Festivals Oct. 20-26: All Hallows Eve, Boo! at the Zoo, Halloween fests and more

Ongoing

Pumpkin Fest: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Tuesday, Oct. 31, at Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Animals, a straw pyramid and thousands of pumpkins scattered on the zoo's lawn. $10 nonresident adults 18-54, $9 nonresident adults 55 or older; free for members, Wheaton Park District residents, and kids 17 and younger. cosleyzoo.org/pumpkin-fest.

Randall Oaks Fall Festival: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Randall Oaks Zoo, 1180 N. Randall Road, West Dundee. Pedal tractors, pumpkins and fall treats for sale. On weekends, there are hayrides for $3.50 and animal shows. $5 for residents, $5.50 for nonresidents; free for kids 1 and younger and U.S. military with ID. dtpd.org/randall-oaks-zoo.

Happy Times Pumpkinfest: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Didier Farms, 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Lincolnshire. Food, activities, pig races and more. Free; fee for activities. happytimespumpkinfest.com.

Fall Fest 2023: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago. Pumpkin picking, hot cider, toasted s'mores and more. Free; tickets required. lpzoo.org.

Six Flags Great America Fright Fest and Oktoberfest: 6-11 p.m. Thursdays, 5-11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays, through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Six Flags Great America, Six Flags Drive, Gurnee. Daytime hours are family-friendly with trick-or-treat and Halloween crafts. Evening hours include haunted mazes, roaming zombies, scary clowns and spooky shows. Oktoberfest: Noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday featuring German food and beer. Tickets start at $45. sixflags.com/greatamerica.

13th Floor Haunted House: Various times and days through Sunday, Nov. 5, at 5050 River Road, Schiller Park. One hour before opening, guests can walk through the haunted house without live actors. Tickets start at $26.99 on select nights. 13thfloorchicago.com.

Jack O'Lantern World: Various times and dates through Sunday, Oct. 29, at 215 S. Rand Road, Lake Zurich. Walk a ¾-milelong trail through thousands of jack-o'-lanterns hand-carved by local artisans. $14.99-$24.99. thejackolanternworld.com/lakezurich.

The Old Joliet Haunted Prison: Various times and dates through Saturday, Nov. 4, at 401 Woodruff Road, Joliet. This immersive haunted house winds through the dark, abandoned halls of the infamous Joliet Correctional Center. Tickets start at $29.99 on select nights. hauntedprison.com.

Sugar Skull City: Daily through Sunday, Nov. 5, at participating businesses in downtown Aurora. Sugar Skull City is a downtown-wide celebration of Day of the Dead with art, activities, specials, shopping and more. Local businesses will have special decorations on display. Free. auroradowntown.org/sugarskullcity.

Terror Roulette: Various times and dates through Tuesday, Oct. 31, at The Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, Suite J-40, South Barrington. Haunted house challenge designed for horror fans. Tickets start at $33.60. terrorroulette.com.

Friday, Oct. 20

Treats and Treasures Fall Fundraiser: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at St. Hugh of Lincoln Episcopal Church, 36W957 Highland Ave., Elgin. Shop vintage, classic and retro holiday and household decor, jewelry, games, linens and handcrafted gift items. The bakery features seasonal treats, cookies, brownies and more. Proceeds benefit the church's local and outreach ministries. Free. sthugh.net.

Military Miniature Society of Illinois Show: 3-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Chicago Marriott Schaumburg, 50 Martingale Road, Schaumburg. Juried exhibition hosted by the Military Miniatures Society of Illinois featuring the work of modelers from around the world displaying painted miniature figures and original sculptures from historical to fantasy, armored and other vehicles, airplanes, ships, dioramas and vignettes. Vendor area offers model kits, paints, tools, books and more. Admission $10; free for kids 12 and younger. military-miniature-society-of-illinois.com.

Boonanza: 4-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Community Recreation Center, 100 Community Blvd., Wheeling. Kid-friendly activities include pumpkin decorating, crafts, magic show, carnival games, balloonist and inflatables. Free. wheelingparkdistrict.com.

Spooktacular Halloween Festival: 4-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20; 11 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, at The Promenade Bolingbrook, 631 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook. Saturday: Craft and vendor show, story times, laser light shows, Walk the Hay Bale Trail, costume parade and more. Sunday: Pet costume parade and trick-or-treating with the crafters. Free. shoppingpromenade.com/.

Halloween Pet Parade: 5-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Techny Prairie Park and Fields, 1700 Techny Road, Northbrook. Pet parade followed by a costume contest. $10. Register online at nbparks.org/events/halloweenpetparade.

Trick-or-Treat Trail: 5-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Buffalo Grove Park District Community Arts Center, 225 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove. Walk through the indoor trail, where friendly characters will hand out candy to kids. Plus, games, entertainment and more. Parents/guardians must accompany children during this scare-free event. Free. bgparks.org/trick-or-treat-trail.

Cosley Zoo Spooktacular: 5:15-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Cosley Zoo, 1356 N. Gary Ave., Wheaton. Family-friendly Halloween activities and decorations. $12.95 for kids 2 and older. Tickets at cosleyzoo.org.

Autumn Hayrides: 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, at Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles. Fee includes a 30-minute tractor-drawn wagon ride and supplies to make s'mores over an open fire. $15. stcparks.org/events.

Halloween Movie in the Barn: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Village Hall Barn, 2 Lagoon Drive, Hawthorn Woods. Screening of a seasonal movie. Free. vhw.org.

Night at the Museum-Halloween Party: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at the DuPage County Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley St., Wheaton. Family-friendly Halloween celebration featuring a flashlight scavenger hunt, movie and crafts. Halloween costumes encouraged. Hosted by the DuPage County Historical Museum Foundation. $18. Register at wheatonparkdistrict.com/events/.

Zombie Fun Run: 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Volkening Lake, 900 W. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Run or walk while dressed in a Halloween costume for nearly two miles while being chased by zombies. Fee includes a hot dog or brat, chips and a drink. $10-$15. parkfun.com.

Schaumburg Halloween Carnival: 6-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 6-9 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 20-29, and 6-10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 30-31, at Wintrust Field Parking Lot and Walkway to the Entrance, 1999 S. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. Spooky rides, a House of Creeps haunted house, food, trick-or-treating, seasonally themed arts and crafts, live music and more. Free; parking is $5. Haunted house admission is $17.50 online, $20 at the door. wintrustfield.com.

All Hallows Eve: 6:30-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Halloween-themed outdoor activities, art and performances for all ages. Haunted performances by the Naperville Park District and Kaneland Arts Initiative; Big Nazo's Alien Autopsy; fire dance performances by Ohio Burn Unit; magician Steve Chezaday; Acts of Dancer; and Monster Jams by School of Rock. See a 15-foot werewolf art installation created by nationally recognized Naperville artist Paul Kuhn and a zombie photo experience created by horror photographer Joshua Hoffine and professional makeup and FX artist Damien Zimmerman. Also, a Zombie Maze, ax throwing by Axe Legends; Bubble Bubble Toil and Trouble; Bug and Reptile Show; face painting; caricaturist; black light painting with Pinot's Palette; laser tag with Wicked Ball; and more. $20. napersettlement.org/285/All-Hallows-Eve.

Haunted Forest Walk: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, with 1-3 p.m. Saturday matinee, at Hawthorne Hill Woods, Woodridge. Woodridge Park District's haunted forest trail features scary characters around every corner. Saturday matinee is suitable for kids 9 and younger. Parking is available on Carleton Drive at the village hall and at the Woodridge Public Library on Plaza Drive. Drop-off location is on the west end of the Woodridge Park District Community Center parking lot, 2600 Center Drive, Woodridge. No presale. Ticket sales end at 3 p.m. for matinee and 9:30 p.m. for evening. $5 for the afternoon event; $8 for the evening events. Purchase tickets inside the Community Center and take a hayride to Hawthorne Hill Woods. woodridgeparks.org.

Trick-or-Treat Tango: 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at the Vaughn Athletic Center, 2121 W. Indian Trail, Aurora. Costume contest with prizes, dancing, crafts, games, and candy for kids 3 and older. $10 in advance, $12 the day of. Register at foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.

Saturday, Oct. 21

Artisan Collective: 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 21, on River Street, Batavia. Pop-up market featuring local artisans offering handmade goods and vintage items. Free. downtownbatavia.com.

GO Waukegan Zombie Walk: 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Hinkston Park, 810 Baldwin, Waukegan. Themed outdoor walk. Free. waukeganparks.org/programs/go-waukegan.

Keller's Farmstand Fun Fall Festivities: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Keller's Farmstand Oswego, 2500 Johnson Road, Oswego. 8-acre corn maze, kids' play area, farm animals, rope and brick mazes, straw maze, bike tracks, horse play area, playhouse, tire stack for climbing and old tractors for photo opportunities. $11.99 with a $2 discount for seniors and military; free for kids 4 and younger. kellersfarmstand.com.

Boo! at the Zoo: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21-22, at Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St., Brookfield. Pumpkin decorating, treats, pumpkin feeding to the animals at 10:30 a.m., zoo chats, magic shows, Halloween scenes and a virtual reality spooky carnival coaster (extra fee). Costumes encouraged. $29.95, $24.95 for 65 and older, $20.95 for kids 3-11. czs.org/booatthezoo.

Civil War Encampment & Battle: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, on the north end of the Northbrook Sports Club, 200 S. Hainesville Road, Hainesville. Relive history as period-garbed re-enactors re-create battles, bivouacs, battlefield surgeries and historical presentations of the American Civil War. Meet Abraham Lincoln, General Grant and others. Free. hainesville.org.

The Great Pumpkin Arts & Crafts Fair: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, at Unity Spiritual Center of Woodstock, 225 W. Calhoun St., Woodstock. Craft fair, bake sale and pumpkin auction. $5 for adults, free for kids with a donation to the food pantry. facebook.com/.

Halloween Hayday: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Persinger Rec Center, 3507 Kaneville Road, Geneva. Games, science activities, costume contest, Halloween egg hunt, entertainment, bounce houses, hay rides (weather permitting) and more. For kids 14 and younger: $11-$13 in advance; $13-$16 at the door. Free for adults. Register at genevaparks.org.

Halloween Trick-or-Treat Trail: 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at McCollum Park, Downers Grove. Friendly characters will be handing out candy and treats. Touch-a-Truck in the parking lot. For kids 3-12. Limited number of spots for each 15-minute time slot. $10-$15. Register at dgparks.org.

Haunted Hoffman Family Fest: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Fabbrini Park, 1704 Glen Lake Road, Hoffman Estates. Inflatables, giant yard and carnival games, face painting, temporary tattoos, food truck, music and more. Come in costume. $8 for the Trick-or-Treat Path featuring characters including Chase, Ana and Elsa, Big Bird and more. Register at heparks.org.

Wicked West Fest: 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, on Cass Avenue in downtown Westmont. Halloween costume contest at 10:15 a.m. At 11 a.m., community groups and agencies compete in the annual pumpkin smashing extravaganza. Competitors will go 20 feet up in the air in a bucket truck and then throw their pumpkin at a target to earn the titles of Pumpkin Superstar and Extraordinaire. Trick-or-Treat Trail from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Caskets on Cass, a foot race of homemade caskets, is from 12:30-1:30 p.m. westmontevents.com.

Howl O' Ween Dog Parade: 10-11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Peck Farm Park, 4038 Kaneville Road, Geneva. One handler per dog. One person may bring more than one dog. Prizes will be awarded. Free, but registration is required. genevaparks.org/event/howl-o-ween-dog-parade-3.

Pumpkin Weekends: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, Oct. 29, at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora. Family-friendly fall festivities including bubble making Sunday. Admission is $7-$8, which includes rides and attractions; pumpkins are $3. foxvalleyparkdistrict.org.

Fall Bash at Deer Park Town Center: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Deer Park Town Center, 20530 N. Rand Road, Deer Park. Family-friendly activities, including complimentary magic shows, pumpkin decorating, balloon art, DJ dance party and more. Free. shopdeerparktowncenter.com/events/fall-bash.

Flannel Fest: Noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at The Wilds at Red Oak Nature Center, 930 N. River Road, North Aurora. Dress in flannel for this family-friendly, indoor/outdoor picnic that includes live music, nature activities and lawn games. Bring your own beverages (alcohol allowed for 21+), blankets and lawn chairs. $14. Register at redoaknaturecenter.info.

North Aurora Trunk-or-Treat: 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the North Aurora Police Department, 200 S. Lincolnway. Free. northaurora.org.

Trick-or-Treat Climb: 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at The Club at Prairie Stone, 5050 Sedge Blvd., Hoffman Estates. Kids will collect treats and prizes as they climb up the climbing wall. Rock climbing-friendly costumes welcome. $12-$15. heparks.org.

Pumpkin Patch Festival: 1-9 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays, through Sunday, Oct. 29, at 79th and Harlem, 7325 W. 79th St., Bridgeview. Pumpkins, carnival rides, petting zoo, balloon artist, face painting, magic show, kiddie haunted house and maze, food and more. $15 per person or $50 per family; free parking with online ticket purchase. eventwizinc.com.

Palatine Jaycees Fall Back Brew Fest: 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at 155 W. Wilson St., Palatine. Try a variety of Illinois and Midwestern beers. $45; $60 VIP; $10 designated driver. palatinejaycees.org/fall-back-brew-fest.

All Hallows Eve: 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Arlington Heights Historical Museum, 110 W. Fremont St., Arlington Heights. Halloween activities for all ages. Costumes encouraged. $10 per kid. Register at ahpd.org.

Halloween Hoopla: 2-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Jewett Park Community Center, 836 Jewett Park Drive, Deerfield. Kids' games, hayrides, inflatables in the park, trick-or-treat trail, entertainment and more. For kids 3-12. $10 per child for residents, $15 for nonresidents. deerfieldparks.org.

Halloween Bar Crawl: Check-in time is from 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 and 28, and 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at participating bars in Chicago. Don a costume and go on a pub crawl. $15-$40. To receive hours and check-in bars, register at Eventbrite.com.

Haunted Forest: 3-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Diane Main Park, 300 W. 59th St., Westmont. Take a wagon ride from Diane Main Park through the woods past scenes and then walk through the wicked woods. “Little Monsters” from 3-6:30 p.m. and “Sheer Terror” from 7-9:30 p.m. $8. westmontparks.org/event/haunted-forest-23.

Round Lake Trick-or-Treat Trail: 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Hart's Woods Park, 814 Hart Road, Round Lake. Candy, crafts, a corn maze and hay rides. Free. rlapd.org.

Algonquin Trick-or-Treat Trail: 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Old Town Algonquin, along Main Street, Algonquin. Stop by over 20 participating businesses for treats. Also, pumpkin painting, inflatables, games and more. Free. algonquin.org.

Monster Madness: 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Lisle Community Park, 1800 Short St., Lisle. For kids 2-10, wristband includes fun fair games, inflatable, petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, cookie walk, corn bin, pumpkin patch and more. Prize bag and pumpkin to the first 300 registrants. $20 in advance, $25 on-site. lisleparkdistrict.org/monstermadness.html.

Halloween Spooktacular Disco Ball: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at Community Recreation Center, 505 N. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. A family-friendly Halloween party with music by The Dynamix, games, goody bags, a costume contest and photo opportunities with characters. Concessions available. $12-$14. parkfun.com.

Itasca Haunted Trail: 6-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the Ray Franzen Bird Sanctuary, 650 N. Rohlwing Road, Itasca. A guide will lead kids 11 or younger with a parent or 12 or older alone through the one-third-mile loop. Family hour from 6-7 p.m. and active scaring from 7-9:30 p.m. Last group leaves at 9:15 p.m. Weather permitting. $7, $3 for repeat trips; cash only. itascaparkdistrict.com.

Nightmare on Chicago Street: 6-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, on Chicago Street, between Grove Avenue and Villa Street, Elgin. 11th annual event with live entertainment, bands, food, drinks, vendors, graffiti artists, a costume contest and special guests such as MeTV's Svengoolie. $35; VIP parking $50. nightmareonchicagostreet.com.

Sunday, Oct. 22

Pumpkin Splash: 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, at Arlington Ridge Center, 660 N. Ridge Ave., Arlington Heights. Bob for pumpkins. The activity pool will have floating plastic pumpkins and harvest eggs containing candy or toys. $12 for residents; $17 for nonresidents. Registration required. ahpd.org.

Trunk or Treat: 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, at North Suburban YMCA, 2705 Techny Road, Northbrook. Halloween-decorated cars will be parked in the lot and filled with candy. Plus, live music, snacks, vendors, kids' activities and more. Free. nsymca.org/fall-fest.

Afternoon Throwback Movies: 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, at Playhouse 38, 321 Stevens St., Suite P, Geneva. See the classic horror film “The Night of the Living Dead.” Concessions for purchase. $5. genevaparks.org/playhouse.

Monday, Oct. 23

Halloween Howl: 4-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23, at the Fox Lake Police Department, 301 S. Route 59, Fox Lake. Meet members of the Fox Lake Police Department, plus treats, hot dogs, kids' activities, hot chocolate and hay rides. Free. foxlake.org/432/Halloween-Howl.

Wednesday, Oct. 25

Downtown Trick-or-Treat: 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, in downtown Mount Prospect. Come in costume and trick-or-treat at downtown Mount Prospect businesses with an orange pumpkin on the door or window. Businesses with teal pumpkins will offer nonfood treats. mpdowntown.com/events.

Enchanted Night at the Museum: 5-7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Raupp Museum, 901 Dunham Lane, Buffalo Grove. Participants will start outdoors with a flashlight egg hunt then move indoors for riddles and challenges while exploring the museum. Halloween punch and a goody bag is included. For kids 7-12. $12-$15. Register at bgparks.org.

Pumpkin Festival: Various times Wednesday through Sunday, Oct. 25-29, with many activities taking place near the corners of Main and State streets and on the courthouse lawn, Sycamore. Events include: Pumpkin check-in from noon to 9 p.m. and opening ceremony and giant cake cutting at 5 p.m. Wednesday; Kiwanis Prayer Breakfast, trick-or-treat event and pumpkin celebrations on Thursday; United Methodist Church craft show on Friday; pancake breakfast, burgers and soup luncheon, historic homes tour, golf scramble, live entertainment, and pie-eating contest Saturday; Sycamore Chamber 10K Pumpkin Run, Autumn Craft and Treasures Market, and Pumpkin Festival Parade on Sunday. Teen carnival and kiddie carnival from 3-10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Free, some activities have fees. dekalbcountycvb.com/dccvb-event/pumpkin-festival.

Thursday, Oct. 26

Downtown Trick-or-Treating: 2-5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26. Kids can wear their Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat in downtown Geneva at participating shops and restaurants that have signs displayed on the door or window. geneva.il.us.

Ackerman Haunted Trail: 4-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26-27, at Ackerman Park, 800 St. Charles Road, Glen Ellyn. The trail will be less scary from 4-6 p.m. and geared toward older kids from 6-9 p.m. The walk will take about 10 minutes. Halloween-themed games and food trucks. $5. Advance registration required at gepark.org/gepdevent/ackerman-haunted-trail/.

“Death, Victorian Style”: 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Part of “Your Friendly Neighborhood Historian” series. Death was a near constant presence during the Victorian age. Why were they so focused on death, and why are their creations still scary today? $10. Register at napersettlement.org.

Happy Hour with Lambs Farm: 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at North Shore Distillery, 13990 W. Rockland Road, Green Oaks. Happy hour to support Lambs Farm. $75 includes a guided distillery tour with samples, a cocktail demonstration station and appetizers. lambsfarm.org/event/happy-hour-with-lambs-farm-2.

Pumpkin Splash: 6-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26-27, at The Water Works, 505 N. Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg. Swim with pumpkins and enjoy pool pumpkin picking, DJ entertainment and a goody bag. For kids 12 and younger with an adult. $15-$20. Register at parkfun.com.

West Chicago Spooky Trail: 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, and 7-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27-28, at Reed-Keppler Park, 129 W. National St., West Chicago. A one-third-mile haunted trail with ghouls, witches and all things scary. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Register in advance at we-goparks.org/special-events.