New York City Kids Weekend Events for October 24-25: Free Halloween Events, Festivals, Fall Fairs, More

Halloween isn't just about candy. This weekend you can take Halloween on from every angle with Fall and Harvest festivals, at a pumpkin festival, in a historic mansion, a green halloween, glamrock and even from the point of view of bats. But that's not all, the Greenpoint/Williamsburg Halloween Parade is this weekend, plus the non-scary kids version of Nightmare: Vampires Haunted House is this weekend only. Yes, Halloween is eerily upon us, but have no fear—we’ve got you covered! From last minute DIY costume ideas, to healthier options for treats, there’s tons of great stuff in our Halloween Fun Guide.

Saturday, October 24
Red Hook Harvest Festival—Red Hook, Brooklyn
Added Value, a non-profit youth leadership organization, is throwing a Harvest Festival. Expect pumpkin patches, kids activities, a kids Halloween costume swap, live animals and face painting—plus local food from nearby merchants, educational activities and an expanded farmers market. Let the kids have a blast, and learn a little bit about how cool local eating is, too. FREE

Bank Street School Fall Fair—Uptown, Manhattan
If you love school fairs like we do, you won't want to miss this one with rides, games, crafts, a flea market, used book sale, performances, food and more. It will be taking place both inside and outside rain or shine. FREE

Central Park Pumpkin Festival - Central Park, Manhattan
Activities include a scarecrow design competition, spooktacular haunted house, hay rides, free pumpkin patch and entertainment and live music at the bandshell, including the Big Apple Circus.

Afternoon of Ghouls—Jamaica, Queens
This Saturday, the King Manor Museum closes for tours and is open for scary stories, costumes, crafts, and ghoulish fun—all in a historical context. Feel free to come in costume! FREE

Saturday Night Live Karaoke—Marine Park, Brooklyn
“Dancin with Bob B” hosts a night of kid karaoke and open mics. Sing, dance, tell a story, or just show off your talents. FREE

City of the Future Creative Workshop—East Village, Manhattan
For somehing a little off-beat head to this artist and architect led day of building where kids aged 6-12 can dream and design what the old PS 64 building might one day be. Everyone will get to build their revolutionary ideas, make t-shirts, music, draw, imagine and eat cupcakes.

It’s My Park Day—Various Parks in all 5 Boroughs
Celebrate your neighborhood parks and public spaces at this volunteer-a-palooza. Kids and adults plant, weed, garden, rake, clean up, paint bleachers and more at the parks, and each place has something extra special going on. At Sunset Park in Brooklyn, there will be a dance performance from a Mexican and Chinese Folkloric troupe; at Wolfes Pond Park in Staten Island, pooches will be joining in on the festivities along with some refreshments, and there’s plenty more where that came from. No registration is required for any of the events; find out which of your favorite parks is participating and then just show up and have fun! FREE

Sunday, October 25
Zhang Family Band Chinese Performance—LES, Manhattan
Part of Ancient Paths, Modern Voices, a citywide festival celebrating Chinese Culture presented by Carnegie Hall, the Zhang Family Band combines traditional Chinese music with a beautiful shadow puppetry. This show is playing at Carnegie Hall full price, but you can see it's magic for FREE.

Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Sail—UES, Manhattan
A favorite event in Central Park, the Parade and Pumpkin Sail is a ton of fun (and fright!). Dan Kitrosser tells spooky stories, “Saw Lady” Natalia Paruz plays eerie music on her saw (I’ve heard her in the ferry terminal before—and it’s actually really cool), and rumor has it Frankenstein might stop by. There’s a costume parade at 5PM and if you drop off your jack-o’-lantern by 4:30PM, you can watch it drift by during New York City’s largest pumpkin flotilla. FREE

Big Green Halloween—UWS, Manhattan
Have a spooktacularly green time at this PS 166 event, filled with composting demos, eco-friendly crafts, textile recycling and local food. But this isn’t just an eco-event, since there will plenty of old-fashioned family fun—rides, costume contest, haunted house, pumpkin and cupcake decorating, stiltwalkers, a mariachi band, magic show, cartoonist, and music from The Mighty Weaklings. This one sounds like a can’t-miss and it’s FREE.

Ghouls and Gourds—Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Play around in the Garden’s fall foliage in between the hands-on workshops, carnivorous plant feedings, flea circus and the incredible kid-friendly music line-up of Mecca Bodega, Billy Jonas & The Band and Elizabeth Mitchell. Rain or shine. Kids under 12 free, adults $8.

Live Bat Encounter—Corona, Queens
Step into the mysterious world of bats and meet them up close! TV personality Rob miles teaches kids the benefits of bats, why we need to conserve them and we can do to help, while showing them off. Hear the high-pitched sounds of North American bats, see straw-colored fruit bats from Africa and Asia and a gaint flying fox bat from Malaysia, which has nearly a 6-foot wingspan. Talk about spooky! $4

Also, last weekend’s Socrates Sculpture Park Halloween Harvest Festival—Long Island City, Queens was postponed till this Sunday due to last weekend’s stinky weather. Celebrate this year’s theme, GlamRock, with a live concert by Audra Rox, making your own rock star costumes, joining a giant instrument jam, and trying some harvest foods before the canine costume contest and performance of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. FREE

The Halloween season is really filling up our calendar, so be sure to check it out for even more cool events in all five boroughs. And while you’re at it, see what’s going on in New Jersey and on Long Island.