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Halloween in New York is famous for the huge parade held in Greenwich Village on the night of Saturday, October 31, but there are events all over the city throughout October, from kids’ costume parades to pumpkin picking and haunted houses. In 2026, October 31 falls on a Saturday, so the lineup on the day itself is especially full. In this article, we have gathered the events we could confirm through the organizers’ official information, divided into events for adults, events for kids and events outside the city.

What you’ll learn in this article

Times, route and how to take part in the Village Halloween Parade (Oct. 31)
Dates for costume parades, pumpkin picking and trick-or-treating you can enjoy with kids
Haunted houses and nighttime events for adults

Dates, times and prices were checked against the organizers’ official pages and other sources as of October 15, 2026. They may change due to weather or operational reasons, so please check the latest information at each link before you go.

Quick guide to the main Halloween events of 2026

Event	Date and time	Location	Price	Best for
Village Halloween Parade	Sat., Oct. 31, from 7 p.m.	Sixth Avenue (Canal St. to 15th St.)	Free	Adults, costume lovers
Park Slope Halloween Parade	Sat., Oct. 31, from 6:30 p.m.	Brooklyn	Free	Families
Dumboween	Sat., Oct. 31, 3–6 p.m.	DUMBO (Brooklyn)	Free	Families
Halloween on the Farm	Sat., Oct. 31, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.	Queens County Farm	Kids $25 / adults $15	Families
Pumpkin Point	Sat., Oct. 24 and Sun., Oct. 25, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.	Governors Island	Free (ferry fare not included)	Families
Boo at the Zoo	Weekends through Sun., Nov. 1	Bronx Zoo	Included with admission	Families
Blood Manor (haunted house)	Through Sat., Nov. 7	Tribeca	From $50	Adults (ages 14 and up)
Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze	Select nights through Sun., Nov. 8	Croton-on-Hudson	Paid, reservations required	Everyone

Village Halloween Parade (Saturday, October 31)

Held since 1973, this is New York’s biggest Halloween event. According to the organizers, the theme for the 53rd parade in 2026 is “Body & Soul.” Anyone in costume can join the march for free.

Date, time and route

Date and time: Starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2026, and continues until around 11 p.m.
Route: North on Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) from Canal Street to 15th Street
Watching: Free. You can watch from the Sixth Avenue sidewalks between King Street and West 15th Street. The stretch from Bleecker Street to 14th Street gets especially crowded
TV broadcast: Spectrum News NY1 airs it live starting at 8 p.m.

How to march in the parade

No advance registration is needed. Come in costume to the lineup area at the corner of Canal Street and Sixth Avenue between 6:30 and 9 p.m., and marchers step off in turn. The organizers note that you “cannot march in street clothes” and that “there is a wait before you step off.” There is nowhere to park, so they recommend taking the subway and meeting friends one or two blocks away from the parade area.

Tips for spectators

If you want to watch from the front row, claim your spot at least an hour before the start
If you want to avoid the crowds, the north end (10th to 15th streets) is relatively less packed
Subway stations along Sixth Avenue get very crowded that day. Also consider stations a block away, such as Christopher St (1 train) or W 4 St (A/C/E trains)
At night the temperature drops to around 10°C (50°F). Bring something to wear over your costume

Official site: halloween-nyc.com / Sources: Hoodline / Time Out New York

Halloween with kids (Brooklyn)

Because October 31 is a Saturday, neighborhoods across Brooklyn hold kids’ costume parades from midday into the early evening. All of them are free.

Park Slope Halloween Parade (Oct. 31, 6:30 p.m.)

This is Brooklyn’s largest family Halloween parade. According to the official site, it starts at Seventh Avenue and 14th Street and walks to the Old Stone House in Washington Park. Gather by 6 p.m.; the parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. The 2026 theme is “The Haunted Forest of Brooklyn.”

Official site: Park Slope Civic Council

Dumboween (Oct. 31, 3–6 p.m.)

This is DUMBO’s Halloween celebration. According to the official site, there is a dog costume contest at 2 p.m., a parade from Washington Street to the Archway at 3 p.m., and a party from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Local shops hand out candy from 3 to 6 p.m. It is also popular as a photo spot with the Manhattan Bridge in the background.

Official site: dumbo.nyc

Other kids’ parades (all on Oct. 31)

Brooklyn Heights Halloween Parade: 10:30 a.m., from the north end of the Promenade (official)
Greenpoint Children’s Halloween Parade: around 12:15 p.m., from 155 Milton St. The indoor party is $25 per person (tickets)
Cobble Hill Halloween Parade: music from 3:30 p.m., stepping off from Cobble Hill Park at 4 p.m. (official)
Prospect Park “Creepy Crawly Halloween”: 10 a.m.–4 p.m., free (official)

The weekend before Halloween (Oct. 24–25)

Fort Greene Park “Halloween Fest”: Sat., Oct. 24, noon–4 p.m., free. The same day from noon to 1 p.m., the 28th “Great PUPkin” dog costume contest is also held (rain date Oct. 25) (official)
Governors Island “Pumpkin Point”: Sat., Oct. 24 and Sun., Oct. 25, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Nolan Park. Each household can get one pumpkin for free. The ferry is free before 11 a.m.; after that, it is $5 round trip for adults and free for ages 12 and under (official)
Lefferts Historic House “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” reading: Sun., Oct. 25, 2–4 p.m., free, reservations required (official)

Halloween with kids (Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx)

Queens County Farm “Halloween on the Farm” (Oct. 31)

This is the once-a-year Halloween event at the farm museum on the eastern edge of Queens. According to the official page, it runs Saturday, October 31, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and kids in costume make the rounds of nine treat stations around the grounds. It is ticketed: $25 for ages 3–11, $15 for adults and free for ages 2 and under. Parking is free. The pumpkin patch is also open every day in October (weekdays 1–5 p.m., weekends 10 a.m.–5 p.m.), and tractor tours are $6 per person.

Location: Queens County Farm Museum (73-50 Little Neck Pkwy, Glen Oaks)
Official page: queensfarm.org

Bronx Zoo “Boo at the Zoo” (weekends through Nov. 1)

A Halloween event you can join with just regular zoo admission. There are costume parades at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:15 p.m., a candy trail from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (once per family), and free face painting for ages 3 and up. Activities end at 4 p.m.

Official page: bronxzoo.com
Book admission tickets: See Bronx Zoo tickets on Tiqets (PR)

New York Botanical Garden “Day of the Dead” parade (Nov. 1)

The day after Halloween, on Sunday, November 1, at 2 p.m., there is a puppet parade themed on Mexico’s Day of the Dead. The exhibit runs through November 2. It is included in the All-Garden Pass.

Official page: nybg.org

Rockefeller Center

According to the official site, on October weekends there is free face painting at the Top of the Rock observation deck from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (until 4 p.m. on Halloween; an observation deck ticket is required), and on Saturdays in October from 10 a.m. to noon, the plaza hosts “Art Sundae,” a free art workshop for kids (advance registration required).

Official page: rockefellercenter.com

Trick-or-Streets (car-free streets)

Throughout October, the New York City Department of Transportation turns streets around the city into car-free zones for Halloween events. On Halloween itself, about 40 blocks take part. You can check the locations and times by choosing a date on the official map.

Canceled for 2026: Central Park’s “Pumpkin Flotilla”

According to the Central Park Conservancy, the “Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla,” in which jack-o’-lanterns were floated on the Harlem Meer every year, will not be held in 2026. No replacement event has been announced either, so please keep this in mind.

For adults: haunted houses and nighttime events

Blood Manor (Tribeca)

This is Manhattan’s best-known haunted house. According to official information, in 2026 it is open for 22 nights from October 2 to November 7. Fridays and Saturdays are generally 7–11 p.m., and on Halloween it is open from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. General admission is $50, and the “R.I.P. Express,” which shortens your wait, is $75 (both plus fees). It is not recommended for children under 14, and anyone under 14 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Location: 359 Broadway (Tribeca)
Official site: bloodmanor.com

Green-Wood Cemetery “Nightfall” (Oct. 22–23, ages 21 and up)

This is a performance event where you walk through Brooklyn’s historic Green-Wood Cemetery at night. According to the official page, it runs Thursday, October 22, and Friday, October 23, from 7 to 10:30 p.m. (rain date Oct. 24). General tickets are $70 and premium tickets are $95. It is limited to ages 21 and up, and IDs are checked.

Location: Green-Wood Cemetery main entrance (Fifth Avenue and 25th Street)
Official page: green-wood.com

Venture outside the city: jack-o’-lanterns in the Hudson Valley

Westchester County’s “Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze” is an event where you walk at night through displays made from thousands of hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns. According to the official site, it is held on select nights from September 18 to November 8, with timed tickets. Weekends tend to sell out, and through October 29, Monday–Thursday entry after 8 p.m. is discounted to $24. From Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, it takes about an hour on the Metro-North Hudson Line to Croton-Harmon Station.

Location: Van Cortlandt Manor (Croton-on-Hudson, NY)
Official site: pumpkinblaze.org

What to know about Halloween in the U.S.

Trick-or-treating hours: In residential neighborhoods, it usually takes place in the early evening of October 31 (from dusk until around 8 p.m.). A house with its porch light on, or with pumpkins and decorations out front, is signaling that trick-or-treaters are welcome
Kids’ costumes: Some schools have a costume day. Many schools ban props that look like weapons and overly scary makeup such as fake blood, so check the school’s guidelines in advance
Treats to hand out: Individually wrapped candy is the norm. Out of consideration for allergies, some households offer nut-free treats or toys and stickers instead (a teal pumpkin by the front door is the sign)
Getting a costume: You can buy costumes at seasonal pop-up stores such as Spirit Halloween, as well as at Party City and drugstores. Sizes run short in the second half of October, so shop early

Frequently asked questions

Can I take kids to the Village Parade?

You can, but the crowds number around a million people, and it gets so packed you can barely move. With small children, it is safer to claim a spot early near the north end of the route (14th–15th streets), or to go to a daytime kids’ parade instead.

Do I have to wear a costume to take part?

A costume is required to march in the Village Parade. You don’t need one if you are only watching. Many kids’ parades let children join without a costume, but almost all of the kids are dressed up.

What if it rains?

The Village Parade usually goes ahead rain or shine. Outdoor kids’ events sometimes have rain dates, so check each official page.

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Summary

For families, a classic plan is to warm up on Oct. 24–25 at Governors Island or Fort Greene, then head to a Brooklyn kids’ parade during the day on the 31st. Adults can march in costume in the Village Parade on the night of the 31st, or get into the Halloween spirit a little early at Blood Manor or Nightfall. For every event, double-check the date and time on the official page before you set out.

Sources and references (checked October 15, 2026)

This article is also available in Japanese.

New York Halloween 2026 | Village Parade Viewing Tips, Kids’ Parades and Haunted Houses