There are a multitude of Halloween-centric activities and events this month to satisfy children of all ages. Families can get into the holiday spirit early on in the month, right up until the last day. Our list features programs, workshops, and exhibits that are located inside and outside of New York City, including Connecticut and the Hudson Valley area.
October 1st to October 5th:
Happy first day of October! One way to celebrate the start of Halloween month is to visit one of the fun, family-friendly festivals below.
Halloween Harvest: Halloween Harvest at Luna Park in Coney Island runs through Sunday, October 29th. Children can enjoy a variety of activities, including face painting, pony rides, and a visit to the pumpkin patch. The park is also hosting the Halloween Harvest Dog Parade and Costume Contest on Saturday, October 14th and Marc and the Maniac Pumpkin Carvers on Sunday, October 22nd. The amusement venue is located at 1000 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
Once Upon a Time Fall Fest: The Once Upon a Time Fall Fest is a recurring event that starts on Saturday, September 30th and repeats until Sunday, October 29th. Families can walk around the Enchanted Hay Maze, explore the Decorated Main House, and meet various animals during the Spooktacular Animal Adventure. The venue is located at 2610 Amawalk Road, Route 35, Katonah, New York, (a one hour and fifteen-minute drive outside of Midtown Manhattan)
Decker Farm Pumpkin Picking Weekends: Decker Farm in Historic Richmond Town organized its own lineup of Halloween activities and programs to take place every Saturday and Sunday in October. Parents and children can take a farmhouse tour or hayride, visit the cornstalk maze, and participate in other fall-friendly crafts. The farm is located at 441 Clarke Avenue, Staten Island, New York.
Kickoff to Fall: Kickoff to Fall occurs on Sunday, October 1st at the Queens County Farm Museum. Families can go apple-picking on the grounds, purchase donuts and fresh cider, and visit the Amazing Maize Maze. If you are unable to visit the farmhouse this weekend, browse their calendar for other autumn events that you and your family can attend. The museum is located at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway, Queens, New York.
92nd Street Fest ’17: This year’s 92nd Street Festival will take place on Sunday, October 1st on Lexington Avenue from East 79th to 94th Streets. The all-day affair features a multitude of diverse attractions, including a Tiny Tumblers Toddler Obstacle Course as well as other fun, age-appropriate activities from 92Y Early Childhood Learning.
The Chile Pepper Festival: The 25th Annual Chile Pepper Festival occurs on Sunday, October 1st from 11:00am to 6:00pm. There will be dozens of artisanal food vendors at the event, featuring not just chile offerings but sweets as well. Children will also get the opportunity to plant their own pepper plant to take home with them. The Brooklyn Botanical Garden is located at 990 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
Please Bring Balloons: Please Bring Balloons is based on the book adaption by Lindsay Ward. It is an interactive, sensory experience created for toddlers. They are invited to sit on a shared blanket on the floor, making them part of the play. It is currently a part of the New York City Children’s Theater play season.
The Coolest Craft Class: The Craft Studio in Carnegie Hill is hosting a one hour-long program dedicated to trendy new projects and fun new techniques for children to discover. It is scheduled for Monday, October 2nd, and located at 1657 Third Avenue, New York, NY.
October 6th to October 12th:
The Children’s Harvest Festival: The Children’s Harvest Festival is considered to be an annual community favorite, featuring pumpkins, crafts, and other family-friendly activities. It will take place on Saturday, October 7th at Jefferson Market Garden, located at 70A Greenwich Avenue, New York, NY.
The Rink at Rockefeller Center: Though ice skating isn’t considered a fall activity, it’s a fun way to look ahead to winter. The Rink at Rockefeller Center will open on Saturday, October 7th. One of New York City’s famous landmarks, the rink is located at 600 5th Avenue, New York, New York. General admission skating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Baby Onesie Decoration!: Whether you are expecting or have a loved one that is, this interactive workshop is a great way to greet the newest addition. During the three-hour program, two onesies will be provided to each individual, who will then personalize them. The event is scheduled for Saturday, October 7th and Friday, October 20th at the Private Picassos Art Studio and Shop, located at 237 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York. The neighborhood is Park Slope.
The Cultural Festival and Lantern Parade: Organized by Better Chinatown USA, the Cultural Festival and Lantern Parade will take place on Sunday, October 8th in the heart of the Sunset Park/Bay Ridge Community. Activities, performances, and other child-friendly programs span almost twenty blocks, from 66th to 49th Street on 8th Avenue.
Yellow Sneaker Puppet Sing-Alongs: Yellow Sneaker Puppet Sing-Alongs is a hands-on program geared towards children ages 0-5 and their families. As part of the activity, children singalong with puppets and engage in singing, clapping, and dancing. Wednesday’s sessions take place at Blue Marble Ice Cream in Prospect Heights, located at 186 Underhill Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. After the singalong, enjoy some delicious ice cream at the venue. Thursday’s session is held in Park Slope at Sir D’s Lounge, located at 837 Union St., Brooklyn, New York.
October 13th to October 19th:
Hansel and Gretel’s Halloween Adventure: The brother and sister duo reunite for an unforgettable Halloween night in New York City in this Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre production. The show features appearances by mermaids, monsters, pirates, vampires, and other Halloween-friendly characters. It takes place on Friday, October 13th, and is located at West 79th Street and West Drive in Central Park, New York, NY.
The Second Annual Pajama Walk: The second annual Pajama Walk on Saturday, October 14th, is designed to raise awareness about the importance of a bedtime routine for children. Your support, whether by walking or donating, helps to provide a clean pair for pajamas at bedtime and a bedtime story for an underprivileged child. Participants begin their walk on the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, 1-15 Centre Street. A festival will follow at Brooklyn Borough Hall.
Queens Food Day: As part of its annual Queens Food Day, visitors will learn more about nutrition, planting and gardening, and healthy living. It takes place on Saturday, October 14th at Socrates Sculpture Park. The park is located at 32-01 Vernon Boulevard, Long Island City, New York.
Harvest Festival at Randall Island Park: Randall Island Park is hosting its own Harvest Festival on Sunday, October 15th from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. There will be live music, face-painting, and other activities. The GPS address is 20 Randall’s Island Park, New York, NY.
Family Party at the American Museum of Natural History: The Family Party at the American Museum of Natural History takes place on Tuesday, October 17th in the early evening. As part of the educational entertainment, families will interact with various live animals and hear about the exciting specimens that comprise the Museum’s collections. The event is geared for children ages 2-12. The Museum can be found at Central Park West at West 79th St., New York, NY.
October 20th to October 26th:
Wildlife Conservation Film Festival: The 2017 Wildlife Conservation Film Festival takes place at the Cinema Village Theater, 22. E. 12th St., New York, New York. The screenings run in sets from Friday, October 20th to Thursday, October 26th. Topics covered at the festival include recycling and its affect on oceans, extinction facing certain animals, and a study on bears.
Family Astronomy Night: The next Family Astronomy Night will take place on Friday, October 20th at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Complex. This family-friendly event spotlights a conversation with Noah Petro, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Stargazing on the flight deck will follow. The Intrepid is located at Pier 86, which is W. 46th Street and 12th Avenue, New York, New York.
Halloween Murder Mystery: With Halloween around the corner, families can get into the spirit by participating in this murder mystery game, loosely based on an actual newspaper account of an unidentified skeleton discovered at the Mount Vernon Hotel. This activity is geared toward adults and adolescents over the age of ten. The dates are as follows: Sunday, October 21st and the following Saturday, October 27th and Sunday, October 28th. The Mount Vernon Hotel, Museum and Garden is located at 421 E. 61st., New York, New York.
Skeletons, A Day of the Dead Bedtime Story: Skeletons is a comedy about a boy struggling to cope with the death of his best friend, his grandfather. On the eve of the Day of the Dead, his grandfather comes back to life for one night to teach Jimmy how to move on without him. The performance takes place on Saturday, October 21st at Teatro SEA, which is located at 107 Suffolk St., Suite #202, New York.
Zumbini: Zumbini was created by Zumba and BabyFirst, and is held at the Manny Cantor Center. The workshop is a combination of music, dance, and educational tools designed to get children ages 0-4 moving. Its second session kicks off on October 24th and lasts until November 28th. The center is located at 197 E. Broadway, New York, NY.
Harvest Festival: The two-hour festival will take place on Saturday, October 21st in Carl Schurz Park. Visitors can enter on East End Avenue between East 87th and East 88th St. Families can select a pumpkin to decorate, take a ride along the river in a horse-drawn carriage, and listen to musical performances.
October 27th to Halloween, October 31st:
Asphalt Screams 2017: Asphalt Screams will be held at both of their Upper East Side (555 East 90th St.) and Battery Park City (212 North End Avenue) on Friday, October 27th. Participants should wear their best costumes and join Asphalt Green in an afternoon of treats and sports-related Halloween activities.
Halloween Haunted Houses Workshop: This weekend, Taste Buds Kitchen is hosting Halloween Haunted Houses Workshop. Bring your little one to the morning session for a chance to construct his or her own gingerbread house in a Halloween format. Orange hot cocoa will also be provided. The program takes place on Saturday, October 28th and on Sunday, October 29th. The kitchen is located at 109 W. 27th St., New York, NY but has areas outside of the city as well.
Halloween in Prospect Park: The 38th Annual Halloween Haunted Walk and Fair takes place on Saturday, October 28th in Prospect Park. Join other families for a haunted walk through Lookout Hill, as well as the Halloween Fair on the Nethermead. The city’s top food trucks will be providing sweet treats for your trick-and-treaters.
Halloween Family Fun Fest: If you are in Long Island, you can visit the Halloween Family Fun Fest at Molloy College on Saturday, October 28th. Their annual festival includes pumpkin picking, decorating a haunted house, mask making, and cupcake decorating. Molloy College is located at 1000 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre, New York. Additional Halloween festivals taking place in Long Island include Islip and Nyack.
Harvest Moon Hayrides and Night Time Corn Maze: Visit Alstede Farms on Saturday, October 28th for an evening of fall family fun. Activities include hayrides in the moonlight, spooky fun for parents and children to enjoy. The farm is located at 1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester, New Jersey.
Hobgoblin Fair: The annual Hobgoblin Fair will take place this year on Saturday, October 28th, rain or shine. Children are encouraged to come dressed in costumes if they are appropriate for walking the ‘Track and Treat’ walk and participating in crafts. Additionally, there will be cupcake decorating and face painting, and families can enjoy homemade soup, bread, and apple cider. The Roaring Brook Nature Center is located at 70 Gracey Road, Canton, Connecticut.
TarryHollow: Walking Through Time: The Historical Society serves the towns of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow, and in preparation for Halloween, will be hosting a two-hour walking tour. On Sunday, October 29th, don’t miss your last chance to explore the unique sections of the two historic villages. Participants will meet at Patriots Park. Route 9, Tarrytown, New York.
Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla: Celebrate Halloween early in Central Park on the evening of Sunday, October 29th. At the Conservancy’s annual Pumpkin Flotilla, children will have the opportunity to send their homemade pumpkins into the waters at twilight. The Harlem Meer is located on the East Side of Central Park from 106th to 110th Street.
Haunted Miniature Golf: The 9th Annual Farmington Miniature Golf features 19 holes of Halloween fun, including Dracula’s Fountain, Haunted Pirates Tavern, and a mysterious moving doughnut at the 18th hole. Afterward, families can enjoy some ice cream. The Farmington Miniature Golf and Ice Cream Parlor is located at 1048 Farmington Avenue, Route 4 in Farmington, Connecticut. The last day is on Sunday, October 29th.
Stargazing at the High Line: Tuesday, October 31st is the last opportunity for families to enjoy a night of stargazing on the High Line. Parents and children alike can look through high-powered telescopes provided by the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York to take a closer look at the stars. Those that are interested can meet at The Diller-von Furstenberg Sundeck, on the High Line at 14th St.
Stories & Stuff: “Halloween Fun!”: This week’s half-hour story time focuses on Halloween Fun! Children can listen and interact using songs, rhymes, or finger plays. At the end, children complete a craft project that ties in the theme. The workshop takes place on Tuesday, October 31st at the White Plains Library, located at 100 Martine Avenue, White Plains, New York.
Fright by Night: Fright Fest has returned for certain dates throughout the month of September and October. Enjoy spooky activities during the course of the evening, including a walk through seven haunted mazes as well as five scare zones. The last day to enjoy zombies and ghouls is on Tuesday, October 31st.
Childcare Professionals Who Know NYC:
At the Nanny Authority, our nannies are familiar with age-appropriate seasonal activities and programs, so parents can feel at ease knowing that their children are a part of a cultural, educational lifestyle when they’re not around. To learn more about how we can assist you in your search for a professional nanny, contact us via e-mail or at 973-466-2669 today!