Happy Halloween!

It’s finally spooky season! Be sure to “carve” out some time for fun this Halloween and get ready to “pumpkin spice” things up in the Chicago Southland. From family-friendly festivities to haunted happenings, there is something for everyone to enjoy this Halloween season!

Trick-or-treat yourself!

Enjoy the great outdoors at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve for Monarch Trick-or-Treats at the Nature Center! Every Saturday (10:00 AM-4:00 PM) and Sunday (12:00-4:00 PM) throughout October, Goodenow Grove and the monarchs that call the preserve home will be preparing for Halloween. Visit the nature center dressed in your favorite costume and receive a tasty treat for you, plus a packet of milkweed seeds for the butterflies. Did you know that fall is the perfect time to plant milkweed seeds? Go to ReconnectWithNature.org for more information about this free event.

Get ready for a fun fall weekend on the farm! On October 24 and 25, head over to The Center in Palos Park for the Pumpkin Days Weekend Festival & Trick-or-Treating. Explore the pumpkin patch, take a hayrack ride and visit the animals. Food, live music and vendors will also be on-site to enjoy. Kids are encouraged to dress up and “trick-or-treat” with the animals! The first 200 children will be treated to free pumpkin painting. Admission is $8 per person; children under 2 are free. Check out TheCenterPalos.org for more information.

On Halloween, visit Lansing for Trick-or-Treating at Fox Pointe from 2:00-4:00 PM. Tables will be set up around Fox Pointe for trick-or-treaters to visit and collect candy, plus other goodies. Halloween decorations will be on display and attendees can vote in the scarecrow contest. This is a free event, perfect for the entire family! Go to FoxPointe.org for more information.

Grab the family and head to In the Game, Hollywood Park in Crestwood for some Halloween fun. On October 31, kids 12 and under are invited to come in costume for a fun afternoon and evening of trick-or-treating. There will be trick-or-treat stations set up throughout the park for kids to collect treats. Plus, enjoy all the fun and games that Hollywood Park has to offer! Grab a bite to eat and sample items from Hollywood Park’s special Halloween menu, including a Wizard's Butterscotch Beer Milkshake or a Bite Back Burger. Go to Crestwood.InTheGame.net for more information.

Participate in a drive-thru trick-or-treat event in Country Club Hills at Fall O’Ween! On Halloween, from 4:00-6:00 PM, head over to the east side of the Country Club Hills theater and get ready for a unique trick-or-treating experience…in your car! Although all participants must stay in their vehicles for this event, kids are encouraged to dress up. Cars can also be decorated as well. Please call 708-798-2616 for more information.

Lift your spirits

Have a laugh at Ghouls & Fools: An Improvised Fright Night Comedy Improv Show at the Tinley Park Performing Arts Center on October 24! Audience members of all ages are invited to join the improv cast as they journey into a place beyond time and space. Don’t worry, it won’t be too scary. It is a comedy show, after all! Ghouls & Fools will begin at 7:00 PM. Admission is $9 per person. Visit TinleyParkDistrict.org for more information.

Hunt for ghosts at Thornton Distilling Co. on October 24. Join the Indiana Ghost Trackers and investigate the large bar, the warehouse, upstairs above the bar and in the well. Equipment will be provided for use during this event. This event is limited to 20 people, so be sure to register soon! Admission is $43 per person. Make sure you take a nap beforehand, as this event begins at 12:30 AM and will run until 3:30 AM. For more information, please visit ThorntonDistilling.com. 

Head over to Rabid Brewing’s beer field in Homewood for some cold beer and live music on Halloween night. Featuring performances by local bands Hot Dogs Half Off and Fisters, attendees can enjoy tunes and brews on the 7,000 square foot field. Plus, enjoy beers that are exclusive to the beer field and a costume contest with fun prizes awarded to the best costumes. Visit RabidBrewing.com for more information.

Attend a virtual event

Explore some historic cemeteries throughout Chicagoland, all from the comfort of your couch! Join the Palos Heights Public Library for this virtual event on October 27 from 6:30-8:30 PM. Local historian and author Kevin Korst will virtually explore cemeteries, reveal the meaning of grave symbols, show where famous people are buried, plus discuss the stories and legends of what lies beneath.

For even more scary fun with the Palos Heights Public Library, attend the virtual Spirits and Seances event! History enthusiast Rebecca Tulloch will discuss the origins of the American Spiritualism movement and how mediums talk to spirits. Spirits and Seances will begin at 6:30 PM on October 29. Please note, pre-registration is required for both events. Visit PHLibrary.org for more information and to register.

Experience some frightful family fun

Take a spooky step back in time at the 1950s Park Forest House Museum! Enjoy the museum’s Halloween exhibit, featuring vintage Halloween decorations, including die-cuts and Gurley candles, on display from October 3-31. The museum is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 1:00-3:30 PM, by appointment only. Admission to the museum is $5. Go to ParkForestHistory.org for more information.

Boys and ghouls of all ages will have a blast at Palos Park’s Halloween Parade & Party on October 22! First, join the outdoor costume parade on the Village Green. Then, head inside the rec center for games, crafts and more fun surprises. Admission is $3-5. The parade will begin at 6:15 PM (check-in by 6:00 PM). Games and crafts will begin at 6:30 PM. For more information, please go to PalosPark.org.

Head over to Fox Pointe in Lansing on October 24 for the Promenade at the Pointe. The public is invited to this free event to experience Halloween decorations and vote on scarecrows that will be on display. Food from different Lansing-based restaurants will be available for purchase and drinks will be provided by the Village. Attendees who wear their costumes will be invited to join in a costume parade around Fox Pointe at 7:00 PM, plus all participants under 12 will receive a pumpkin and goody bag full of treats! Promenade at the Pointe will take place from 5:00-8:00 PM. Go to FoxPointe.org for more information.

Join Worth Park District for a trek down the Halloween Haunted Trail! On October 24 and 25, take a walk down the haunted trail, but beware of creatures that hide in the woods! The trail is open from 7:00-9:00 PM for all who are brave enough to visit. Admission is $5 for all ages. To get to the haunted trail, go to the boat launch located at 7425 West 115th Street. For more information, visit WorthParkDistrict.org.

Get ready for Tinley Park’s It’s the Great Pumpkin Patch Party on October 28! Taking place at the Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center from 3:00-4:30 PM, celebrate the Great Pumpkin with crafts, games and more. Attendees can decorate a pumpkin, plus receive treats and surprises! Admission for Tinley Park residents is $14 and $20 for non-residents. Pumpkins and materials are included. Go to TinleyParkDistrict.org for more information and to register!

Don't forget to visit fall favorites like Bengston's Pumpkin Farm, Konow's Corn Maze and Odyssey Fun Farm! 

We strongly encourage calling ahead to verify that an event is still scheduled to take place. Please click here for current Illinois COVID guidelines regarding Halloween. Remember to stay safe this Halloween and be prepared to have a scary good time!

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