Halloween Events Near Oak Park (Updated 2026)
Looking for Halloween events in Chicago's western suburbs this October? Explore seasonal celebrations in Oak Park, Brookfield, Forest Park and other communities just west of Chicago.
From Boos & Brews to delightfully spooky, family-friendly activities like Scary Skate, trunk-or-treats, and canines in costumes, the western suburbs are filled with thrills and laughter this October. It's the season of ghost stories and goosebumps, so gather your little ones and jump right into a world filled with tricks, treats and yes, casket races in Oak Park and beyond.
Oak Park
Trunk or Treat | Friday, October 23, 2026
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Date and time: Friday, October 23, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
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Location: Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex parking lot, 415 Lake St., Oak Park, IL
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Admission: Free; no registration required. All ages welcome.
This annual event featuring candy and costumes is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween in a fun and safe environment. Trunk or Treat takes place at the Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex parking lot (415 Lake Street), where local groups and organizations will be stationed by their decorated cars, ready to distribute candy to trick-or-treaters of all ages on October 23, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Fright on Ice | Friday, October 23, 2026
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Date and time: Friday, October 23, 6:30 to 9 p.m.
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Location: Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex Ice Arena, 415 Lake St., Oak Park, IL
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Activities: Halloween-themed ice skating, games, crafts and candy.
Skate with ghosts, goblins, pirates and princesses from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on October 23. Dress in your Halloween best for the festive event that includes spooky-themed music, fun off-ice games, crafts and plenty of candy. Head to the Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex Ice Arena, located at 415 Lake Street, for a night filled with chill, thrills and probably a few spills.
Harvest on Harrison | Oak Park Arts District | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date: Saturday, October 24
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Location: Harrison Street in the Oak Park Arts District, Oak Park, IL
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Activities and times: Trunk or Treat from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., DJ dance party from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., costume contest at noon, pumpkin painting and scavenger hunt.
Come celebrate fall along Harrison Street in Oak Park. You'll be spooked and thrilled as the restaurants and vendors in the Oak Park Arts District gear up for Halloween at this neighborhood event on October 24. Have a ghoulishly good time with a DJ dance party from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Trunk or Treat from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a costume contest for kids, adults and pets at noon; pumpkin painting at the galleries; a bingo scavenger hunt; and other frightfully fun activities all day long.
Brookfield
BOO! at the Zoo | Through Sunday, October 25, 2026
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Dates and times: October 3–25, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends.
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Location: Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Brookfield, IL
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Admission: Included with regular zoo admission; free for zoo members. Visitors should bring their own trick-or-treat bags, as bags are not provided. Additional entertainment and activities on weekends.
This month Brookfield Zoo Chicago transforms into a haunted habitat filled with tricks, treats and ghostly good fun. The annual fang-tastic family-friendly Halloween celebration, BOO! at the Zoo, is packed with not-so-scary thrills for all ages, festive decorations, costume parades and trick-or-treating. The event continues through October 25, with hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends. Visit on the remaining weekends, October 17-18 and October 24-25, for additional entertainment and special activities.
Boo Brunch | Brookfield Zoo Chicago | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24; seatings 10–11:30 a.m. and noon–1:30 p.m.
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Location: The Pavilions at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, Brookfield, IL
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Tickets: $50 for adults and $40 for children. Tickets include a Halloween-themed buffet and Zoo admission; advance reservations are required.
Make a morning of it with Boo Brunch at Brookfield Zoo Chicago on October 24. The Pavilions will host a Halloween-themed buffet, an interactive DJ, spooky photo opportunities and face painting for kids. Your brunch ticket also includes Zoo admission, so you can explore before or after your meal.
Haunted Halloween Ride | Friday, October 30, 2026
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Date and time: Friday, October 30, departing at 6 p.m.
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Location: Starts and ends at The Compassion Factory, 9210 Broadway Ave., Brookfield, IL
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Details: A 6.2-mile, slow-paced bicycle ride featuring Halloween decorations, costumes and post-ride festivities.
Join CycleBrookfield's Haunted Halloween Ride on October 30 at 6:00 p.m. Bring a friend or two, wear your best costume and decorate your bike with spooky lights for a festive ride past some of Brookfield's spookiest decorated houses, then join your fellow cyclists for treats at the end. This 6.2-mile slow ride starts and ends at The Compassion Factory at 9210 Broadway in Brookfield.
Monsters on Mainstreet | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24, noon to 3:30 p.m.
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Location: Participating businesses along Broadway Avenue and in downtown Brookfield
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Activities: Trick-or-treating at local businesses, a family-friendly costume contest at 3 p.m.
Join your neighbors for trick-or-treating along the streets of the Broadway Avenue and Downtown business districts in Brookfield on October 24. Festivities run from noon to 3:30 p.m. Keep an eye out for signs in the windows at participating businesses, then head to the historic Grossdale Station (8820½ Brookfield Avenue) for a family-friendly costume contest at 3 p.m.
Boos & Brews in Brookfield | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24, 2 to 7 p.m.
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Location: Participating breweries include Imperial Oak Brookfield, BuckleDown, Milk Money and Hop District.
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Details: Continuous brewery shuttle service, with pickups approximately every 15 minutes. Costume contests begin at 5 p.m.
Join the Boos & Brews bus on October 24 for the local brewery Halloween event of the year. The adventure kicks off at 2:00 p.m. at each participating brewery: Imperial Oak Brookfield, BuckleDown, Milk Money and Hop District. Three buses will run continuously among the four breweries until 7:00 p.m.
Feel free to hang out at each brewery and enjoy live music, delicious food and a variety of house-crafted beers. Pickup and drop-off will occur approximately every 15 minutes. You can come as you are or dress up in costume. At 5:00 p.m., staff at each brewery will select a costume-contest winner, who will receive a $50 gift card to that brewery. There will also be a brewery punch-card drawing for additional prizes.
Forest Park
Forest Park Casket Races | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24; festivities begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Parade of Caskets at 10:30 a.m. and races at 11 a.m.
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Location: Beloit Avenue between Madison and Adams streets, Forest Park, IL
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Admission and activities: Free for spectators. Trick-or-treating on Madison Street follows the races from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Delightfully creepy and decidedly quirky, the Forest Park Casket Races on October 24 are an event you have to experience to truly believe! This annual spectacle has become a local favorite for all the right reasons. Teams push "caskets" - wildly decorated coffin-shaped carts on wheels that they created themselves - down the course. While speed and agility definitely matter, the Casket Races honor creativity and camaraderie rather than athletic skill.
Head to Beloit Avenue between Madison and Adams streets. Food and festivities begin at 9:30 a.m., the Parade of Caskets begins at 10:30 a.m. and racing starts at 11:00 a.m. Prizes are awarded for the fastest racers, the most creatively themed caskets and the final finisher who takes home the coveted "Dead Last" award.
Invasion of the Scarecrows Bicycle Ride | Sunday, October 25, 2026
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Date and time: Sunday, October 25, at 10 a.m.
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Location: Meet at Roos Recreation Center parking lot, 7329 Harrison St., Forest Park, IL
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Details: Bring your own bicycle for a community ride through Forest Park to discover local scarecrow displays.
This ride will have you pedaling through Forest Park to track down the scarecrows that have invaded the village. Meet your fellow bike riders at the Roos Recreation Center parking lot, 7329 Harrison Street in Forest Park (7329 Harrison St., Forest Park, IL), on October 25 at 10:00 a.m. Bring your own bike, soak in the autumn air and enjoy a morning hunting scarecrows.
Franklin Park
Trick or Treat at the Park | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to noon.
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Location: North Park, 10040 Addison Ave., Franklin Park, IL
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Activities: Outdoor trick-or-treating along a decorated walking path with tables hosted by local families and businesses.
Dress up in your Halloween best and prepare for a ghoulishly good time at Franklin Park's Trick or Treat at the Park in North Park (10040 Addison Avenue) on October 24, from 10:00 a.m. to noon. This outdoor trick-or-treat event, featuring a walking path lined with tables set up and decorated by local families and businesses, welcomes friends and neighbors. Feeling creative? Register a decorated table with the Park District of Franklin Park and add some extra fright and fun to the festivities.
Scary Skate | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24, 2 to 3:30 p.m.
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Location: Franklin Park Ice Arena, 9711 Waveland Ave., Franklin Park, IL
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Admission: $3 for residents and $4 for nonresidents wearing costumes. Skate rental is an additional $4. Prizes awarded for the best costumes.
Grab your skates and glide into the Halloween spirit at the Franklin Park Ice Arena (9711 Waveland Avenue) on October 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Wear your scariest or most creative costume, have a spooky good time on the ice and enjoy half-off admission to Public Session when you come in costume. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes. For everyone's safety, masks are discouraged.
Walk the Park: Halloween Edition | Tuesday, October 27, 2026
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Date and time: Tuesday, October 27, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
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Location: North Park, 10040 Addison Ave., Franklin Park, IL
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Details: Halloween-themed walking competition with a raffle entry awarded for each completed lap.
Join a Halloween-themed walking competition at North Park, located at 10040 Addison Avenue in Franklin Park, on October 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. For every lap around the walking path you complete, you'll earn a raffle entry. Come in costume and get ready to win!
La Grange Park
Trunk or Treat and Monster Mash Dance Party | Saturday, October 17, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 17; Trunk or Treat from 5 to 6:30 p.m., followed by the Monster Mash Dance Party.
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Location: Memorial Park, 132 W. Oak Ave., La Grange Park, IL
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Registration: No registration required. All ages welcome with a caregiver.
Put on your best Halloween costume and head to Memorial Park (132 West Oak Avenue) for music, activities and plenty of tricks and treats at the sixth annual La Grange Park Trunk or Treat on October 17. Trunk or Treat runs from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. All ages are welcome with a caregiver.
Stick around for a family-friendly Monster Mash Dance Party in the pavilion, presented by the Community Park District of La Grange Park.
Maywood
No Tricks Only Treats Fall Fest | October 30, 2026
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Date and time: Friday, October 30, 5 to 8 p.m.
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Location: Along the route from First Avenue to 17th Avenue, including Winfield Scott Park, Maywood, IL
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Activities: Trick-or-treating at decorated tables hosted by neighbors and local organizations.
Don that costume and meet fellow trick-or-treaters walking from 1st Avenue to 17th Avenue, through Winfield Scott Park from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Costumed kiddos will be "treated" as they visit tables decorated by neighbors and local organizations.
North Riverside
Pumpkin Patch at North Riverside Village Commons | Wednesday, October 28 and Thursday, October 29, 2026
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Dates and times: Wednesday, October 28 and Thursday, October 29, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
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Location: Village Commons, 2401 S. Des Plaines Ave., North Riverside, IL
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Admission: $11–$13 per pumpkin, including pumpkin painting or carving supplies and a candle. Advance registration is recommended to guarantee a spot, but walk-ins can pay at the door.
Visit the Village Commons (2401 South Des Plaines Avenue) between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on October 28 or October 29 for a hands-on pumpkin patch experience. Pick your perfect pumpkin, then paint it or carve it right on the spot. Each registration includes a pumpkin with a candle. Prices range from $11 to $13 per pumpkin, making it a fun way to get festive before Halloween night.
River Forest
Spooky Stories & S'mores at Thatcher Woods | Saturday, October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24, 2 to 5 p.m.
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Location: Thatcher Woods Pavilion, on Chicago Avenue west of Thatcher Avenue, River Forest, IL
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Activities: Halloween-themed activity stations, trick-or-treating, pumpkin painting, s'mores and children's storytelling.
Among the Forest Preserves of Cook County's many activities and events to celebrate the season, perhaps the spookiest is an invitation to trick-or-treat through different Halloween-themed activity stations at Thatcher Woods Pavilion, on Chicago Avenue west of Thatcher Avenue in River Forest, on October 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Enjoy pumpkin painting, making (and eating!) gooey s'mores and listening to spooky children's stories.
Riverside
5th Annual Riverside Witches Ride | Friday, October 16, 2026
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Date and time: Friday, October 16; check-in from 5 to 5:30 p.m., ride begins at 5:30 p.m. and concludes around 7:15 p.m.
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Location: Starts and ends at Riverside Swim Club, 100 Bloomingbank Road, Riverside, IL
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Participation: Ages 18 and older. Registration available, with a paid contribution required for the after-party refreshments.
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Details: Four-mile costumed bicycle ride followed by a seasonal celebration.
Trade your broom for a bike, dress up in your witchiest look and join a coven at the Riverside Witches Ride on October 16. The four-mile journey begins and ends at Riverside Swim Club (100 Bloomingbank Road), culminating in a celebration featuring seasonal adult beverages and bites. Check-in runs from 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the ride beginning at 5:30 p.m. after a short safety briefing and ending back at the Riverside Swim Club at approximately 7:15. Cast spells of joy as you cruise through town, cackling and tossing candy to delighted kids along the way.
Westchester
Westchester Park District Halloween Party | October 24, 2026
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Date and time: Saturday, October 24, 10 a.m. to noon.
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Location: Westchester Park District Community Center Park, 10201 Bond St., Westchester, IL
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Activities: Halloween celebration featuring a canine costume contest, with additional activities pending organizer confirmation.
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Pack your pup and head to the Westchester Park District Community Center Park (10201 Bond Street) from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. for a howling good time. This annual event includes a Howl-O-Ween Canine Costume Contest for your furriest friend.
Have a Scary Good Time This October
Oak Park and its neighboring communities are celebrating October with a month of festive fun. From whimsical witchy bike rides to thrilling storytelling, each event provides a unique opportunity for friends and families to celebrate the season together. Discover all the fall events in Oak Park and beyond at OakParkandBeyond.org.