Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31, and Lincoln Park’s biggest family event lands the weekend before: the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce’s Spooktacular business trick-or-treat on Saturday, October 24 (Lincoln Avenue) and Sunday, October 25 (Clark Street), 1–4 p.m. both days. Lincoln Park Zoo’s free Fall Fest runs weekends through November 1, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum hosts its BOO-seum Bash on October 25, and the zoo has adults-only and after-dark options too. Here’s what’s on, plus the practical stuff: trick-or-treat hours, parking and the CTA.
Spooktacular: business trick-or-treating, October 24–25
Spooktacular is the neighborhood’s main daytime trick-or-treat, with kids collecting treats from more than 40 participating businesses each day. The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce runs it, and its listings show no admission charge.
- Saturday, October 24, 1–4 p.m.: Lincoln Avenue, from Diversey to Webster.
- Sunday, October 25, 1–4 p.m.: Clark Street, from Armitage to Diversey, plus Diversey from Lakeview Avenue to Orchard.
A local family-events site also lists a Spooktacular after-party at Lincoln Common on Saturday after the trick-or-treating (DJ, games, face painting) and a “Howler at Bauler” pumpkin giveaway, 3–5 p.m., with a canned-food donation. Check the organizers’ pages before you go, since we couldn’t confirm those two on an official listing. Saturday’s route passes plenty of spots to refuel; browse coffee and bakeries or restaurants in the directory.
Lincoln Park Zoo: Fall Fest, Spooky Zoo and adult events
The zoo is free to enter year-round, and its fall programming runs right through Halloween weekend.
Fall Fest (free), Fridays–Sundays through November 1
Fall Fest runs Fridays through Sundays from September 25 to November 1, 2026, so Halloween Saturday is a Fall Fest day. Expect pumpkin carvers, s’mores, live music and animal enrichment, plus carnival-style rides like the Ferris wheel and giant slide. Entry is free, and ride tickets are $4.50 each, with 10-ride packs available.
Spooky Zoo (already happened)
The zoo’s free all-ages Spooky Zoo trick-or-treat (often searched as “Spooky Zoo Spectacular”) was held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, so it has already passed for this year. If you missed it, Fall Fest is still on.
For grown-ups
- Zoo Brews: Howls and Growls, Friday–Saturday, October 23–24, 6:30–10 p.m., 21+. Craft beer and cider samples, unlimited rides, a DJ, pumpkin carving and a costume contest. The zoo lists $70 for day-of tickets, with a nonalcoholic ticket option. Full-face costumes aren’t allowed.
- Haunted History Tours, Tuesday and Wednesday nights through October 28 (the last two are October 27 and 28). Author Adam Selzer leads about 75-minute walks through the zoo’s cemetery past. $35, ages 16+. Tours tend to sell out.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum: BOO-seum Bash, October 25
The Nature Museum at 2430 N. Cannon Drive hosts its family BOO-seum Bash on Sunday, October 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., with member early entry at 9 a.m. On the program: animal encounters with snakes and bugs, crafts, owl pellet dissection and a new Dark Room exhibit about animals that live in darkness. The ticket includes museum admission, Butterfly Haven too. Costumes are encouraged. The museum lists tickets at $20 to $35, with discounts for Family and Family+ members. The morning schedule means you can do BOO-seum Bash, then walk over to Clark Street for Sunday’s Spooktacular at 1 p.m.
The Conservatory and other Halloween-week events
- Lincoln Park Conservatory: its 21+ “Conservatory After Dark” cocktail night ($75) was October 22. We found no Halloween event listed for the Conservatory this year, but the glasshouse makes a good quiet, warm stop. Entry is free with a timed ticket, Wednesday through Sunday. (The Lincoln Park Conservancy lists 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; the Park District lists 10 a.m.–5 p.m.)
- Halloween pARTy at The Paintbrush, 2646 N. Halsted, Saturday, October 31, 2–4 p.m., $40. A drop-off kids’ event with crafts, cookie decorating and in-studio trick-or-treating before families head out. Reservations required.
- Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade (just north, in Lakeview), Saturday, October 31. The parade steps off at 7 p.m. from Halsted and Belmont after an all-day block party. Halsted is closed to traffic between Belmont and Addison for most of the day and night, so take the CTA.
We didn’t find a 2026 Halloween event from the 43rd Ward or a neighborhood association by publication. If one is announced, we’ll add it here.
Trick-or-treating on Halloween night
Chicago doesn’t set official trick-or-treating hours. Timing varies by neighborhood, and many families trick-or-treat in the late afternoon and early evening. The Chicago Police Department’s Halloween safety rules for kids are a good checklist:
- Go in daylight if you can, stay in your own neighborhood and never go alone. Young kids should go with an adult.
- Wear light colors or add reflective tape. Face paint is easier to see out of than a mask.
- Use crosswalks, obey signals, walk (don’t run), and never dart out between parked cars.
- Don’t go into anyone’s home or approach cars, and let a parent check treats before anyone eats them.
- If you’re handing out candy, turn on your porch light.
Lincoln Park’s dense blocks of rowhouses and greystones make it easy to walk, but stoops get crowded, so a small flashlight helps once the sun sets. Halloween night isn’t a business event; Spooktacular is the weekend before.
Parking and getting there by CTA
For anything at the zoo or museum, transit is the easiest choice on a busy weekend.
- Zoo lot: the entrance is at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive (2400 N. Cannon). The first half hour is free, then about $35–45 per day. It’s card only, with no cash.
- Buses: the CTA 22, 36, 151 and 156 stop along the zoo’s west side. The 22 (Clark) also runs along Sunday’s Spooktacular route.
- Trains: the Red Line at Fullerton and the Brown/Purple lines at Armitage are each about a mile west of the zoo. For Saturday’s Lincoln Avenue route, Fullerton and Diversey stations are close by.
- Street parking: much of the neighborhood is permit-zoned. Read our zoned-parking guide and the Getting Around guide before you circle the block.
Good to know
| Halloween 2026 | Saturday, October 31 |
|---|---|
| Spooktacular (Lincoln Ave.) | Sat., Oct. 24, 1–4 p.m., Diversey to Webster |
| Spooktacular (Clark St.) | Sun., Oct. 25, 1–4 p.m., Armitage to Diversey + Diversey (Lakeview to Orchard) |
| Zoo Fall Fest | Fri–Sun through Nov. 1; free entry, rides $4.50 |
| BOO-seum Bash | Sun., Oct. 25, 10 a.m.–1 p.m., 2430 N. Cannon Dr.; tickets $20–35 |
| Zoo Brews: Howls and Growls | Oct. 23–24, 6:30–10 p.m., 21+ |
| Zoo parking | 2400 N. Cannon Dr.; first 30 min free, then about $35–45/day |
| CTA | Buses 22, 36, 151, 156; Red Line Fullerton; Brown/Purple Armitage |
| Sources checked | October 2026 |
Once Halloween’s over, the zoo switches to holiday mode. See our ZooLights 2026 guide, plus Lincoln Park in Winter. For more of the season, read I Love Lincoln Park in the Fall, and if you’re bringing the dog in costume, see the Lincoln Park dog guide.
Frequently asked questions
When is Lincoln Park Spooktacular 2026?
Spooktacular 2026 runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, along Lincoln Avenue from Diversey to Webster, and on Sunday, October 25, along Clark Street from Armitage to Diversey. More than 40 businesses hand out treats each day.
Is Lincoln Park Zoo doing Halloween events in 2026?
Yes. The free Spooky Zoo trick-or-treat was October 17, 2026, and the free Fall Fest continues Fridays through Sundays until November 1. Adults 21+ can attend Zoo Brews: Howls and Growls on October 23–24.
What time is trick-or-treating in Chicago?
Chicago has no official trick-or-treating hours, and timing varies by neighborhood. The Chicago Police Department recommends trick-or-treating in daylight, in your own neighborhood, with young children accompanied by an adult.
Where should I park for Halloween events at the zoo?
Lincoln Park Zoo’s paid lot is at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive. The first half hour is free, then it costs about $35–45 per day, card only. CTA buses 22, 36, 151 and 156 stop along the zoo’s west side.
Sources
- Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Spooktacular 2026, Lincoln Avenue
- Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Spooktacular 2026, Clark Street
- Lincoln Park Zoo: Your Guide to Fall at Lincoln Park Zoo
- Lincoln Park Zoo: Zoo Brews: Howls and Growls
- Choose Chicago: Haunted History Tours at Lincoln Park Zoo
- Lincoln Park Zoo: Hours and Location
- Choose Chicago: BOO-seum Bash and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum: BOO-seum Bash
- Lincoln Park Chamber: Lincoln Park Conservatory After Dark
- Lincoln Park Conservancy: Plan a Visit and Chicago Park District: Lincoln Park Conservatory
- Lincoln Park Chamber: Halloween pARTy at The Paintbrush
- Out x Out: Haunted Halsted Halloween Parade 2026
- Mommy Poppins: Lincoln Park Halloween itinerary (updated October 2026)
- NBC Chicago: Chicago trick-or-treating hours
- Chicago Police Department: Halloween Safety Rules for Kids
Questions about the neighborhood? Start with our complete Lincoln Park guide, or get in touch.
Last updated October 2026 by Joe Bjorklund, Baird & Warner Lincoln Park.