Fall Activities in Chicago
Hey there, fall lover. We’ve done some digging (no, not in graves) and have found some of the most fun fall activities for the whole family near Chicago, IL. If you’re going to one in person, don’t forget to bring your mask. And hey, pocket-sized hand sanitizer never hurts, either!
2020 Fall Family- (and Kid-) Friendly Activities
This list is current as of 10/1/20, but if you notice something that needs to be added or updated, please comment below, message us, or email info@hailstorm-development.com and we’ll correct it ASAP!
Free Events & Activities
- Fall Is in the Air at Lincoln Park Zoo
- First, ‘Gourd’-ge yourself on free harvest fun at Lincoln Park Zoo! This year, in order to prioritize safety as you celebrate the joys, smells, and colors of autumn, we’ve reimagined our seasonal offerings. That means no Fall Fest, but plenty of unbe-‘leaf’-able fun for the whole family from October 1-November 1.
- Next, simply make your free reservation to visit the zoo this fall to stroll the one-way trail without the crowds. This year, Lincoln Park Zoo will be adorned with carved pumpkins, corn husks, and hay bales.
- Finally, for one $3 ticket, enjoy two new experiences–he Pumpkin Walk, a beautifully designed path through the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo, and Patch’s Pumpkin Bar & Grill, a fall-themed pop-up located at Bird’s Eye Bar & Grill. Plus, cherish the return of longtime festive favorites such as: live professional pumpkin carvers (Saturdays only, as part of the Pumpkin Walk), delicious festive snacks, and a pumpkin patch. Click here to learn more.
- Day Of The Dead Xicágo
- Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) is taking place virtually this year. If you haven’t signed up for their newsletter yet, do so here to receive the latest information on upcoming events.
- Haunted Tours of Chicago
- Free Tours By Foot Chicago provides a platform for local, freelance tour guides to lead walking tours as well as ghost and architecture tours at no upfront cost, so that you may enjoy a worry-free, quality sight-seeing experience. Experience The Haunting History & Ghost Tour as the sun sets through downtown Chicago hearing some of the most gruesome and creepy Chicago stories on our Haunting History & Ghost Tour. Reservations are required. Make your reservation on their website from 10/2/20 – 11/12/20.
Pre-Register & Purchase Tickets
Fun Activities for the Whole Family
- Virtual Crypt Run/Walk 5K, 10K, 1K
The 2020 Crypt Run is a virtual run/walk event that can be completed anywhere during the month of October. Distances offered include a 5k, 10k, and 1k and all can be done as a run or walk. During their activity, participants will use a special interactive course app to record their route, invite friends and family to track and interact, and receive special audio messages about Chicago’s spooky history and how their participation benefits the event’s non-profit beneficiary, Best Buddies Illinois.
- Select one of the four different race options including Lincoln Park Neighborhood Run, Ravenswood Neighborhood Run, and Design Your Own Course.
Adult Activities
You may want to leave the kids home for the night this time, folks. Surprisingly contrary to the name, pub crawls don’t literally involve crawling, so leave that to your toddler. Here are some adult-only events that you can bring a +1 or go stag to.
- Chicago Ghost Tours & Pub Crawls
- Ever wondered what the prohibition lifestyle would have looked like in Chicago? Explore the Lincoln Park area, and hear chilling tales about ghosts that haven’t moved on, the history that hasn’t left; and most importantly, spirits that might leave you seeing double.
Cancelled Events
- Boo at the Zoo (Brookfield)
- Family Fall Fest (Elmhurst)
- Halloween Parade and Festival (Glen Ellyn)
- Halloween Hop (Naperville)
- Halloween Happening (Naperville)
- Lombard Park District Fall Fest (Lombard)
- Fall Fest Boo to You Parade (Warrenville)
- The Last Straw Fall Events (Westmont)
- Haunted Halstead Halloween Parade
- Haunted Hearts and Household Ghosts
Sold Out & Full Events
- Ghost Stories in the Park…in the Dark! (Napeverville)
October 2, 2020 at 7:00 PM | Ages 5 and up
October 3, 2020 at 6:00 pm | Ages 5 and up
October 3, 2020 at 8:00 pm | Ages 12 and up
October 4, 2020 at 7:00 pm | Ages 12 and up
Bring your favorite hoodie or sweater and enjoy a scary story with your kids. Registration is currently sold out for all of the dates listed, but feel free to add yourself to the waitlists or keep it in mind for 2021! - Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns (Glencoe)
October 14-18, 2020
October 21-25, 2020
More than 1,000 hand-carved pumpkins—some as large as 150 pounds—will light up the night at our Halloween event. Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns takes advantage of the Garden’s glorious fall setting, and features only real pumpkins. It’s an unforgettable experience. This event is sold out. - Ghosts of Starved Rock’s Past Haunted Hike (Oglesby)
- Starved Rock is rich in history from French Explorers who came across the Illinois Indians at the Rock to the infamous Starved Rock murders in 1960 at St. Louis Canyon. Experience the trail through living interpretation as the “ghosts of Starved Rock’s past” guide you to the Rock along a luminary lit trail. Tales will be told….what will you believe, see, or hear in the dark, dark, woods?!
- Trunk or Treat (Milwaukee, WI)
Welcoming all families to join A StorSafe Storage for a Spooktacular Trunk-or-Treat and Car Show on Saturday, October 24, 2020!
Resources & Further Reading
Halloween events in Chicago: Top things to do 2020. (2020, September 22). Retrieved September 29, 2020, from https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/holidays/things-to-do-in-chicago-this-halloween/
Mayle, K. (2020, September 15). 2020 Kid-Friendly Halloween Events in the Western Suburbs. Retrieved September 18, 2020, from https://mykidlist.com/family-friendly-halloween-events/
Graphic Elements
- Jack O Lantern images obtained from All Free Download.
- Ghost image obtained from Vector Portal.