Ultimate guide to Halloween in and around Washington, DC

October 3-27 (various times): Jack’s Pumpkin Glow
Experience a lovely fall evening by creating memories and treasuring Jack’s Pumpkin Glow with family and friends. Also enjoy our pumpkin patch, live carving demonstrations and tasty fall food & beverages. This pumpkin wonderland is sure to be an unforgettable fall spectacular.

October 4-27: Eye Spy Train at Wheaton & Eye Spy Train at Cabin John Regional Park
All aboard the Cabin John Eye Spy Halloween Train! This “not so scary” train ride is fun for the whole family – it’s all about fun, not fright! Each child will receive an Eye Spy card before boarding the train. As you ride through the woods of Cabin John Regional Park, look all around to find Halloween friends hiding there, and mark them off the Eye Spy card. They’ll also show free Halloween movies inside the Train Station Party Room and have other fun Halloween activities for the kids. Costumes are encouraged! Please bring a canned food donation for your neighbors in need – they’ll donate them to Manna Food Center. Trains will run Fridays from 4 – 6p, and Saturdays and Sundays beginning October 4 and ending October 27, 10a – 6p.

October 10-on: DC Library Halloween events
Modify your search for your local DC Library if you desire.

October 11-31- 6:00pm-10:00pm: Dark Nights & Frightful Heights at Summit Ropes
From October 11 until Halloween night every Friday & Saturday night from 6pm – 10pm Summit Ropes turns into a haunted ropes course.  There will be scavenger hunts and candy. Scary Fun for the whole family.  Limited availability.  BOOK NOW to ensure your spot is reserved. 

October 18-20– 5:30pm-8:30pm: Boo at the Zoo
The spooky season is almost here! Kids can go trick-or-treating at the wildest spot in town during Boo at the Zoo. Celebrate Halloween early with more than 40 treat stations, a dance party and kids’ karaoke. This frightfully fun evening is a magical time for the whole family.

October 18, 19, 25 & 26 (various times): Soul Strolls in Congressional Cemetery
Trespass into the past and discover the secrets of some of Congressional Cemetery’s “residents.” Soul Strolls, the Cemetery’s annual twilight tours, explore the stories of individuals buried here through guided tours and costumed interpreters. Experience the history of this hallowed ground exactly the way it should be experienced in October – in twilight and darkness, happening upon vignettes and individuals under the guidance of one of our “Dozen Decent Docents.

October 19-20–9:00am-5:00pm: Fall Harvest Family Days at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon celebrates the autumn season with Fall Harvest Family Days! The entire family enjoys autumn activities including wagon rides, wheat treading in the 16-sided barn, 18th-century dancing demonstrations, a straw bale maze, farrier (blacksmithing) demonstrations, corn husk dolls demonstrations and early-American games and music.

October 20– 2:00pm & 4:00pm: NSO Family Concert: Halloween Spooktacular at Kennedy Center
Enjoy spooky fun for the whole family at this annual tradition! The Concert Hall transforms into a ghostly sight when our ghoulishly attired musicians perform new and old classics to celebrate Halloween. Nicholas Hersh leads this exciting concert experience, which features music from Harry Potter and more. Arrive early for trick-or-treating and a special Haunted Hall Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo.” Ages 5+

October 25- 3:00-4:00pm or 5:45-6:45pm: My Gym Potomac & My Gym Bethesda Halloween Party
Looking for not too spooky family fun this Halloween season? Find it at My Gym’s Halloween Party! Join us for ghostly games, music, treats, and loads of fun!  Kids can dress up for the party!  Book your spot today! Members $15, Non-Members $20, Siblings get 20% off

October 25– 5:30pm-7:30pm: Hilloween at Eastern Market
Capitol Hill celebrates Halloween as a community each year in front of Eastern Market on 7th St. Count on moon bounces, hay rides, treats, face painting and many, many costumes.

October 25- 5:30pm-8:30pm: BOOtanica
Gather the family together for a fun evening! Children can dress in their favorite costume, participate in a garden costume parade, paint a pumpkin, try a pumpkin treat, and top the evening off listening to award winning storyteller Gary Loyld present “Pumpkin Tales for the Young telling tales more funny than scary. Space is limited. Register children ages 3–12, parents are free.

October 25- 6:00pm-9:00pm: Not-So-Spooky Parents Night Out at Busy Bees
calling all lil monsters, super heroes, princesses & knights. With Halloween just around the corner, we thought of adding some Not-So-Spooky fun into our Date Night! Bring your kids in costume: they will enjoy some awesome fun in our playscape, have a pizza dinner and Halloween cupcakes & milk for dessert! Your lil’ goblin will be ready for a great night sleep after so much fun! Space is limited, so go on and reserve your spot today. You know you deserve a lil’ break! Bonus: your kids will have a blast, guaranteed!

October 26– 10:00am-1:00pm: Trick or Treat at Tudor Place
Get into the Halloween spirit! Explore the Tudor Place garden as the seasons change, and trick or treat throughout the site. Make your own superhero bracers and festive owl decoration. Play traditional outdoor games, enjoy face painting, and paint your own pumpkin to take home. Costumes suggested but not required. 

October 26- 10:30am, 12:30pm and 2:30pm: 6th Annual Pumpkin Hunt at Lee-Fendall House
The Lee-Fendall House Annual Halloween Pumpkin Hunt returns to Alexandria! Alexandria’s ghosts and goblins will fill the museum’s garden with hundreds of colorful toy-filled Halloween objects for local children to discover. Other activities include crafts, games, refreshments, spooky stories, and a costume parade. Every participating child will receive a toy pumpkin. All children of elementary school age or younger are eligible to participate in the Halloween Pumpkin Hunt. Older children and adults are welcome to enjoy all other activities. Tickets are available for sale through Eventbrite. Advance tickets are $15 for participating children, and $5 for adults.

October 26- 11:30am-3:00pm: Día de los Muertos Family Day at American Art Museum
Celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with SAAM! Enjoy Mexican folk dance performances throughout the day, a live Mariachi band, and face painting! Leave your handmade ofrendas (offerings) including paper marigolds, calaveras (skull masks), and paper monarch butterflies on our beautiful Day of the Dead altar.

October 26–12:00pm-5:30pm: Air and Scare at National Air and Space Museum (Virginia Location)
Explore the spooky side of air and space at Air & Scare, our annual Halloween event at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. Participate in creepy crafts, spooky science experiments, and other Halloween-themed activities. Arrive in costume to get into the Halloween spirit and enjoy safe indoor trick-or-treating.

October 26-12:00pm-2:00pm: Spooktacular Family Day Piano Show
Need an excuse to dress up? Nope, we didn’t think so. But…. don’t miss an afternoon Halloween party that’s not to be missed. Come down to the National Harbor for some serious FUN! They will combine 2 hours of all request live music with a costume contest, a lunch buffet, fountain drinks, and of course encouragement of singing along and wiggling in your seats!

October 26– 1:00pm-4:00pm: Fall Fest at Market Commons
Pumpkin decorating, family photos, kids’ crafts & activities, tricks & treats, dog costume contest and more.

October 26– 1:00pm-4:00pm: Glen Echo Fall Frolic
Glen Echo Park Partnership’s annual Halloween-themed family event. It’s open to the public, and visitors of all ages are invited to the Park to explore the arts through hands-on crafts, Halloween activities, trick-or-treating and visiting open studios. It’s a safe and fun Halloween event with something for everyone! See schedule of events online. The Halloween celebration will conclude with a costume parade through the Park at 3:30pm.

October 26– 2:00pm-6:00pm: Pumpkin Rock n Roll at Warner Circle Park
The park will be transformed into a full-blown Halloween extravaganza. Participate in a fun costume contest and parade, and enjoy family-friendly attractions including festival-style musical performances, food trucks, inflatable rides and slides and a rock wall. The main event is a derby race of Halloween pumpkins-turned-boxcars! Admission is free.

October 26- 2:00pm-5:00: Día de Los Muertos at District Wharf
Celebrate the Day of the Dead at The Wharf. We’re taking over Pearl Street for a memorable afternoon with live music by La Unica, beer stations, street food, a photobooth, and more. Want to get creative yourself? Decorate a sugar skull or get your face painted. Plus, we’re giving out prizes for the best self-painted faces. 

SOLD OUT October 26– 3:30pm-6:30pm: Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon
Participate in a special scavenger hunt, take a wagon ride on the 12-acre field, and create a boo-tiful Halloween craft in this unforgettable evening. Come and see wool carding, spinning, and fish net making in the historic area before greeting “Martha Washington” on the piazza of the Mansion. In order to burn off all the extra excitement, try 18th-century dancing in the upper garden. Historic chocolate-making demonstrations and chocolate tastings will take place. A children’s costume parade around the Mansion will begin at 5 p.m. and prizes will be awarded for most fang-tastic “George” and “Martha” costumes! Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon takes place rain or shine. Purchase Tickets.

October 26– 4:00pm-8:00pm: Haunted Garage and Day of the Dead Festival at Oyster Adams Bilingual School
Join for a walk through the haunted garage and for traditional Day of the Dead activities such as decorating sugar skulls. Wear your costumes. There will be an inflatable obstacle course, pumpkin painting, spooky cake contest and a fortune teller.

October 26- 4:00pm-8:30pm: Pumpkins in the Park + Free Screening of Hocus Pocus
Pumpkins in the Park is back for its sixth year with a cauldron full of spooky new surprises! The Capitol Riverfront BID has brewed up an evening of wicked good times that are sure to have mischief-makers of all ages howlin’ at the moon. Bring your little monsters out to decorate their own pumpkins, play in the moon bounce, and get their faces painted (all for free)! For the kids-at-heart: come make insta-worthy leaf wreaths, enjoy beer, wine, and cider (for purchase), and get your cards read by a real life fortune teller! At the witching hour (6:00 pm), hop on your brooms and head across the street to catch a free screening of Hocus Pocus in the North Block. And for an extra treat, some bites will be available for purchase courtesy of Smorgasburg DC!

October 26– 6:30pm-7:30pm & 7:30pm-8:30pm: BOO-stravaganzaat Frying Pan Park
Celebrate the Halloween season with this variety event at Frying Pan Farm Park. This year, the event is outside at the Kidwell Farm. Attendees enjoy a variety of themed games, go trick-or-treating to animals, and enjoy a wagon ride. Finish the evening with a small treat bag for the road.

October 27 & 28 (various times): Witches & Wizards at B&O Railroad
Young witches and wizards can head to the B&O because wizarding school is now in session! Learn simple science in potions class and explore the history of railroading in our “magical objects” display! Grow your own plant buddy in herbology class plus run through our magical maze to enter a raffle to win a railroading storybook and a free cone card from The Charmery! All of this and more awaits you at Witches & Wizards weekend!

October 27– 1:00pm-4:00pm: Harbor Halloween
Bring kids 12 and under to this free event with Trick-or-treating, National Harbor chefs pumpkin carving contest, movie Hocus Pocus, and more!

October 27- 2:00pm: 23rd Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade
Don your best Halloween costume and march in the 23rd Annual Del Ray Halloween Parade, which historically has attracted thousands of participants. Awards will be given for best pet costume, best decorated business, best decorated home, and best decorated stroller. Awards will be presented in a brief ceremony after the parade, along with refreshments and goodie bags for the children. Adults, children and dogs are all welcome to join and for free. Goodie bags for children are handed out. There is live musical entertainment provided by Mars Rodeo. There will be Goblin Games and activities for the children.

October 27- 3:00pm-5:00pm: Not So Spooky Halloween Party at Busy Bees Fairfax
Dress up in your awesome costume & join us for our  “Not So Spooky Halloween Bash!” There will be unparalleled fun in the playscape, followed by a lil’ parade leading us to a party room, where each child will try their hand at becoming the next great baker: Cake Time! will be teaching how to decorate your very own SPOOKTACULAR cupcakes! One FREE birthday party to the BEST FAMILY COSTUME!

October 27- 4:00pm-6:00pm: Annual Halloween Parade in Sherman Circle
Rain or shine! Sherman Circle, NW

October 31-10:00am-2:00pm: Fall Festival at Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Bring your family, friends and co-workers to enjoy free Halloween festivities including: hay bale maze, face painting, pumpkin decorating with Blick, candy giveaways, costumed characters, DC Public Library Book Bike, music, food vendors, and so much more! Bring your family, friends and co-workers to enjoy free fall festivities in downtown DC.

October 31– 4:00pm-6:00pm: Spooktacular Trick or Treat along Connecticut Ave
Sponsored by the businesses along the Avenue. Kids can safely walk up the street “trick-or-treating” as the businesses are set-up outside. Starting at Livingston St and going up towards Chevy Chase Circle.

October 31- 4:00pm-6:00pm: Pumpkin Painting at the LINE DC
It’s Halloween, and The Cup We All Race 4 is teaming up with artist Kasey O’Boyle for a favorite spooky season activity: pumpkin decorating on the front steps of the LINE DC. All paint and supplies provided. The Cup will be serving up hot apple cider and sweet treats. RSVP required to reserve your pumpkin it’ll be held until 4:30pm before releasing to the ghouls and goblins.

October 31- 4:00pm-6:00pm: Lobby Trick-or-Treating at Brothers And Sisters at the LINE DC
The team at Brothers And Sisters welcomes ghouls and goblins of all ages to the lobby this Halloween: join us for a family-friendly hunt for treats from. Keep your eyes peeled throughout Brothers And Sisters for all manner of Halloween goodies from Pastry Chef Pichet Ong (and maybe a few tricks, too).

October 31- 5:00pm: Ballston Quarter Celebrates Halloween
Halloween is coming to Ballston Quarter! Kids and families are invited to trick-or-treat throughout the mall for fun goodies and special Halloween treats! Favorite movie characters including Spider-Man, Black Panther, Merida, and Wonder Woman, and local mascot Slapshot from the Washington Capitals will also be available for special spooky photos. The evening will be capped off with a showing of Hocus Pocus beginning at dusk in the Plaza, where viewers can enjoy food and drinks from Quarter Market and Ballston Quarter while they watch this favorite throwback movie.

November 1- 6:00pm: The Nightmare Before Christmas at the Kennedy Center
The REACH will transform into Halloween Town with a FREE screening of Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas on a video wall. Plus a Halloween themed dance lesson. Now this is Halloween! With a gorgeous score by Danny Elfman featuring tons of catchy tunes like “This is Halloween” and “What’s This?,” you can’t help but get into the Halloween spirit. Directed by Henry Selick with all the hallmarks of Tim Burton’s legendary films, this stop-motion animated musical is the perfect movie for a night of frights and fun.

November 2 & 3: Smithsonian Sleepovers: Spend a night at the Natural History Museum!

November 2 & 3- 10:30am-5:00pm: Día de los Muertos Weekend Festival at National Museum of the American Indian
Artist Lilia Ramirez (Nahua) will create an interactive mural featuring La Catrina, one of the most iconic images drawn by Mexican illustrator and printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada. Visitors can honor your loved ones by making paper marigolds, the bright flowers that decorate family ofrendas (altars) set up for the Day of the Dead. The Day of the Dead is a festival celebrated by people in Mexico, parts of Central and South America, and many Latino communities across the United States as a way to honor family and friends who have passed away.

2019 guide to Fall festivals, farms and orchards in and around Washington, DC

Date Nights:

October 21- 6:00pm-9:00pm: Boos & Brews at National Building Museum
Join the National Building Museum for an evening to eat, drink, and be scary! Boos & Brews will feature scary ghost tours around the famous landmark, a costume contest, a monster mash-up of songs by DJ EPX, games, devilishly delicious food, and wicked good beer from various breweries including Port City and Right Proper.

October 25- 7:00pm-10:30pm: Night of the Living Zoo
A dark carnival is approaching … and will arrive for Friends of the National Zoo’s annual adults-only Halloween party, Night of the Living Zoo. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo, ghouls and goblins will enjoy craft beer, fare from popular D.C. food trucks, a DJ dance party, a spooktacular costume competition, hosted by Science on Tap, and more. It’s a wicked night of fun that would be scary to miss!

October 25-26 & November 1 & 2- 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30pm: Grief and Ghost Tour at Lee Fendall House
Celebrate Halloween with a look at Victorian mourning traditions coupled with stories of tragic deaths and mysterious occurrences at the Lee-Fendall House. Customs such as draping the mirrors after a death, funeral practices, hair jewelry, mourning clothing, and séances will be explored. These tours offer a rare opportunity to see the house after dark. Tickets are $10 through Eventbrite. These tours frequently sell out so the purchase of tickets in advance is strongly recommended. 

October 29- 7:00pm-10:00pm: 17th Street High Heel Race in DuPont Circle
The High Heel Race is one of Washington, DC most unique events with a rich history of “Crossing The Line Since 1986”. On the Tuesday before Halloween, thousands of spectators pack the Dupont Circle Neighborhood to watch hundreds of costumed drag queens show off their extravagant outfits and race down Historic 17th Street, NW.

Markoff’s Haunted Forest
Field of Screams
Ebe Haunts Trail of Terror
Fields of Fear
Shocktober
Six Flags Fright Fest