Illumination photo courtesy of the Morton Arboretum
Children's Theater, Light Shows, and More Things To Do in Chicago This Weekend With Kids
The mysterious Great Impresario, the man who has designed and created the World’s Fair, brings the magic of the season to life! Photo by Tod Ros for the Joffrey Ballet.
The Nutcracker Ballet and Other Holiday Shows for Kids in Chicago
Let one of these Chicago restaurants do the cooking this Thanksgiving.
Kid-Friendly Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving in Chicago
Pumpkin picking is a firm fall favorite. Photo courtesy of Keller's Farmstand
GUIDE
Chicago Fall Day Trips Guide: Orchards, Festivals, and Family Getaways 2024
The Annual Chicago Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs
25 Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in Chicago for Kids
There are both woodland and paved trails at the Morton Arboretum. Photo courtesy of Canva
Best Places to Hike with Kids Near Chicago
Chicago Thanksgiving Parade. Photo by Brian & Jaclyn Drum via Flickr 2.0
Best of November: Day of the Dead, Thanksgiving Parade, and More Things to Do in Chicago
It's apple season! Photo courtesy of Apple Holler Orchard
Fall Bucket List for Kids: 37 Things To Do in Chicago This Fall
The Persian Lilies in the Aroid house were stunning. Photo by Lisa Warden-3
Garfield Park Conservatory with Kids: Best Things to See and Do
Free activities for kids in Chicago include the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is always free. Photo courtesy of the museum via Facebook
GUIDE
Guide to Free Things To Do in Chicago with Kids
Photo courtesy of the Chicago Architecture Center
Best Chicago Museums For Kids and Families
St. Louis has tons of kid-friendly things to do. Photo courtesy of the City Museum in St. Louis
Fun Budget Weekend Getaways for Chicago Families
Chicago has so many things to do with little kids. Photo courtesy of Aster Hall, Chicago
25 Things To Do With Little Kids in Chicago Before They Turn 5
An offbeat Chicago museum makes a fun outing for teenagers. Photo courtesy of the WNDR Museum
Chicago's Best Indoor Places for Tweens and Teens To Hang Out
The Skydeck at Willis Tower has spectacular views spanning four states.
100 Best Things To Do in Chicago with Kids Before They Grow Up
State parks near Chicago offer more than just hiking. Photo courtesy of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources
State Parks Near Chicago to Hike, Camp, and Swim with Kids
Stroller hikes make it easier to get outside with babies and toddlers. Photo courtesy of the Morton Arboretum
Best Stroller-Friendly Hikes and Trails Near Chicago
GUIDE
Guide to Indoor Play Spaces for Chicago Kids
Photo courtesy of Enterrium in Schaumburg
Themed Restaurants in Chicago for Family-Friendly Interactive Dining
Obstacle courses and climbing gyms provide indoor fun for big kids. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Boulders
Best Ninja Warrior Gyms and Climbing Gyms in Chicago for Kids
The Chicago Skydeck offers kids a great view of the city. Photo courtesy of the 360 Chicago Skydeck
3 Days in Chicago with Kids: Ultimate Itinerary by a Local Mom
Free activities for kids in Chicago include the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is always free. Photo courtesy of the museum via Facebook
GUIDE
Guide to Free Things To Do in Chicago with Kids
Happy Kids Chicago offers some of your kid's favorite characters as birthday party entertainers.
The Ultimate List of Chicago Children's Birthday Party Entertainers and Rentals
There are plenty of fishing lakes in Chicago. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Park District
Fishing Lakes Near Chicago and More Kid-Friendly Places To Go Fishing
Photo courtesy of the Museum of Science and Industry
Free Museums and Free Museum Days for Kids in Chicago
Pancakes served all day long in Chicago's West Loop! Photo courtesy of The Little Goat, Facebook
Things to do with Kids in Chicago's West Loop

Best of October: Halloween, Fall Fests, and More Fun Things To Do in Chicago

UniverSoul Circus. Photo by Brett Davis, via Flickr 2.0
UniverSoul Circus. Photo by Brett Davis, via Flickr 2.0
9/29/24 - By Maureen Wilkey

Halloween is always exciting, and October in Chicago is delivering a whole lot of treats: We have apples and pumpkins to pick; kids can check out the UniverSoul Circus or join a super hero run in Villa Park. Kids can also see new plays at Chicago Children's Theater or the Apollo Theater.

Of course, we’ve also covered you for Halloween events in Chicago. If you'd rather trick-or-treat at businesses than at houses or apartments, visit Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, or Lincoln Park, or trick-or-treat with the animals at Brookfield's Boo at the Zoo. And if you're more comfortable staying in for the holiday, we have some fun Halloween games to recommend!

Check out our full line-up of favorite fall festivals here, or read on to see the best of October!

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Run for the Kids: Superhero Hustle. Photo by Rich Howe, courtesy of the event.
Run for the Kids: Superhero Hustle. Photo by Rich Howe, courtesy of the event.

Best Things To Do in Chicago in October 2024 With Kids

UniverSoul Circus

Washington Park
October 2-6 and October 10-12, 2024
Universoul Circus comes to Washington Park to share its lively, dazzling display of circus arts, music, dance, and theatre for the whole family. READ MORE

St. Benedict's Oktoberfest

North Center - FREE
Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6, 2024
St. Ben's Parish Oktoberfest includes live entertainment, traditional German food, a carnival, and games. Proceeds will benefit local outreach programs and church operations. READ MORE

The Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival

Highwood
Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6, 2024
Visit Highwood for all the pumpkin-based fun you could wish for. This three-day festival includes all-you-can-carve pumpkin stations, a carnival, live entertainment, a 5k, craft and food vendors, and pet and kid costume contests. READ MORE

Lincoln Square Ravenswood Apple Fest

Lincoln Square
Friday, October 4-Sunday, October 6, 2024
The 37th annual Lincoln Square Ravenswood Apple Fest offers activities for apple lovers of all ages. Food vendors and farm vendors will be on hand for families to buy fall-themed foods! Kids can enjoy apple themed activities like an apple sensory bin and an apple slime kit, as well as activities from Fit City Kids, Itsy Bitsy Play & Cafe, Nonku's Corner, and several local schools. READ MORE

Tales & Tombstones

Lombard
Friday & Saturday, October 4-5, 2024
The Lombard Historical Society leads families through the oldest cemetery in Lombard. Historians tell tales of bizarre, admirable, and ridiculous things that the people buried there did, from more than a century ago through today. READ MORE

Bunker Hill Pumpkin Palooza

Niles - FREE
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Families can enjoy nature's contributions to Halloween by painting pumpkins, playing gourd ring toss, making leaf rubbings, and running through a fall-themed obstacle course. READ MORE

Lombard Fall Fest

Lombard - FREE
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Kids can kick off the Halloween season at Lombard's annual fall event. Kids can enjoy games, dancing, face painting, and a candy hunt. The Lombard Community Building will host Boo Bingo from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. READ MORE

Run for the Kids: Superhero Hustle

Villa Park
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Families can support kids with developmental delays at this 5K and kids dash that benefits Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley. The post-race party includes fresh grilled foods, face painting, live music, a photo booth, and kid-friendly games and entertainment. READ MORE

Biketoberfest

Bensenville - FREE
Sunday, October 6, 2024
This annual bicycle show and swap will take place both indoors and outdoors in 2024. Kids can enjoy watching motorized mini bikes, go karts, and pedal cars, or look for a new bike in the Bike Corral. READ MORE

Zombie Candy Hunt

LaGrange
Friday, October 11, 2024
Zombies have hidden candy in Sedgwick Park and kids must dress up in costumes to come find it! Bring your own flashlight and bag or bucket to fill with goodies. READ MORE

Lemontster Days Drive-In Movies

Lemont
Friday, October 11, 2024
The Lemont Park District presents the Disney film Casper to celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead. READ MORE

Milo Imagines The World

West Loop
October 12-13, 19-20, and 26-27, 2024
MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD is a musical odyssey of imagination. Through vibrant song, expressive dance, and a whole lot of imagination, this magical, musical journey takes audiences through the mind of a child, as he learns to see the world as it really is. A journey from house to home, this play is a real ride! READ MORE

Cantigny Fall Fest

Wheaton
Friday & Saturday, October 11-12, 2024
Cantigny Park hosts a celebration of fall complete with hay rides, pumpkin decorating, a petting zoo, wax hands, inflatables, and face painting. Live music will play on Cantigny's Parade FIeld. Families can purchase seasonal foods at food trucks or at Bernie's Bistro in the Visitors Center. A kids' book fair and plant and pumpkin sale bring more seasonal fun to the event. READ MORE

St. Charles Scarecrow Festival

St. Charles
Friday, October 11-Sunday, October 13, 2024
More than 100 handmade and mechanical scarecrows will be on display in downtown St. Charles for this 35th annual fall tradition. Families can make their own scarecrow, enjoy live entertainment, shop at the arts and crafts show, or ride carnival rides while enjoying the fall weather. READ MORE

Columbus Day Parade

Downtown - FREE
Monday, October 14, 2024
Chicagoans of all ages can enjoy watching 150 groups, including bands, floats, and marchers, march down State Street for the 72nd annual Columbus Day Parade.  READ MORE

Wonder Wheels at Wonder Works

Oak Park
Saturday & Sunday, October 12-13, 2024
Vroom! Vroom! Wonder Wheels will be zooming back to Wonder Works Children’s Museum! For just two days, children and their families will be able to explore wheels by sitting behind the wheel of real trucks and vehicles, doing laps around the tiny tots vehicle race track, playing in a giant sand pit mini construction site, and designing LEGO cars to test on a pinewood derby track.  READ MORE

Open House Chicago

Citywide - FREE
Saturday & Sunday, October 19-20, 2024
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

Spooky Saturday on the Main-Dempster Mile

Evanston - FREE
Saturday, October 26, 2024
North suburban families can enjoy live music and a pumpkin carving contest to celebrate fall along the Main-Dempster Mile. Trick-or-treat at local businesses and participate in a kid or pet costume parade. Music from SCarolers will add to the fun. READ MORE

Hinsdale Fall Family Fest

Hinsdale - FREE
Saturday, October 12
West suburban families can visit Katherine Legge Park to paint pumpkins, enjoy giveaways from local businesses, visit food trucks, and trick-or-treat at downtown businesses. Inflatables and roaming entertainment will also be on hand. READ MORE

Arts in the Dark

Downtown - FREE
Saturday, October 19, 2024
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

Wicker Park Boo-palooza

Wicker Park
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Families can help raise money for the Wicker Park "Gardens We Design" at this family-friendly Halloween event featuring kids' musicians, a costume parade, and a pumpkin patch and decorating area. Play games including pin-the-tail on various popular cartoons, find the "needle" in the haystack, or work your way through a straw maze. READ MORE

Ackerman Spook Trail

Glen Ellyn
Thursday & Friday, October 24-25, 2024
Take a walk along the spook trail to enjoy Halloween-themed games. Refreshments will be available from local vendors. From 4-6pm., the trail will be non-scary and geared toward younger children. From 6-8pm, it will be spookier for kids 11 and up. READ MORE

Stars, Stories & S'mores

River Forest - FREE
Friday, October 25, 2024
Enjoy a cozy fire, s'mores, a spooky story trail, and pumpkin painting in Thatcher Woods. Kids can also stargaze in their Halloween costumes at this Forest Preserve District event. READ MORE

Addison Park District Candy Carnival

Addison
Friday, October 25, 2024
Kids can play games to win candy at this annual event. Kids receive an extra treat for coming in costume. Inflatables, crafts, and games round out the fun. Parents must accompany their children at this event. READ MORE

Pumpkin Palooza

Naperville
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Kids can celebrate the season by coming in costume to the DuPage Children's Museum for STEAM-themed, non-scary activities. Build your own Franken buddy from recycled toys, create wearable art, brew your own slime, and mix and mash pumpkin guts! READ MORE

Lincoln Park Spooktacular 2024

Lincoln Park - FREE
Saturday & Sunday, October 26-27, 2024
Trick-or-treat at select businesses along Lincoln Avenue between Wrightwood and Webster on Saturday or Clark Street on Sunday for the week before Halloween. Magicians, stilt walkers, and jugglers will meet and greet trick or treaters along the way. READ MORE

Lincoln Scared and Ravenswoooooood

Lincoln Square and Ravenswood - FREE
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Lincoln Square and Ravenswood transform into Lincoln Scared and Ravenswooooooood for early trick-or-treating. Businesses hand out candy and other treats, and a pumpkin decorating station sets up on Damen Avenue. READ MORE

Jack and the Beanstalk

Lincoln Park
Opens Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Come along with Jack and his best friend Carmelita (a Spanish-speaking cow), as they try to save their village from a crazy giant! Along the way, you’ll meet a beautiful singing Harp, a Golden Goose, and a wacky Bean Salesman. Watch the Giant Beanstalk grow on stage! READ MORE

Blodgett House Boo Fest

Downers Grove - FREE
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Families can avoid the rain (or snow) by trick-or-treating indoors at the Downers Grove Museum. The Victorian themed Blodgett House will be decorated for the occasion and will host a scavenger hunt. READ MORE
Check out Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up this October in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up.
Check out Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up this October in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up.

Monthlong Events and Exhibits in Chicago

Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up

Goose Island
Jack's is one of Chicago's largest fall themed festivals. With 10,000 pumpkins, fortune tellers, a corn maze with a secret bar, gem mining, photo opportunities, carnival games, and food trucks, Jack's provides to unique experience for each guest that comes through the doors. It is also kid friendly! READ MORE

Señorita Mariposa Story Walk

Lisle
Señorita Mariposa is a Spanish-English bilingual book by author, musician, and early childhood educator MISTER G. The story, told in playful rhyme and brought to life by illustrator Marcos Almada Rivero, follows the extraordinary migration of a monarch butterfly from Canada to Mexico. From September 15 through the end of October, each gorgeously illustrated page of Señorita Mariposa will be displayed on large-scale panels along the Arboretum’s Meadow Lake Trail. READ MORE

Skeletober

LaGrange
Downtown LaGrange celebrates Skeletober, a display of unique life-size decorated skeletons on the sidewalks of local businesses. Families can take pictures with the skeletons and participate in a skeleton scavenger hunt. READ MORE

Lincoln Park Zoo Fall Fest

Lincoln Park
Families can enjoy a walk through the pumpkin patch, a pumpkin-carving demonstration, and pumpkin-themed treats like a caramel apple station and a s'more station at Lincoln Park Zoo throughout October. READ MORE
Apple Picking near Chicago: Best Apple Orchards for Apple Picking with Kids
Apple Picking near Chicago: Best Apple Orchards for Apple Picking with Kids

Fall Day Trips and More October Activities in Chicago

Fall Bucket List for Kids: 37 Things To Do in Chicago This Fall

Enjoy harvest festivals, pumpkin patches, farm fun, and more. READ MORE

Best Pumpkin Patches Near Chicago for Families

Pick from over 20 pumpkin patches and pumpkin farms near Chicago for a day of fall family fun. READ MORE

Apple Picking near Chicago: Best Apple Orchards for Apple Picking with Kids

We’ve selected 14 of the best apple orchards within a two-hour drive of Chicago for your apple-picking pleasure, many with seasonal extras like hayrides, corn mazes, train rides, and activities for kids READ MORE

Top Halloween Events in Chicago for Kids and Families: Pumpkins, Trick-or-Treat, Movies, and More

Your guide to the best Halloween events near Chicago for kids in 2024. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Easter Seals DuPage and Fox Valley
Centennial Recreational Center
Lincoln Avenue between Wrightwood and Webster