The witching hour is officially here. Soon, the ghosts will come out to play, cackling witches will soar into the skies, and ghoulish creatures will creep out from their lairs as a Chicago Halloween approaches.
It’s a time where horror rooftop movies, pumpkin patches, haunted corn fields, and fake-blood-soaked Halloween events in Chicago are encouraged and, even, embraced.
Spooky season is upon us, and we have already started planning for the scariest nights of them all. So pick out your Halloween costume here, and head to one (or all) these Halloween events in Chicago!
Upcoming Halloween Events in Chicago
Check out Navy Pier’s all-new Halloween experience
While all manner of Halloween events and activities will return, offering consistent frights throughout October, this year, Navy Pier adding an all-new experience to the mix.
The immersive “Garden of Decay” will premiere at Chicago’s Navy Pier on Friday, October 13 featuring immersive theater and astounding art installations.
Featuring interactive art, themed vendors, botanical-inspired cocktails, and late-night entertainment the new experiences will unravel from 6 p.m. until midnight on 9 dates leading up to Halloween.
Read more about Navy Pier’s new Halloween event.
Old Crow’s Country-Themed Halloween Party
Unleash your inner ghoul at Wrigleyville’s Halloween extravaganza! On All Hallows Eve, prepare for a spine-tingling night of monstrous revelry as the ghouls, goblins, witches, and werewolves gather to raise their drinks bottoms up in honor of the spookiest celebration of the year—country style! Join the spine-chilling fun at Wrigleyville’s #1 party spot and become part of the most thrilling Halloween bash in town.
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!
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, 13th Floor Haunted House Chicago officially returns from the grave on Friday for its terrifying tenth season in Chicagoland. With everything on this list, this haunted mansion might be one the scariest Halloween events in Chicago.
This year, set amongst forty-thousand square feet of fun at 5050 River Road in Schiller Park near the Rosemont entertainment district, features two all-new, scary-as-hell exhibits entitled The Deadlands and Depths of Darkness.
Read more about the 13th Floor Haunted House in Chicago.
Brave the Old Joliet Haunted Prison Halloween experience
For those interested in a real thrill ride, another short journey outside of Chicago, courageous Halloween enthusiasts will find the huge Joliet Correctional Center, known colloquially as Joliet Prison.
The team behind the aforementioned 13th Floor Haunted House Chicago turned the prison into its very own haunted house experience for the first time in 2021 and this season the experience will return for its third year.
If you are fascinated by the tales of purportedly haunted places, get a buzz from exploring abandoned buildings, and wish to celebrate this Halloween with more than a costume party, this is most definitely for you. For there will be few Halloween experiences spookier than a trip to what is the Land of Lincoln’s first and only haunted house inside a real abandoned prison.
Read more about the Old Joliet Haunted Prison experience.
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 of our favorite Halloween events in Chicago taking place.
This October and November, let the ominous yet melodic sounds possess you for a Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at places like Stan Mansion, Cafe Brauer, the Arts Center of Oak Park, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and Bohemian National Cemetery.
See the full list of candlelight concerts taking place in Chicago.
Solve the mysterious slaying of Mr. Body at this ‘Clue’ mystery experience
A ‘Clue’ walking mystery experience has opened in Chicago until Halloween, offering thrills to adventure seekers with a knack for detective work! This perplexing experience, inspired by the beloved Hasbro game, is available for a limited time only. Gather your friends for an exciting adventure in solving the ultimate whodunit murder mystery of Mr. Boddy. This interactive production breathes life into the iconic Hasbro game, combining storytelling, problem-solving, and teamwork for an unforgettable experience!
Head over to Jack’s over-the-top pumpkin pop-up
With fall’s arrival comes a plethora 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 2 acres in Goose Island!
Read more about Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up.
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, and this year it’s paying homage to none other than the terrifying dinosaurs of the Jurassic Park franchise.
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.
Lurk in the light of 1,000 Jack-O-Lanterns
Night of 1,000 Jack-O-Lanterns at the Chicago Botanic Garden is one of the Halloween events in Chicago and just recently announced that it will be going full Tim Burton once again next month for 10 spooky nights starting Wednesday, October 11!
A paved path will invite guests to wander through various events in the festive evening air and experience costumed entertainers and live carving demos while enjoying seasonal light fare and fall-themed drinks for purchase.
Even though you won’t be able to eat any of the pumpkins on display at Chicago Botanic Garden’s Night of 1,000 Jack O’Lanterns, you can still admire the brilliant intricateness of the many many hand-carved pumpkins — with some weighing up to 150 pounds!
Read more about the Night of 1,000 Jack-O-Lanterns.
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.
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.
Click here for a list of the 10 most haunted places in Chicago and get yourself into the spooktacular spirit!
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.
Dine in the Dark
If you’re looking for something more peaceful yet unique, a slightly less spooky experience can be found in the form of Dining in the Dark experiences.
Take your date night to the next level or embark on a surreal experience with friends by sitting down for a blindfolded Halloween-themed delicious three-course meal and dine like you’ve never done before.
Grab tickets to Dining in the Dark with Wine Service: A Unique Blindfolded Dining Experience.
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.
Pick out a plump 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!
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!
Step into the spooky Black Lagoon and sip sinister cocktails
Macabre meets mixology at this spine-chilling ‘Black Lagoon pop-up’ at Homestead On The Roof! Have a ghoulishly good time at this experience, which has popped up in 17 cities across the country from October 1st to the 31st.
Of course, we had to stop by the Chicago location to step into some twisted and spooky decor and to try out their deliciously wicked cocktails like their version of the Mai Tai called Book of Blood, the Death Rattle, Silent Scream, and Night Crawler. Nibble on some great fare, including marinated olives, duck confit rillette, a delicious charcuterie board, and the anarchy pizza with wild mushrooms, gouda cheese, and black garlic sauce. Learn more here!
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!
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!
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.
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 a 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 head on a tour today!
Halloween Events You’ve Already Missed
Step into the sinister Haunted Tavern
At the Haunted Tavern: A Dark Pop-Up Cocktail Experience, get ready for an unforgettable ghoulish outing hosted by the tavern keeper from October 26–28, 2023!
Guests of this experience will step into a decked-out atmosphere at the Greenhouse Theater with themed music, dark tales, and of course, take part in a 4-part interactive cocktail journey Secure your spot at the haunted tavern for an unforgettable night of spooky delights!
Make sure to keep coming to this page, as we will keep adding Halloween events in Chicago that are happening this fall!