10 Unexpected Ways to Celebrate Halloween in Philadelphia in 2026

Through Saturday, October 31, 2026

Need a caddie? Call Igor. 

From the insane creators behind Frankenstein’s Mad Scientist Cocktail Lab, this new adventure transforms a nine-hole mini-golf course into a fore-rensics (!) experiment, complete with illuminated Philly landmarks and glow-in-the-dark golf balls.

That’s not all. Libertee Grounds’ entire space gets the Frankenstein treatment. Led by one of the mad doctor’s senior scientists, alchemists-in-training mix up beakers and test tubes of mysterious potions and shimmering elixirs in the doctor’s secret laboratory.

Frankenstein’s Putt Putt is a bookable experience, granting access to two hours of open seating and one welcome cocktail or mocktail, with additional pay-as-you-go drinks, hair-raising photo ops and a private tarot reading (at an additional cost).

Good for: 21-plus fun. For a more family-friendly Halloween mini-golfing experience, head to Spooky Mini Golf at Franklin Square. 

Through Sunday, November 1, 2026

Can pumpkins grow in saltwater? We’re about to find out. 

Fintastic Pumpkin Glow turns Adventure Aquarium into a full-on harvest festival, complete with underwater pumpkin carving and submerged scarecrows. This yearly tradition offers rare opportunities to experience Halloween through glowing gourds of all shapes and sizes, alongside sea turtles, stingrays, sharks, frogs and a 10-foot octopus.

One major highlight: “Bones or No Bones,” an interactive game show that delves into animal X-rays and quizzes contestants on everything from shark skeletons to the migration patterns of monarch butterflies. 

Don’t miss: The fish at Adventure Aquarium aren’t the only party animals this Halloween season. Check out Boo at the Zoo at the Philadelphia Zoo and Elmwood Park Zoo for more wild spooky season fun. 

Drape a lab coat over your costume and grab a beaker. The Franklin Institute comes alive after hours for a night of science and scares. Boo!

Hands-on experiments and activities transform the Philly museum into a secret laboratory exploring the chemistry, technology and movie magic behind horror’s most iconic monsters. 

Meanwhile, a live DJ brings the party vibes for dancing under the stars in the Fels Planetarium. Also on deck: pay-as-you-go food and drink, Wissahickon Brewing samples and full after-hours access to the attraction’s exhibitions. 

Know before you go: Costumes are encouraged but not required. Note: Full-face masks are not allowed, and shoes, tops and bottoms are required. 

The billies, nannies and does of the Philly Goat Project (PGP) take over the Conservatory at Laurel Hill West Cemetery for the “spirited” GOAToberfest shenanigans. 

Take your Halloween costume out for a spin a couple of weeks early at this annual Halloween-meets-fall festival. Tour the historic cemetery and get your fill of free eats, including s’mores around the fire pit, and brews, like a limited-edition craft beer from Triple Bottom Brewing. Of course, expect plenty of face time with the main attraction: our four-legged friends from the Philly Goat Project. 

Know before you go: Halloween costume still TBD? In addition to the costume contest, there is also a contest for the person with the best Oktoberfest-inspired get-up.

Step right up — if you dare. Something mysterious is going on under the Big Top as the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts hosts a pair of magical showcases on its Mt. Airy campus.

Break out your broomstick and join a coven of sultry and spooky adult performers for this 18-and-over showcase. Allow their gravity-defying acrobatics, daring tricks and playful treats to put a spell on you (October 23 and 24, 2026). 

Another event — a kid-friendly spectacle — highlights the circus school’s youngest performers alongside its adult students and staff as they perform thrilling tricks and daring feats (October 24, 2026). 

Vibe: Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages: Prepare to be amazed …

Widely known as one of the most haunted places in the country, Fort Mifflin offers extra-spooky programming each October. 

But are you feeling extra, extra brave? Why not spend the night hanging out with the ghosts of Fort Mifflin?

Sleep is optional for this event, designed with experienced paranormal investigators in mind.

Know before you go: The event offers dorm-style sleeping or BYO tent.

Toes won’t stop tapping? Tunes stuck in your head? Suddenly hit with the urge to bust a move? 

No need for WebMD, our friend, that’s just a nasty case of choreomania — or dance fever. The cure? Live music, shimmering lights, and lots and lots of dancing.

Illuminated installations, live DJs and quirky 16th-century characters turn Benjamin Rush Medical Plant Garden out for a night of nonstop fun — just what the village doctor prescribed. Rock your best medieval-chic threads — costumes are encouraged — to the craziest rager since the Dance Plague of 1518. 

Don’t miss: After-hours access to the Mütter Museum, light bites, pay-as-you-go cocktails and interactive activations showcasing medieval medicine, astrology and more.

Surrounded by the Gilded Age grandeur of Rittenhouse Square’s Stotesbury Mansion, all eyes are on you — at least until midnight. 

So don your fantastical best — whatever that means to you — and take your rightful place as the belle of this Romantasy-inspired ball. Glide across the grand ballroom as if your last name were Bridgerton. Discover what the cards hold for your future with mystics before stunning aerial, drag and burlesque performances take your breath away. 

Also in your future: bookish vendors, tasty food and drink, photo opps, and flash tattoos (for an additional cost).

Vibe: Bridgerton meets Fourth Wing

Dates vary by event

Why are all the Halloween tricks and treats reserved for humans? Four-legged friends want in on the fun, too, and sites across the city deliver with parties and parades catering to the pups in our lives. 

• Halloween goes to the dogs at Hound-O-Ween in Northern Liberties, a doggone adorable Halloween-meets-harvest season fall festival, featuring local vendors, food, drink and a pet costume contest with a cash prize (October 17, 2026). 
• Puppers get into character and compete for the titles of Scariest, Cutest and Most Creative Costume at the Halloween Pet Parade in Chestnut Hill (October 25, 2026). 
• Treats are within reach along the Bark-or-Treat Trail at Franklin Square (October 25, 2026). 

Dates vary by event

“Bubble, bubble, I’m in trouble.” Philly’s favorite Hallowqueens are bringing all the mischief and debauchery the season calls for, and, naturally, hilarity ensues. Grab your cash and gather your squad for these Halloween-themed drag brunches and shows:

• A Tribute to The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Fabrika: Let’s do the time warp, again! Brad and Janet’s adventures through Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s haunted mansion come to life, live and before your eyes. More than a drag show, this immersive experience plummets you into the crazy, sexy world of the Rocky Horror Picture Show with outrageous costumes, over-the-top performances, aerial acrobatics, fire, dancing and more (October 16 to 31, 2026, select dates).

• Ruh Roh! Scooby Doo Drag & Burlesque Show at Franky Bradley’s: Jinkies! These queens pay tribute to Scooby, Shaggy and your favorite gang of meddling kids with a night of mystery and (gasp) murder. All aboard The Mystery Machine. You’re in for a wild ride (October 21, 2026).

• Hocus Pocus Drag Brunch at City Winery: Everyone’s favorite trio of child-eating witches are back, spinning spells and fabulous looks for a magical afternoon. The Sanderson Sisters have assembled an all-star lineup of queens, ready and waiting to put a spell on you. Tickets are required, and food and drink are pay as you go (October 25, 2026). 

Spooky season never ends for serious Halloweeners. Whether you’re into dark academia and occult tchotchkes, or you just really, really love the Mütter Museum, the vendors setting up shop among the tombstones at this Laurel Hill Cemetery tradition have just the thing for you. 

Postponed from September, this ticketed cemetery market features dozens of regional vendors peddling interesting antiques, curious oddities and other handmade goods.