Halloween Happenings at Navy Pier
From the spooky, to slightly spooky, everyone can enjoy the season at Navy Pier
CHICAGO—Navy Pier and its partners will be celebrating Halloween throughout the month of October, with a spooky – and not so spooky – assortment of one-of-a-kind seasonal experiences for the entire family. There’ll be haunted river cruises, giant, web-weaving spiders, and costume parties for every reveler, from divas in drag to dressed-up dachshunds. Highlights include:
Incredible Insects at The Butterfly House
Giant Orb-Weaving Spiders from Southeast Asia will take over The Butterfly House throughout the month of October, weaving magnificent webs up to 7 feet wide on the ceiling of the greenhouse. The magnificent, non-biting arachnids will stalk out their territory high above guests’ heads, wanting little more than to be left alone as they weave their masterpieces. Other incredible insects, including Giant Walking Sticks, Bird-Eating Tarantulas, Whip Scorpions, and Giant Cave Cockroaches, will be on display in glass terrariums. On select evenings, docents will offer guided, after-dark flashlight tours to showcase insects that glow under UV light and other fun surprises. www.butterflyhousechicago.com
Chicago Seadog Haunted River Boat Tour
Embark on the Chicago Seadog Haunted River Boat Tour, exploring Chicago’s spooky past while winding through some of the city’s most breathtaking architecture. Learn the many secrets, spirits, scandals, and sins of the Windy City through spine-tingling, humor-infused tales of mysterious supernatural occurrences and infamous figures. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in October, plus Thursday, Oct. 31 – 5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. www.cityexperiences.com/chicago/city-cruises/chicago-haunted-river-tour/
Spider Seek-and-Find at Chicago Children’s Museum
Some not-so-spooky spiders will take up residence in the nooks and crannies of the 37-foot, climbable Cloud Buster sculpture at Chicago Children’s Museum, Oct. 9 through 31. How many can you find? Some may be hiding, while others stay in full view. Just like the museum’s young visitors, these not-so-creepy crawlers like to climb. www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/program-calendar
Divas After Dark: Halloween Drag Show aboard City Cruises’ Spirit of Chicago
Experience an unforgettable, Halloween-themed cruise with drag performances by top Chicago queens, hosted by Denali from RuPaul’s Drag Race. The midnight cruise will feature a buffet of late-night bites, cash bar, and breathtaking skyline views. Dress is your best Halloween attire for a night of spooky fun and dancing. Ten percent of proceeds will benefit the Center on Halsted, supporting Chicago’s LGBTQIA+ community. Friday, Oct. 18 – 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. www.cityexperiences.com/chicago/city-cruises/divas-after-dark-pride-cruise/
Sherman & Tingle Haunted Cruise aboard City Cruises’ Odyssey Lake Michigan
Join Sherman and Tingle from 97.1 The Drive and don your favorite costume for a spooktacular evening featuring a delicious buffet dinner and creative cocktails. A live DJ will provide the soundtrack for iconic Lake Michigan views of Chicago’s most-photographed landmarks. Friday, Oct. 25 – 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. www.cityexperiences.com/chicago/city-cruises/sherman-and-tingle-halloween-cruise/
Sherman and Tingle will be on-site at Harry Caray’s Tavern Navy Pier giving away tickets for their Haunted Cruise during a Halloween Happy Hour. Saturday, Oct. 19 – 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Haunted Heights at Offshore Rooftop
Eat, drink, and be scary at the world’s largest rooftop, surrounded by unsurpassed 360-degree views of the Chicago skyline. Dress to impress and come ready to dance at Offshore’s pop-up Halloween bash. Friday, Oct. 25 – 10 p.m. www.offshorerooftop.com/event/haunted-heights-at-offshore-rooftop/
Slightly Spooky Saturday
Dive headfirst into a cauldron of free Halloween fun with an array of seasonal activities for families to enjoy. Join in a day filled with trick-or-treating throughout the Pier, crafts, games, and unforgettable moments – including the popular and highly contested 5 p.m. family costume contest – when Navy Pier brings back Slightly Spooky Saturday. Saturday, Oct. 26 – 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. www.navypier.org/events/slightly-spooky-saturday-2024/
Howl-O-Ween Pet Costume Contest at Harry Caray’s Tavern
Whether furry, feathered, or full of scales, all pets are welcome to participate in this fur-rightfully fun event benefiting PAWS Chicago. Hosted by the paw-some Candace Jordan, writer of the Chicago Star’s Candid Candace column, there’ll be great prizes in a range of categories – including “best of show” honors that come with an overnight stay at the Sable Hotel. Registration opens Oct. 1 with a $10 entry donation per pet. Saturday, Oct. 26 – 4 p.m. www.harrycarays.com/oktoberfest
Bone-Chilling Halloween Bash at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
No bones about it, this party will rock! Enjoy all-day drink specials and giveaways from Voodoo Ranger and Espolòn Tequilla, highlighted by a 6 p.m. “Dress to Distress” costume contest. Awesome prizes are up for grabs based on audience applause, so would-be costume contest champs are encouraged to bring their A-game and lots of friends. Saturday, Oct. 26 – 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. www.margaritavillechicago.com
Note: All activities, times, and dates are subject to change.
About Navy Pier
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top nonprofit tourism destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and typically welcoming nearly 9 million annual guests. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more.
The Pier celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2016 with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Family Pavilion and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. In 2021, Navy Pier continued to usher in its second century with ongoing Pier-wide redevelopment efforts—including Sable, a 223-room Hilton hotel, new restaurants and partnerships, and thrilling additions to Pier Park. The Pier is also proud to continue providing free, year-round arts and cultural programming designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. Click here to donate to Navy Pier, a mission-driven 501(c)(3) organization, in support of the organization’s post-pandemic revival and free public programming. For more information, visit www.navypier.org.