Discover 56 verified family-friendly fall activities in Chicago and nearby areas.
Chicago families can find Halloween activities from neighborhood street parties like the Lincoln Square Apple Fest to zoo events in Brookfield. Consider free trick-or-treating in Andersonville if you want a family-focused outing.
Discover the best halloween food, drink, and parties in Chicago and nearby areas.
11 eventsDiscover the best haunted experiences in Chicago and nearby areas.
11 eventsDiscover the best halloween movies, theater, and entertainment in Chicago and nearby areas.
7 eventsDiscover the best other halloween activities in Chicago and nearby areas.
15 eventsSee all trunk-or-treats, pumpkin patches, and kid-friendly events nearby.
The first weekend of October has full activities and the thinnest crowds; the two weekends before Halloween are wall-to-wall wagons. If you want the buzz, go peak; if you want photos without strangers in them, go early. Late September often means opening deals. For trunk-or-treats and costume parades, the weekend before Halloween is usually the only option, so book patches around it.
Daytime, non-spooky hayrides are generally fine from infancy if a lap adult holds the child the whole ride; wagons bounce hard over field ruts. Sit toward the center, away from wheel edges, and skip rides where kids sit on loose hay bales without sides. Evening "haunted" versions with actors are a different product, so check which one you're queueing for.
Build the costume a size up over a thermal base layer, and choose designs where a coat reads as part of the look, capes, robes, and animal onesies win October. Face paint beats masks in drizzle, and clear ponchos exist for downpour parades. For evening events, add reflective tape and glow bracelets. Test the full layered outfit at home once before the night.