78 events listed as free by their source for the weekend of Oct 16–18. Some may still need registration or venue entry; check the source link. Back to the full New York weekend guide.
Updated
Big outings first: festivals, farms, shows and attractions, mixing free and paid, for a range of ages.
Garibaldi Plaza (Washington Square Park) — Manhattan · Manhattan
Watch hundreds of costumed dogs take over Washington Square Park at the Washington Square Park Conservancy’s Dog Halloween, a free event on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Free fall festival at Pier 6 with a mini pumpkin patch, crafts, face painting and live music.
Details at Brooklyn Bridge Park ↗Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center — Bronx · Bronx Co. · Bronx
NYC Parks fall fiesta with pumpkin decorating, a pumpkin patch, carnival games, face painting and a Mad Science demo.
Rain date Oct 24 (per NYC Parks). No registration.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Victory Field (Forest Park) — Queens · Queens
Join in on the annual Fall Festival at Victory Field!
Details at NYC Parks ↗J. Hood Wright Recreation Center and Park — Manhattan (Washington Heights) · New York Co. · Manhattan
Fall festival with a pumpkin patch, bounce houses, crafts and jumbo games, plus a haunted-house fright walk.
Registration required (per NYC Parks). The haunted house may be too scary for little kids.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Basketball Courts (J. Hood Wright Park) — Manhattan · Manhattan
Join us for a spooky celebration at J. Hood Wright Park. Wear your best costume and get ready for the scariest party in town in our interactive haunted house!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Lawn Area (Springfield Park) — Queens · Queens
Join us for a day of Fall Family Fun at Springfield Park
Details at NYC Parks ↗Entrance - Lafayette Avenue and Morrison Avenue (Soundview Park) — Bronx · Bronx
This event is free and open to the public.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Want your family-friendly business here? Sponsor this guide
Old Stone House (Washington Park) — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Join White Bird at the Old Stone House for a free, all-ages puppetry event.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Powers St. Community Garden — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Join the garden group at Powers Street Garden for a fun day filled with treats and tricks at the garden.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Gatehouse Garden — Manhattan · Manhattan
A celebration of another good season! Festivities will include Pumpkin Piñata Smash (sweets for kids of any age), Autumn Arts & Crafts, games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Play Area (Arrochar Playground) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Austin J. McDonald Playground Fieldhouse (Austin J. McDonald Playground) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗De Matti Playground (De Matti Park) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Outdoors at Faber Park Recreation Center (Faber Park Recreation Center) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Playground Area (Jack Breininger Park) — Queens · Queens
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Play Area (Levy Playground) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Nostrand Playground — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Join NYC parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos.
Details at NYC Parks ↗P.S. 55 (Lieutenant John H. Martinson Playground) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Playground (St. John's Park) — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Join NYC parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Entrance - Continental Place and Grandview Avenue (The Big Park) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Prospect Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Join Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs on Thursdays and Fridays at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.
Details at Prospect Park Alliance ↗Northwest Corner Seating Area (Washington Square Park) — Manhattan · Manhattan
Led by a local teaching artist, this drop-in class invites participants to explore creativity through hands-on artmaking under the shade of Scrabble Plaza’s trees.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Basketball Courts (J. Hood Wright Park) — Manhattan · Manhattan
Join us for a spooky celebration at J. Hood Wright Park. Wear your best costume and get ready for the scariest party in town in our interactive haunted house!
Details at NYC Parks ↗45th Ave. and Broadway (Moore Homestead Playground) — Queens · Queens
Three 17th-century witches, are resurrected on Halloween in modern-day Salem by an unsuspecting boy, who must now figure out how to get them back in the ground.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Lincoln Terrace Park (Lincoln Terrace / Arthur S. Somers Park) — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
The story of the famous musician Michael Jackson, known as the King of Pop.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Lawn (Naples Playground) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.
Details at NYC Parks ↗South Playground (Rev. T. Wendell Foster Park and Recreation Center ) — Bronx · Bronx
The third installment in the Minions spin-off series, and the seventh film overall in the Despicable Me...
Details at NYC Parks ↗Athletic Field (Starlight Park) — Bronx · Bronx
Come join NYC Parks for this "free" event.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Gymnasium (Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center) — Queens · Queens
Join our Youth Sports Club where will we hosting weekly clinics teaching youth how to play a variety of sports.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Thomas Jefferson Park — Manhattan · Manhattan
This free weekly program is available to youth ages 8-16 and enables participants to learn the fundamentals of the sport and stay active.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Play Area (Arrochar Playground) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗De Matti Playground (De Matti Park) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Outdoors at Faber Park Recreation Center (Faber Park Recreation Center) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Play Area (Levy Playground) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Join NYC Parks staff in free activities in NYC's playgrounds, including organized sports, games, fitness demos, board games, water games, and more!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Prospect Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs on Saturdays and Sundays at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.
Details at Prospect Park Alliance ↗The Amazing Garden — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Jesse with Moozika will play unamplified music for young children
Details at NYC Parks ↗Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center (Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center) — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Join NYC Parks for a colorful and hands-on Sugar Skull Art Workshop where you’ll transform a traditional sugar skull into a one-of-a-kind work of art.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Gymnasium (Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center) — Queens · Queens
Family Time is an open gymnasium time for members of all ages.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum (Fidler-Wyckoff House Park) — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Celebrate autumn with us with fall crafts and activities!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center (Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center) — Bronx · Bronx
Come join NYC Parks for this "Free" Event
Details at NYC Parks ↗Outdoors at Faber Park Recreation Center (Faber Park Recreation Center) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Get ready for a frightfully fun time at Faber Park Fright Fest!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Prospect Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Celebrate Autumn in Prospect Park by supporting migratory birds!
Details at Prospect Park Alliance ↗Prospect Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Have you ever wondered what lives beneath your feet on the forest floor?
Details at Prospect Park Alliance ↗Rutan-Becket House (Conference House Park) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Youth Art Featuring Pieces Completed by the Students of Artist and Sculptor Donna Napoli-Steele.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Gymnasium (Highbridge Recreation Center) — Manhattan · Manhattan
NYC Parks instructional Basketball Clinic open to youth ages 5 to 7, to learn and practice the fundaments of Basketball through a series of drills.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Northwest Corner Seating Area (Washington Square Park) — Manhattan · Manhattan
Led by a local teaching artist, this drop-in class invites participants to explore creativity through hands-on artmaking under the shade of Scrabble Plaza’s trees.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Multi-Use Room (Kissena Park) — Queens · Queens
Join us at Kissena Park Field House for a fun still-life drawing session with our friendly neighborhood skeleton, Skully!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Addabbo Playground (Tudor Park) — Queens · Queens
Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom.
Details at NYC Parks ↗43rd Street and 1st Avenue (Bush Terminal Park) — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they're introduced to electronics, a new threat to playtime.
Details at NYC Parks ↗Outdoors at Faber Park Recreation Center (Faber Park Recreation Center) — Staten Island · Staten Island
Three 17th-century witches, hanged for their murderous crimes, are resurrected on Halloween in modern-day Salem by an unsuspecting boy...
Details at NYC Parks ↗Ballfield 11
Are you looking to learn how to play softball or hoping to improve your game during the offseason?
Details at NYC Parks ↗Prospect Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs on Saturdays and Sundays at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.
Details at Prospect Park Alliance ↗Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum (Fidler-Wyckoff House Park) — Brooklyn · Brooklyn
Celebrate autumn with us with fall crafts and activities!
Details at NYC Parks ↗Prospect Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Celebrate Autumn in Prospect Park by supporting migratory birds!
Details at Prospect Park Alliance ↗Prospect Park — Brooklyn · Kings Co. · Brooklyn
Have you ever wondered what lives beneath your feet on the forest floor?
Details at Prospect Park Alliance ↗6th Street and Avenue B Community Garden — Manhattan · Manhattan
Help plant daffodil bulbs in 6th Street & Avenue B Garden kids garden and enjoy a warming cup of borscht cooked up by Chef Michael!
Details at NYC Parks ↗From the Jersey City Free Public Library. (NYPL, Brooklyn and Queens library calendars block automated tools, so they aren't included yet.) Some need registration; check the library page.
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