Lincoln Park Spooktacular is the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce’s annual weekend of trick-or-treating at neighborhood businesses in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. In 2026 it runs Saturday, October 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Lincoln Avenue between Diversey and Webster, and Sunday, October 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. on Clark Street between Armitage and Diversey, with more than 40 businesses handing out treats each day. The Chamber described the 2024 edition as free and open to the public; the 2026 pages list no fee.
Dates and routes below come from the Chamber’s 2026 event pages, checked in October 2026. For the rest of the fall calendar, see Lincoln Park events.
Good to know
| Dates | Sat Oct 24, 2026 (Lincoln Ave.) and Sun Oct 25, 2026 (Clark St.) |
|---|---|
| Hours | 1–4 p.m. both days |
| Saturday route | Lincoln Ave., Diversey Pkwy. to Webster Ave. |
| Sunday route | Clark St., Armitage Ave. to Diversey Pkwy.; the Chamber’s listing also names Diversey from Lakeview Ave. to Orchard St. |
| Cost | No fee listed for 2026; the Chamber called the event free and open to the public in 2024 |
| Who it’s for | Costumed trick-or-treaters; no age limit is posted |
| Organizer | Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, 2468 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-880-5200 |
| 2027 dates | Not yet announced |
| Source checked | Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce event pages, October 2026 |
What Spooktacular is and what to expect
Spooktacular turns two of Lincoln Park’s main shopping streets into a daytime trick-or-treat route, one street per day. Local shops, restaurants and service businesses act as the stops, and the Chamber says 40-plus businesses take part each day. It is a short, afternoon-only event: three hours on Saturday and three on Sunday.
The Chamber calls it an annual tradition. In 2024 it ran the same way, Saturday on Lincoln Avenue and Sunday on Clark Street, 1 to 4 p.m., and that year’s Saturday also had a pet costume contest, face painting, caricatures and a photo booth at the Plaza at Lincoln Common, 2335 N. Lincoln Ave. The 2026 pages do not list extra activities, so don’t count on them.
Sponsors listed on the 2026 Lincoln Avenue page include Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Park West Cooperative Nursery School, Tutu School Lincoln Park, Urban Air Lincoln Park and a dozen other local schools and kids’ businesses. Being a sponsor doesn’t necessarily make a business a stop on the route.
Getting there
Both routes are on CTA lines, so take the train or bus; the routes are in permit-parking territory.
Saturday: Lincoln Avenue
- Fullerton station (Red and Brown lines), 943 W. Fullerton Ave., and Diversey station (Brown Line), 943 W. Diversey Pkwy., are both a short walk from Lincoln Avenue
- Buses: the 74 Fullerton, 76 Diversey and 8 Halsted all cross the route
Sunday: Clark Street
- The 22 Clark bus runs the length of Clark Street, and the 36 Broadway also serves Clark along the park
- The 76 Diversey covers the Diversey stretch from Lakeview Avenue to Orchard Street
- Trains: Fullerton and Armitage stations are about a mile west, per Lincoln Park Zoo’s directions
See Getting around Lincoln Park for route details.
Tips
- Pick a day by street. Saturday is Lincoln Avenue; Sunday is Clark Street. They are different businesses.
- Start early in the 1–4 p.m. window if you want to cover the whole route; each one runs from Diversey Parkway down to Webster or Armitage.
- Bring a bag and dress for the weather. The Chamber posts no rain plan.
- Check the Chamber’s event pages the week of the event for any change.
Nearby in Lincoln Park
- On the Lincoln Avenue route: Play Toys and Books (2462 N. Lincoln Ave.) and Lincoln Hall (2424 N. Lincoln Ave.)
- On the Clark Street route: Colectivo Coffee (2530 N. Clark St.), Vanille Patisserie (2108 N. Clark St.) and Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. (2121 N. Clark St.)
- Across Clark from the Sunday route: Lincoln Park Zoo, where Fall Fest runs through Nov 1, 2026 (free admission, rides ticketed)
- Also on Thu Oct 29, 4–6 p.m.: a Halloween Party at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West
Mentioning a business here doesn’t mean it is a Spooktacular stop. More family spots are in the Lincoln Park directory.
Frequently asked questions
When is Lincoln Park Spooktacular 2026?
Lincoln Park Spooktacular 2026 is Saturday, October 24, 1–4 p.m. on Lincoln Avenue (Diversey to Webster) and Sunday, October 25, 1–4 p.m. on Clark Street (Armitage to Diversey), run by the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce.
Is Spooktacular free?
The 2026 Chamber pages list no admission fee, and the Chamber described the 2024 event as free and open to the public. Kids collect treats from participating businesses along the route.
Which streets are part of Spooktacular?
Saturday’s route is Lincoln Avenue from Diversey Parkway to Webster Avenue. Sunday’s route is Clark Street from Armitage Avenue to Diversey Parkway; the Chamber’s listing also includes Diversey from Lakeview Avenue to Orchard Street.
How many businesses take part?
The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce says more than 40 businesses hand out treats each day. It does not publish a list of stops.
When is Spooktacular 2027?
The 2027 dates are not yet announced as of October 2026. Recent editions ran on a Saturday and Sunday in late October, 1–4 p.m.; watch the Chamber’s events page.
Sources
- Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Spooktacular 2026, Lincoln Avenue
- Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Spooktacular 2026, Clark Street
- Lincoln Park Chamber (ChamberMaster): Spooktacular 2026, Clark Street (route, contact)
- Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce: Spooktacular returns (2024 announcement)
- Lincoln Park Zoo: Fall Fest
- Chicago Park District: Night Out in the Parks
Have a question we didn’t answer, or spot something out of date? Tell us and we’ll update the guide. Back to the Lincoln Park events calendar.
Last updated October 2026 by Live Lincoln Park.