Calling all trick-or-treaters, tiny terrors, and small scarers! Albany County is full of Halloween happenings for kids of all ages. With Albany's month-long All-Hallow E'en Festival in full swing, the region is alive with spooky-themed, family-friendly fun. Discover Halloween events designed for everyone, from toddler-centric festivities to haunted happenings aimed at older kids. Whether you’re on the hunt for creepy crafts, safe trick-or-treat options, or slightly scary events, we’ve got you covered with this guide to kid-friendly Halloween events in Albany County. Scroll on to find the best options for family-friendly fun this October!

Halloween Arts & Crafts Events 

All-Hallow E'en Art Path
On view 24/7, all October long!

Families are welcome to embark on a Halloween adventure all October long in downtown Albany! Follow the All-Hallow E'en Art Path along Maiden Lane outside of Albany Center Gallery. Then travel to see the path continue in Quackenbush Square outside the Discover Albany Visitors Center. Festive window displays and outside murals showcase everything from cats on a trick-or-treat promenade to colorful "emotoblobs" representing different emotions that float around in our heads. 

Pumpkin Party on the Hill
October 12 | 12 PM to 3 PM

Get pumped for this kid-friendly Halloween event at Historic Cherry Hill. Enjoy a pumpkin carving demonstration and do some pumpkin decorating of your own! View stunning jack-o-lanterns created by Albany artists and cast your vote for your favorite during Cherry Hill's second annual pumpkin decorating contest. And don't forget to grab free Stewart's ice-scream. 

Discover the All-Hallow E'en Art Path - Pumpkin Painting Day
October 14 | 11 AM to 12 PM

Looking for something for the kids to do on this day off from school? Join Discover Albany on Indigenous People's Day for a series of fun, fall activities. Embark on a scavenger hunt along the All-Hallow E'en Art Path and let creativity flourish with pumpkin painting. Learn about the Native Americans and early Dutch colonists with the Early Life in Albany touch table featuring real animal pelts

Storytime at the Pottery Place: The Pink Ghost
October 19 | 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM

Children's story "The Pink Ghost" comes to life at this painting event designed for little artists ages 2 to 6 years old. Hosted by the Pottery Place in Stuyvesant Plaza, kids will hear the story of the Pink Ghost which follows themes of finding your own way and standing up to bullies. Then, they'll get to paint their own pink ghost figurine to take home in one week's time!

Howl and Prowl: Halloween in the Pine Bush
October 25 | 4 PM to 7 PM | October 26 | 10 AM to 3 PM

What are the creepy creatures that live in the Pine Bush? Learn more about the preserve's eerie residents at this family-friendly Halloween event! The program includes hands-on activities and crafts. Friday's festivities will include a series of night hikes. Costumes encouraged!

Albany Center Gallery's Creative Creatures: Halloween Edition
October 26 | 12 PM to 2 PM

Artists of all ages are invited to make their mark on the All Hallow E'en Art Path. At this family-friendly arts and crafts event, get into the Halloween spirit with a guided tour of the All Hallow E'en Art Path. Then return to Albany Center Gallery to make your own paper critters to add to the path or to bring home. 

Halloween Spooktacular at the NYS Museum
October 27 | 11 AM to 2 PM

Get ready for a frightfully fun, free, family-friendly celebration at the New York State Museum! The museum is hosting an afternoon of Halloween festivities featuring creepy art projects, ghoulish games, spooky science specimens, a dance floor, and more. Be sure to have your child dressed in their Halloween best, as there will be a children’s costume parade at 2 PM to close out the fun!

Albany Halloween Traditions 

Hounds of Halloween
October 19 from 11 AM to 3 PM

Everyone’s favorite howlin’ good time returns to Downtown Albany this October. This low-cost trick-or-treat event is sure to be pawsitively fun for families and their four-legged friends. Make sure to vote in the canine costume contest! 

2024 Albany's Trick or Trot Pumpkin Run 5K
October 26 at 4:30 PM

Join the City of Albany's annual Trick or Trot 5K for all ages! Race along a beautiful Halloween-inspired course in Washington Park or just enjoy the afterparty. Best consume prizes and age-based divisional awards will be given out!

Trick-or-Treats/Trunk-or-Treats 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Get ready for safe candy collecting events that are all treats and no tricks in Albany County! Local organizations and venues are hosting family-friendly trick-or-treat and trunk-or-treat events during the last weekend in October and on Halloween. So grab your candy bags and check out Albany County's lineup of spooky celebrations where sweet surprises await! 

Get ready for safe candy collecting events that are all treats and no tricks in Albany County! Local organizations and venues are hosting family-friendly trick-or-treat and trunk-or-treat events during the last weekend in October and on Halloween. So, grab your candy bags and check out Albany County's lineup of sweet celebrations. 

  • October 25 & October 26, 5PM to 8 PM (w/ 12 PM to 3 PM on 26th): Haunted Albany Clubhouse

  • October 26, 1 PM to 4 PM: Halloween Dunk-or-Treat
    • Trick-or-treating, music, games, basketball, a bounce house and more on UAlbany's Downtown Campus!
  • October 26. 4 PM to 5:30 PM: Trunk or Treat at Albany Rural Cemetery
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  • October 27, 4 PM to 6 PM: Community Trunk or Treat
    • On the grounds of Shaker Heritage Society, a scavenger hunt leads families and kids of all ages on a hunt for candy, culminating in a turn of the century magic show!
  • October 31, 3 PM to 5 PM: Trunk or Treat at Colonie Center
  • October 31, 3 PM to 6 PM: Crossgates Malloween
    • Trick-or-treat at Crossgates Mall. Stop by the photobooth and compete in a costume contest!
  • October 31, 4 PM to 7 PM: Trick or Treat at the Palace
    • The Palace offers treats, activities, and music!

Slightly Scary Events 

Eerie Albany Ghost Tour
October 13, 20, and 27 | 11 AM to 12:30 PM

Led by Discover Albany's own Maeve McEneny-Johnson, the Eerie Albany ghost tour takes place on Sunday mornings making it a great option for a more family-friendly haunted event. The tour touches on phantoms and figures who lurk in local sites such as the Olde English Pub and Capitol Building. 

Haunted Tales from the Crow's Wood
October 19 | 6:30 PM to 8 PM

Sit around the campfire at Crailo State Historic Site and listen to haunted tales told the way those of the region in the 18th-century would. Aimed for ages 12 and older, those with younger siblings fear not! There will be a set aside pumpkin painting station making the Halloween event a thrill for families with children of all ages.

Halloween Haunts at the Altamont Fairgrounds
October 25, 26, and 27 | 4 PM to 10 PM

Head over to Altamont for this family-friendly Halloween weekend event! Embark on an adventure through haunted houses, a haunted cemetery, a haunted hayride, Halloween themed carnivals, movies, food trucks, and more!