2026 Pumpkin Festivals & Halloween Fun in New England
New England Family-Friendly Pumpkin & Halloween Events
When autumn arrives in New England, it brings crisp air, colorful foliage, and plenty of festive traditions. At the heart of it all are pumpkins—carved into glowing jack-o-lanterns, transformed into towering displays, or celebrated at harvest festivals.
Families can enjoy everything from small-town pumpkin patches and scarecrow contests to dazzling nighttime lantern shows and spooky Halloween attractions.
As a parent, I’ve taken my kids to many of these events over the years, and what I love most is how each festival has its own charm—some are perfect for a quick afternoon of pumpkin picking and hayrides, while others are worth the drive for their jaw-dropping jack-o-lantern displays that light up the night.
Whether you’re looking for a cozy local outing or planning a weekend adventure, here’s your guide to the best pumpkin festivals, jack-o-lantern displays, and Halloween fun around Boston and beyond in 2025.
'Fall-o-Ween' Children's Festival at Boston Common - Boston
10/17/2025
The Fall-o-Ween Festival invites you find your way out of the Haunted Fun House Maze, hop on the train, and make your way over to our glow in the dark play space for some nighttime fun featuring LED illuminated swings, seesaws, cornhole and lots more.
Adults and children are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes and participate in a wide range of free, fun, and spooky family-friendly activities.
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'Boo at the Zoo' and 'Baby Boo' at Buttonwood Park Zoo - New Bedford
Weekends October 11, 12, 18, 19, 25 & 26, 2025
Dress the kids in their favorite costume for Boo at the BP Zoo and come explore all that BPZOO has to offer! We’ll provide families with a slightly spooky walk through experience with some twists and turns along the way. Baby Boo is specifically tailored for children under 5.
The slightly spooky theme will include mazes, a scavenger hunt, plenty of trick-or-treat stations, endless photo opportunities including a photo costume contest, Halloween themed animal enrichment, and up-close meet and greets with the Zoo’s Animal Ambassadors.
Zoo Howl at Franklin Park Zoo - Boston
October 25-26, 2025
Children throughout New England are invited to trick-or-treat among the animals at Franklin Park Zoo's Zoo Howl. Thrills, chills, and animals lurk around every corner on the Trick-or-Treat Trail. Other haunted happenings include crafts, games, costume contests and a haunted maze!
Boo at the Zoo - Stoneham
October 18 - 19, 2025
From 9 am – 2 pm throughout the weekend, guests are encouraged to come dressed in all their Halloween galore and partake in the costume contest, wander the Zoo to learn about all the mystery animal encounters, creepy crawly critters and more!
Neponset Pumpkin Parade - Dorchester
10/23/2025
Join the Neponset Greenway Council, MassDCR, and NepRWA for a fun, family-friendly night of Halloween festivities and a Pumpkin Parade! Come in costume and bring your decorated or carved pumpkins — candles provided.
Enjoy music, games, candy, hot chocolate, and more — all FREE and open to everyone! No registration required.
Haunted Happenings 2025 - Salem, MA
October 1 - 31, 2025
Salem's annual Halloween Festival happens every year during October in the bewitching seaport of Salem, Massachusetts. Generally, nobody celebrates Halloween and Haunted Happenings quite like Salem, Massachusetts.
Visitors to this bewitching seaport north of Boston will be delighted to find the street fairs, performances, expanded programming, special events, and seasonal flair are in the works for this fall. Get your best costumes ready! Happy Halloween!
Driving will be frustrating. Please plan ahead for an abundance of road closures - and do take advantage of public transportation and the shuttle busses for transport.
Hallowed Harvest: Wicked Labyrinth - Salem
September 19 - October 31, 2025
Experience the spooky family-fun of Halloween at the Hollowed Harvest!
The Wicked Labyrinth version of Hollowed Harvest brings to life more than 1,000 incredible Jack-O'-Lanterns creating stunning landscapes and larger-than-life displays designed to amaze audiences of all ages!
This new indoor event is provides a different experience that will only be offered in Salem, Massachusetts this year.
Halloween On the Hill 2025 - Beverly, MA
October 3 - 31, 2025
Come explore our beautiful property as we transform Long Hill into a celebration of autumn and the Halloween season at Halloween on the Hill.
Follow our seasonal-themed trail that will feature over 1,000 jack-o’-lanterns, hundreds of mums and pumpkins, elaborate Halloween sets, light displays, music, and more. This is the perfect Halloween event your family won’t want to miss!
photo courtesy of Trustees of Reservations
Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular— Providence RI
September 26 - November 2, 2025.
The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular celebrates 30 years of wowing guests with some 5,000 intricately carved pumpkins on Roger Williams Park Zoo grounds. Feast your senses on Rhode Island’s biggest and greatest walk-through pumpkin spectacular!
New England’s favorite fall tradition unveils a brand-new twist this year at Roger Williams Park Zoo’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular – "Trivia Edition" presented by Citizens Bank.
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of tricky trivia as you embark on a journey through brain-teasing questions while strolling past 1000s of creatively carved pumpkins.
photo credit: Trig Photography
The Incredible Naumkeag Pumpkin Show Early Hour - Stockbridge
September 31 - October 31, 2025
The Naumkeag Pumpkin Show is back! Explore our famous gardens as we transform Naumkeag into a celebration of autumn with over 1,500 jack-o-lanterns, hundreds of mums, pumpkins and countless gourds – most of which were grown right here on the grounds!
Pumpkintown USA - East Hampton, CT
September 20 - October 31, 2025
Enjoy a journey through the Pumpkintown USA Forest in the comfort and safety of your own personal vehicle. On this scenic 1-mile (20 minute) drive you’ll see over 30 Pumpkinhead people and their animal companions at home in their woodland dwellings.
Fall Fun on Chestnut Hill Farm - Southborough
Sundays in late September - mid-November, 2025
Join us on Sundays from 12-6pm for some Fall Fun at Chestnut Hill Farm. Enjoy live music, hayrides, a scavenger hunt, and a visit with our friendly goats. Food from alternating food trucks and craft beer will be available for purchase.
The Great Jack-o-Lantern Journey at Southwick Zoo - Mendon
September 26 - October 31, 2025
Step into a world of Spooky Fun for Everyone as we present “The Great Jack O Lantern Journey” – an extraordinary Halloween festival, exclusively at Southwick’s Zoo!
This after-hours walkthrough event features intricately carved jack-o-lanterns and displays throughout the zoo that bring to life your favorite animals and beloved storybook characters.
Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival—Stowe, VT
September 28, 2025
This festive festival challenges kids and adults to build a better trebuchet: a modern version of the medieval catapult. Spectators get to watch those pumpkins soar and smash at the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival, located at Mayo Farm Event Fields at 120 Weeks Hill Road in Stowe, VT.
Pumpkin People in the Park—Chatham, MA
October 14-31, 2025
This annual tradition of Pumpkin People in the Park on the Cape brings together local businesses which craft clever, funny, or awe-inspiring displays of people and activities out of pumpkins.
Return of the Pumpkin People - Jackson, NH
October 01 - October 31, 2025
This self-guided tour features more than 80 different locations hosting Pumpkin People displays. This is an event will amaze even the toughest of critics. You will see Pumpkin People doing all kinds of things from flying across yards to deep sea diving.
Keene Pumpkin Festival — Keene, NH
October 18, 2025
The Keene Pumpkin Festival has become one of the region’s most popular community events. And not just because we hold the world record for lit jack-o-lanterns.
Each autumn, The Keene Pumpkin Festival brings together thousands of people and families from near and far to share an unforgettable celebration of community.
At the heart of the festival’s popularity is its emphasis on participation. Thousands contribute to the spectacle by bringing their own hand-carved pumpkins. Everyone who carves a pumpkin with their own special face or design adds to the fun.
New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival—Laconia, NH
October 25, 2025
The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival in Laconia is back and promises to be better than ever. festival features the Spectacular Pumpkin Tower, plus thousands of jack-o-lanterns lining the street.
Get ready for an electrifying extravaganza! Hold onto your hats and carve out some time because the NH Pumpkin Festival is back and bigger than ever.
Find More Fall Fun
You can find more things to do in September and October activities in our handy guides to fall family fun - and , you can always visit our Boston events calendar or this week's events newsletter for additional ideas.
Up for a challenge? Find your way through one of many local corn mazes near Boston! Or you can go a more tradition route and find great spots for apple picking or choosing your perfect pumpkin at a local pumpkin patch.
photo credits include stock photos and unknown sources. please contact us with photo credit information.
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Stacey Sao has been the Managing Director of the family-friendly events and activities website, BostonCentral for over 25 years. She continues to enjoy discovering and exploring new places to visit in the Greater Boston area.
Don't see your favorite pumpkin festival listed here yet? Let us know!