Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe: Best Things to Do in NYC This October: Halloween Parades, Food Festivals and Fall Fun

October might be the best month to be in New York City

Fall is in full swing, the streets are packed with festivals, and Halloween is right around the corner. Whether you’re into morning dance parties, Japanese street food, open-air art studios, or a good old-fashioned parade, there’s something happening nearly every weekend this month. Here’s what’s on the calendar.

Oct 10 — DAYBREAKER ALIVE at Brooklyn Bridge Park

The early-morning dance party returns to Brooklyn Bridge Park on October 10. Wake up, get outside, and dance it out as the sun comes up over the skyline. It’s the kind of morning that sets the tone for the whole weekend.

Oct 10 + 11 — JAPAN Fes

Japanese food, snacks, and street culture take over for two days on October 10 and 11. If you’ve been meaning to try something new from a vendor you’ve never heard of, this is your chance. And if food festivals are your thing, our roundup of 15 of the best pizza places in NYC will keep the theme going.

Oct 10, 17, 24 + 31 — Queens Night Market

The Queens Night Market keeps its Saturday run going through October 31. Four more Saturdays of food vendors from around the world, cheap eats, and a crowd that shows up hungry. Mark every one of those dates.

Oct 16–18 — Open House New York Weekend

One of the city’s best weekends for the curious: buildings, studios, and spaces that are usually closed to the public open their doors from October 16 to 18. Tours fill fast, so plan ahead.

Oct 17 — Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade

Dogs in costumes. That’s the whole pitch, and it’s perfect. The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade returns October 17 in the East Village, and it’s one of the most purely joyful traditions in the city.

Oct 17–18 — Gowanus Open Studios

Brooklyn artists open their studios to the public on October 17 and 18. Wander Gowanus, meet the people making the work, and see the neighborhood’s creative scene up close.

Oct 23–25 — City of Gods Halloween Festival

Three days of Halloween programming from October 23 to 25. Details are still trickling out, but it’s one of the bigger Halloween events on the October calendar. Pair it with our guide to 20 haunted houses in and around NYC for the full spooky-season treatment.

Oct 24 — Bronx Halloween Parade

The 41st Annual Bronx Halloween Parade marches on October 24. Four decades in, this Bronx tradition is still going strong — costumes, music, and a whole borough celebrating.

Oct 31 — A triple-header of Halloween

October 31 is stacked. Three events land on Halloween day itself:

  • Halloween Harvest Festival at Socrates Sculpture Park — fall fun with a Halloween twist at the park in Astoria.
  • Village Halloween Parade — the famous march down Sixth Avenue, still the centerpiece of NYC Halloween.
  • House of Hallucinations at House of Yes — Bushwick’s House of Yes closes out the month with its signature Halloween night.

If you’re already planning ahead for what’s next, our list of 10 of the best Christmas events in NYC for the 2026 holidays is ready when you are.

Don’t sleep on October

This is the month when the city really shows off — food festivals, open studios, parades, and Halloween doing the heavy lifting at the end. Pick your weekends, grab your friends, and get out there. And for ideas this very week, check out what’s happening around NYC today too.