How to celebrate Halloween with kids in New York?

Planning a trip to New York during late October? Get ready for a transformation: as the calendar flips toward Halloween, the city becomes a pumpkin patch. Here’s how to make the most of it with your kids.

1/ Commit to the costume with accessories

• Stop by most drugstores around the city and you’ll find an endless array of Halloween accessories. From glowing pumpkin glasses to wicked wands, you can easily transform into a ghost or vampire.
• The rule: go big and don’t hold back on accessories. They make great (or hilarious) souvenirs to take home.

2/ Trick or treat

• Love candy? Then get ready to make threats! When you want treats, you have to earn them. Flash your best fangs and shout the traditional “Trick or Treat!” to passersby. It’s a real threat: give us candy or face the consequences. I’ll admit that extortion isn’t usually part of my parenting playbook, but Halloween is the one exception I allow. 🙂

3/ Join a children’s parade

• In the United States, people embrace the chance to celebrate in public. Why not let your kids join a Halloween parade? It’s a great way to experience local culture with New Yorkers.
• Tip: some parades are just for kids. Look for the one on James Cagney Place, located on East 91st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. And don’t forget to practice saying “Happy Halloween!”

4/ Follow a witch through a spooky adventure

• Every mid-October, I transform into a witch—a friendly one, don’t worry! Each year, I mount my broomstick to solve a new mystery. Can you help me crack the case?
• During our adventure, you’ll discover all the Halloween decorations alongside me. For 1.5 hours, you’ll be my apprentice witches! You’ll need to listen carefully to my clues to complete your mission and avoid being turned into a New York pumpkin. 😉 Abracadabra! Here’s the link to book your family Halloween walking tour.

5/ Enter the pumpkin carving contest

• Head to Washington Market Park on Saturday, October 25, 2025, starting at 4:45 pm for the pumpkin carving contest.
• Categories include scariest, funniest, and most creative pumpkins. If you want to enter, go for it! Washington Market Park is located on Greenwich Street between Duane and Chambers Streets.

6/ Experience a nighttime pumpkin spectacular

• Every year, The Rise of the Jack O’Lanterns transforms Governors Island with thousands of illuminated pumpkins, creating a dreamlike world. It’s become a New York classic.
• Governors Island is the perfect setting for this experience, especially with its eerie history. Visit after dark to see these glowing pumpkins at their most magical. Book your tickets soon—spaces fill up fast.