Looking for a spooky good time? Check out these frightfully fun Halloween events and activities in DC, from all-ages family friendly events to parties and bar crawls. If you’re eager to do a little more than trick-or-treating to honor the spookiest of holidays, we’ve got plenty of options for you.
Boo at the Zoo – Oct. 18-20
The National Zoo’s annual family oriented Halloween evening event is now an essential part of the holiday in DC. Geared toward wholesome fun, the three-day celebration features more than 40 treat stations, as well as after-hours access to many of the zoo’s animal houses and exhibits. Halloween-themed trails will be fun for a stroll and live entertainment will also be featured, as well as a kids’ dance party and karaoke sesh. Make sure to come in costume! The event is suggested for kids between the ages of 4 and 12.
5:30 – 8:30 p.m. | Tickets
Smithsonian National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Night of the Living Zoo – Oct. 25
The National Zoo’s 21-and-over complement to Boo at the Zoo, Night of the Living Zoo transforms the animal haven into a devil’s playground. You’ll have after-hours access to numerous zoo attractions while enjoying live entertainment, including frightfully amazing oddities and the annual costume contest. You’ll also be able to savor eats from local food trucks and craft brews.
7-10:30 p.m. | Tickets
Smithsonian National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Air & Scare at the Udvar-Hazy Center – Oct. 26
Dane Penland / National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Have some spooky fun with a trip to Air & Scare at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. The annual indoor romp asks that you rock your Halloween attire and get ready for an intense round of trick or treating. But the fun doesn’t stop there: crazy science experiments and creepy crafts are on the ledger as well.
12-5:30 p.m. | Free admission
National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, VA 20151
Trick or Treat at Tudor Place – Oct. 26
Tudor Place Historic House & Garden
Time to get spooktacular at Tudor Place, an elegant house and garden set in a bucolic area of Georgetown. Trick or Treat at Tudor Place will feature costumes, pumpkin-decorating, face painting and outdoor games. Families will also enjoy meandering through the North Garden’s paths to find hidden treats!
10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Tickets
Tudor Place, 1644 31st Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
Eighties Mayhem: 80s Halloween Dance Party – Oct. 26
Halloween thrills are on tap for Black Cat’s ’80s Halloween Dance Party, which kicks off at 9 p.m. on the last Saturday night of the month. The event will take up both floors of the venue, with DJs Steve EP, MissGuided and Killa K holding it down upstairs while music blares in two different rooms downstairs. Costumes are highly encouraged!
9 p.m. | Tickets
The Black Cat, 1811 14th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
17th Street High Heel Race – Oct. 29
An epic DC tradition for more than 30 years, the 17th Street High Heel Race turns one Dupont Circle neighborhood street into a raucous, Halloween-flavored spectacle. Heel hobblers, most of whom are decked out in full drag and makeup, are cheered on by screaming fans for the full quarter-mile race. Photo ops, chuckles and plenty of fun are sure to ensue. Quick note: no chairs or animals allowed, as these intense competitors need as much space as possible to strut their stuff. Participants and spectators usually begin to gather around 6 p.m.
Free admission
17th Street NW
