NYC’s Trick-or-Streets Brings Family Fun to Every Borough – New York Family

At a Glance

• NYC’s biggest-ever Trick-or-Streets celebration features 160 car-free Open Streets and plazas across the five boroughs
• Halloween and fall festivities take place throughout October 2026
• Families can enjoy trick-or-treating, live music, performances, games, face painting, arts and crafts, and seasonal activities
• New this year, free neighborhood walking tours will highlight local history, architecture, and public spaces
• Additional celebrations will take place at select public schools across the city
• Events are free and open to the public
• Families can use the interactive Trick-or-Streets map to find celebrations by date and location

New York City is doing Halloween its own way again this year (of course!), and families are in for a treat. Mayor Mamdani and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) have announced the biggest-ever Trick-or-Streets celebration, with 160 car-free Open Streets and plazas across the five boroughs transforming into festive zones filled with music, costumes, trick-or-treating, games, and fun throughout October.

What started as a one-week experiment has grown into a citywide celebration, turning some of the busiest pedestrian areas into fun and walkable spaces packed with music, performances, crafts, and Halloween fun for all ages.

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For parents, that translates into a safer way to celebrate Halloween. Every year, Halloween sees a spike in traffic accidents, many involving children. It is one of the deadliest nights on the streets for kids. Trick-or-Streets creates car-free spaces so kids can walk, play, and trick-or-treat without the usual risks of crowded streets and passing cars.

This year’s Trick-or-Streets lineup offers plenty for kids and even teens. Families can enjoy live music, interactive performances, seasonal games, arts and crafts, face painting, and trick-or-treating. The NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) works with community groups, local businesses, cultural organizations, schools, and city agencies to make it all happen, so every event is meant to capture its own local flavor.

New this year, the Municipal Art Society of New York will offer free guided walking tours highlighting the history, architecture, and public spaces of participating neighborhoods. Street Lab will also produce festive events at select public schools across the city, bringing Halloween celebrations directly into communities.

Plus, events are happening across every borough. Families can find celebrations throughout October, with signature events bringing Halloween and fall fun to neighborhoods across the city.

Where to Find Trick-or-Streets Celebrations Across NYC

Here are a few signature events happening across the city:

• Brooklyn: Hillel Plaza hosts a festive celebration on Thursday, October 22, from 2–6 pm.
• Staten Island: Water Street Open Street becomes a Halloween hub on Saturday, October 24, from noon to 5 pm.
• Queens: Austin Street Open Street in Forest Hills hosts a celebration on Sunday, October 25, from 2–5 pm.
• Manhattan: Canal Open Street and Division Plaza keep the celebration going on Wednesday, October 28, from 3–7 pm.
• Bronx: James Baldwin Plaza joins in on Saturday, October 31, from 10 am–3 pm.

In partnership with Street Lab, additional Trick-or-Streets events will also take place outside select public schools across the city, including schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.

Whether your kids are young and excited to show off their costumes or you have teens looking for something a bit more interesting than the usual door-to-door trick-or-treating, Trick-or-Streets can attract all ages and keep them safe on Halloween.

Some blocks will feature dance troupes and DJs, while others focus on crafts, games, and harvest-themed fun. Each location reflects its neighborhood’s personality, from local food vendors and artists to cultural performances that highlight NYC’s diversity.

As always, events are free and open to the public, but they’re weather-dependent, so be sure to check for updates before heading out. The city’s interactive Trick-or-Streets map lets families search by date or location to find events nearby.

With activities organized by local groups and no traffic to worry about, parents can focus on enjoying the holiday with their children instead of constantly watching for danger, and that is surely something to celebrate.

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