Need a way to celebrate the spookiest night of the year? Check out our list of adult and family-friendly Halloween Events in the Washington D.C. metropolitan and surrounding areas.
October 16, 2015, 6-9 p.m. – Kid Friendly
International Spy Museum, Washington DC
Kids and parents are invited to ditch their costumes and change their whole identity! Test your family’s spy skills while running top secret missions and going deep undercover, transforming your appearance with the help of professional makeup artists. This is for ages 5 and up, and a parent or adult is required for every five KidSpy agents, who are encouraged to come in disguise as their favorite spy.
October 23-25, 2015, 5:30-8:30 p.m. – Kid Friendly
National Zoo, Washington, DC.
Visit bats, spiders, owls, and other animals at the zoo while trick-or-treating. Enjoy animal encounters, keeper talks, festive decorations, and haunted trails at the annual National Zoo’s Halloween celebration. Costumed volunteers will hand out candy at more than 40 treat stations.
October 23-24 – Kid Friendly
Bradley Farm in Herndon
Admission: $5
The Bradley Farm Haunted House promises everyone a ghoulishly fun time, and for a good cause — proceeds from the community fundraising event help Herndon – Reston FISH bring emergency help to folks in our community. This year’s “Coal Mine” theme promises fright and fun! On Friday and Saturday evening from 6-10pm, it offers a dark and scary adventure that’s perfect for tweens, teenagers, and adults. For the younger crowd, there’s a non-scary version on Saturday afternoon from 1-5pm that will include trick-or-treating inside the haunted house for children 10 and under, as well as face painting, balloons art, carnival-style games, live entertainment, and costumed characters.
October 24, 10am – 12pm – Kid & Pet Friendly
Market Common Clarendon
Admission: Free
Your furry family member can get in on the Halloween fun at this event. Market Common Clarendon has partnered with Homeward Trails and Doorways VA to host the 2015 Howl-O-Ween Dog Walk that will start and finish at Market Common Clarendon with trick-or-treating and an exciting pet costume contest! Walk through Visit stores and restaurants in The Loop and continue to businesses around the community, until you make your way back.
October 24, 2015,
The Birchmere Music Hall, Alexandria, VA
The unique Halloween event includes three distinct shows woven into one: mesmerizing world-class dance performances at Cabaret Melancholia; a dinner concert featuring live music at Salon Lunaire; and a pre-show event combining an alternative World’s Fair-styled exposition and sideshow including the magic of Eric Henning, sideshow performances by Charlie Artful and Tarot card reading at the All Hallow’s Eve Exposition.
October 24, 11am – 4pm – Kid Friendly
Annmarie Sculpture Garden
Admission: $1
Dress the whole family and enjoy a day of trick-or-treating, art activities, lunch and more! The 16th Annual Halloween in the Garden will feature more than 70 community organizations and businesses donning costumes and handing out candy and treats to all the children. Free ooky, spooky crafts will be provided and devilishly delicious food vendors will be present. Admission fees will benefit local charities. Don’t forget to bring your camera— there are always unique photo opportunities with the boo-tiful decorations!
October 24, 2015 – Walk departs at 9 p.m.
Corner of Georgia Ave. and Sligo Ave.
The event concludes at the AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., for a special screening of a spooky film.
October 24, 12-2:30 – Kid Friendly
National Harbor
Admission: Free
It’s a spooktacular family event that will include activities for everyone. Join the fun at The Black Dog’s Howl-loween. Trick or treat around the shops at the Harbor. Enjoy a showing of Hocus Pocus on the Plaza Big Screen (movie will begin at 12:30am). And watch the First Annual National Harbor Chef Pumpkin Carving Contest. Bonus: Children in costume ride FREE on the Capital Wheel with adult purchase!
October 24, 2-7pm – Kid Friendly
Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air & Space Museum
Admission: Free, but parking is $15 until 6pm
See the spooky side of air and space at the Udvar-Hazy Center’s 11th Annual Air & Scare! Arrive in costume for safe indoor trick-or-treating. Participate in creepy crafts, spooky science experiments, and other Halloween-themed activities. Bring the tiniest visitors by the Tot Zone to play dress-up and hear a story. Fun for the whole family!
October 25, 2015, 2-4 p.m. – Kid Friendly & Pet Friendly
Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria, Virginia. Special dignitaries and elected officials, children and pets parade in their Halloween costumes in this annual event. The parade begins at Mt. Vernon Avenue, south of E. Bellefonte and continues to Commonwealth Avenue. Awards are given for the Best Pet Costume, Best Decorated Business, Best Decorated Home, and Best Decorated Stroller. Judges include local city and community officials.
October 28, 2015, 7 p.m. – Kid Friendly
Maple Avenue (Route 123) from Branch Road to Center Street. Vienna, Virginia.
The parade brings the community together to show off their Halloween costumes. Held rain or shine.
Trick-or-Treating at Mount Vernon
October 30, 3:30-6:30pm – Kid Friendly
Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens
Admission: $10/adult, $5/child
Trick-or-treat a day early at Mount Vernon! Back by popular demand, the estate will again open its gates for Halloween fun and spook-tacular activities. Join a special scavenger hunt, take a wagon ride on the 12-acre field, and create a boo-tiful Halloween craft. Guests can also check out wool carding, spinning, and fish net making in the historic area before greeting “Martha Washington” on the piazza of the Mansion. Historic chocolate-making demos and tastings will take place. Burn off all the extra excitement (and calories!) with 18th-century dancing. A children’s costume parade around the Mansion will begins at 5pm, and prizes will be awarded for most fang-tastic “George” and “Martha” costumes!
October 30, 6-9pm – Kid Friendly
Woodend Nature Sanctuary
Admission: $5/child, $10/members, $15/non-member
Join the Audubon Naturalist Society for a family-friendly, nature-themed Halloween! Walk the woods at Woodend Nature Sanctuary and enjoy animal encounters and treat stations along well-lit trails. Afterwards, head inside the mansion for refreshments and visit craft stations where you can make animal masks or paint pumpkins. Costumes not required, but encouraged!
October 30, 2015, 6:30 – 10 p.m.
National Zoo, Washington DC.
Wear your best costume while enjoying the zoo by moonlight. Experience bone-chilling and mind-boggling performance art including palm readers, fire eaters, talking bats, and illusionists.
You must be at least 21 years old to attend this event. A valid ID is required for admission. This is an adults-only event.
October 30, 6pm
Georgetown, Prospect & 36nd Streets
Admission: Free
One of the city’s most famous sites will get special recognition Halloween weekend on the 42nd anniversary of the The Exorcist debut. Writer William Peter Blatty will be there along with Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans. This is an event more suited for older kids (teens, or parents on a night out) seeing as our kiddies likely aren’t aware of the head-spinning flick.
Hagerstown Alsatia Mummers’ Parade
October 31, 2015. 6 p.m. – Kid Friendly
Along N. Potomac St. in Downtown Hagerstown, Maryland.
One of the largest Halloween parades in the Mid Atlantic region, the fall event features local floats, band and costumed mummers.
October 31, 12-4pm – Kid Friendly
Maryland Science Center
Admission: $20.95/adult, $16.95/ages 3-12
Celebrate the chills and thrills of Halloween at the MSC’s 7th annual event, where creepy chemistry and mysterious science combine to provide a hauntingly good time. Engage in hair-raising activities, create creepy crafts, and witness fangtastic demonstrations. Spend the afternoon with making gooey, glowing slime, decorating pumpkins and trick-or-treat bags, creating catapults for a punkin’ chunkin’ contest, exploring spooky sensory bins, and much more! Wear your costume to make it a truly spooktacular day.
Leesburg Kiwanis Halloween Parade
October 31, 2015, 6-8 p.m. – Kid Friendly
Ida Lee Park, King Street to Fairfax Street, Leesburg, Virginia
This Northern Virginia community has held an annual parade every year since 1957.
Trick or Treat in the Boo-tiques
October 31, 11am – 6pm – Kid Friendly
Old Town Boutique District in Alexandria
Admission: Free
Bring your little ghosts and goblins to the Old Town Boutique District to start their trick-or-treating early. Stop by the dozens of shops, where they’ll be dishing out treats and some maybe some family-friendly tricks. Halloween costumes are encouraged.
October 31, 10am – 3:30pm – Kid Friendly
Port Discovery
Admission: $13.95/ages 2 and up
Dress up the little ones in their favorite costumes and join Port Discovery’s annual festival. Enjoy not-so-scary, family friendly programs and performances including science-themed activities, crafts, live entertainment, yoga, and more!
Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October 2015, 7-10 p.m.
601 Catoctin Circle NE Leesburg, Virginia
The haunted tour is interactive and extremely scary. (not recommended for children under 13). There are refreshments, concessions, and live music for people to enjoy after their ghostly encounter.
Fright Fest at Six Flags America
Until November 1, 2015. – Kid Friendly
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Enjoy the spooky attractions and shows at one of the Washington, DC Area’s largest Halloween celebrations. Enjoy a family friendly event with street entertainment, your favorite rides in the dark and a special trick-or-treat trail just for kids.
Every Friday and Saturday until November 1, 2015 and most Thursdays and Sundays
RFK Stadium, 2400 East Capitol Street. SE Washington DC
Two indoor haunted attractions: Slaughter Factory and Exorcism Estate will keep you screaming all night long. This event is presented by the same company as the popular Field of Screams in Olney, MD.
Haunted Museum Historic Ghost Tour
Until October 31 (Fridays), 8pm & 9:15pm
National Building Museum
Admission: $10/members, $15/non-members, adults are free
Ghost tours at the National Building Museum combine history, humor, and several hair-raising tales into a fun evening. The Museum houses many artifacts related to the building — plans, drawings, and tools — as well as some objects that defy easy explanation, including a collection of shoes found underneath the foundation, believed to have been buried to ward off evil spirits, and a plaster mask, thought to be a death mask dated from the late 1800s. The building is spectacular — and eerie — with the lights out! This tour is recommended for ages 10 and up. Tickets are limited.
Haunted Train & Creepy Carousel
October 10-11, 16-18, 23-25, & 28-31 – Kid Friendly
Wheaton Regional Park
Admission: $5 and a can of food
Wheaton Regional Park’s Haunted Train and Creepy Carousel are back and scarier than ever! This annual Halloween attraction is best for guests ages 8 and up, because they do their best to make it “very scary” (and this is part of the website description, so take their word for it). Admission includes one ride each on the train and carousel, plus entrance to the Hall of Jack o’ Lanterns movie theater presenting scary films every night. The train and carousel run 6:30-9:30pm each night. Purchase tickets online starting October 1 here.
