Boo! At the Zoo
Get ready for a month of Halloween fun at Boo! at the Zoo, Brookfield Zoo Chicago's family-friendly fall tradition! Enjoy trick-or-treating, festive photo-ops, and Halloween-themed treats!
Best of all, admission is FREE with Zoo membership.
Location: Brookfield
Skeletober in La Grange
The skeletons will return to La Grange this year. Skeletober 2026, brings a month of spooky sights, local treats, eerie surprises, and plenty of bone-chilling fun. Skeletons are taking over town. Shops are getting into the spirit. Restaurants are conjuring up seasonal sips and treats. Wander through La Grange all October long to discover the Skeleton Scavenger Hunt, hauntingly good deals, photo ops, special events, and a few surprises lurking around every corner.
Location: LaGrange
Berkeley - Hillside Autumnfest
Saturday, October 3rd & Sunday, October 4th, 2026 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM (both days)
Located on the Prairie Path near Taft & Electric Avenues, this event is free. Experience an exciting lineup of activities including:
live stilt-walking performances, friendly animals at the petting zoo, train rides on a small train, live music and entertainment, delicious food, beer, wine, and cider (available for purchase).To make your experience smooth, enjoy free parking and complimentary golf cart transportation to and from the event area.
Location: Hillside
An evening of Ikebana demonstration
Witness first-hand how an arrangement is constructed, built up in a delicate process, and finished with style. Learn how the floral materials are chosen and arranged in particular vases. The presentation at the 19th Century Club in Oak Park is a preview of a special weekend display of the Ohara School’s work in the Playroom of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, where any visitors who take the tour of the house will see these flower arrangements on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11.
Location: Oak Park
There Goes The Neighborhood Tours
This exterior tour visits 13 houses in these two suburbs which were previously owned by major hoodlums, including Tony Accardo, Paul Ricca, Sam Giancana, “Tough Tony” Capezio, and "Machine Gun Jack" McGurn. I will discuss the criminal careers of the former owners, the interesting features of each home (I've now been in 10 of them), the family's time there, and answer all questions from the audience. The tour lasts about two and a half hours and is a deep immersion into the history of organized crime in Chicago from Prohibition to about the 1990s. It is by coach bus with no walking required.
Location: Oak Park & River Forest
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The Sandra Delgado Experience
Chicago cultural icon Sandra Delgado, best known as the creator and star of La Havana Madrid, guides you through a vibrant blend of song, story, and soul-stirring connection. The result is an unforgettable, hypnotic experience audiences describe as "unique, refreshing, and inviting of everything possible and positive. Tickets $20 to $32. Free parking on campus. Home by ten
Location: River Forest
Frank Lloyd Wright Races
The Park District of Oak Park is proud to present to the 50th annual Frank Lloyd Wright Race! This popular annual event is one of the longest running racing events in Illinois featuring a 5K Run/Walk, 10K Run, Youth Mile for ages 6-14, and 50-Yard Dash for ages 3-5.
Enjoy a run, jog, or walk through the tree-lined streets of Oak Park and take in the remarkable architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright as you make your way through the course. All participants receive a long-sleeved shirt. All races start and finish near Oak Park & River Forest High School. Races start just east of the high school on Ontario & Elmwood and finish at the high school at Erie & Scoville.
Location: Oak Park
Tales of the Tombstones
The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest will host its 35th annual “Tale of the Tombstones” Cemetery Walk starting at noon Sunday, Oct. 18, at Forest Home Cemetery, 863 Desplaines Ave., Forest Park. One of those to be featured is Capt. Charles C. Stannard who kept ships moving on Lake Superior after discovering a hazardous underwater mountain in 1847. Hear more of his story on this year’s walk. Ferdinand Haase, an early settler of Forest Park and Forest Home Cemetery founder, also will be featured. This is the 150th year of Forest Home Cemetery.
Location: Forest Park
Wonderween at Wonder Works
Join us for two weeks of autumn magic filled with pumpkin fun, creative activities, and harvest celebrations. Not So Spooky Animal Encounters, Pumpkin Art Studio, Sensory Discovery Zone, Halloween Scavenger Hunt, Indoor Pumpkin Patch and more.
Location: Oak Park
Forest Park Casket Races
This is one of the most beloved events of the year! Get in the ‘spirit’ and join us for a frightfully good time at our annual Casket Races. Races start at 11 am but come early to join in the fun…then enjoy Trick or Treat on Madison immediately following the races.
Location: Forest Park
Día de los Muertos at Brookfield Zoo Chicago
The Zoo invite you to honor and celebrate the cherished memories of your beloved pets who have passed away by submitting their photos for a special Día de los Muertos Beloved Pets Ofrenda here at Brookfield Zoo Chicago.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a vibrant and deeply meaningful Mexican holiday. Ofrenda is a Spanish word that means "offering" in English. The altar that is created as part of Día de los Muertos honors loved ones who have passed away, inviting their spirits back for a joyous reunion with the living. These colorful displays are a celebration of their life, providing remembrance of the departed. They are also a space to share about their everlasting presence in our lives.
Location: Oak Park