Nightmare on Chicago Street, Haunted Houses and More Fall Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend

Chicagoans can bask in warmer temperatures over the next few days as the city winds down for one of the last weekends of October.

Nightmare on Chicago Street will couple with other Halloween-themed celebrations, and a series of classic fall activities — such as apple picking — will provide you with plenty of opportunities to head outdoors.

Here are some things to do around the city this weekend:

Outdoor Festivals

Nightmare on Chicago Street

A Halloween event special to Elgin will make its return after the COVID-19 pandemic spurred it into a two-year hiatus.

Nightmare on Chicago Street will transform the city into the scene of a zombie apocalypse, with paid actors and themed decorations to sell the gore from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday.

Here's more information on the event.

Halloweek

Halloween preparations are underway, with Chicago releasing a schedule packed with ways the community can safely celebrate the holiday.

The city's third annual Halloweek will take shape Saturday until Oct. 31. Here's a series of holiday programs set to kick off this weekend.

Fall Fest at Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo invites zoogoers to its free fall celebration each year. The festival's eighth rendition will feature pumpkin patches and hay mountains, as well as ticketed attractions like a 65-foot Ferris wheel and a harvest maze.

While the event's hours of operation will vary, it will take place Fridays through Sundays until Oct. 30.

Boo! at the Zoo

Brookfield Zoo will transform its grounds with Halloween-themed décor and events.

For the last time this season, a series of programs will hit the zoo Saturday and Sunday. Visitors are all encouraged by organizers to show up in costume.

Ticket and time information are available here.

Night of 1,000 Jack-o'-Lanterns

The Chicago Botanical Gardens will light up the night with more than 1,000 hand-carved pumpkins etched with images of classic Halloween characters, celebrities and nods to Chicago.

Visitors can stroll among the garden's pumpkin-lit trails, partake in live carving demonstrations and sip on drinks. The event will run until Sunday.

Ticket and time information are available here.

Howlin' at the Moon

From fire dancers to liquid light shows, Halloween-themed attractions and performances will ring throughout Naperville at the Chicago suburb's festival geared toward those over the age of 21.

While walking through the festival grounds, which will feature art galleries and markets, guests can grab a bite at the Food Truck Graveyard or drinks at the Booze Bar.

The event will run Friday and Saturday. Ticket information is available here.

Fright Fest

Fright Fest, Six Flags Great America's spookiest celebration, is back at the Gurnee amusement park for its 31st terrifying season with haunted houses, live performances, spooky scare zones, rides after dark and more.

The event will be available until Oct. 31.

Haunted Houses

Chicago has its fair share of haunted houses that can help you amp up the spooky vibes just in time for Halloween.

Here's a list of haunted houses you can catch scares at across the Chicago area.

If haunted houses aren't up your alley, maybe the fact that one list put the Windy City as one of the "10 Most Haunted Cities in America" is enough to get you in the mood for the holiday.

Apple Orchards

Whether you want to bake, juice or simply snack on apples, you can take home bags upon bags of the crispy fruit — just take your pick.

Here's a list of apple orchards you can visit across the Chicago area.

Pumpkin Patches

Is there anything more fall than hitting up pumpkin patches? It's a good thing the crops are ripe and ready for visitors.

Fun fact: Illinois may be the best place to hunt for squashes, as the state is one of the biggest pumpkin-producers in the game, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The department said Illinois harvested the largest share of U.S. pumpkins in 2020.

So, if you're looking to get your hands on the plump crop, Illinois sure has plenty of farms to pick from.

Here's a list of pumpkin patches you can visit across the Chicago area.

Fall Foliage

Pockets of vibrant colors are hitting flocks of foliage in Chicago and its neighboring areas as fall settles in.

According to the Enjoy Illinois, some of the best locations in the state to see the fall foliage include Starved Rock State Park, Forest Preserves of Winnebago County and Millennium Park in Chicago.

Farmer's Almanac also named Pere Marquette State Park in west central Illinois as the eighth best place in the U.S. to check out fall foliage.

As a self-described "nature-lover's paradise," the park will offer sights of the turning leaves against a backdrop of wooded ravines and roadways alongside the Illinois River. Explorers also can take advantage of the land's towering bluffs, which will provide a panoramic view of the lush scenery that engulfs the park's 12-mile trail.