Halloween is lurking right around the corner, which means you better get your plans in order now so you can have a killer Halloweekend! Whether you’re looking for a laid-back ghost tour, a raving costume party, or a fun family-friendly day at the pumpkin patch, we’ve compiled a list of the best Halloween events happening in Boston for the spookiest time of the year.
1. Enjoy a spine-chillingly good Candlelight Concert of Halloween classics
If you’re not the type for haunted horrors and scary movies, we feel you. Enjoy a Halloween of just treats, no tricks, by treating yourself to a multi-sensory musical experience under the warm glow of thousands of candles.
A listeso string quartet will play 16 Halloween classics including Thriller by Michael Jackson and the Beetlejuice theme song by Danny Elfman. Tickets are selling out fast, so run, don’t walk, to get a seat to this once-a-year musical extravaganza taking place on October 25 and 26.
Here are a few of our other favorite Candlelight Concerts happening this spook-tober!
- Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at Old South Church
- Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at First Church
Venue: Temple Ohabei Shalom 1187 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446
2. Dare yourself to a haunted Boston Ghost Tour
Speaking of haunted historic Boston, did you know you can go on a Boston Ghost tour? Discover the true history of Boston’s underbelly on this spook-tacular after-dark haunted ghost tour ongoing through the fall. If you dare, secure your tickets here, you might just find the ghost of William Schofield lurking around the Freedom Trail.
139 Tremont St, Boston, MA, 02108
3. Catch a scary Halloween movie in theatres
Steal tickets to a scary film at a joyous discount. Whether you prefer classic thrillers or something more comedic, there’s a movie for everyone.
Special tickets valid at your local AMC Theatre
4. Treat yo’self to a Halloween high-tea
Pinkies up! The Inn at Hastings Park in historic Lexington, MA (aka: the birthplace of American liberty) is hosting its annual Dia de los Muertos high-tea. The tea date is still TBA but there will be three seatings in the Town Hall Meeting room. The menu sounds delicious and is guaranteed to revive any sunken soul.
Find the inn at 2027 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington, MA 02421
5. Indulge in Halloween treats from this local chocolatier
Petrova Chocolates debuted its limited-edition Halloween chocolate truffle collection. A former pastry chef at Uni in Back Bay, Petrova’s culinary skills are unmatched. From “Twix” ghosts to “Snickers” spiderwebs your mouth is in for a flavor explosion.
Petrova’s puts their own spin on Halloween favorite candy bars but like you’ve never had them before.
Find Petrova Chocolates online
6. Have fun with the family at Marini Farm’s Hallow-Marini
On October 21 and 22, Marini Farms (one of our favorite pumpkin patches) in Ipswich will be hosting their very own spooky celebration for kids. With a DJ, a dance party with characters, and a trick or treat hunt, families are sure to find some Halloween fun at the farm. Plus, there’s no tickets required at this event – the party is included in regular admission for the day!
Find Marini Farms at 259 Linebrook Road in Ipswich, MA
7. Travel to Salem for their Haunted Happenings
Salem is easily the spookiest place to be for Halloween in the US, and this year, they’re bringing back Haunted Happenings for the entire month of October! Just 16 miles north of Boston, Salem is home to plenty of Halloween events right now, including street fairs and performers and special events happening at local businesses. You can check out the events for this season here and download their app for even more info on local happenings.
Various locations across Salem, MA
8. Explore a ‘Trick or Drink’ Boston Halloween bar crawl
Trick or treating meets adulting in this Boston bar crawl. Earn a swanky wristband with participation that provides entry to the following Boston bars. Explore more without breaking the bank!
- Back Bay Social (Registration)
- The Bebop
- Koy
- Scholars Cocktail Lounge
- Scores
- Side Bar
- Sissy K’s
- Sullivan’s Tap
- Summer Shack
- The Tam
- Wild Rover
9. Pick up some pumpkins to carve at a local farm
Fall is in full swing—and what better time to go pumpkin picking? Traveling to a pumpkin patch is the quintessential fall activity, and luckily there are plenty around Boston to choose from. Each place will provide you with great fall photos, outdoor fun, and of course pumpkins to take home and carve or display proudly! Our favorites include:
- Hanson’s Farm: Framingham, MA
- Connors Farm: Danvers, MA
- Dowse Orchards: Sherborn, MA
- Pickard Farm: Littleton, MA
- Tougas Family Farm: Northborough, MA
- Carver Hill Orchard: Stow, MA
- Nihtila Farm: Holbrook, MA
Find your neighborhood pumpkin patch here
10. Get properly spooked at a haunted house
There’s something quite cathartic about getting the crap scared out of you— it makes you feel a little more alive afterwards! And what better way to celebrate Spooky Season in Boston than to go to a haunted house and get scared by the pros? Our list of the top haunted houses in Massachusetts will certainly get you in the Halloween spirit… if you make it out alive!
- Barrett’s Haunted Mansion: Abington, MA
- Nightmare New England/Spooky World: Litchfield, NH
- Factory of Terror: River Fall, MA
- Fear Town: Seekonk, MA
- Witch’s Woods: Westford, MA
11. Take a haunted Boston ghost and pub tour…if you dare
Get a proper spooking on this haunted ghost and pub tour that unearths the seedy underbelly of the Bean! Take a 2.5 hour tour from a costumed guide of some of Boston’s haunted corners while simultaneously exploring historic neighboring pubs.
Tour begins at Carrie Nation Cocktail Club, 11 Beacon St, 02108
12. Tour the top haunted places in Boston
Boston’s history goes way back to the revolutionary days of the birth of our country. But with history comes mystery and strange happenings and so our beautiful city is said to be plagued with ghouls and ghosts of times past. Some evidently spooky, others not so much, check out our list of ten of the most haunted spots in Boston–a city which is said to be rife with paranormal activity. Check them out to get in the mood for this spooky holiday, if you dare!
- Hooper-Lee-Nichols House: Cambridge, MA
- George Parkman House: Cambridge, MA
- Kilachand Hall: Boston, MA
- Omni Parker House Hotel: Boston, MA
- Fort Warren: Boston, MA
13. Get yourself a killer costume at a local shop
Want to assemble a perfectly spooky Halloween fit? Look no further—thrifting is one of the best options to shop for Halloween costumes without breaking the bank, and Boston has no shortage of super-cool thrift shops where you can browse around. Our list of 9 thrift stores includes boutiques and chains of all price ranges and styles, but no matter where you go, you’ll be certain to leave with a Halloween costume that’s completely unique.
- Vivant Vintage: Allston
- The Garment District: Kendall Square
- Boomerangs: Multiple locations
- Great Eastern Trading Company: Multiple locations
- Raspberry Beret: Multiple locations
- 40 South Street: Jamaica Plain