Brooklyn parent resources Macaroni KID Brooklyn NW and Brooklyn Bridge Parents have teamed up to bring you some of the best free family events for Brooklyn families in October including the Maker Faire, Fall festivals, and Halloween parties!
1. Maker Faire Coney Island
Thursday, October 5-6 | 11am-5pm | $16 kids, $31 adults | Coney Island
Maker Faire Coney Island is an interactive event that celebrates, shares and showcases the work of inventors, creators, and DIY enthusiasts of all ages. The event features hands-on exhibits, demonstrations, and workshops in fields such as robotics, crafts, engineering, art, music, 3D-printing and future technologies, designed by students, teachers, and independent folks who build interesting things. This year they are featuring OUTHOUSE RACES!
2. Brooklyn Circus at Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Thursday, October 5 | 11:30am-12:30pm and 2:30pm-3:30pm | $15 | Crown Heights
ABCirque returns to Brooklyn Children’s Museum for a day of interactive performances and hands-on workshops! This year, the main performance will take place outside on our rooftop to ensure everyone has a good view. Swing on silks, try your hand at juggling, test your balance, take a spin on a gigantic wheel, and more on this expanded day of programs!
3. Fall Fest at Atlantic Terminal Mall Plaza
Sunday, October 13 | 11am-2pm | FREE | Downtown Brooklyn
Atlantic Terminal and Brooklyn Bridge Parents are hosting a FREE family-friendly fall festival on Atlantic Terminal’s outdoor plaza and car-free Fort Greene Place. We will set up an “urban pumpkin patch” with over 1,000 pumpkins waiting to be decorated by the kiddos. The outdoor plaza and car-free Fort Greene Place will feature arts & crafts, pumpkin painting, block building, haunted trucks to enter (if you dare), soccer, costume dance party and more! Kids are encouraged to come in costumes.
4. Sound & Color! Autumn in New York at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sunday, October 19 | 11am-5pm | FREE | Brooklyn Heights
Enjoy live musical performances, food vendors, kids activities, arts and crafts, field games and more—including our signature pumpkin patch. There is a great lineup of community partners who will be lending their time and talents, for a day of family-friendly fun.
5. Superhero & Pumpkin Fest at CityPoint
Sunday, October 20 | 11am-1pm | FREE | Downtown Brooklyn
What’s the spookiest thing you’ve ever seen? Share your answer on a Post-It and be part of a Community Halloween Installation. To kick off the interactive installation, City Point and Brooklyn Bridge Parents will host free pumpkin decorating on Saturday, October 7 from 11am to 2pm in the space opposite the book store. Subway Therapy is an immersive and interactive work aiming to help people smile, laugh, and de-stress. It’s about community expression and bringing together our vibrant and diverse BKLYN community. Subway Therapy is an ongoing interactive and participatory public work. The space will be open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to 6pm and Tuesdays to Fridays 12 to 6pm until November 6. Stop by to share your scary stories!
6. Brooklyn FAM: Festival of Arts & Music in Prospect Park
Sunday, October 20 | 11am-5pm | FREE, suggested donation | Prospect Park Boathouse
Join folks from across the borough for Brooklyn FAM’s 4th annual flagship festival of arts and music, presented in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance. Join folks of all ages for an incredible, intergenerational celebration of Latinx and Afro-Latinx voices. This FREE, family-friendly event embraces Brooklyn FAM’s year-long theme of home, identity, and belonging across puppet theater, music, dance, dance workshops, spoken word, craft stations, a collaborative public art project, children’s author visits, and a panel discussion. Culturally aligned food from Brooklyn eateries will be available for purchase (vegan and kosher options available).
7. The Annual Great Pupkin Dog Costume Contest + Halloween Fest in Fort Greene Park
Saturday, October 26 | 12-4pm (dog contest 12-1:30pm) | FREE ($22 dog costume entry) | Fort Greene
Presented by Fort Greene PUPS, the Great PUPkin is Brooklyn’s largest and most outrageous dog costume contest. Scads of dogs enter and ruthlessly compete for the coveted Great PUPkin rosettes for the top pups! Come in costume and stay for the Park’s Halloween Fest! Enjoy spooky stories, face painting, family-friendly games, and more.
8. Halloween Festival in Bay Ridge
Saturday, October 26 | 3-7pm | FREE | Bay Ridge | FREE
Brooklyn Bridge Parents is partnering up with the 5th Avenue BID in Bay Ridge to host a big fall festival on 10 blocks on car-free 5th Avenue from 72nd to 85th Street. Come enjoy the many restaurants from all over the world, the uniquely decorated houses in the side streets and a block party with bouncy houses, arts & crafts, pumpkin decorating, “Trunk-or-Treat”, haunted trucks, music, magic show and much more. The magic show will take place from 4 to 5 pm. Kids are encouraged to come in costumes.
9. Court Street Spectacular Street Fair
Sunday, October 27 | 11am-6pm | FREE entry | Downtown Brooklyn
Court Street Spectacular Street Fair – located between Atlantic Avenue and Joralemon Street – is Brooklyn’s last big street festival of the year! Take a stroll down Court Street and visit the merchants and vendors, good eats, and kids’ rides on Court Street.
10. Attend a Halloween Party in your neighborhood!
Pencil in one of these classic Brooklyn Halloween celebrations and flaunt your family’s costumes before you head out for a glorious night of Trick-or-Treating on Halloween! Read our full Halloween Guide here.
- Dumboween Parade and Archway Party
Thursday, October 31st | 4pm (party through 7pm)
A neighborhood tradition, DUMBOWEEN brings hundreds of costumed Dumbonians out for their Annual March to the Arch through Brooklyn Bridge Park with brass bands + puppets, followed by an Archway Party featuring crafts with Creatively WILD Art Studio, a photobooth, and of course, candy! Plus, Trick-or-Treat at 50 + Dumbo small businesses around the neighborhood! - Cobble Hill Halloween Parade
Thursday, October 31st | 4pm
Organized by the Cobble Hill Association, the parade is led by a big-brass band and followed by a procession of costumed families marching down Congress to Henry, around to Warren Street and back to the park. Afterwards, kids can stop at stoops for treats in one of the most active Halloween communities in Brooklyn. - BAMboo! at BAM
Thursday, October 31st | 4-7pm
Put a lid on the cauldron, grab your broomsticks, and soar over to BAM for an afternoon of candy giveaways, carnival games, arts and crafts, and kid-friendly movies. - Park Slope Halloween Parade
Thursday, October 31st | 5-7pm
Dress up in your best costume and join in the annual Park Slope Civic Council Halloween Parade! Parade Route is 7th Ave, Starting at 14th St to 3rd St, turning on 3rd street, ending at Old Stone House.
Bonus event across the river:
Seaport Kids x Halloween Block Party
Saturday, October 26 | 3-5pm | FREE | Seaport Square, Lower Manhattan
Presented in partnership with Mommy Poppins and Brooklyn Bridge Parents, enjoy a live music performance from urban cowboy musician Hopalong Andrew from 4:00-4:45pm, as well as pumpkin-painting, face-painting, halloween crafts activities and, of course, a celebration of attendees’ fabulous costumes. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes (both themselves and their doggos) for a chance to win a prize. But the fun doesn’t stop there! Head on over to Seaport Square for a seasonal spooky activation by Dunkin’, featuring special Halloween treats, an interactive game, a photo moment and giveaways!
Main Photo: Fall Fest @ Atlantic Terminal
