Halloween in Chicago is a time when our heart rates spike perenially. Between horror movies, haunted houses, and frightening corn fields, Halloween events in Chicago are something to look forward to.
We love the spooky season here, so, of course, we are already planning for the scariest nights of them all. It’s time to pick out your Halloween costume here, and head to one (or all) of these Halloween events in Chicago!
1. Head to one of the best ghost tours in Chicago this Halloween season
Suppose you want to learn more about Chicago neighborhoods regarding its haunted hotels, mysterious sidewalks, and gangster hangouts. In that case, we have curated the best ghost tours in Chicago to book your tickets in October!
2. Check out the award-winning 13th Floor Haunted House
Rated as one of the Top 5 Haunted Houses in the U.S.A. by USA Today, the 13th Floor Haunted House Chicago is officially returning for its terrifying eleventh season in Chicagoland. Located near the Rosemont entertainment district, this year’s haunted mansion features two all-new exhibits: “Alien Autopsy” and “Lycans Curse,” set amongst forty thousand square feet of horror. With everything on this list, this haunted attraction might be one of the scariest Halloween events in Chicago.
3. Visit the Forbidden Forest
Take the whole family on a spooky adventure at the Harry Potter: Forbidden Forest experience in Illinois, just an hour from Chicago! This October, follow a moonlit path filled with tons of magical surprises, cast your own spells, and encounter mischievous Nifflers, mysterious Centaurs, and maybe even a fearsome Hippogriff…if you dare. Don’t miss this Halloween thrill throughout the month. Grab your tickets here!
4. BITE! by AirOtic Soirée
One of our favorite things to do in Chicago for Halloween this year is the spooky burlesque-style cirque cabaret, ‘BITE!’ Presented by AirOtic Soirée, you’ll enter a realm where sensuality entwines with the supernatural; you’ll see hypnotic dances, bewitching vampiric acrobats, and spine-tingling stunts.
5. Venture to this elegantly haunted Halloween soirée Shattered After Dark
Step into the historic Charles Gates Dawes House in Evanston, a National Historic Landmark overlooking Lake Michigan, for Shattered After Dark. This one-night-only hauntingly elegant celebration on October 30 features live performances from Safire Belly Dancers, DJ CAGE, and Shattered Globe ensemble members, along with tarot readings, treats from James Beard Award–winning Lula Café, cocktails, and a ghostly silent auction. With immersive entertainment around every corner, this spine-tingling soirée supports Shattered Globe Theatre’s award-winning work while inviting you to revel among the shadows.
6. Brave the Old Joliet Haunted Prison Halloween experience
For those seeking an exciting Halloween adventure just outside of Chicago, the Joliet Correctional Center, also known as Joliet Prison, awaits. The team from the 13th Floor Haunted House Chicago has transformed the prison into a horrifying haunted house experience. If you’re intrigued by haunted places, enjoy exploring abandoned buildings, and want to do something different this Halloween, this experience is perfect for you. The first and only haunted house inside a real abandoned prison promises to be one of the spookiest Halloween experiences around.
7. Be captivated by a spooky Candlelight Concert
Chicago’s sublime Candlelight Concert series offers breathtaking spectacles throughout the year, but it is in the crisp air of autumn when the concerts reach their peak, and these concerts are some of our favorite Halloween events in Chicago taking place.
Check out the Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Classical Compositions at Bohemian National Cemetery and the Stan Mansion on October 24 or the Wicker Park Lutheran Church on October 25.
See the full list of candlelight concerts taking place in Chicago.
8. Head over to Jack’s over-the-top pumpkin pop-up
With fall’s arrival comes an overload of pumpkin patches. Our pick of the bunch, and one of Chicago’s most popular Halloween time events, is most certainly Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up.
This celebration of fall is one of Chicago’s most popular October events. It’s also the only one that takes place 100% outside. This year, guests will find Chicago’s largest corn maze, carnival games, photo opportunities, axe throwing, various bars, food trucks, and over ten thousand pumpkins, all spread out over two acres in Goose Island!
Read more about Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up.
9. Lose yourself in Richardson Farm’s ‘world’s largest corn maze’
While at Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up, you’ll find the largest corn maze in the Windy City; you only need to travel a little outside of Chicago itself to enjoy the world’s largest corn maze.
Richardson Farm in Spring Grove, Illinois, is home to a 28-acre labyrinth holding the title of the world’s largest corn maze.
As well as the 9-10 miles of maze trails, Richardson Farm is also home to a huge pumpkin patch where you can eat, carve, or smash giant pumpkins, as well as throw them off of a giant 50-foot observation tower. You’ll also find plenty of Halloween thrills this month in addition to a zip line, zorbing, a petting zoo, a giant slide, and much more!
Read more about the Richardson Farm corn maze.
10. Dine in the darkness…
Step into total darkness and experience food in a whole new way during the spooky season. Without sight, your other senses take over, turning each bite into a delightful adventure. Dining in the Dark isn’t just about what’s on the plate, it’s about slowing down and being fully present for a one-of-a-kind, 3-course dining experience. Get your tickets now!
11. Lurk in the light of1,000 Jack-O-Lanterns
Night of 1,000 Jack-O-Lanterns is a beloved Halloween event at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Guests can wander along a paved path, enjoy various events, experience live carving demonstrations, and encounter costumed entertainers. Seasonal light fare and fall-themed drinks are available for purchase at the event.
While you won’t be able to eat any of the pumpkins on display, you can still admire the intricate hand-carved pumpkins, some of which weigh up to 150 pounds!
12-13. Be taken on a terrifying tour of Chicago’s backstreets
While a Gangsters and Ghosts Tour in Chicago takes explorers to historic locations once frequented by some of Chicago’s most notorious gangsters, the Ghosts of Chicago: City Exploration Game takes it up a level with a spooky real-world adventure.
Enter a haunted narrative by putting yourself in the shoes of a fictional character and solve mysterious challenges along the way while visiting the most haunted places in town.
Read more about the Ghosts of Chicago: City Exploration Game.
Of course, you can also take matters into your own hands and roam the city for lost spirits at your own pace. Chicago is an enchanting city, perhaps more enchanting than you might hope. With a complicated history rife with tragedy, the city’s spiritual underbelly finds a way to show its ghostly face to unsuspecting witnesses.
15. Explore the real-life haunted town known as “Second Salem”
If you want to hunt down your own scares this month and you’re prepared to step completely out of your comfort zone, adventuring to a real-life ghost town might be for you. A hair-raising reality awaits just under two hours away in the town of Whitewater.
Nicknamed “Second Salem” after the notorious town near Boston renowned for its 1692 witch trials and subsequent executions, Whitewater in Wisconsin has its own repertoire of creepy tales associated with witchcraft. We’ll let you read and decide if you’re prepared to brave it.
Read more about the haunting history of Whitewater.
16. Head to a spooky Chicago corn maze
This is the only time during the year when we can leave the restaurant paper mazes behind and get lost in a real-life field of corn.
Like the aforementioned Richardson Adventure Farm, there are a variety of corn mazes around the Windy City. Whether you want it to be a leisurely activity or are competitive in mazes, here are amazing corn mazes in Chicago to check out this October.
17. Pick out a pumpkin from one of the nearby pumpkin patches
During their fall season, you can set loose at a ton of Chicago pumpkin patches. However, Kuiper’s farm stands out with its 71-acre pumpkin patch.
In addition to pumpkins, Kuiper’s features many other fun activities to entertain the whole family: from a life-sized Charlotte’s web, pig races, mountain slide, carnival games, chalk house, and more; you’ll be in for a treat no matter what!
18. Head to one of these scary haunted houses
For the ultimate night of thrills and bone chills, get a jump scare this spooky season and head to one of these creepy haunted houses in Chicago! From walking through a dark mansion with virus-stricken zombies to a faceless person with a gory chainsaw, Chicago is one of the best places for a scary haunted mansion experience. We guarantee these top haunted houses in Chicago will definitely make you scream!
19. Step into the spooky Black Lagoon and sip sinister cocktails
Macabre meets mixology at this spine-chilling ‘Black Lagoon pop-up’ at The Parlour at The Albion! Have a ghoulishly good time at this experience, which will pop up in 35 cities across the country from October 1st to the 31st.
Of course, we had to stop by the Blck Lagoon to step into some twisted and spooky decor and try out their deliciously wicked cocktails, such as Nosferatu’s Riser, Hex Appeal, Memento Mori, and Blood Lust. We also nipped on some great fare, including curry fries, a fresh lobster roll, or the English staple, shepherd’s pie.
20. Dance at one of these Halloween Parties!
One of the best Halloween events in Chicago is getting to party all night long! Chicago already has a buzzing nightlife scene, so many restaurants and bars have parties in store for the spooky holiday. Whether you want a casual Halloween with your pet or are ready to party until 4 a.m., we’ve got you! We compiled our list of where to go for Halloween parties in Chicago this year
21. Have some family fun this Halloween!
While boozy Halloween parties aren’t things you can take your kids to, there are still many Halloween events for kids in Chicago that you can do as a family leading up to the official day of trick-or-treating. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite family-friendly events before October ends!
22. Grab a hot spiked cider this Halloween
Get your fill of all the warm fuzzy feelings of fall by visiting one of these watering holes for a cup of apple-spiked cider in Chicago this Halloween! One of our favorite places is Cafe Robe. The perfect place for your seasonal spooky food and Halloween bar destination in Wicker Park. As for libations, Robey has a keen talent for extracting fall flavors and using them to concoct the most wonderful beverages.
23. Visit the creepiest Mansion in America
Rooted in Alton, Illinois, the historic McPike Mansion continues to loom over the city from its highest point, Mount Lookout Park. While Alton has a history of its own as one of the most haunted small towns in America, it’s the McPike Mansion that has made it notoriously famous.
Many psychics and mediums have felt the ghostly presence of what they believe to be the McPike family, servants, and some of those who resided in and owned the house since 1936. You can visit the mansion and take a tour today!
24. Watch a scary movie at the Rooftop Cinema Club
Comprising sweeping skyline views and all the materials for a perfect viewing experience, like state-of-the-art wireless headphones, adjustable deck chairs, and a huge screen, Rooftop Cinema Club provides what it calls the “ultimate open-air cinema experience.”
There’s no better place to kick back for a horror flick, and luckily, the rooftop up on the fifth-floor terrace of the Emily Hotel in the heart of Chicago’s former warehouse district of Fulton Market is showing the best scary movies all October long.
Read more about Rooftop Cinema Club’s movie schedule.
25. 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!
See also: Spooky Things To Do In Chicago This October
