October brings our fall festivals with thousands of free pumpkins waiting to be decorated in Downtown Brooklyn and Bay Ridge, a new BMX exhibit at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, a square-dance hoedown on Montague Street, Open House New York’s weekend of behind-the-scenes tours, Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Harvest Festival, a vintage car show and then it is Halloween, with one more pumpkin party of ours at Kings Plaza.
1. Open House New York Weekend | Borough-wide
Friday, October 16 – Sunday, October 18 | 300+ sites across the five boroughs | Most sites drop-in, some need tickets
Open House New York opens more than 300 buildings and places across the city for three days, including the native-plant meadow at the Naval Cemetery Landscape in the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Powerhouse Arts in Gowanus. You can just show up at most sites; some tours need tickets for space or security reasons. Look for the Family Friendly collection. OHNY Weekend.
2. Neighbors and Makers Kids Zone at the Smith Street Fair | Cobble Hill
Saturday, October 17 | Fair 10am–6pm, Kids Zone 11am–2pm | Smith Street from Bergen to Union Street | FREE | All ages
A day full of play on car-free Smith Street, with a dedicated Kids Zone running 11am to 2pm. Dozens of free activities for children, including interactive games, building activities, STEM and hands-on crafts. Neighbors & Makers is a collaborative project of Brooklyn Bridge Parents and the Merchants of Smith Street (MOSS). Supported by BASIS Independent Brooklyn. RSVP on Eventbrite.
3. Wheels of NYC and the Brooklyn Navy Yard Open House | Brooklyn Navy Yard
Saturday, October 17 | Agger Fish Warehouse, Building 269, Brooklyn Navy Yard | Ticketed
More than 120 classic and modern cars parked inside a Navy Yard warehouse, with a large kids’ zone of hands-on activities alongside the live DJs, food from city restaurants, a marketplace of apparel and collectibles, and a full bar for the grown-ups. Tickets are limited. Times and tickets.
The same Saturday, a few buildings over, the Yard opens its 300-acre campus for the day as part of Open House New York Weekend. Families can step inside working studios in fashion, design and technology and meet the people who build things there. Two very different reasons to be at the Navy Yard on one afternoon. RSVP here.
4. Harvest Festival at Brooklyn Bridge Park | Brooklyn Heights
Saturday, October 17 | 11am–3pm | Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park | FREE
Brooklyn Bridge Park closes out its season with its annual Harvest Festival on Pier 6: live music, arts and crafts, activities from the park’s education and horticulture teams, face painting, a mini pumpkin patch and a kids corn maze. Costumes encouraged but optional. Brooklyn Bridge Park.
5. Riders Ready: The Science of BMX opens at Brooklyn Children’s Museum | Crown Heights
Saturday, October 24 | 10am–5pm | Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue | Included with $15 general admission
The museum’s new hands-on BMX exhibit opens with demos by professional riders Matty Cranmer and Chad Douglas, helmet decorating with Transportation Alternatives, an On Our Bikes storytime and singalong with author Dan Saks, and bike raffles. Send in a photo or video of your child riding by October 21 for two free opening-day tickets. Brooklyn Children’s Museum.
6. Bay Ridge Halloween Fest on Fifth Avenue | Bay Ridge
Saturday, October 24 | 4–7pm | Fifth Avenue, 72nd to 85th Street | FREE | All ages
Brooklyn Bridge Parents is partnering with the 5th Avenue BID for a spooktacular free block party taking over ten car-free blocks of Fifth Avenue. Free kids’ activities include a puppet show, bouncy house, pumpkin decorating, Trunk-or-Treat, haunted trucks, games, crafts and giveaways.
The PuppetMobile brings Pinocchio from 4:00 to 4:35pm — a fresh take in which Geppetto is a New York City kid with a talent for invention who creates a robot friend. Local restaurants serve food along the route, and the decorated side streets are worth a wander. Kids are encouraged to come in costume.
In partnership with the 5th Avenue BID. RSVP on Eventbrite.
7. Hoedown on Montague | Brooklyn Heights
Sunday, October 25 | 12–4pm | Rescheduled from October 11 (rain) | Montague Street
Rained off on October 11, Jalopy Theatre’s square dance on Montague Street is rescheduled to Sunday, October 25, the Montague Street BID says. The original line-up had Hopalong Andrew’s cowboy tunes, The Katydids on fiddle and caller Sammy Osmund leading a square dance in the middle of the street. Bandanas and cowboy boots encouraged. Montague BID.
8. Pumpkin and Spiderman Fest at City Point | Downtown Brooklyn
Sunday, October 25 | 11am–1pm | City Point, ground floor next to Rumi, 445 Albee Square West | FREE | Best for ages 2 and up
Brooklyn Bridge Parents and City Point host a spooktacular morning of pumpkin decorating, seasonal arts and crafts, LEGO play and a Spiderman appearance, with a Spiderman costume contest and prizes. Costumes encouraged. Pumpkins are available first come, first served while supplies last. In partnership with City Point; powered by NYU Dentistry. RSVP on Eventbrite.
9. Halloween Party at Kings Plaza | Mill Basin
Thursday, October 29 | 4–6pm | Kings Plaza, Level 1, Center Court next to The Children’s Place, 5100 Kings Plaza | FREE | Best for ages 2–10, all are welcome
Brooklyn Bridge Parents and Kings Plaza host a festive Halloween party packed with pumpkin decorating, a seasonal pumpkin photo op, LEGO play, arts and crafts, and games. Costumes are encouraged. Pumpkins are available first come, first served while supplies last, one per child. RSVP on Eventbrite.
10. Halloween, all month long | Borough-wide
Through Saturday, October 31 | Free
Brooklyn does not save Halloween for the 31st. Costume parades, pumpkin patches, haunted walks, trick-or-treating on closed streets and dog costume contests run from the first weekend of the month onward, and we keep them all in one place. Our Halloween Guide 2026 is updated every week through October 31, and every event in it is free. For the night itself, our guide to the best trick-or-treating streets in Brooklyn picks the blocks for candy and decorations in 14 neighborhoods, from Brooklyn Heights to Bay Ridge.
Plus, a Halloween party for the grown-ups:
90s Dance Party, Halloween Edition | Cobble Hill
Friday, October 23 | 8pm–midnight | Le Boudoir, Cobble Hill | Tickets $35 | 21+
Calling all 90s music lovers to come dance with us on Friday, October 23 from 8 pm to midnight at Le Boudoir in Cobble Hill! Come in costume, 90s hero outfit or not… We start dancing at 8 pm. 21+ only. With DJ CEO on the set you can expect unforgettable vibes that will take you back to a time you wished you never left. The best in Hip-Hop/R&B, Dancehall, Pop & House.
