Halloween in the Chicago Parks

Every October the Park District runs a citywide slate of small, neighborhood-scale Halloween events at field houses and parks. The district’s 2026 Halloween page, updated September 15, 2026, lists 43 events from October 2 through Halloween night: pumpkin patches, harvest fests, haunted houses, movie screenings and parties, with free candy provided by Mars at the general celebrations.

Early examples on the list: Campfire Horrors at Northerly Island on Friday, October 2 from 7 to 8:40 p.m.; a Pumpkin Patch at Holstein Park (2200 N. Oakley Ave.) on Saturday, October 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Harvest Fest at Indian Boundary Park on Sunday, October 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and a haunted house at Pottawattomie Park on Friday, October 30 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The Holstein pumpkin patch charges $10 for a wristband covering carnival games, inflatables, train rides, face painting and a mobile zoo, with pumpkins sold separately for $2 to $15, according to the district’s event page; many other events are free.

Halloween night itself brings parties and trunk-or-treats at parks in most neighborhoods. Check each park’s listing for the price and whether registration is required.

Plan your visit

These are neighborhood events, so pick the park nearest you; most field houses sit on a bus line and have a small free lot. Holstein Park is a short walk from the Western Blue Line stop, Indian Boundary Park is near the Western and Lunt buses in West Ridge, and Northerly Island is a walk from the Roosevelt Red, Orange and Green Line stop through the museum campus. Pumpkin patches sell out of the good pumpkins in the first hour, so arrive at opening. Bring cash for wristbands and pumpkins, a bag for candy, and a flashlight for the evening campfire and haunted house events, which are outdoors and unlit on purpose.