31 Free Halloween Events for Kids in New York City 2012

New York City is literally packed with free Halloween activities. In fact, there are so many great ways to celebrate you may need a magic eight ball to decide where to go. Luckily, your kids will be so hopped up on candy, they'll probably have the energy to hit several events in one day.

We've rounded up the cream of the candy corn: 31 FREE Halloween events for kids in all five boroughs, including big annual family favorites like Central Park's massive Pumpkin Festival, Fort Greene's BAMboo! street fair, the Halloween Parade & Pumpkin Sail at the Harlem Meer and Screamin' Green Halloween at the World Financial Center. Read on to find out where and when you can see spooky stilt-walkers, hop on hayrides, visit haunted houses and get the whole family dressed up—even the dog.

Fall Kids' Fest – Flatiron
Madison Square Park, 23rd Street at Madison Avenue
Saturday, October 13 11am-2pm
FREE
Children can don their Halloween costumes for a parade and then hit the pumpkin patch to pick and decorate a jack-o'-lantern. This popular fest also features live music by kindie bands the Pop Ups, KBC Kids and Songs for Seeds, scenes from the upcoming kids' show Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Musical Mystery, games, arts and crafts, face painting and snacks. Arrive early! It gets mobbed fast.

Harvest Festival – Brooklyn Heights
Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, Atlantic Avenue and the waterfront
Saturday, October 20 10:30am-1pm
FREE
This jam-packed party at one of our favorite playgrounds seems to get bigger and better every year. For 2012, families can enjoy face painting, storytelling, mask making, pumpkin decorating, a pumpkin patch, a concert by the Pop Ups and lots of special creative activities, like Inventgenuity Workshops, art projects with Private Picassos and fall-themed activities by the Transit Museum, Half Pint Citizens and The Moxie Spot.

Jefferson Market Garden Children's Harvest Festival – Greenwich Village
Greenwich Avenue between Sixth Avenue and 10th Street
Saturday, October 20 11am-2pm
FREE
Kids can pick up tiny pumpkins and decorate them or try other seasonal crafts. They can also enjoy country fun by helping the park rake leaves and jumping in big bales of straw. The nearby Jefferson Market branch of the New York Public Library sponsors the live entertainment. Rain date is Sunday, October 21.

Día de los Muertos Celebration – East Harlem
El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street
Saturday, October 20 11am-6pm
FREE
The Day of the Dead is the theme for this edition of the museum's free monthly Super Sabado party. Enjoy face painting, arts and crafts, live music and a spooky procession from the nearby Dana Discovery Center to the museum.

Halloween Harvest Festival – Long Island City
Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Boulevard at Broadway
Saturday, October 20 11am-3pm
FREE
The outdoor Queens art spot throws a fabulous, artsy fest every Halloween. This year, you can make your own costumes, groove to live music, take art workshops with the Freestyle Arts Association, enter your pet in a canine costume contest, get your face painted by the fabulous artists of Agostino Arts and snack on locally grown food.

The Brownstone School's Halloween Fun Fair – Upper West Side
MS 44 Playground, Columbus Avenue at 77th Street
Saturday, October 20 11am-5pm
Free admission but there are fees for certain activities.
Enjoy train rides, bouncy castles, an inflatable slide and obstacle course, crafts like cupcake and pumpkin decorating, games such as bean bag toss and life-size Candy Land, plus tattoos, spin art and a rummage sale.

Pooch Parade and Howl-Ween – Staten Island
Wolfes Pond Park, Cornelia, Hylan Boulevard and Cornelia Avenue
Saturday, October 20 noon-3pm
FREE
Costumed canines compete at this annual holiday shindig. Categories include longest tail, shortest dog and floppiest ears. There will also be a doggie obstacle course.

Marine Park Halloween Fall Festival – Marine Park
Salt Marsh Nature Center in Marine Park, Flatbush, Gerritsen and Fillmore Avenues
Saturday, October 20 noon-3:45pm
FREE
Come in costume to this 29th annual neighborhood celebration featuring games, pumpkins and more.

Halloween Festival – Bayside
Parade Grounds in Fort Totten Park, Story Road near Sgt. Beers Avenue
Saturday, October 20 noon-3pm
FREE
Kids can enjoy games, rides, craft projects, a costume contest, hayrides, a pumpkin patch and even walk away with goodie bags.

Big Green Extreme Halloween – Upper West Side
PS 166, 132 West 89th Street between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues
Sunday, October 21 10am-5pm
Free admission but there are fees for certain activities.
PS 166's annual fall fest is still sure to be a terrifically terrifying time. Enjoy rides, a costume contest, a haunted house, pumpkin and cupcake decorating, eco-crafts, a magic show, stilt walkers and food.

Rockaway Fall Festival – Far Rockaway
Bayswater Park, Bay 32nd Street and Beach Channel Drive
Sunday, October 21 noon-3pm
FREE
This annual Queens favorite features a pumpkin patch, costume-making, pony and hayrides, and live entertainment. Afterward, head over to the recently renovated Rockaway Park to check out all of the awesome new attractions.

Babies First Halloween Party – Midtown East
MoonSoup, 201 East 56th Street between Second and Third Avenues
Friday, October 26 2:30-3:15pm
FREE
This one's just for the wee ones. Infants ages 2 months to 1 year and their caregivers are invited to put on their best costumes and head to MoonSoup's brand-new space for music and play time. Reservations suggested.

Halloween: Bats at Belvedere – Upper East Side
Central Park, mid-park at 79th Street
Friday, October 26 5-6:30pm
FREE
Head to Belvedere Castle to get up close and personal with a few night flyers. Rob Mies, biologist, bat expert and director of the Organization for Bat Conservation, will introduce kids to a Big Brown bat, fruit bats from Africa and Asia, and the Gigantic Flying Fox Bat from Malaysia, which has a massive six-foot wingspan. Afterward he'll lead guests on a bat walk at dusk. If it rains or is below 60 degrees, this program will be held in the North Meadow Recreation Center.

Haunted Lantern Tours – Bayside
Fort Totten Park, Weaver Road and Totten Avenue
Friday, October 26-Saturday, October 27 6:30-8:30pm
FREE
Are you brave enough to tour the historic Water Battery in Fort Totten Park after sundown? If so, join the Urban Park Rangers on a scary and historic adventure.

Wonderween at Sony Wonder Technology Lab – Midtown East
550 Madison Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets
Saturday, October 27 10am-4pm
FREE
A day of spooky screenings for the preschool set. Catch Elmo Says Boo, Halloween-themed Dora The Explorer and Go, Diego, Go episodes, and other holiday screenings. Kids can also enjoy crafts and goodies. New this year: Screenings require a separate ticket so be sure to call ahead to reserve your seats: 212-833-8100.

Central Park Pumpkin Fest – Upper East Side
Central Park Bandshell, enter at 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue
Saturday, October 27 11am-3pm
FREE
Head to the band shell for this massive (and always very crowded) fest. Hit the pumpkin patch, groove to live bands, catch a puppet show, decorate pumpkins and do other arts and crafts, play Quidditch and other games, wander through a space-themed haunted house and a whole lot more.

Puppetry Arts Haunted Halloween Carnival – Park Slope
First Street Recreation Center of P.S. 372, 1st Street between Third and Fourth Avenues
Saturday, October 27 11am-4pm
Free admission but there are fees for certain activities.
Enjoy games and crafts, a haunted house, a bouncy house, a costume contest and appearances by Star Wars characters. The first 200 kids to arrive snag trick-or-treat bags filled with goodies.

Screamin' Green Halloween – Financial District
Waterfront Plaza at the World Financial Center, 200 Vesey Street near West Street
Saturday, October 27 noon-3pm
FREE
Head downtown for this eco-friendly fete, which will be held outdoors this year. Families can make masks and costumes out of recycled and repurposed household materials, bob for apples, pin the face on the pumpkin, compete in a gourd roll, hear spooky tales and follow wandering puppets and marching bands. There will also be green art projects, photo ops in front of a ghoulish green screen, organic and fair-trade sweets, and a massive costume swap. At the end, there will be a Ghosts & Goblins Parade around Battery Park City.

Fort Greene Park Halloween Festival – Fort Greene
Fort Greene Park, Myrtle Avenue, Cumberland Street and DeKalb Avenue
Saturday, October 27 noon-3pm
FREE
Although this annual favorite was canceled last year due to inclement weather, it's back and scarier than ever this year! Families can enjoy a cornucopia of free activities, including hayrides, face painting, stilt walkers, pumpkins to decorate, a spooky cemetery, plus live entertainment. Rain date is Sunday, October 28.

Prospect Park Haunted Walk and Carnival – Prospect Park
Lookout Hill, enter park at Prospect Park Southwest and 16th Street
Saturday, October 27 noon-3pm
FREE
Hike to Lookout Hill, which will be filled with witches, zombies and other creepy characters. Afterward, head to the Nethermead for a Halloween-themed carnival with games, treats and other fun.

Creepy Crawly Halloween – Prospect Park
Audubon Center at the Boathouse, near the Lincoln Road/Ocean Avenue entrance
Saturday, October 27-Sunday, October 28 1-4pm
FREE
Get face time with spiders, worms and other icky creatures that are sure to make your skin crawl. Afterward, kids can make creepy crafts and participate in hands-on experiments.

Tricks and Treats at Le Carrousel – Midtown West
Bryant Park, enter at 40th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues
Saturday, October 27 1-2pm
FREE
Kids can go to the merry-go-round for a spooky show by Justin the Magician. Afterward, take a spin on the merry-go-round for a couple of bucks.

Halloween Costume Parade – Soho
Scholastic Store, 557 Broadway Between Prince and Spring Streets
Saturday, October 27 at 3pm
FREE
Put on your holiday best for this neighborhood parade, and then head back to one of our favorite children's bookstores to make monster blood, play Goosebumps’ Horrorland for the Wii and spin the Wheel of Misfortune to snag a spooky prize.

Ghoul Pool – Bronx
Van Cortlandt Park Pool, West 242nd Street and Broadway
Saturday, October 27 at 3pm
FREE
The park's bath house is turned into a haunted house for families.

Morningside Montessori School's Fall Festival – Upper West Side
100th Street between Broadway and West End Avenue
Sunday, October 28 11am-4pm
Free admission but there are fees for certain activities.
Although rides and games cost extra, this Halloween-themed bash offers a scarily good free concert by Moey's Music Party. Ghost and goblin bowling, biting doughnuts on a string, pumpkin decorating, face painting and a haunted house all cost just a couple of bucks each.

Halloween Parade and Party – Tribeca
Washington Market Park, Chambers and Greenwich Streets
Sunday, October 28 1-3pm
FREE
This popular annual Halloween party kicks off with a costume parade from CitiGroup Plaza to the park, where families can play games, do arts and crafts, and listen to a live concert by Princess Katie & Racer Steve.

Halloween: Parade & Pumpkin Sail – Harlem
Central Park, enter at 110th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues
Sunday, October 28 4-6:30pm
FREE
This event has been canceled due to the hurricane. Bring your jack-o'-lantern to the Dana Discover Center, and then watch it sail away at dusk on the Harlem Meer. Other activities include arts and crafts, spooky stories, live music and a costume parade around the northeastern edge of the park.

Shocktoberfest – Corona
Playground For All Children in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Corona Avenue near 111th Street
Tuesday, October 30 4-8pm
FREE
This event has been canceled due to the hurricane. Head to one of our favorite playgrounds for kids of all abilities for a not-too-spooky Halloween fest featuring games, crafts, no-cost treats and a thriller costume dance party.

The Greenbelt Monster Mash – Staten Island
Greenbelt Recreation Center, 501 Brielle Avenue between Walcott and Rockland Avenues
Tuesday, October 30 4:30-6pm
FREE
This event has been canceled due to the hurricane. Families can enjoy a haunted house, apple picking, an egg on the spoon race, face painting, arts and crafts and other holiday activities. All parents must register their children for membership at the center, which is free.

Spooky Storytime Yoga – Chelsea
Karma Kids Yoga, 104 West 14th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues
Wednesday, October 31 at 11:30am
FREE
This event has been canceled due to the hurricane. In honor of Halloween, the studio will lead children in creepy poses, like the wolf, bat, spider, goblin, witch, wizard, ghost.... you get the idea. Costumes are encouraged and there will be a glow-in-the-dark surprise! Children up to age 6.

BAMboo! – Fort Greene
Outside of the BAM Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Avenue between Ashland Place and St. Felix Street
Wednesday, October 31 2-5pm
FREE
The 11th annual fest has a Medieval theme, with BAM employees dressed as knights, princesses, jesters and wizards giving away bags filled with goodies. Other fun on tap includes live music, roaming entertainers, a bouncy house and a children's costume contest with prizes awarded for the most creative outfits.

For more seasonal fun check out our Halloween Guide.