Find the best Halloween events and activities for kids in Manhattan. Here, we've rounded up the biggest family events so there's something fun for everyone, from a Night at the Museum and Halloween Murder Mystery to spooky concerts and trick-or-treating.
October is jam-packed with spooky concerts, haunted cruises, and pumpkin-filled fairs. Here’s a select sampling of the silly, scary fun the city is offering up. Check out our full calendar for even more events, and make sure to head to nymetroparents.com/halloween for more Halloween fun, including tons of giveaways and our annual photo contest!
Haunted Sleepovers
Oct. 20 and 27: For those who really want to immerse themselves in spooky spirit, the American Museum of Natural History hosts a Night at the Museum Halloween Sleepover that includes an exploration of the live-animal exhibition, a nighttime Museum Quest, and Halloween-themed activities, including prizes for the most original costumes. You’ll fall asleep in the darkened halls of the museum and wake up to a light breakfast. Registration required by phone.
Oct. 27: A spooky twist on Ripley's Times Square's famed Extreme Sleepover, the Ripley's Boo-lieve It or Not! Slumber Fest is an overnight experience that includes admission to Ripley's Odditoriom; a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt; a late-night haunted house adventure; access to Ripley's Impossible Laser Race; pizza party, snacks, and breakfast the next morning; costume contest with prizes; live entertainment, including a danger stunt show and a fire-breather; trick-or-treating; and a souvenir Ripley's Boo-lieve It or Not! Slumber Fest T-shirt.
Spooky and Kooky Tunes
The weekend before Halloween is filled with festive musical options, including:
Oct. 27: A live performance by Astrograss on the Circle Line Halloween Party Cruise, which also includes storytelling, crafts, and face painting.
Oct. 28: A performance at Symphony Space by the InterSchool Orchestras of New York’s Carnegie Hill Orchestra at PhilharmonSTER!, and a Not-So-Spooky Halloween Concert with Erin Lee and The Up Past Bedtime Band at City Treehouse.
All three events encourage costumes!
Party Time
Oct. 28: Costumed kids and families can enjoy face painting, magic shows, and sweet treats while taking in panoramic views of the city at Top of the Rock's Spooktacular Halloween Celebration.
Keep your costume on to enjoy spooky music, live entertainment, crafts, a parade, and NYC's largest pumpkin flotilla at the Halloween Parade & Pumpkin Sail in Central Park.
Oct. 31: If you still have energy once Halloween actually rolls around on Wednesday, Oct. 31, keep yourself busy with a full day and night Halloween Celebration at the American Museum of Natural History, full of favorite characters and spooky crafts.
The Scarier Side
Oct. 26-27: All but the smallest in your clan can enjoy a Halloween Murder Mystery at Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, where guests will explore the museum by candlelight while playing detective.
Sept. 28 - Nov. 3: Looking for a real scare? Then Killers: A Nightmare Haunted House on the Lower East Side might be the event for you. But be warned: This haunted house is geared toward adults and is meant to be terrifying. You know your children best, but the house requires anyone younger than 15 to be accompanied by an adult, and no children younger than 10 will be admitted.
Head to the Bronx for…
Boo at the Zoo
This monthlong celebration includes a Creepy Hollows Hayride, May Maze, costume parades, carved pumpkin demonstrations and displays, wildlife magic shows, and treat stations.
The Haunted Pumpkin Garden
This haunted world of pumpkin sculptures offers plenty of hands-on fun each day -- play inside the Pumpkin House, put on a scary show at the Pumpkin Puppet Theater, go on a parade, and have a 'hoot' learning about owls. (Oct. 6-31)
More Fun
Get Halloween recipes, costume ideas, and enter to win some awesome prizes at nymetroparents.com/halloween!
