From now until All Hallows’ Eve and beyond, our annual haunted house guide, plus 10 other attractions for your spooky season.
HAUNTED HOUSES
HellsGate Haunted House
HellsGate is off the beaten path in a mansion in the woods outside of Lockport, put on by Zombie Army Productions and celebrating its 10th year of operation. You take a shuttle bus into the HellsGate grounds from the parking lot in town. Inside, expect multiple floors and a giant slide. Through Nov. 1 at 301 W. 2nd Street, Lockport; tickets from $40 at hellsgate.com
Dungeon of Doom
This sprawling haunted house in Zion boasts 45,000 square feet, and this year celebrates 30 years in operation. Slasher Nights, devoted to horror movie icons, are Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Blackout Nights are Nov. 6-7, and Sub-Thermal Nightmare is coming in December. Through Nov. 7 at 600 29th St., Zion; tickets from $34.99 at dungeonofdoom.com
Basement of the Dead
At this popular haunted house near the Hollywood Casino in Aurora, the winding hallways of the Basement are followed by Shattered 3D. Through Nov. 7 at 42 W. New York St., Aurora; tickets from $28.99 at basementofthedead.com
13th Floor Haunted House
This is the 13th season in the Chicago area for the big-budget haunt put on by the Denver-based Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group. (But the company’s Old Joliet Haunted Prison in Joliet is not open for 2026.) The attractions, to call them that, in Schiller Park this year include Black Hollow Institute and The Woman in White. Through Nov. 8 at 5050 River Road, Schiller Park; tickets from $24.99 at 13thfloorchicago.com
Disturbia Haunted House
Disturbia is back for 2026 in Downer’s Grove, a warehouse-like companion haunt to Basement of the Dead. Through Nov. 13 at 1213 Butterfield Road, Downers Grove; tickets from $29.99 at hauntedhousedisturbia.com
Midnight Terror Haunted House
This haunt is in an industrial space just across from Chapel Hill Garden South Cemetery, open mostly on weekends, with six different haunts and other attractions. Through Nov. 1 at 5520 W. 111th St., Oak Lawn; tickets from $37.29 at midnightterrorhauntedhouse.com
The Massacre
The Massacre is a longtime west suburban haunt with some 30,000 square feet of space, including the new Asylum for 2026. Through Oct. 31 at 299 Montgomery Road, Montgomery; tickets from $36.99 at fearthemassacre.com
Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America
Come for the scares, stay for the rides. Fright Fest is now in its 35th year. Through Nov. 1 at 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee; tickets from $45 (park admission only) or $75 (Fright Fest Bundles) at sixflags.com More Top Picks Best Night Driving Glasses For Seniors
Realm of Terror
A longtime haunt, running since 2003. You can walk through Realm of Terror without scare staff on Oct. 29; the gentler Family Fright is midday Oct. 24. Through Oct. 31 at 421 W. Rollins Road, Round Lake Beach; tickets from $27.99 at realmofterror.com
Park After Dark
Returning for 2026 and starring Chuckles, Park After Dark is a haunted house to benefit the Chase Park after-school teen program. Oct. 16 to Nov. 1 in Chase Park, 4701 N. Ashland Ave. (use Ashland entrance); tickets $16-$18 at chaseparkafterdark.com
THEATER AND EVENTS
Manual Cinema’s “Frankenstein”
The Chicago-based performance collective Manual Cinema stitches together shadow puppetry, live action, sound effects and live music to create cinema in front of an audience — in this case, Mary Shelley’s story “about the beauty and horror of creation.” Devised by Drew Dir, Sarah Fornace and Julia Miller, with music and sound design by Ben Kauffman and Kyle Vegter, it’s running for five performances only. Oct. 28 to Nov. 1 at the Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave.; tickets $35-$85 at fineartsbuilding.com
Arts in the Dark
What’s become Chicago’s favorite Halloween event has outgrown State Street. This October, the nonprofit LUMA8’s Arts in the Dark Halloween Parade returns to its original location along Columbus Drive for its 12th year, with the parade stepping off at Balbo Drive and marching north through Jackson Boulevard. Crowds will line the route to see floats, costumed actors, spectacular puppets and creative performances. Plus food trucks and other vendors. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 24 on Columbus Drive between Balbo and Monroe; free, more information at artsinthedark.com
“House of the Exquisite Corpse: Lullabies”
Just how frightening can puppets be? Come find out with Rough House, presenting this theatrical haunted house for its sixth season. Groups of small audiences are let in via timed entries to experience six “rooms” of horror stories, told through puppets, stage artistry and live theater, directed by Corey Smith. This year’s theme is “Lullabies,” as in, what happens after that cradle falls? Through Nov. 1 at The Merle at Steppenwolf, 1624 N. Halsted St.; tickets from $23.50-$49.25 roughhousetheater.com
“Edward Scissorhands in Concert”
The Chicago Philharmonic continues its Auditorium Philms Concert Series with an apt October title — the 20th Century Studios 1990 movie “Edward Scissorhands,” directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp as the creation and outcast who falls in love with Winona Ryder’s suburban teenager. Chicago Philharmonic plays along with Danny Elfman’s score for a live screening. 7:30 p.m. Oct 24 at The Auditorium, 50 E Ida B. Wells Drive; tickets from $53 at auditoriumtheatre.org
Día de Muertos
“Where Memory Lives: 40 Years of Día de Muertos” is this year’s title of the popular annual exhibit of Mexican art and cultural history at the National Museum of Mexican Art, this season dedicated to scholar and museum benefactor Gilberto Cárdenas. Through Nov. 29 at the National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St.; free, nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org. Also check out Día de los Muertos in Camino Clark, the cultural district in Rogers Park along Clark Street, including a parade at 4 p.m. Nov. 1 at the intersection of Clark Street and Estes Avenue; rpba.org
“The Spirit Cabinet”
The Magic Parlour gets into a Halloween spirit for a limited run of “The Spirit Cabinet,” with magician Dennis Watkins lending a spooky chill to his usual performance, including spirit messages from beyond. Oct. 29-31 at The Magic Parlour, 50 W. Randolph St.; tickets from $99 at goodmantheatre.org
“Halloween Boo Bash”
American Blues Theater celebrates Halloween with a fundraiser benefit event for all ages, including trick-or-treating in the theater, karaoke by theater members and chilly campfire stories. 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at American Blues Theater, 5627 N. Lincoln Ave.; tickets $35 at americanbluestheater.com
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Night of 1,000 Jack-o’-Lanterns
For a few short weeks in October, the Chicago Botanic Garden glows with rows of artist-carved pumpkins at dusk and after dark. Along with all the pumpkins, lit with LED lights, there will be carving demonstrations, costumed characters and food vendors. 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on select nights through Oct. 25 at Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe; tickets from $24 at chicagobotanic.org
Serial Killer: The Exhibition
This touring exhibition devoted to serial killers and criminology claims to have the largest collection of authentic true-crime artifacts in the country, including psychiatric reports and personal belongings. Now in Chicago in a 26,000-square-foot space at Cinespace Studios, it includes original John Wayne Gacy artwork and H.H. Holmes case evidence. Through Jan. 24, 2027, at Cinespace Studios, 2428 W. 15th St.; tickets $38 (ages 14+) at serialkillerexhibit.com
“Behind the Scream with David Arquette”
Actor David Arquette is coming to the Paramount Theatre for a 30th anniversary screening of the original 1996 horror movie “Scream,” directed by Wes Craven, with a post-movie audience Q&A with Arquette. 8 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora; tickets from $41 at paramountaurora.com