By: Ashmar Mandou

We are well into Fall enjoying the colorful foliage, sweater weather, and pumpkin spice anything, and there is nothing greater than the welcoming of witches, vampires, tombstones, and hauntings around the city of Chicago. From pumpkin patch farms, to campfire horrors, to Día de los Muertos celebrations there is plenty to enjoy with the whole family. Enjoy the scariest time of the year with our Halloween guide.

Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm and Garden Center
Monday through Sunday
40 W. Higgins Rd, South Barrington
9a.m. to 6p.m.
Kids ages 3 and up $15 (weekends); weekdays $12
Enjoy the farm’s Fall Harvest Market, stocked with pumpkins and other fresh vegetables from Goebbert’s 40-acre farm. Visit the Animal Land, featuring 50 different creatures, or enjoy pony or camel rides ($6). For more information, visit www.pumpkinfarms.com

Brookfield Zoo’s Annual Boo!
October 21st, October 27th, and October 28th
8400 31st Street, Brookfield, IL
10a.m.
General Admission $21.95 (Adults); $15.95 (Children and Seniors)
Youngsters can bring their trick-or-treat bags to the zoo and slither over to the five candy stations, make their way through the Crazed Maize Corn Maze, and board a Haunted Hayride. For more information, visit www.CZS.org/Boo

Arts in the Dark
Saturday, Oct. 20th
State Street
6p.m. to 8p.m.
Free
Arts in the Dark, the magical nighttime Halloween procession, will march down State Street for the first time. The event will be filled with costumes, spectacle, music, dance and more. For more information, visit www.artsinthedark.org.

‘Campfire Horrors’
Friday, Oct. 26th
Northerly Island: 1521 S. Linn White Dr.
7p.m.
Free
Get into the Halloween spirit by catching The Exorcist during Chicago Park Districts ‘Campfire Horrors” Movie Series outdoor screening. For more information, visit www.chicagoparkdistrict.com

UNO Carrera de los Muertos/Race of the Dead 5K
Saturday, Oct. 27th
Benito Juarez Community Academy: 1450-1510 W. Cermak Rd.
8a.m.
$35-$55
The United Neighborhood Organization is hosting its 12th Annual Carrera de los Muertos 5K Run/Walk in Chicago’s vibrant Pilsen neighborhood. For more information, visit www.unoraceofthedead.org.

Trick-or-Treat Trail
Saturday, Oct. 27th
Orland Park Lions Club Haunted Woods: 14800 Ravinia, Orland Park
3:30p.m. to 6p.m.
$3 per child
Trick-or-Treat throughout the woods. Enjoy the scenes without the scares. Dress up your little ones and visit the haunted woods in the daylight and pick up some sweet treats. Ages 8 and under. For more information, visit www.OrlandParkLionsClub.com.

Day of the Dead Xicágo
Sunday, Oct. 28th
Harrison Park
3p.m. to 8p.m.
Free
Light, projection and visual displays will transform the National Museum of Mexican Art’s exterior and the surrounding area for this annual Day of the Dead celebration in Pilsen. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

Day of the Dead and Maxwell Street 106th Birthday Celebration
Sunday, Oct. 28th
Maxwell Street Market: 800 S. Desplaines St.
10:30a.m. to 2p.m.
Free
Family-friendly activities include a mural dedication, traditional arts, and crafts, pumpkin decorating, live music, dancing and much more. For more information, visit www.maxwellstreetmarket.us.

Northalsted Halloween Parade
Wednesday, Oct. 31st
North Halsted St. (From Belmont Ave to Cornelia Ave.)
7:30p.m.
Free
The Northalsted Halloween Parade is ranked one of the 10 Best Halloweens in the U.S. b Fodor’s Travel Guide. At this annual event, an exuberant crowd lines the streets of Boystown, one of the nation’s leading LGBTQ+ communities, to check out fantastical outfits during an evening parade. For more information, visit www.northalsted.com/events/halloween

Disney in Concert: Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
Wednesday, Oct. 31st
Thursday, Nov. 1st
Auditorium Theatre: 50 E. Ida B Wells Dr.
7:30p.m.
$30-$86
In honor of the 25th anniversary of The Nightmare Before Christmas the Chicago Philharmonic will perform Danny Elfman’s renowned score live to film. Attendees are encouraged to dress in costume and celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead. For more information, visit www.auditortiumtheatre.org/shows/nightmarebeforechristmas

38th Annual Dia de los Muertos
Thursday, Nov. 2nd
Elevarte Community Studio: 1119 W. Cullerton St.
3:30p.m. to 8p.m.
Free
The 38th Annual Día de los Muertos returns as one of the most anticipated evets during the Fall season where families can enjoy a community procession to celebrate life and honor those who have recently departed. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/elevartestudio/