you can't make it in person.

Every Saturday and Sunday through October 31, celebrate the season with under-the-sea animals at the New York Aquarium's Ascarium. Kids can enjoy a marine-themed magic shows, Halloween crafts, a scavenger hunt, a costume parade, games and storytelling. Plus, visit with amazing aquatic animals including piranhas, wolf eels, bat sea stars and spider crabs to learn why they're not as "spooky" as you might think.

New activities this year include a hands-on shark fossil dig where kids can uncover shark teeth to keep. Plus, kids of all ages can add their personal touch to a huge mural the NY Aquarium community is making together to celebrate Halloween, the aquarium and ocean wildlife. 

Ascarium is included with aquarium admission and runs from 11am-4pm in Coney Island. See the whole list of events and the schedule here. 

Don't just watch a Halloween movie, become a part of the movie. The Apollo is teaming up with Harlem-based film collective Melanin Madness for an interactive movie screening on Thursday, October 29. Watch Eddie Murphy’s cult classic Vampire in Brooklyn with games, props, call-and-response moments, a costume contest and plenty more surprises. 

Led by Obie-Award Winner Eric Lockley, his team of multidisciplinary artists have been creating immersive theater for more than five years. "It's a night of community, culture, and pure fun—like movie night with your favorite cousins," as The Apollo puts it.

Halloween, but make it classy with Suite Mysterioso: A Halloween Ballet. The new production is premiering Thursday, October 29, at Tarrytown Music Hall (13 Main St.). Performed by NYC-based Continuum Contemporary Ballet, the family-friendly show uses expressive choreography to whisk audiences from a shadowy forest to a vintage ballroom and other mysterious settings. As for the music, think melodies of ragtime and suspenseful silent movies. It’s designed to enchant younger audience members without leaving adults bored to tears. And since costumes are welcome, you can make an evening of it by dressing up for the occasion. Consider it a Halloween treat for anyone who prefers their frights with a little finesse.

The show starts at 7pm, and tickets range from $38 to $43, inclusive of fees.

Need some plans for Halloween? Queens' iconic Bohemian Hall Beer Garden will play host to Quiet Events Silent Scream Halloween Extravaganza, a silent disco experience from 9pm to 1am on October 31. 

Upon arrival, every guest will receive glow sticks and a pair of glowing wireless headphones to wear for the night, which will play three different live DJs, spinning different genres all night. Pick the red channel to hear '80s, '90s and early 2000s throwbacks; the blue channel for hip-hop beats and Latin music; green for the latest pop hits, EDM tracks and mashups. 

The night promises costumes, craft brews, a full bar and a historic beer garden as the backdrop. Tickets are $25 if purchased early online and will increase steadily until event day, when they'll cost $48 at the door. 

Don't miss out on the biggest (and freakiest) party at Industry City in Brooklyn—The Vampire Ball. Serving as the official afterparty for the Village Halloween Parade, the event features seven stages of music and spectacle, including a full Blade "Blood Rave" recreation (fake blood will literally rain from above you as you're dancing) and activations in the "Dungeon" that are NSFW. 

Also expect seven uniquely different genres, spanning house, techno, baltimore and jersey club, electro and more. The programming is spread out across a labyrinth of indoor and outdoor spaces spanning multiple cavernous buildings. Come prepared to get messy. 

The event takes place on October 30 and 31 in Insustry City. Varying ticket options are available on the event website.

Through Halloween, The Greenwood Park Beer Garden (555 Seventh Ave. in Brooklyn) transforms into Greg’s Great Pumpkin Patch with plenty of family-friendly fun through All Hallows Eve. Pick from a massive selection of pumpkins, fancy gourds and festive Halloween decor, including corn stalks to fall mums. 

Autumn-loving kids and adults alike can participate in pumpkin painting, pose in Instagram-ready photo set-ups, wander through a hay maze and more.

You pawsitively won't want to miss Catbaret, a cat-themed variety show at Caveat in the Lower East Side. This purrfect production features comedy, burlesque (actually, purr-lesque) and music in celebration of all things feline. For the Halloween edition on October 31, come in your most "cat-tastic" costume for a chance to win the contest. The show's hosted by local cat lady Gemma Smith and includes free cat ears for all.

Performances kick off at 7pm and run until 8:30pm. The lineup includes Filthy Mari Chino, Sax Kitten, Larry Darnell Penn Whitfield and more. Attendees must be 21 years or older, and tickets cost $30.

There’s no spookier way to welcome the Halloween season than to visit BloodManor, the popular 10,000-square-foot haunted house that’s actually deemed too scary for children under 14.

Visitors will confront their deepest fears as they journey through dark, sinister corridors filled with twisted characters and scares at every turn. Incorporating state-of-the-art special effects, BloodManor brings unparalleled realism to the haunting experience thanks to a terrifyingly talented team of trained actors, set designers, makeup artists and more. Expect an unprecedented level of horror and excitement that lasts 30 minutes—or, more likely, 20 minutes as you run screaming. 

BloodManor is open every weekend and some weekdays from October 2 to November 7 at 359 Broadway in downtown Manhattan. General admission starts at $50 per ticket. You can purchase tickets for a timed entry here.

When it was founded in 1899, the BCM was the country’s first museum specifically made for children. Today it’s one of the most comprehensive, with a permanent collection of 30,000 objects, including musical instruments, masks, dolls and fossils. Check out the museum's Halloween programming on its website, including trick-or-treating, costume showcases, "creepy crawly" critters, storytime and more.

What’s more elegantly spooky than a classic horror film accompanied by a live orchestral score? On Saturday, October 24, the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra will set the stage for a spine-tingling Halloween with two performances of the 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera at Plymouth Church, at 7pm and 9:30pm, respectively.

Featuring the historic Peabody Memorial Organ—an instrument comprising 4,718 pipes—the orchestra’s live score along with the historic gothic architecture of the space will amp up the immersively eerie atmosphere. “This fusion of film and music will create an atmosphere that’s both haunting and electrifying, setting the perfect tone for the season,” said Maestro Phil Nuzzo, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra.

Guests are welcome to further embrace the Halloween spirit by attending in costume! Tickets cost $40.

In this spooky-seasonal variation on the long-running Drunk Shakespeare, five actors gather to perform a vampire-in-New-York story loosely adapted by Lori Wolter Hudson from Bram Stoker's batty gothic thriller. The twist? One of them gets plastered before the performance and it's up to the four remaining cast members to keep the show from going down for the Count. (Audience members can buy alcoholic drinks of their own to get into the spirit.) 

The show takes place at The Ruby Theatre (35 W. 39th St.) and is slated to run until October 24.

Bring your pup aboard this Circle Line boat for a howling good time on Thursday, October 23. The Pup Cruise, which invites all dogs and their humans aboard (preferably in costume), travels down the Hudson River, passing landmarks like Hudson Yards, One World Trade Center, The High Line and the Statue of Liberty.

During the 90-minute cruise, participate in a spirited costume contest for the doggos judged by VIP guests. Plus, check out a mobile adoption event hosted by North Shore Animal League America back at Pier 83 from 10am to 2pm. In support of this partnership, 100% of Pup Cruise ticket sales will be donated to the no-kill animal rescue organiation. Tickets are $40 (dogs ride free) and can be purchased here.

For the past 50 years, the Queens County Farm Museum has served as a rural oasis within the New York City limits. And what better way to celebrate an anniversary than by creating a complex corn maze for New Yorkers to get delightfully lost in?

The Amazing Maize Maze is back this fall with a sunburst design celebrating five decades of the museum's existence. Expect plenty of twists, turns and tricks inside this three-acre living labyrinth. The Amazing Maize Maze is open on Saturdays and Sundays through November 1, with an additional open date on Monday, October 12 at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park. Tickets cost $17 for adults and $10 for kids aged 3 to 11; kids under 3 are free. 

If you're convinced of your super-solving skills, check out Maze by Moonlight where you'll have all the fun of the laborious labyrinth with the added feat of darkness. Stroll through the interactive maze under the starry skies for a spooky experience made for brave souls. We'd recommend bringing a headlamp for some extra light. That's only happening for two nights in October, so we recommend calling to find out when it's on.

It's time to give your Instagram feed an autumnal glow-up, and there's a picture-perfect backdrop opening in the Seaport to help you do just that. The annual Pumpkin Arch returns to Pier 17 from October 22 to November 16, offering a charming seasonal photo spot. 

The arch is crafted from hundreds of pumpkins and draped in vibrant fall leaves, but it's not just about the decor. The views of the glittering Lower Manhattan skyline and the stately Brooklyn Bridge take this photo spot to the next level. 

Find the Pumpkin Arch on the Heineken Riverdeck, that's the north side of Pier 17 at 89 South Street. Trust us, you can't miss it. Though it's on view 24/7, we recommend visiting at golden hour (that's right after sunrise or just before sunset) for the dreamiest lighting. That's when the illuminated arch will start twinkling, but you'll still have enough natural light to keep your subject's face visible. 

Rooftop Cinema Club takes movie-going to a whole new level—literally. This rooftop film series at a midtown skyscraper offers stunning views and an impressive lineup of films. 

In addition to the movie magic, the venue also offers movie snacks, a full bar and cute photo opps. This season's lineup features classics like Practical Magic and Scream, plus plenty of Halloween fun to make the most of fall 2026.

As for seating, you'll get to choose a standard high-back lounge chair or a premium lounge chair that comes with extra cushions. You'll book your ticket type, then get to pick your exact seat on-site, first-come, first-served. Ticket prices range from $25 to $30 per person depending on your seating preference and movie time.

Perhaps you're more into L-O-L than B-O-O. Upright Citizens Brigade in the East Village has got you covered with a variety of seasonal comedy shows, including UCB Presents: Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Stepfathers, Halloween Edition. Think less jump scare and more fall out of your chair laughing. Find the rest of UCB's spooky-adjacent events on its calendar.

Bid adieu to Halloween with a smashing good time at Hudson River Park's Pumpkin Smash. Bring your own jack-o-lantern or pumpkin, along with some safety goggles, and smush your gourd into compostable bits. 

You’ll get to choose a bat, hammer or shovel, then stick around to learn how composting works. Park staff will convert the gooey bits into nutrient-rich compost to nourish the park's plants. In past years, more than 6,000 pounds of pumpkin scraps were collected and used for compost (and kept out of the landfill!). 

It's all happening at Pier 84 on Saturday, November 7 from 11am to 3pm.

New York’s streets are about to get a little more haunted. Trick-or-Streets is returning for its biggest edition yet, with 160 car-free Open Streets and plazas across all five boroughs hosting free Halloween and fall celebrations throughout October.

That’s a record for the city’s seasonal program, which gives New Yorkers room to trick-or-treat, play games and show off costumes without dodging traffic. Cultural organizations, community groups and schools will organize festivities, with face painting, live entertainment and other activities on the agenda. NYC DOT is also supplying 75,000 pieces of candy.

Step into a world of undead cowboys and biker gangs at Desert 5 Spot in Brooklyn during its two-day Halloween party on October 30 and 31. The venue is transforming its honky tonk setting into a gritty Vampire Saloon, inspired by cult classics like From Dusk Till Dawn. Expect live music and a costume contest decided by crowd applause.

Cemeteries are, of course, always good places to remember lost loved ones. But this season, Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery is taking that to new heights with Reposo y Recuerdo (Rest and Remember), an expansive Día de Muertos ofrenda by acclaimed artist Laura Anderson Barbata.

All are welcome to bring photos, flowers or keepsakes to the community altar, creating "a collective gesture of remembrance and care." The installation—which features handwoven hammocks, colorful papel picado and cascades of paper marigolds—will be on view daily in Green-Wood's historic chapel from October 9 through November 15. 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a beloved cult-classic is known for its midnight showings and devoted fans—but this show takes it to the next level. Throughout the month of October, the House of Yes in Brooklyn is providing five opportunities to experience Rocky Horror in all of its live, immersive glory in "LIPS: Rocky Horror @ HoY!"

Now in its third year of production, LIPS goes above and beyond to deliver a fully theatrical performance with aerial acrobatics, circus, burlesque, live tattooing, water features and boundary-pushing reinterpretations of Rocky’s iconic moments. Directed by Hex Winter and produced by Winter and Kat Lloyd, the progressive and transgressive spirit of Rocky Horror is alive and well in this reimagining for today’s audiences.

Beloved by fans and even praised by original cast members (Little Nell herself declared Columbia’s Peter Mercury “too fanbloodytastic”), LIPS has become a must-see for Halloween season in NYC.

Show dates are: October 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 22 and 23.

If you think there weren't great quality, white-knuckle worthy haunted houses in Brooklyn-slash-Queens, you're wrong: The Ridgewood Asylum and Haunted House has been a local crowd favorite for years. It's back again this Halloween season for its seventh year of interactive haunted house thrills with escape room elements.

What we love about this haunted house is that it isn't just about jump scares, either: It's always meticulously thought out, with storylines and plots and details you won't usually get from more commericial haunted houses in the city. The Ridgewood Asylum is open until November 1. 

At its best, a pun is sublimely satisfying to the part of our brains that loves easy comedy. At its worst, it produces a groan so gut-deep, it’s almost as good as a belly laugh. The form is mined for all it’s worth at this monthly tournament, hosted by Rodney Dangerfield impersonator Fred Firestone and his daughter, Jo.

A fixture on the NYC comedy landscape for more than a decade, this show at Littlefield in Brooklyn is like a rap battle, only much nerdier. Hear the pros face-off in the All-Star Tournament of Pun Champions where punsters deliver two-minute pun stand-up routines, after only two minutes of preparation.

This month's show is on October 28 and has been dubbed the Halloween 'Dome. It will feature champions Daft Pun, Hot Cross Puns, When Wit Hits The Fan and more. Plus, the 12th annual pun-costume competition. Doors open at 7pm and the show starts at 8pm. Early bird tickets ($14.86) are on sale until September 30, after which the price will increase to $16.92 and then $19.74 if you're purchasing the day of the show.

Autumn is the time to pick two of the season’s most emblematic fruits: apples and pumpkins. Fortunately there are some fantastic farms where you can go apple and pumpkin picking near NYC. These farms and orchards will get you into that fuzzy fall feeling in no time.

There’s nothing quite like taking a bite out of a crisp apple straight from the tree (even better, taking home a basketful for making pie), and your Halloween pumpkin will be that much more special when you pick it right off the vine. You’ll find a wide variety of apples and pumpkins at these farms, plus fun activities like hayrides, corn mazes and petting zoos. Don’t miss hot apple cider and other fresh-made treats at the farmstand. 

From pumpkin kegs to molecular mixology, these bars go all out for the season. Halloween bars have got plenty of range this Halloween season: heavy-metal horror, adorable witchiness, a creaky tavern that serves pot pie with a side of horrifying lore. Want Zombies? We got ‘em. Ghosts? Yup. Vampires? Covered.

Get ready for a howlin' good time at the annual Riverside Park Pup Halloween Parade. Held on Saturday, October 24 from noon to 3pm, the parade will kick off at the Dinosaur Playground on 96th Street in Riverside Park and end at Ellington in the Park at 105th Street. Along the way, you’ll see adorable pups dressed in their Halloween best.

Online registration is now closed, but walk-ins will be accepted at check-in on event day at Dinosaur Playground.

If your Halloween 2026 ambitions extend beyond buying plastic fangs, Blood Manor has an extracurricular activity for you. The Manhattan haunted house is letting visitors join its scare team.

This season, the attraction at 359 Broadway is offering a Scare Actor Academy experience that turns paying guests into the people responsible for everyone else’s nightmares. For $350, plus a booking fee, participants get makeup and a costume, learn the art of haunting and become part of the crew frightening visitors inside. The experience includes instruction in developing a terrifying character and scaring patrons. The ticket is listed as the “Scare Actor Experience Ticket” and tells participants to arrive 90 minutes head of the event start time to get ready.

Get ready for the ultimate Halloween rooftop party at Time Out Market! 

This Halloween night, Brooklyn's Time Out Market New York partners with RichGodd for Halloween Horror From Above. Entertainment industry insider and media personality Ken Starr (Hot 97, Revolt TV and Seeing Starz) will be holding down hosting duties alongside a special lineup of friends guaranteed to bring that authentic NYC energy. DJ Fatfingaz will set the vibe with hip-hop and club classics, followed by DJ Superstar Boogie to keep the good times going until late. The Time Out Market bar team will be shaking up exclusive Halloween cocktail specials powered by Bacardi and Grey Goose vodka. Don't forget to dress to impress, as the top costume of the night walks away with a $100 gift card.

Time Out's Halloween Horror From Above will be held on Halloween night, October 31st, from 9pm to 2am. Tickets are free; head here to reserve your spot.

Shhh... an unbelievable, exclusive gay Halloween Masquerade Party is taking over 218 West 57th Street at the end of October. With nine immersive rooms spread out across three floors, guests can experience a multi-level nightlife production by Dreamland and Devil's Playground.

Guests are encouraged to dress to seduce as "Nothing is off-limits." The event kicks off at 11pm and is for guests 21+. 

Don't miss out, get your tickets now for as little as $80 or as much as $200.

Halloween-themed drag brunches are coming to Stella 34 Trattoria all month long. Each event will combine high-energy drag performances with a full brunch menu for the perfect blend of brunch plus spooky season entertainment. Costumes are encouraged. You can view the whole drag brunch menu here. 

Here's the lineup with ticket links: 

— Sunday, October 25: Hocus Pocus Drag Brunch

— Sunday, November 1: Rocky Horror Picture Show