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Best Free Halloween Events in New York City for Kids in 2022

The Harlem Meer's free Halloween event lineup includes costumes, plenty of candy, and a charming pumpkin flotilla. Photo courtesy of Central Park Conservancy
The Harlem Meer's free Halloween event lineup includes costumes, plenty of candy, and a charming pumpkin flotilla. Photo courtesy of Central Park Conservancy
9/23/22 - By Drew Kristofik

What's the one way to make costume-and-candy-filled Halloween events even sweeter? Make them FREE. In New York City, there are loads of no-cost Halloween celebrations in 2022, whether you're looking for preschooler Halloween events or you've got a teen who can't wait to be spooked. There are no tricks here: We've decided to give parents the best treat of all with this roundup of FREE Halloween events in New York City for kids, including a fun Mommy Poppins Party at The Hugh. Our list also includes big annual family favorites like Bay Ridge's Ragamuffin Parade, the charming Pumpkin Flotilla on the Harlem Meer, the Pumpkin Pageant in Inwood, and much more.

So, bring your costumes but leave your wallets at home for these FREE Halloween events in New York City, and find everything from NYC's best trick-or-treating spots to fun, easy Halloween treats for kids in our New York City Halloween Guide.

As always, if an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including addresses, times, and recommended ages. And keep in mind: You may need to register in advance to take advantage of all the FREE Halloween events in NYC.

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The beloved Ragamuffin Parade of Bay Ridge is back in 2022! Photo courtesy of the event
The beloved Ragamuffin Parade of Bay Ridge is back in 2022! Photo courtesy of the event

Free Halloween Events in NYC for Kids

55th Annual Ragamuffin Parade

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 1
Halloween costumes get an early airing at the 55th annual Ragamuffin Parade, which includes a costume contest. Bonus: At the end of the parade, every child who is registered and marches the whole route in costume receives a gift. Rain or shine. READ MORE

Annual Harvest Festival

Upper East Side
Sunday, October 16
Carl Schurz Park's annual harvest fest packs a punch with plenty of festive fall activities for the whole family. READ MORE

37th Annual Bronx Halloween Parade 2022

South Bronx
Saturday, October 22
The theme for this year's Bronx Halloween Parade is Mardi Gras. Come in costume to vie for special prizes. Winners are chosen by age group from toddlers to seniors, including cash prizes for winners ages 4+. READ MORE

Brooklyn Bridge Park's Harvest Festival

Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 22
Celebrate the fall season at the 12th-annual harvest festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park. A fun procession kicks off the event, which includes arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games, and more—plus BBP's signature pumpkin patch. READ MORE

Halloween Howl & Healthy Hound Fair

Upper East Side
Sunday, October 23
The Howl is Carl Schurz Park's annual dog costume event. More than 200 creatively costumed pups strut their stuff before a blue-chip fashion industry coven of judges. READ MORE

Children's Halloween Festival at Bleecker Playground

Greenwich Village
Sunday, October 23
This annual celebration begins with a toddler-friendly costume parade around the nabe to the Bleecker Street Playground, and includes face painting, craft tables, and trick-or-treating. READ MORE

Halloween on the Harlem Meer: Pumpkin Flotilla

Harlem
Thursday, October 27
The Harlem Meer comes alive as the sun sets in this annual Halloween favorite. Hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns both spooky and sweet set sail at dusk in New York City's largest pumpkin flotilla. READ MORE

Harlem Grown Halloween Festival

Harlem
Saturday, October 29
Celebrate the season with some spooky fun on the Harlem Grown farm! Visit for a celebratory day of fun, farm-filled activities, including the legendary Haunted Hoop House. READ MORE

9th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest

Tribeca
Saturday, October 29
Washington Market Park hosts this annual free community event with trophies awarded in five pumpkin-carving categories: cutest, scariest, funniest, most realistic, and most creative. Bring your own pumpkin to enter, or just stop by with your family to enjoy the festive display! READ MORE

25th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest

Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 29
It's time to get your costume—and more importantly, your pup's—ready for Fort Greene Park's annual Halloween Festival and dog costume contest. READ MORE

NYSoM Halloween Havoc 2022

East Harlem
Saturday, October 29
NYSoM presents its 10th annual Halloween Havoc, a ghoultastic, spooktacular event featuring appearances from Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and The Wolfman. Enjoy pumpkin painting, slime-making, and spooky storytelling. READ MORE

Halloween Tinker Festival

Flushing, Queens
Saturday, October 29
Enjoy this STEAM-based, Halloweeny scavenger hunt paying homage to Lewis Latimer’s inventions, his poetry, his fluency in other languages, and his love for creating things. Winners receive candy and treats. READ MORE

Halloween Harvest Festival

Long Island City, Queens
Saturday, October 29
Socrates Sculpture Park's high-flying Halloween harvest festival is back with its 3rd-annual “Flight of the Gourds” pumpkin carving contest and compost launch. Celebrate the autumn season with pumpkin art workshops, creative costume making, face painting, and the epic launch of the pumpkin catapult! READ MORE

Mommy Poppins Halloween Party at The Hugh

Midtown East
Saturday, October 29
This event is at capacity. Register early for our Holiday Party on December 3rd! --Mommy Poppins is partnering with The Hugh for a funtastic Halloween Party! Come in costume for Halloween costume photos with Big Apple Portraits, pumpkin decorating, Happy Dance Club with Lola Star, face painting, games, and more. READ MORE

Spooky Castle Yoga

Financial District
Saturday, October 29
Kids are invited to visit the Skyscraper Museum in costume to learn about the different parts of a castle and try some yoga poses inspired by the spooky holiday. READ MORE

Bklyn Boo: Albee Square

Downtown Brooklyn
Saturday, October 29
Downtown Brooklyn hosts an early Halloween fete at Albee Square. The festive fun includes music, performances, and prizes. READ MORE

Hester Street Fair Halloween

Lower East Side
Sunday, October 30
The Hester Street Fair's Pumpkin Fest kicks off with a pumpkin decorating tent at Pier 16. Don't miss the creepy and kooky interactive photo booth, and the annual Halloween costume contest; the grand prize winner gets a gift basket full of donated items from the Hester Street Fair. READ MORE

An Irish Halloween/Oíche Shamhna: Celtic Magic

Midtown West
Sunday, October 30
Embark on a trick-or-treat adventure, carve a turnip (the original jack-o’-lantern), play age-old Irish Halloween games, and delve into the ancient autumnal tradition of Oíche Shamhna, the eve of Samhain, across which bonfires lit the land orange and the world was believed to open to the realm of spirits. READ MORE

Creepy Crawly Halloween at Audubon Center

Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Sunday, October 30
The Prospect Park Alliance hosts a special Halloween celebration where kids can take a look at some creepy creatures. Interactive activities and experiments may just let kids learn these critters aren't so creepy after all.  READ MORE

Washington Market Park's Annual Halloween Costume Parade and Party

Tribeca
Sunday, October 30
Washington Market Park gathers the neighborhood ghouls and goblins together for a Halloween party and costume parade. Follow the marching band down Greenwich Street in your Halloween finest. READ MORE

Halloween Boo Bash

Randall's Island
Sunday, October 30
Visit Randall’s Island for a little pre-Halloween adventure. Do some crafts, play games and enjoy some candy (while supplies last). READ MORE

Jackson Heights Halloween Parade

Jackson Heights, Queens
Monday, October 31
The Jackson Heights Halloween Parade—NYC’s largest children’s Halloween parade—lines up once again at 89th Street and 37th Avenue and marches down 37th Avenue to PS 69. READ MORE

Dumboween: Halloween March to the Arch

Dumbo, Brooklyn
Monday, October 31
Put on your most creative costume, and head to Dumbo for a Halloween March to the Arch. Beginning at Washington Street, between Front and Water Streets, costumed participants parade to the Dumbo Archway, led by live music and puppets. READ MORE

Halloween with Boo!KCM

Park Slope, Brooklyn
Monday, October 31
The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music hosts an outdoor Halloween Party. Enjoy a ghoulish performance, a haunted musical garden, and, of course, candy! READ MORE

50th Annual Village Halloween Parade

Greenwich Village
Monday, October 31
The world's most famous Halloween parade weaves through the streets of Greenwich Village once again. Upside Down/Inside Out is the theme for the 2023 parade. READ MORE

Park Slope Halloween Parade

Park Slope, Brooklyn
Monday, October 31
The Park Slope Civic Council hosts the spookiest parade in Park Slope. Marchers line up at 7th Avenue and 14th Street and wind their way to the Old Stone House. Come early to trick or treat. READ MORE

Inwood Pumpkin Pageant

Inwood
Tuesday, November 1
The Inwood Pumpkin Pageant returns to Isham Park for another spooky display of Halloween artistry. Local residents bring their carved jack-o'-lanterns to the park the evening after Halloween for a grand community event. READ MORE

Hudson River Park's Pumpkin Smash

Midtown West
Saturday, November 5
Bring your jack-o'-lantern or uncarved pumpkin to Hudson River Park's Pier 84 to squash, smash, and smush it into compost to help keep the park beautiful, green, and growing. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

East Harlem Tutorial Program
Lewis H. Latimer House Museum
Socrates Sculpture Park