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Top Free Halloween Events Near Boston for 2024

Get out and about to see some great Halloween events for free in 2024! Frankenstein on Essex Street in Salem, photo by Kate Fox.
Get out and about to see some great Halloween events for free in 2024! Frankenstein on Essex Street in Salem, photo by Kate Fox.
9/27/24 - By Lucie T

October brings free Halloween events to Boston! With decorations, costumes, and candy on our shopping lists, we're all in the market for some free Halloween events kids will love. And the Boston area hosts plenty of free Halloween activities through October 31 that won't break the bank! 

Our Halloween Fun Guide has more ideas for things to do. Families can find plenty more seasonal activities in our list of free October activities. Or, curl up on the couch with the kids and watch one of our picks for best Halloween movies for kids. 

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From Boston to the White Mountains, there is plenty of free Halloween fun! Return of the Pumpkin People at the Inn at Jackson photo courtesy of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce
From Boston to the White Mountains, there is plenty of free Halloween fun! Return of the Pumpkin People at the Inn at Jackson photo courtesy of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce

Free Halloween Events near Boston

Haunted Happenings Grand Parade

Salem–October 3, 2024
This time honored kick off to the Halloween season is full of color, pageantry, music and the enthusiasm of thousands of Salem’s students from kindergarten to college and local business owners. READ MORE

Return of the Pumpkin People

Jackson, NH–October 1 - October 31, 2024
It's the 40th anniversary of the Pumpkin People! Take a self-guided tour of a variety of Pumpkin People at more than 50 different displays. See Pumpkin People doing all kinds of things from flying across yards to deep-sea diving.  READ MORE

Pumpkin People in the Park

Chatham–October 12 - October 31, 2024
This annual tradition down the Cape brings together local businesses that craft clever, funny, or awe-inspiring displays of people and activities out of pumpkins. READ MORE

Fall-o-Ween Children’s Festival

Boston–October 18, 2024
The third annual Fall-o-Ween Children’s Festival returns to the Boston Common Frog Pond. READ MORE

Bierman Autism Centers Annual Trunk-or-Treat

Randolph–October 19, 2024
  Join Bierman Autism Centers for a magical morning of fun and excitement at the Annual Trunk-or-Treat event. This sensory-friendly celebration is designed for everyone to enjoy, featuring whimsical trunks full of treats and surprises, ensuring a safe and engaging experience for all. READ MORE

Revere Beach Pumpkin Dash & Pumpkin Patch

Revere–October 19, 2024
The Revere Beach Pumpkin Dash brings together runners of all ages for a scenic 5K along Revere Beach. The event features a family-friendly atmosphere, with activities like a free Kids Fun Run, pumpkin picking, cookie decorating, and live giant pumpkin carving.  READ MORE

Fall Festival at the Arnold Arboretum

Boston–October 19, 2024
Celebrate autumn at the Arboretum at the first Fall Festival since 2008! Explore the eeriest elements of the Arboretum landscape for Halloween: poisonous plants, creepy insects, and oozing mushrooms, and learn how to identify poison ivy once and for all. READ MORE

Truck or Treat at Suffolk Downs

East Boston–October 19, 2024
The annual touch-a-truck event is getting a spooky upgrade. Wear a costume and go trick-or-treating at tractors, trucks, diggers, fire engines and more!  READ MORE

Trunk or Treat at CareOne Newton

Newton–October 19, 2024
Join CareOne for a day filled with Pumpkin Decorating, Trick-or-Treat Bag Decorating, Spooky Games, and more spine-tingling fun!. READ MORE

SomerStreets: Monster Mash

Somerville–October 20, 2024
The last SomerStreets festival of the season, Monster Mashed Up is a Halloween block party for all ages. The street is closed to traffic and is loaded with kids' activities, food vendors, and live music. READ MORE

New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival

Laconia, NH–October 22 - October 31, 2024
An annual tradition in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, this free, family-oriented festival is known for its pumpkin tower, built with donated pumpkins carved at home or on site, as well as rides, activities, music, and food.  READ MORE

Hocus Pocus Recreation at Historic Ropes Mansion

Salem–October 25- October 31, 2024
Salem's historic Ropes Mansion will be decorated in the style of the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. The grounds will be open for self-guided tours. READ MORE

Sensory-Friendly Halloween

Acton–October 26 FREE with pre-registration
The Discovery Museum is hosting a special Halloween event for children and adults with disabilities or sensory sensitivities, including those who are deaf, blind, or autistic. READ MORE

Tricks and Treats at the Waterworks

Chestnut Hill–October 26, 2024
Calling all werewolves, zombies, and mad scientists! Join us at the Waterworks Museum for a ghoulishly good time at this Tricks and Treats event. Decorate a treat bag and then collect candy while exploring some spooky science and trying special crafts and activities.  READ MORE

Kids and Paws for a Cause - A Halloween Parade

Framingham–October 27, 2024
FREE with food donation
Join the fun on November 3rd for a Costume Parade for kids and pets! Enjoy vendors, music, and raffles while supporting the community by bringing nonperishable food or pet food items to help combat food insecurity. READ MORE

Trick-or-Treat At Hammond Castle

Gloucester–October 30 FREE for kids; $10 for adults
This enchanting adventure leads young ghosts and goblins across a real drawbridge, through winding corridors, and into the majestic Great Hall. With multiple stations, spooky music, and crafts, it’s the perfect way to spark a child’s imagination. READ MORE

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