October 16, 2019
Photo by Steven Libralon/on Unsplash
Check out our roundup of family-friendly Halloween events taking place in Philadelphia. Most are happening on Saturday, Oct. 26, the weekend before the holiday.
Halloween is almost here and your little ones are probably starting to count down the days until they can put on their costume and collect candy.
Well, they'll be excited to know, there are some early Halloween events taking place in Philly the weekend before the holiday.
While all these family-friendly events are geared toward kids, parents will be entertained, too. Check out our roundup below.
A few days before Halloween, kids can dress up in their costumes to get candy from participating merchants throughout the historic market. Grab a map at the Welcome Center or Customer Hub to find the vendors to visit.
Tick-or-treating will take place 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Before, starting at 9:30 a.m., a Halloween story will be read out loud in the Book Nook. Then after, from 11:30 a.m. to noon, there will be a pumpkin carving demonstration in the Piano Court, next to the Book Nook.
The free event at Reading Terminal Market is recommended for children up to age 9.
Saturday, Oct. 26
9:30 a.m. to noon | Free
Reading Terminal Market
Families can visit the Franklin Institute on Saturday, Oct. 26, for Halloween-themed fun. There will be hands-on activities and live science shows. Also, kids are invited to wear their costumes for the event and participate in a parade.
All activities will be free with museum admission. While there, visitors can check out the newest exhibit at the Franklin Institute, "The Worst-Case Scenario: Survival Experience," which opens Oct. 19.
Saturday, Oct. 26
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Included with museum admission
Franklin Institute
222 N. 20th St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
Take the whole family to a Halloween-themed concert on Saturday, Oct. 26. The Philadelphia Orchestra will perform the "The Shark Theme" from the movie "Jaws," the creepy classic "Funeral March of a Marionette" and other spooky selections.
Orchestra musicians will perform in costume and audience members are encouraged to show up in their best Halloween outfit, too, for a chance to win the costume contest.
Tickets to attend the show start at $20 and can be purchased online.
Saturday, Oct. 26
11:30 a.m. | Tickets starting at $20
Verizon Hall in the Kimmel Center
300 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19102
On Saturday, Oct. 26, a festival will take over East Passyunk Avenue. There will be free pumpkin decorating, costume contests for kids and for dogs, a scavenger hunt and trick-or-treating.
For parents, there will be live music, vendors to shop and drink specials.
Most activities will take place at the Singing Fountain, located at Tasker Street and East Passyunk Avenue.
Saturday, Oct. 26
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Free to attend
Tasker St. and E. Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19148
Kids are invited to the Philadelphia Zoo to go trick-or-treating on Saturdays and Sundays this October. There's also a hay bale maze to explore and a giant pumpkin wall that makes a good photo op.
Boo at the Zoo is included with zoo admission, which is $19 for children age 2 to 11 and $24 for those 12 and older. Parking is $16.
Saturday, Oct. 19 and Sunday, Oct. 20
Saturday, Oct. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 27
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Included with zoo admission
Philadelphia Zoo
3400 W. Girard Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104
There's currently a pumpkin wonderland in West Fairmount Park, filled with thousands of jack-o'-lanterns.
Walk the short trail to view pumpkins carved with images of celebrities, Disney characters and sports stars, as well as massive jack-o'-lantern sculptures.
Kids can also get their face painted and choose a pumpkin to take home from the pumpkin patch.
Open through Sunday, Nov. 3
$16.99-$27.99 per ticket
5201 Parkside Ave., Philadelphia, PA
Follow Sinéad & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @sineadpatrice | @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Add Sinéad's RSS feed to your feed reader
Have a news tip? Let us know.
