It’s almost spooky season, and that means that best part of the year is coming —Halloween in NYC.
The city goes all out every year, and whether you love dressing up in a costume, getting freaked out in a haunted house, or just like taking in the fall decor, there’s a little Halloween magic for everyone.
Check out our list of the best Halloween events coming to NYC this year, and be sure to follow along as we add even more as we get closer to 10/31.
NYC Village Halloween Parade
The annual NYC Village Halloween Parade returns to Greenwich Village again this year, happening on Halloween night (Friday, October 31).
The spooky tradition runs up and down Sixth Ave from Canal St to 15th St, welcoming over 50,000 people all dressed up and hellish and spooky costumes!
Walking in the parade is completely free as long as you have a costume, and if you can’t make it in person, uou can live stream it online night-of.
Psst: our guide to the Village Halloween Parade street closures will be a life-saver on the night of the event.
Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail
After a marvelous debut last fall at the New York Botanical Garden, the magical worlds of Halloween Town and Christmas Town will come alive again in time for Halloween.
The immersive nighttime experience themed around Disney’s classic movie Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is set to feature brand new scenes, music, and video projections.
Visitors of all ages will be able to stroll through 8,300 square feet of dazzling light installations—all inspired by the 1993 movie and of course its famous main character Jack Skellington.
It opens on September 25 and runs through November 30, open select evenings with tickets starting at $33 for children and $45 for adults!
💀 Purchase pre-sale tickets here!
Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze
The Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze is one of the most stunning visual Halloween experiences that comes each year, and it’s because of the 7,000+ uniquely carved pumpkins forming all sorts of art installations.
From their gorgeous Pumpkin Bridge to the jaw-dropping Pumpkin Planetarium, there are tons of illuminated art pieces that are surreal to see in person (including NYC staples like the Statue of Liberty and a subway station entrance).
New this year, visitors can check out iconic New York landmarks carved in pumpkins, a Pumpkin Promenade with new themed displays each week, spooky sips at Headless Horseman’s Hideaway, and so much more.
The blazin’ pumpkins are slightly outside of NYC in Hudson Valley at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson, and kicks off on September 12 and runs on select days through November 17.
Día de Muertos at Green-Wood Cemetery
On Saturday, November 1st, the Day of the Dead celebration at Green-Wood Cemetery brings lively festivities to the grounds. From 4-7pm, guests can enjoy live performances, dances, bites from local eateries, and crafts for the kiddos, to name a few.
Additionally, while celebrating life and death through Mesoamerican traditions, guests can peruse Laura Anderson Barbata’s immersive community altar, Reposo y Recuerdo (Rest and Remember), inside Green-Wood’s Historic Chapel.
Bronx Zoo Harvest Glow
The Bronx Zoo’s annual Harvest Glow event returns for 2025 just in time for Halloween, welcoming over 5,000 animal-themed illuminated pumpkins throughout the zoo!
The family-friendly attraction will run every Thursday – Sunday from September 25 until October 31, transforming the zoo into an immersive jack-o’-lantern trail with tons of pumpkins, music, and special effects.
This year’s theme for the trail is “Creatures of Darkness”—so expect to see all kinds of wonders from the noctunral world, from Arctic wolves to bioluminescent ocean life.
Not to mention there’s plenty of live pumpkin carvings, games, face painting, illuminated characters, and more.
Viola’s Room at The Shed
Viola’s Room is an audio-driven experience that tantalizes all of your senses in an eerie and thrilling way. Due to demand, the adventure has been extended until Nov. 16.
Narrated by Helena Bottom Carter, you’ll step into the dark labyrinth of Viola’s life, it unravels and through this experience you are literally put through the twists and turns. Even though the experience is spooky without jumpscares, no one under the age of 12 is allowed. Viola’s Room takes place at The Shed (located at 545 West 30th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues), more details here.
Harlemween Under the Arches
The team behind the beloved Uptown Night Market is hosting its first and largest Halloween festival in Harlem and Uptown on Thursday, October 30th.
Harlemween: The Night Before the Night will kick off at 4 pm going til late, and is set to be part festival, part block party, and part costume carnival.
Expect scary good food, chilling cocktails, live bands, and a DJ-led dance party— plus giveaways, themed activations, and Uptown’s biggest costume crowd all gathered in one place!
The event is FREE and open to all ages! It’s happening Under the Arches at W133rd St & 12th Ave in Harlem.
“Spirits at Carmine’s”
Before you dig into the plateful of chicken parm at Carmine’s, take a few minutes to figure out a mystery.
In this theatrical immersive experience at one of NYC’s most iconic Italian restaurants, diners will hear the story of immigrant Olive Thomas, a speakeasy singer, who arrived in NYC in 1927. After a fateful deal, Olive doesn’t end up living the American dream she was planning to, and it’s up to masked audience members to decide her fate.
And once the fun wraps up, by all means, stick around for a family style dinner.
Should you have little ones, might we suggest Carmine’s “Grandest Princess Ball Ever” instead? There’s no Olive, cocktails, or mystery, but your little one will love the singing, games, and one-on-one time with their favorite princesses like Anna and Elsa!
📍 Carmine’s Times Square
Black Lagoon pop-up bar
The annual Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon is back again in NYC this year, this time at Someday Bar in Brooklyn.
The goth and horror theme creates an immersive Halloween cocktail experience, with spine-chilling drinks!
This year’s pop-up will run throughout all of October!
Where: 364 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn
Circoloco New York Halloween 2025
The iconic Ibiza brand, Circoloco, returns back to New York City for their annual Brooklyn Storehouse takeover with the best house and techno artists in the world.
This year’s event is once again in partnership with Teksupport, consisting of 2 nights of dance music in Brooklyn, with a world-class lineup of DJs featuring &Me and Rampa, Marco Carola, Chris Stussy, Seth Troxler, Prospa, Carlita, and so many more.
Circoloco lands at Brooklyn Storehouse on October 31 and November 1, and tickets are currently sold out—but you can join the waitlist for a chance at a ticket here.
2025 pumpkin smash
Once the spooky fun comes to a close on November 1st and the holiday swoop in practically immediately, you and your little one will have a chance to do some (family-friendly) pumpkin smashing at Hudson River Park, where all jack o’ lanterns will become compost for the park. Stop by on Saturday, November 1st beginning at noon.
📍 Pier 84, New York
Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tour
Hop aboard Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tours for a chilling ride through Brooklyn’s shadowy past.
This unique tour, conducted in a Victorian-style trolley, unveils 400 years of history with tales of mob murders, Revolutionary War battles, and even alien abductions.
Madame Morbid’s Trolley Tours are NYC’s #1 ghost tour, offering a spooky yet educational adventure. Along the way, explore hidden cemeteries and historical sites while enjoying engaging trivia and mini-documentaries.
Where: Brooklyn, NY
When: Now through November
Halloween Candlelight concerts
Looking for a truly sublime and spooky experience? The Candlelight Concert series in NYC reaches its haunting peak in the crisp autumn air!
Listen to some of the holiday’s spookiest festive tunes under breathtaking candlelight, as the city’s top orchestral performers take on some of Halloween’s most iconic hits like “Thriller” by Michael Jackson and “The Addams Family (Theme)” to name a few!
It’s happening on October 30th and 31st at the stunning Church of the Heavenly Rest and tickets are on sale now!
Halloween bars in NYC
Put your spirit to the test at one of NYC’s ghoulish bars before Halloween night.
Treat yourself to a seasonal cocktail at a bar or speakeasy that gives off the spook-tacular vibes you’re after!
Check out our guide to the best spooky bars and restaurants in NYC for Halloween vibes and stay tuned for more that get announced in the coming weeks.
Trick-or treating around NYC
Get out your candy buckets and figure out your trick or treating route because collecting goodies in NYC is truly unmatched!
No matter what borough you’re in, nothing beats going door to door for some sweet treats.
Check out our guide on the best neighborhoods to going trick or treating in NYC each year.
Step in the Haunted NYC Bank…if you dare
What was once a bank in NYC is now an eerie immersive experience that drops you right into a scary situation: cinematic sets, live actors, and a story that’s sure to give you the creeps. The secret is out of the vault: this bank-turned-haunted-house is one of the most frightening Halloween events happening in NYC
Haunted houses in and near NYC
Get ready for a spine-chilling adventure as you visit some of the most terrifying haunted houses in and around NYC this Halloween season.
From the eerie Blood Manor which features 10,000 square feet of terrifying rooms, narrow halls, and hidden passageways to the immersive Ridgewood Asylum with the most terrifying escape rooms in the city, there’s plenty of places to let out some screams and feel your bones chill.
Pumpkin picking in NYC and beyond
Spooky season is right around the corner, and there’s no better way to celebrate than by visiting the top pumpkin picking spots in NYC and its surroundings!
Whether you’re decorating your home with a cute or creepy gourd, or looking to enjoy a day out, these locations offer a variety of pumpkins, Instagrammable moments, and more.
Don’t miss out on the full list of must-visit pumpkin patches, including options for apple orchards and corn mazes to complete your fall adventure.
Halloween decorations in NYC neighborhoods
While still a bit aways still, you know New Yorkers always go all out when pulling out their Halloween decorations!
From the haunted Greenwich Village to the residential Upper East Side, there are tons of neighborhoods to walk through and admire their spookiness. This is one of our favorite free ways to spend a few hours getting into the Halloween spirit!
Check out our favorite neighborhoods for decorations here!
Where: All around NYC
Step into the spooky side of this fan-favorite arcade
Enjoy ghoulish games, monstrous music, and more at Dave & Buster’s this Halloween! Whether you want to attend the family-friendly Boo Bash or stay for the Moonlight Mixer, the arcade’s one-night-only experiences are not to be missed. Attendees are encouraged to put on their best costumes and get ready for hours of unlimited play, treats, prizes, and more. Learn more here!
Fall programming at The Green-Wood Cemetery
The Green-Wood Cemetery is gearing up for Halloween this year with some intimate Green-Wood After Hours walking tours!
New Yorkers can explore the historic grounds at night and stroll through catacombs and sectors of the cemetery which are typically closed off to the public.
They’re happening on the weekends, and you can learn more about them (along with other awesome events), online via their website!
Catacomb tours of Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral
A creepy 200 year old cathedral is just waiting to be uncovered, and that’s what you’ll get with this 90 minute walking tour of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral.
With the help of a tour guide and pure candlelight, you’ll explore otherwise off-limit parts of this haunting church, like the two walled cemeteries.
Be ready to step into something you’ve never seen before…
🕯️ Buy your tickets to the Catacombs by Candlelight Tour here!
New York City Ghost Tours
Boo! How haunted do you think NYC is?
Well you’re about to find out…Greenwich Village is notoriously one of the most haunted neighborhoods in the city and this walking tour will bring you around the area and spook you out on the way.
Learn about scary Manhattan history all while walking in the shoes of ghosts past!
Where: 131 E 10th Street, St Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery
Dopamine Land: A Multisensory Experience
If you’re not into spooky stuff, skip the scares at Dopamine Land! The interactive museum in Paramus is celebrating Halloween with festive decorations and plenty of candy. Home to ten themed rooms, the space has lots of fun in store — but no jump scares! Get tickets here.