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Things To Do in Chicago This Weekend with Kids: Open House, Arts in the Dark, Halloween Parties

Arts in the Dark is a magical evening parade that celebrates Halloween as the
Arts in the Dark is a magical evening parade that celebrates Halloween as the "artist's holiday". Photo courtesy of the event
10/16/19 - By Siobhan Adcock

It's a big weekend for Halloween parties around Chicagoland, as little ghouls and ghosts prepare for the big night of trick or treating. Join the free neighborhood Halloween party fun at Bloomingdale or Roselle, dress up for Monster Madness in Lisle, do the monster mash at the Mr. Dave Baby Rave, or dive in to a Halloween pool party. York Center in Lombard transforms into Hogwarts for a Potter-themed Halloween party, and Bolingbrook rolls out its annual free trunk or treat event. There's even a deliciously scary Halloween event for bigger kids only in Naperville. 

There's still time to pick your future jack-o-lantern at pumpkin patches around Chicago, plus a few in the city this weekend at Sheridan Park and Humboldt Park. And kids will love watching glowing gourds take to the water at the free Pumpkin Flotilla Fest in Glen Ellyn.

On Saturday, bring the kids to Maggie Daley Park for the big fall festival, followed by the eerie enchantment of the moonlit Arts in the Dark parade. Fall harvest festivals are cropping up (see what we did there?) in Naperville and at Jesse White Park this weekend, too. 

And this is the weekend Chicago's landmarks and famed buildings open their doors for free exploration as part of Open House Chicago—note that some locations require free advance registration to visit. The Open House Chicago Family Festival at Pritzker Pavilion makes a helpful home base for exploration.

For more ideas, see our weekend event roundup below, and our ever-growing event calendar. 

 
 

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Things To Do All Weekend

Open House Chicago Family Festival

Millennium Park — FREE
Families are invited to attend the Open House Chicago Family Festival on October 19th and 20th at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, where they can stand on the stage and see the world-renowned sound system and performance space up-close. READ MORE

Open House Chicago

Citywide — FREE
The Chicago Architecture Center hosts Open House Chicago, a free public festival that offers behind-the-scenes access to more than 20 buildings throughout Chicago. Guests can enjoy access to Chicago's architectural gems, including skyscrapers, repurposed mansions, opulent theaters, exclusive private clubs, private offices, and breathtaking sacred spaces. READ MORE

Night of 1,000 Jack-o'- Lanterns

Glencoe
Don't be a scaredy cat, these hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns are a real treat. Explore the Chicago Botanical Gardens for a spook-tacular adventure with more than 1,000 hand-carved jack-o-lanterns to light the way. This event tends to sell out.  READ MORE

Things To Do Saturday, October 19

BOOmingdale Halloween Party

Bloomingdale — FREE
Fall festivities abound at this event sponsored by the Bloomingdale Park District, Village of Bloomingdale, Bloomingdale Public Library, and Friends of the Bloomingdale Public Library. The Police and Fire Department will offer Halloween-themed building tours and trunk or treat while the library will host a hay maze, moon jump, balloon artist, face painter, and refreshments.   READ MORE

Pumpkin Patch at Sheridan

Little Italy — FREE
Sheridan Park hosts a FREE Pumpkin Patch, where kids and their caregivers can dress up and enjoy treats, pumpkins, arts and crafts, costume and dance contests, and kids' tattoos READ MORE

Pumpkin Patch at Humboldt

Humboldt Park — FREE
Humboldt Park hosts a Pumpkin Patch for the whole family, featuring games, art activities, face painting, inflatables, popcorn, and refreshments. This event is free for kids 12 and under.  READ MORE

Mr. Dave Baby Rave

West Town
Mr. Dave Music hosts a Halloween dance party for music fans of all ages at Beauty Bar! There will be glow sticks, a light show, trippy visuals, beach balls, and adult beverages for those who are of age. READ MORE

Fall Festival at Maggie Daley

Millennium Park — FREE
Maggie Daley Park hosts a Fall Festival filled with fall activities, crafts, and family fun. After the fest at 5p.m., guests can head over to the Arts in the Dark Parade. READ MORE

Festive Fall Festival

Naperville — FREE
Naperville Church of Christ hosts its annual trunk or treat event. Kids can also enjoy a hot chocolate and cider bar, live music, inflatables, an open mic, pumpkin decorating, and concessions. Moody radio will be on hand with giveaways for festival participants. READ MORE

Monster Madness

Lisle
The Lisle Park District brings a bit of country fun to the suburbs with this special fall festival. Families can play games, enjoy an inflatable haunted house, visit a petting zoo, get a pumpkin from a pumpkin patch, and enjoy fall-themed treats. READ MORE

Arts in the Dark

Millennium Park — FREE
Arts in the Dark is an evening parade that celebrates Halloween as the "artist's holiday," bringing together Chicago institutions and organizations dedicated to art and education. Audience members will be delighted by unique floats, spectacle puppets, and creative performances set against the backdrop of Chicago’s majestic skyline. READ MORE

Fall Festival at Jesse White Park

Cabrini Green — FREE
Jesse White Park hosts a fall festival filled with fun activities, games, a bounce house, and pumpkin paintings.  READ MORE

York Center Park District Happenin' Halloween

Lombard — FREE
The York Center Park District opens its gym to families to enjoy carnival games, hayrides, concessions and more. The theme of this year's party is Spooky Candyland! READ MORE

Roselle Neighborhood Halloween Bash

Roselle — FREE
Roselle's Ace Hardware presents lots of non-scary Halloween fun for kids and families. Costumes are encouraged at this event which includes pumpkin painting, balloon animals, face painting, trick or treating, games and more. READ MORE

Burr Ridge Village Center Fall Fest

Burr Ridge — FREE
Families can enjoy an afternoon of fall fun at Burr Ridge Village Center. Kids can wear their costumes for trick or treating and have fun riding on hay rides and watching stilt walkers. READ MORE

West Chicago Boo Bash

West Chicago
West suburban kids can enjoy this non-spooky Halloween celebration that includes crafts, costume contests, glow in the dark activities, a sing-along, hay rides, and inflatable fitness stations. Little ghosts and ghouls can have their faces painted, get a glow in the dark tattoo, or play giant Jenga or Connect Four. READ MORE

Ruth Page Center for the Arts Halloween Bash!

Magnificent Mile — FREE
Ruth Page Center for the Arts and School of Dance host a Monster Mash Halloween Bash, with spooky fun and games for all to enjoy a chance to learn the dance from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" from hip-hop dance teacher, Melissa Metro. READ MORE

Monster Night in the Pool

Glen Ellyn
Families can enjoy a showing of Monsters University in the therapy pool or in the lobby of Healthtrack Sports and Wellness in Glen Ellyn to celebrate Halloween. Pizza, popcorn, and lemonade will be served in the lobby. Adults eat for free. READ MORE

Indigenous Dance Celebration: Inherit Chicago 2019

Schaumburg
Join in this celebration of traditional dances and appreciation for the fine and decorative clothing the dancers wear. READ MORE

Things To Do Sunday, October 20

The Music of Phish for Kids: Halloween Spooktacular

Pilsen
The Rock and Roll Playhouse presents the music of Phish at Thalia Hall. This event will also be Halloween themed! READ MORE

A Walk for the Bear

Lincoln Park
Come dressed in your Halloween best for this three mile walk to benefit pediatric cancer research. READ MORE

Lemont Scarecrow Fest

Lemont — FREE
Families can walk the scarecrow trail and vote for their favorites at Lemont Heritage Woodland Sanctuary and Community Center. Kids can also make crafts, play games, go on a hay ride or a nature trail scavenger hunt, and gather around a campfire for cider and stories. READ MORE

Naperville Halloween Party

Naperville
Kids can sing and dance with a witch, get their faces painted in a Halloween theme, or get Halloween temporary tattoo at this Halloween event at the Chicago Marriott Naperville. Halloween crafting will feature stampers, scratch art, and coloring, and kids can play with Halloween play dough and tools. READ MORE

Bolingbrook Promenade Trunk or Treat

Bolingbrook — FREE
Practice trick or treating out of the trunks of fun decorated cars at this event at the Bolingbrook Promenade. For $20, families can decorate their cars and participate in the contest for Most Bootiful, Most Ghostly Spirit, and Most Spooktacular. Ferrara Candy Company is sponsoring the event. READ MORE

Pumpkin Flotilla Fest

Glen Ellyn — FREE
Glen Ellyn celebrates Halloween by floating dozens of lit Jack-O-Lanterns on Lake Ellyn. Before the flotilla, families can enjoy a performance by Jeanie B. and the Jelly Beans, activities and games, a pumpkin carving demonstration, trackless train rides, canoe rides, and a bounce house. Families can even float their own Jack-O-Lantern or carve one in the park for a $5 fee. Pumpkin supplies are limited. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Lisle Recreation Center
Healthtrack Sports Wellness
Lemont Township Community Center
Lake Ellyn Park & Boathouse