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The Best Ways to Celebrate Halloween in NYC

Parties, parades, haunted houses, and more! πŸŽƒπŸ‘»πŸ•·οΈ

by New York Bucket List

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October has arrived in the Big Apple and no matter your age, scare affinity, or favorite fall festivities, NYC has the perfect Halloween event for you.

We’ve rounded up some of the most haunted tours, wildest parades, and best places to dance in your costume all Halloweekend longβ€”along with a heart-melting dog parade and some kid-friendly options as well.

P.S. Don't forget to check out NYC's Ultimate 2022 Fall Bucket List for the top picks happening all season long.

Fall-O-Ween at New York Botanical Garden


Fall foliage is in full swing at the New York Botanical Gardens, and that means a full month of pumpkin carving face-offs, bale and ale samplings, spooky pumpkin garden nights, and more! During evening events, guests are invited to come in their Halloween costumes and enjoy artisan demos of the flavors of the season.

Where: 2900 Southern Blvd., The Bronx
For more information on Fall-O-Ween at New York Botanical Garden.

See a Movie Under the Stars


Over 150 new releases and all-time classic films are being shown in parks throughout the five boroughs! The series invites everyone to pack a picnic dinner along with a blanket or chair and enjoy movies with their community. This month, watch out for spooky season classics Hocus Pocus on the 21st, the Addams Family on the 28th, and Coco on the 29th.

Where: Various locations.
For more information on Movies Under the Stars.

 

EXPLORE MORE:
NYC's Ultimate 2022 Fall Bucket List
The Best Places to See Fall Colors in and Around NYC
What's Happening in New York This Month

Morris-Jumel Mansion Haunted Tours


Featured on The Holzer Files, Ghost Adventures, Netflix’s Surviving Death, Haunted USA: New York, BuzzFeed, the Today Show (and more!!)…the Morris-Jumel Mansion is a world-renowned paranormal site.

All October, guests can take an after-dark, candlelight ghost tour of β€œManhattan’s Oldest Surviving House.” Guided tours will include learning the history of the Mansion, a ghost hunt in the period rooms of the Mansion (normally closed to the public), and the opportunity to communicate with Morris-Jumel Mansion’s former residents using paranormal investigation equipment.

Where: 65 Jumel Terrace
For more information on Morris-Jumel Mansion.

Halloween Harvest at Luna Park


It’s Halloween all month long at Coney Island’s Luna Park! Every weekend until Oct. 28th, you can take the little ones through a hay maze on mini tractors, pick and decorate pumpkins together on site, get your faces painted, and dance along with monsters at the Monster Mash stage! 

Where: 1000 Surf Ave., Brooklyn
For more information on Halloween Harvest at Luna Park.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch


We've rounded up the best places to pick pumpkins, drink hot cider, get lost in a corn maze, and more! From the Great Jack O'Lantern blaze with over 1,000 glowing gourds to family farms complete with petting zoos and hayrides.

For more information on NYC pumpkin patches.

Central Park Pumpkin Flotilla | October 27th


See over 100 glimmering jack-o-lanterns set sail in the annual Pumpkin Flotilla at Central Park. Anyone interested in submitting their own gourds can check out the guidelines here. There will also be Halloween crafts, festive entertainment, and a pumpkin patch the day before the float on October 26th.

The Pumpkin Flotilla itself will take place between 4:00 and 7:00 PM on the 27th and is free and open to the public. The sail starts at dusk!

Where: The Harlem Meer, Central Park (west of Fifth Ave. and south of 110th St.)
For more information on the Annual Halloween Pumpkin Flotilla.

Catacombs by Candlelight


Explore the eerily quiet, off-limits areas of the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. This 90-minute walking tour will take you through the underground tunnels and catacombs of the old Cathedral lit only by candlelight.

Where: Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral in Little Italy Manhattan. Check-in at 266 Mulberry Street between Houston and Prince Streets.
For more information on Catacombs by Candlelight.

Halloween Dog Parade | October 22nd


The country’s biggest furry friend costume parade is back for its 32nd yearβ€”creating the most adorable line-up of dog-testants possible at Tompkins Square park! Expect hundreds of dogs in their Halloween best competing in costume contests (best celebrity theme, best food theme, best Chihuahua, etc). If you have a pup you’d like to enter, registration starts at 12 PM, and the judging begins at 1 PM. The parade is free for spectators, we just suggest bringing warm layers, snacks, and a phone charger to take endless puppy pics throughout the event.

Where: Tompkins Square Park, E 10th St
For more information on the Halloween Dog Parade.

Trick-Or-Streets


For the first time ever, an expansion of New York’s open streets program will take place on Halloween. Kids and families can enjoy maximum trick-or-treating opportunities as safely as possible with nearly 100 open streets and other newly pedestrianized streets going car-free on October 31st between 4pm and 8pm.

Where: Various locations. A full map and list of participating streets are available on the city's website.
For more information on Trick-or-Streets.

Trick or Drink: Halloween Bar Crawls | October 28th – 31st


Claim drink specials from all the best bars in town in the Halloweekend pub crawl for the ages. Guests will check in at DROM to receive a wristband, then be on their merry way to enjoy free entries and drink specials at participating bars across NYC. Costumes are highly encouraged. 

Where: DROM: 85 Avenue A
For more information on Trick or Drink: Halloween Bar Crawls.

A Nightmare on 36th Street | October 29th


This Halloween weekend step into a spookily transformed two-story bar and lounge in Manhattan’s centrally-located NoMad neighborhood. Bucket Listers has arranged an extravaganza of Halloween decor, hip-hop and house DJs, and a costume-encouraged dress code across two floors, three bars, and four rooms. 

Where: 5th&Mad: 7 E 36th St.
For more information on A Nightmare on 36th Street.

Village Halloween Parade | October 31st


The iconic Greenwich Village parade on Halloween night is back with over 50,000 costumed New Yorkers planning to march, dance, and β€œfloat” the night away. 

This year’s theme is β€œFreedom” and a section of the parade will feature ​​The Brooklyn United Marching Band playing β€œFreedom!” by Jon Batiste along the route. New Yorkers who join in are encouraged to wear costumes representing the things that make them forget their troubles and feel carefree. The parade begins north of King Street and ends at 15th Street. The event is free and open to the public, but VIP passes can be purchased for anyone wanting a guaranteed viewing spot, or participants wishing to skip the line or secure a spot in one of the special areas of the parade. 

P.S. There will be an after-party at Webster Hall to keep the spooky merriment going! 

Where: Greenwich Village, along Sixth Ave. between King St. and 15th.
For more information on the 2022 Village Halloween Parade.

Arlo SoHo Halloween Bash | October 29th


Feeling a smidge fancy? Join the glitzy Arlo SoHo hotel and rooftop party. Enjoy DJs spinning all night, four hours of open bars on every floor, giveaways, performers, and more! There’s even an amazing burlesque show and a live band playing downstairs at Foxtail, and an outdoor courtyard you can lounge in for fresh air.

Where: Arlo SoHo: 231 Hudson Street
For more information on Arlo SoHo Halloween Bash.

Madhouse on Mulberry


Get your heart racing with New York’s creepiest Haunted House. Madhouse on Mulberry is a 5,000-sq foot abandoned asylum filled with trapped souls, hidden rooms, and gruesome secrets. All ages can wander the terrifying halls, but if you’re 21+ and find your way through the labyrinth, you’ll be rewarded with a secret bar of celebratory drinks! General Admission tickets start at $24 with a $39 VIP option that includes express entry and a welcome beverage.

Where: 133 Mulberry St.
For more information on Madhouse on Mulberry.