Experience the Magic of the UWS Spooky Season

The Upper West Side offers a vibrant array of Halloween festivities in 2025, catering to all ages with community events, experiences, and creative workshops. Below is a comprehensive guide to the season’s highlights, complete with dates and times.

Community & Family Events

The UWS comes alive with family-friendly celebrations and car-free community spaces. Trick-or-Streets, a citywide initiative, transforms local streets into festive zones from October 17 to 31, with multiple Upper West Side locations hosting events. On Thursday, October 23, West 114th Street from Amsterdam to Broadway will be closed from 6 to 9:30 PM for a community celebration. Saturday, October 25, features two events: Amsterdam Avenue between West 106th and 110th Streets from 4 to 6 PM, and the Haunted Fountain at the Cathedral Halloween Festival on West 110th to 111th Streets from 2 to 7 PM. Finally, on Halloween night, Friday, October 31, West 78th Street from Amsterdam to Columbus Avenue will host festivities from 4 to 9 PM, and West 107th Street from Manhattan Avenue to Central Park West from 3:30 to 6:30 PM.​

The 69th Street Halloween Block Party, a UWS tradition since the 1970s, takes place on Halloween night, October 31, with the entire block from Central Park West to Broadway closed to traffic for trick-or-treating and elaborate decorations. Families can also explore other decorated residential blocks like 70th, 75th, 78th, 82nd, 87th, and 94th Streets, which are active on the evening of October 31.​

Museum & Cultural Celebrations

Cultural institutions offer unique Halloween experiences. The American Museum of Natural History hosts its annual Halloween Celebration on Friday, October 31, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, featuring trick-or-treating, live performances, face painting, and a costume contest, with museum admission required. The Museum of Arts and Design presents “A MAD Halloween Party” on Thursday, October 30, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM, with mask-making, a soft sculpture installation, and pom-pom crafting for all ages. The New-York Historical Society holds a Halloween party on Sunday, October 26, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, offering games, crafts, and story time for children 12 and under with museum admission.​

Creative & Adult-Oriented Activities

For adults and teens, the UWS offers creative and immersive events. Color Me Mine on Amsterdam Avenue hosts two themed paint-and-sip nights: “Witches & Wine” on Friday, October 24, from 4:00 to 9:00 PM, and “Vintage Halloween Painting” on Thursday, October 30, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, both requiring a $25 studio fee plus additional costs for pottery and wine. The New York Society for Ethical Culture celebrates “Green Halloween” on Sunday, October 26, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, with a free, family-friendly workshop where children can create costumes from recycled materials. The Riverside Branch of the New York Public Library hosts a “Teen Halloween Origami” workshop for ages 13-18 on Wednesday, October 29, from 4:00 to 5:00 PM, with supplies and snacks provided.​

Immersive & Themed Experiences

For a more intense Halloween experience, “Haunted Hollywood” is an immersive, adults-only event produced by Voss Events, running on select dates in October at The Shops at Columbus Circle. It features three acts, including a themed lounge, a jazz-infused dinner show, and a provocative variety performance, with entry restricted to guests 18 and over and 21+ for alcohol. Fleet Feet hosts a Halloween Breakfast Run on Friday, October 31, at 8:30 AM, starting from their Columbus Circle location, offering a spirited way to begin Halloween day.