Harlem's biggest free Halloween party returns to 125th Street on Saturday, October 31. Harlemween 2026 takes over the plaza of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street, from 4 to 7 p.m., with costume and dance contests, a magic show, stilt walkers, free candy and a group lesson in the Thriller dance. Admission is free.

The New York State Office of General Services, which manages the state office building and programs its outdoor plaza, puts on the event each year. In 2026, Halloween falls on a Saturday.

What is on the program

According to the Office of General Services, the 2026 lineup includes:

  • A host, Daniel Carlton, keeping the afternoon moving between acts
  • Music from DJ Stormin' Norman
  • A Thriller dance tutorial led by Moses Harper, so anyone in costume can learn the routine on the spot
  • A magic show by Jazzman S
  • Costume contests and dance contests
  • Stilt walkers working the crowd
  • Free candy, handed out while supplies last

The state lists a few ground rules for the plaza. Alcohol, coolers, glass containers and pets are not allowed (ADA service animals are the exception). Bags may be checked by security or State Police, and filming the performances requires written permission in advance. Plan for a crowd: candy runs out when it runs out, so arriving near the 4 p.m. start is the safer bet for younger trick-or-treaters.

A first trick-or-treat at Harlem Valley Garden

One day earlier, on Friday, October 30, Harlem Valley Garden at 197 West 134th Street holds its first Halloween trick-or-treat, from 2 to 6 p.m. The community garden group plans treats and decorations for children, and volunteers will be on hand to explain how neighbors can get involved with the garden. The event is free and listed on the NYC Parks calendar, with the garden itself as organizer.

For families who have only walked past the garden fence, this is a low-key way to see the space and meet the people who keep it growing. The garden sits a short walk from the 135th Street stations on Malcolm X Boulevard (2 and 3 trains) and on St. Nicholas Avenue (B and C trains).

Haunted Heights in Morningside Park

Also on Friday, October 30, NYC Parks, the Friends of Morningside Park and two Columbia University groups (the Columbia University Space Initiative and the Zuckerman Institute) host Haunted Heights: Halloween at Morningside Park. It runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on the park's North Lawn, at the picnic oval inside the park near West 120th Street and Morningside Avenue, on the Harlem side of the park.

Parks describes music, arts and crafts and science activities, including making your own lava lamp and a hands-on look at human and animal brains courtesy of the Zuckerman Institute, Columbia's neuroscience research center. Costumes are encouraged. Admission is free. The closest subway stops are 116th Street on the B and C lines and 125th Street on the A, B, C and D lines, both on St. Nicholas Avenue.

Getting to Harlemween

The Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building stands at the corner of 125th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard (Seventh Avenue), a short walk east of the Apollo Theater. The 2 and 3 trains stop at 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard (Lenox Avenue), about a block east. The A, B, C and D trains stop at 125th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue, a short walk west. Several crosstown buses, including the M60 Select Bus Service, M100 and Bx15, run along 125th Street.

The building is named for Adam Clayton Powell Jr., the Abyssinian Baptist Church pastor who represented Harlem in Congress for more than two decades. Its plaza hosts free public programs through the year, and the Halloween party has become one of its regular fall dates.

Plan your Halloween weekend

Put together, Harlem families can line up three free stops over two days:

  • Friday, October 30, 2 to 6 p.m.: Harlem Valley Garden first Halloween trick-or-treat, 197 West 134th Street. Free.
  • Friday, October 30, 3 to 6 p.m.: Haunted Heights, North Lawn of Morningside Park near West 120th Street and Morningside Avenue. Free.
  • Saturday, October 31, 4 to 7 p.m.: Harlemween 2026, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building plaza, 163 West 125th Street. Free.

No tickets or registration are needed for Harlemween. For updates on the day, the Office of General Services posts plaza news on its Plaza Events Harlem page. Garden and park events can change with the weather, so check the NYC Parks event listings before heading out.

Sources