Irving Park Family-Friendly Fall Activities 2026

Family-oriented street celebration with live music, photo ops, and candy.

Illustration of a ghost, a witch and a pumpkin figure on a dusk street with glowing houses, autumn leaves and pumpkins (Downtown Evanston Trick or Treat Stroll)

Downtown Evanston Trick or Treat Stroll

Evanston 7 mi Free

Free trick-or-treating at local businesses with a fall photo backdrop.

BOO-seum Bash

Sun, Oct 25

Family Halloween fun featuring animal encounters, owl pellet dissection, and crafts.

West Chicago Halloween Festivities

West Chicago 7 mi

Family trick-or-treating and fall activities in downtown West Chicago.

Lincoln Square Apple Fest

Oct 2 – Oct 4

Chicago $

Autumn celebration with fresh Midwest apples, cider, live music, and family entertainment.

Jack's Pumpkin Pop-Up

Sep 19 – Nov 1

Features downtown Chicago's only corn maze and over 10,000 pumpkins.

Illustration of a ghost and two costumed kids trick or treating past glowing houses with pumpkins and autumn leaves at dusk (Lincoln Scared & Ravenswoooood Trick-or-Treat)

Lincoln Scared & Ravenswoooood Trick-or-Treat

Sun, Oct 25

Business district trick-or-treating and pumpkin decorating for costumed kids.

Lincoln Park Zoo Fall Fest

Sep 25 – Nov 1

Free harvest festival featuring animal enrichment, rides, and pumpkin carving.

Oaktoberfest

Sep 25 – Sep 26

Oak Park 6 mi Free

Free festival featuring live music, local food, and craft beer.

Illustration of striped market booths and pumpkin displays on a street with small clay figures under orange autumn trees (BooPalooza and BarkPalooza)

BooPalooza and BarkPalooza

Sat, Oct 17

Community festival featuring all-ages and dog costume parades, music, and games.

Illustration of costumed children and a cat walking a leafy sidewalk past glowing jack-o'-lanterns and cozy houses at dusk (Northcenter Halloween Trick-or-Treat)

Northcenter Halloween Trick-or-Treat

Sat, Oct 31

Trick-or-treat across the town square and neighborhood storefronts.

Spooktacular Trunk-or-Treat

Oct 24 – Oct 25

Neighborhood trick-or-treating at local businesses across Lincoln Park.

Pumpkin Fest at Cosley Zoo

Oct 1 – Oct 31

Wheaton 21 mi $

Thousands of pumpkins line the zoo lawn alongside daily scavenger hunts.

Hamilton Boo Bash

Features a costume parade, carnival games, and a student-hosted haunted house.

Fall Fest at Oak Park

Sun, Sep 27

Oak Park 7 mi Free

Carnival rides, live bats and skunks, and pumpkin carving demonstrations.

Harvest Fest

Medinah 17 mi Free

Annual community festival featuring live music, hayrides, games, and food trucks.

Monster Madness

Sat, Oct 17

Lisle 22 mi $$

Festive autumn fun fair for children with games, inflatables, and hayrides.

Hull-o-ween Open House

Chicago 7 mi Free

Folklore storytelling, 1920s silent films, and custom spooky poetry on-site.

IPH's Fall Fest on The Riverwalk

Sep 19 – Oct 31

Chicago 7 mi $

Riverwalk festival featuring boat hayrides on the Chicago River and pumpkin patch.

Pumpkin Walk

Buffalo Grove 20 mi $

Stroll a nature path illuminated by over 100 lighted pumpkins.

Illustration of costumed clay children and a witch playing among pumpkins, hay bales and tents on an autumn lawn (10/16: Spooktacular Halloween Stroll)

10/16: Spooktacular Halloween Stroll

Fri, Oct 16

Wheaton 21 mi $

Evening zoo stroll featuring seasonal decorations and pumpkin decorating.

The Great Pumpkin Party

Orland Park 25 mi

Family fall festival with pony rides, hayrides, and costume contests.

Illustration of two small costumed children and a witch among pumpkins, hay bales and autumn trees on a sunny lawn (Monster Fun Halloween Wristband)

Monster Fun Halloween Wristband

Sat, Oct 31

Lombard 17 mi $$

Unlimited indoor attractions and free parkwide trick-or-treating in costume.

Trick or Treat Trail

Carol Stream 21 mi

A 1.1-mile trick-or-treat trail featuring games, candy, and a bouncy house.

Norwood Park Fall Fest

Free autumn festival featuring games, a candy hunt, and a pumpkin patch.

Halloween Hoot and Howl

Fri, Oct 2

River Forest 7 mi Free

Family event featuring pumpkin painting and live music.

Illustration of costumed figures mingling among striped festival booths, pumpkins, and orange autumn trees at dusk (C1 Fall Carnival and Trunk or Treat)

C1 Fall Carnival and Trunk or Treat

Features trunk-or-treating, a chili cook-off, and carnival games.

Illustration of small costumed figures and a witch playing on a sunny lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a tent and orange trees (Hands-On Family Spooky Snacks and Sweet Treats)

Hands-On Family Spooky Snacks and Sweet Treats

Sat, Oct 31

Chicago $$$

Kids and adults cook festive savory bites and sweet treats together.

Illustration of glowing jack-o'-lanterns, candles and scattered seeds on a wooden table under string lights at dusk (Pumpkin Carving & Painting at Midwest Coast Brewing Company)

Pumpkin Carving & Painting at Midwest Coast Brewing Company

Thu, Oct 29

Chicago 5 mi $$$

Includes a pumpkin, carving supplies, paint, and your first drink.

Illustration of a fall festival street with big pumpkins in front, striped booths, and small figures under orange trees (Nightmare on Grounds St. Market)

Nightmare on Grounds St. Market

Sat, Oct 17

Chicago 6 mi Free

Chicago Halloween and horror market featuring local vendors, tattoos, and oddities.

Illustration of small costumed figures and a witch playing on a sunny lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a tent and orange trees (Spooktacular Fun Night)

Spooktacular Fun Night

Fri, Oct 30

Westmont 17 mi Free

Free family games, crafts, and silly fun with Wacky Drac.

Illustration of a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a small tent, a witch and costumed children under orange trees (Autumn Equinox Celebration)

Autumn Equinox Celebration

Tue, Sep 22

Wheaton 21 mi Free

Outdoor nature play, crafts, and family activities celebrating fall's arrival.

Pumpkin Spice Pilates

Fri, Oct 9

Mat Pilates session followed by a seasonal pumpkin drink.

Boo Bash

Thu, Oct 15

Wheaton 21 mi $

A low-sensory Halloween event designed for neurodiverse children and families.

Family Spooktacular

Oct 24 – Oct 25

Naperville 26 mi $

Not-so-scary Halloween fun with Disney tribute concerts and historic trick-or-treating.

Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Event

Dadeville 28 mi Free

Canine costume contest featuring treats, prizes, and owner-pet coordination.

Illustration of clay figures in costumes mingling among striped market tents and pumpkin displays under orange autumn trees (Fall Fest at Athletic Field)

Fall Fest at Athletic Field

Community fall festival with ponies and a pumpkin patch

Illustration of a giant grinning jack-o'-lantern float and costumed marchers parading along a tree-lined park path at dusk (Aville-o-Ween Trick-or-Treating)

Aville-o-Ween Trick-or-Treating

Chicago $

Neighborhood-wide trick-or-treating with over 20 participating businesses.

Illustration of a sunny autumn lawn with pumpkins, hay bales, a small tent, a witch and costumed children under orange trees (Click, Clack, BOO! A Tricky Treat)

Click, Clack, BOO! A Tricky Treat

Musical adaptation of the "Click, Clack, Moo" book series.

Illustration of costumed children and two witches on a lawn with pumpkins, a small tent and orange autumn trees (Lincoln Park Conservancy Presents: The Boo-tanical Bash!)

Lincoln Park Conservancy Presents: The Boo-tanical Bash!

After-hours Halloween event at the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

28th Annual Spooktacular

DeKalb 6 mi Free

Community-wide trick-or-treating and free movie screening

Fright at Night

Oak Park 7 mi $

Boo-tanical Conservatory Halloween transformation

Boo Bash at Gladstone

Family-friendly Halloween celebration with crafts and games.

Trick-or-Treat at 900

Chicago 6 mi $

Indoor trick-or-treating across seven levels of shops

Illustration of two small ghosts and a witch with a black cat carrying pumpkin buckets on a street of cozy houses at dusk (Haunted Halsted Family Trick or Treat)

Haunted Halsted Family Trick or Treat

Visitors can trick-or-treat across more than twenty-five neighborhood locations in Northalsted.

Glow Stick Dance Party at Bauler