7 Ways to Celebrate Halloween Outdoors in NYC This October

Halloween Dog Parade (10/21)

What better time of year to celebrate your favorite four-legged, furry beast? The annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade is a staple of the season and never fails to turn out some of the cutest dog costumes around. Encourage Lil’ Sprouts to make theirs a partner costume with man’s best friend, or just bring along your pup to enjoy the show. For those who don’t have a dog, the parade is a good chance to get some much-needed puppy love. Show up early to get a good spot; the parade starts at Noon and lasts until 3 PM.

Pumpkin Flotilla (10/29)

On Sunday, October 29, 2017 the Central Park Conservancy is hosting their annual Pumpkin Flotilla at the Harlem Meer in the north end of the park. Anyone can drop off a pumpkin from 4 PM to 5:35 PM, and at twilight (about 6:30 PM), the pumpkins are set out on the water with lights inside (provided by the Conservancy), creating a beautiful (if eerie) sight. Accompanying activities include spooky stories and a costume parade geared at elementary school kids. Just be advised that your pumpkin should weigh about eight pounds after being carved and should not have any artificial decorations (that includes glitter, marker, and paint).

Free Pumpkin Painting (10/28)

On Saturday, October 28 from 11 AM to 1 PM GreenThumb is offering a free workshop on pumpkin painting at the Berry Street Garden in Williamsburg (located at 303 Berry Street). Paint and pumpkins will be available on site, but be sure to bring any additional decorations (like stickers or glitter) with you. A great event for Williamsburg families!

Scarecrows at the New York Botanical Garden (9/23 to 10/31)

Until the end of October, the NYBG is hosting an exhibit that traces the evolution of the scarecrow from functional field feature to horror movie staple. Vignettes are located in the marsh and swamp areas of the Garden, and transform the otherwise scenic grounds into something out of your favorite scary flick, especially as the sun starts to go down. Find more than 100 friendly scarecrows set among rare and unusual pumpkins and gourds, or take part in guided activities like potting up a spooky spider plant or investigating creepy crawlers in our pond and soil. (And if scarecrows aren’t your thing, the NYBG also offers plenty of pumpkin programming throughout the month.)

Ghost Tunnel at the High Line (10/28)

The High Line is a fun place to visit any time of year but on October 28th from 11 AM to 3PM, it transforms into a seasonal playground full of spooky and historic events alike for the Haunted High Line Halloween. The day is jam-packed with ongoing and timed events, but our personal pick is the immersive ghost tunnel adventure– complete with professional sound design– where kids help the West Side Cowboy find his horse, Cyclone. Plenty of NYC favorites like Terroir and People’s Pops will be for sale on site, so be sure to bring your appetite and your costume.

Berry Street Haunted Garden (10/31)

During the year, the Berry Street Garden is organized into rows of plots tended by the community, and in the height of its season is overrun with tomatoes, squash, and ranunculus. On Halloween, however, it stays open from 1 PM and 8 PM, transforming into a haunted garden designed with kids in mind, and using recycled materials to create their own spooky characters.

Halloween at the American Museum Of Natural History (10/28)

The American Museum of Natural History is hosting a Halloween celebration from 2 to 6 PM on October 28, with different halls open to trick-or-treating, arts & crafts projects, cartoon characters, and live performances.

Costumes are strongly encouraged– what better way to celebrate Halloween than with dinosaurs and all the fearsome creatures of the world?!