The Coolest Things to Do For Halloween in NYC

Sleep No More—an immersive theatrical production based on Shakespeare's Macbeth—is an incredible attraction year-round but takes on a new energy during Halloween weekend. After the last showings on October 26, 27, and 31, The McKittrick Hotel keeps the night going with a late-night dance party called Inferno. Guests are encouraged to dress as witches, sorcerers, vampires, monsters, and the like for an evening filled with live performances, musical acts, and an open bar.

Sleep No More: year-round; Inferno: October 26-27, 31

Haunted houses are a Halloween staple, but in New York, it can be hard to find good ones without crazy-long lines and wait times. We recommend skipping Blood Manor (one of NYC’s most popular haunted houses) for The Gravesend Inn, an annual “high-tech haunted hotel” put on by students of the New York City College of Technology. Located at Voorhees Theatre in Brooklyn, the attraction is celebrating its 20th year this month and promises lots of scares.

October 25-31, times vary.

Those with a supernatural side: get ready to spend your Halloween in a fright. Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan’s oldest house, is offering paranormal investigation on October 27 and October 31. The program, led by an experienced investigator, teaches the basics of ghost hunting while taking in the art, architecture, and history of the historic 1765 home.

October 27 and 31, 8–11 p.m.

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Some people aren’t suited for the scary stuff, and that’s perfectly alright—there are plenty of tamer Halloween offerings in NYC, too. Animal lovers and Brooklynites should mark their calendars for the 20th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest in Fort Greene Park on October 27, where dog owners go all out by dressing their fur babies in outrageous looks in hopes of winning prizes and bragging rights. Alternatively, you can go dog-spotting in Manhattan at the Annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade in East River Park on October 28. Or, hey, go to both—there’s nothing better than two days of adorable pups in costume.

October 27 (PUPkin in Fort Greene); October 28 (Tompkins Square Parade)

For festival junkies, the Warehouse of Horrors by BangOn! NYC is the Halloween event to attend. The Brooklyn-based music- and art-filled extravaganza features two stages with over 25 performances, an immersive haunted manor, and lots of surprises. Tickets are available by the day or as a package for the two-night fest.

October 26-27

On Sundays year-round, the Grand Bazaar on the Upper West Side is the biggest curated market in NYC, showcasing art, antiques, and more by local makers and entrepreneurs. This particular Sunday, however, is themed for Halloween, so prepare to see vendors and shoppers in costume and indulge in lots of spooky artisanal sweets. All proceeds benefit New York public schools, so shopping is totally guilt-free.

October 28, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

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For drinks with a sinister spin on Halloween (or any time), visit The House of Wax. The ominous bar-meets-museum in Brooklyn is home to a largely forgotten but once-popular collection of life-size anatomical waxes, including wax busts and displays of pathology and death, last on view in a Berlin museum in 1922. The bar’s menu is built around the collection, with drink lists divided into “Anatomicals,” “Pathologicals,” and “Geographicals.” There are also yummy food options; after witnessing the wax gore and guts, the truffle parmesan popcorn and edamame hummus might just bring your appetite back.

Every Sunday–Thursday: 4 p.m. to last showing and Friday–Saturday: 4 p.m.–2 a.m.

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