Halloween in Chicago 2026: Costume Parties, Bar Crawls & Late-Night Specials
Halloween is on a Saturday this year, which means one enormous night instead of two medium ones. The Northalsted parade takes over Halsted, Wrigleyville turns into a costumed crawl, River North stays open latest, and the suburbs throw better parties than they get credit for. Here is where to go, neighborhood by neighborhood, with the live costume-contest, late-night and drink specials at each spot.
Halloween weekend, the short version
Halloween night
Sat Oct 31
Everywhere, all at once
Halloween lands on a Saturday in 2026, so there is no split between the 'real' night and the party night — every bar runs its costume contest, DJ and drink specials on the 31st, with Friday the 30th as the warm-up.
Northalsted Halloween Parade
Sat Oct 31, evening
Halsted St, Belmont to Addison (Lakeview)
The city's big one: a costume parade up Halsted with a judged contest, then the bars along the route stay packed until close. Get there before the step-off if you want a seat anywhere on the strip. Confirm the 2026 start time with Northalsted.
Arts in the Dark
A Saturday in mid/late October
State St, the Loop
A nighttime arts parade of puppets, lanterns and floats down State Street, usually the weekend before Halloween. Family-friendly and free, and the Loop bars are quiet afterward by Halloween standards. Confirm the 2026 date.
Day of the Dead
Sun Nov 1 – Mon Nov 2
Pilsen & Little Village
Día de Muertos follows Halloween straight into Pilsen: ofrendas at the National Museum of Mexican Art, processions on 18th Street and the best post-Halloween meal in the city. Our Mexican Independence Day guide covers the neighborhood's bars and taquerias.
Costume parties & Halloween specials
Bars and restaurants with a Halloween or costume special already on the books. More post every week in October — this list refreshes hourly.
Lakeview
4 spots- Angelina RistoranteHalloween Brunch
- Olive Black ChicagoHalloween Night Drink Specials
- Panino'S PizzeriaHalloween Special - Pizza & Wings Deal
- SPLASHOklahoma Costume Free Shot
West Loop
2 spots- Stelios' Bottles & BitesHalloween Party
- The Hoxton, ChicagoHalloween Drag Brunch
Bucktown
1 spot- Diversey River Bowl LoungeHalloween Special
East Side
1 spot- Crow Bar ChicagoHalloween Beer Pong Tournament & Costume Contest
Hyde Park
1 spot- Small ChevalHalloween Kids Treat
Lake Zurich
1 spot- Beelow's SteakhouseHalloween (Oct 31, 2026): Come in a costume and receive 10% off your bill.
Lincoln Park
1 spot- Cm ChickenHalloween Special
Lincoln Square
1 spot- Q Sushi Bar & OmakaseHalloween Costume Contest
Where the party is, neighborhood by neighborhood
The bars that run late-night, DJ, karaoke and shot specials year-round are the ones that go biggest on Halloween. City first, then the suburbs.
Lakeview
Northalsted parade route- Schubas TavernLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour: Monday thru Sunday 11:30 PM - 2:00 AM with Daily Drink Specials, $3 Well Drinks, $3 Draft Goose Island 312
- Bar CocinaLate Night: Happy (After) Hours: Friday & Saturday 10 PM-12 AM ($25 Mexican beer buckets, $30 High Noon buckets, special late night menu including walking tacos)
- Cheesie's Pub & GrubLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour
- LarkLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour (10pm-close/2am on weekends): Nutrl & Beer Buckets on Special, Late night eats
- George Street PubLate Night: Friday: Late Night Happy Hour from 10 PM - 2 AM
- Ramen-san - LakeviewLate Night: Late Night Fried Rice: Daily after 9 PM at River North, Fulton Market, and Lincoln Park locations
Wrigleyville
Bar-crawl central- Moe's CantinaLate Night: Late Night Food & Drink Specials
- The Graystone TavernLate Night: Late Night Kitchen
- Old Crow SmokehouseLate Night: Late Night Sliders
- Kincade's WrigleyvilleLate Night: Friday & Saturday Late Night Happy Hour
- Hvac PubLate Night: Saturday Night Party
- ZAM ZAM MIDDLE EASTERN GRILLLate Night: Weekend Bowl Free Samples
River North
Clubs & late-night- StoryvilleLate Night: Late Night Beignets: $2 Sweet Beignets Sun-Wed 8:30pm-10:30pm, Thu-Sat 10pm-12am.
- MoneygunLate Night: Tuesday Late Night Specials (starting 10pm): $5 boilermakers and $10 Paloma
- Spin ChicagoLate Night: $10 After 10PM for ping pong tables on Fridays and Saturdays
- Hq Beercade IiLate Night: Industry Night (Mondays): 50% off your tab for all service industry, $10 Don Julio 1942 shots, late night menu, dancing & live DJs until 2 AM.
- Tree House Chicago / TunnelLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour (Retro Rewind theme): $5 pizzas (Sat-Sun, 8pm-Close).
- HawksmoorLate Night: Steak After Eight
West Loop
Randolph St parties- Saint Lou'S Assembly & MoneygunLate Night: Tuesday Late Night Specials (starting 10pm): $5 boilermakers, $10 Paloma
- The IzakayaLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour & Karaoke Night on Mondays from 8-10pm, featuring a $20 shot-beer-wings combo meal.
- BanditLate Night: Happy Hour: Every Day 4pm - 6pm, and Friday & Saturday after 9pm (Late Night Happy Hour). Specials include Diplomat Slider, Spicy Chicken Slider, Crispy Mozz Thicc, Miller High Life ($4), Glass of Ban
- La Serre / Bar La RueLate Night: Bar La Rue 'The Perfect 10 Menu': $10 specials after 10pm every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night.
- MomotaroLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour + Karaoke: Late-night bites and cocktails, Mondays 8-10 PM
- Lazy BirdLate Night: Reverse Happy Hour On Friday & Saturday from 9 PM - 12 AM
Lincoln Park
Halsted & Lincoln Ave bars- R.J. GruntsLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour: Thursday – Saturday from 8 PM – 10 PM for $5 Classic Cocktails, Beers and Wine
- Parlay Lincoln ParkLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour
- Galway ArmsLate Night: Late Night Food Menu
- Over/Under Sports Bar ChicagoLate Night: Late Night Specials (Friday & Saturday)
- Pour DecisionsLate Night: Late Night Specials
- Happy Lamb Hot Pot #5Late Night: VA Late Night Happy Hour
Logan Square
Milwaukee Ave, costumes encouraged- La LunitaLate Night: During Vino & Vinyl on Friday and Saturday late nights: $9 Wine Glasses (Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Pinot Noir, Orange Wine, & Sparkling), $12 Diablito Rojo (Mezcal Amarás, Sangrita, Passion Fruit, Lime,
- ScofflawLate Night: Late Night Combo (after 11pm nightly): Scofflaw Burger or Eggplant Hoagie (V) with fries and a happy hour cocktail for $26
- The RadicleLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour Menu starts: 10pm Tuesday-Thursday, Sunday; 11pm Friday-Saturday, ends 1 hour prior to last call
- The Logan TheatreLate Night: Late Night Movie Tickets
- The Harding TavernLate Night: Late-night kitchen
- La Victoria Barra + CocinaDaily Special: Taco Tuesday: Every Tuesday from 4 PM to 10 PM, all-you-can-eat tacos with V5 DJ's.
Wicker Park
Six Corners dive crawl- Blue LineLate Night: Late Night Kitchen
- Estelle's Cafe & LoungeLate Night: $2 Off Apps Until Midnight
- Estelles Cafe & PubLate Night: Late-night eats: Bar bites, burgers, sandwiches, and fries available until 3:30 a.m.
- Big StarLate Night: Mutiny After Midnight Listening Party
- Dorian'sEvent: Sunday Vinyl DJ Night
- ValedorEvent: Toki'o Nights - Tokyo-Inspired Experience by House of Suntory
Naperville
Suburbs · downtown Naperville- Go BrewingLate Night: Late Night Happy Hour
- Blind Corner BreweryEvent: Record Store Day DJ Event
- The LanternDaily Special: Karaoke Tuesdays at 9 PM
- Bottoms Up Sports Bar & GrillDaily Special: Monday: 99 Cent Wings (increments of 8, drink purchase required), $5.50 Tall Domestic Drafts, $5 Well Drinks, $5 Fireball Shots
- Potter's Place and Two-Nine Martini LoungeDaily Special: Tacos and Tequila on Tuesdays: mix and match three authentic Mexican street tacos for $11.25, el Jimador tequila shots for $5, or margaritas for $7.
- Up North Ale HouseDaily Special: Wednesday: BOGO FREE WRAPS! (drink purchase required, upgraded sides add'l charge, dine-in only), $5 Craft / Import Bottles, $5 Patron Silver Shots, $7 House Wine Glasses (6oz), $8 Beer Flights.
Rosemont
Suburbs · Parkway Bank Park- Liberty TavernLate Night: Weekend Late-night Happy Hour (Friday – Sunday) 8:00 PM until closing: half-price shareable appetizers, $2 off draft beers, $2 off house cocktails, $11 Double Smash Burger.
- Little Angelo's Pizza & CateringLate Night: Late Night Special: One X-Large Pizza with Two Toppings for $21.99 (Only available 8:00 PM - 1:30 AM, must present coupon, not valid with any other offer, limited time only)
- Benchmark RestaurantLate Night: Late Night Limited Menu
- Carmine's Italian Restaurant RosemontDaily Special: DJ Gizep: Friday, June 26, 2026, 8pm - close, playing house music and crowd favorites
- Horseshoe InnDaily Special: Karaoke every Tuesday night, starting at 10pm
- SWAY BARDaily Special: Karaoke on Sundays
Tinley Park
Suburbs · Oak Park Ave- Dogwood Social HouseLate Night: Late Night Social Hour
- Bailey's Restaurant & BarDaily Special: Karaoke: Wednesdays starting at 10 PM (two-drink minimum)
- Durbin's of Tinley Express & GamingEvent: Wednesday Karaoke Night
- Durbin's of Harmony Square Tinley ParkEvent: Wednesday Karaoke Night
Schaumburg
Suburbs- Leen's LoungeDaily Special: Karaoke every Thursday starting at 9pm
- Finn McCool's Irish Sports PubHappy Hour: Happy Hour (Everyday): $2 off all Draft Beer, $2 off all Specialty Cocktails & Featured Brands, $2 off all Shots, $2 off Whiskey drinks, $9 All Appetizers and Sliders
- Stonewood Ale HouseDaily Special: Daily Drink Specials (Everyday, All Day/All Night - Bar Area Only): SUNDAY: $4 Fireball Shots, $3.75 Miller Lite Pints, $4.75 Blue Moon Pints, 3 for $11 Miller Lite Bottles, $12 Coors Light Pitchers
- Tree Guys Pizza PubDaily Special: Wednesday: Taco Wednesday! $3.00 ea. Steak, Chicken, Pork, or Fish (with drink purchase), $4 Tequila shots, $5 Margaritas, Modelo, Corona, & Pacifico
- City Works (Woodfield Mall - Schaumburg)Brunch: Brunch
Plan the crawl
Build your own Halloween bar crawl
Pick a neighborhood, a start time and how many stops you want, and the crawl planner strings together the bars with live deals along the way — costume not included.
Open the crawl planner →Late-night, the morning after & Día de Muertos
Kitchens that serve past midnight on Halloween are listed under late-night deals. Sunday is a brunch day like any other, only slower — the brunch guide has the bloody marys. Then head to Pilsen for Day of the Dead on Nov 1–2; the Mexican Independence Day guide covers the neighborhood's bars and taquerias.
Keep planning
Halloween in Chicago FAQ
What day is Halloween in 2026?
Halloween is Saturday, October 31, 2026. Because it falls on a Saturday, Chicago's bars run their costume contests, DJ nights and drink specials on the night itself, with Friday the 30th as a second big night. Expect cover charges and lines at the most popular spots after 9pm.
Where is the Halloween parade in Chicago?
The Northalsted Halloween Parade runs up Halsted Street in Lakeview, roughly from Belmont to Addison, on the evening of October 31 with a judged costume contest. Arts in the Dark, a separate nighttime arts parade, goes down State Street in the Loop on a Saturday in mid-to-late October. Confirm both 2026 start times with the organizers.
Which Chicago bars have Halloween costume contests?
Costume contests cluster in Lakeview and Northalsted, River North, Wrigleyville, Logan Square and Old Town, and several suburban bars in Lake Zurich, Tinley Park and Lombard run their own. This guide lists every venue with a live Halloween or costume special on the books, with prices and hours on each venue page.
What are the best neighborhoods for a Halloween bar crawl?
Wrigleyville and Lakeview have the densest run of bars within a few blocks and host most of the organized crawls. Lincoln Park along Halsted and Lincoln Avenue, Logan Square on Milwaukee Avenue and Wicker Park around Six Corners are the walkable alternatives, and River North has the clubs and the latest closes. Our crawl planner maps live deals along any route you pick.
Are there Halloween things to do in the Chicago suburbs?
Yes. Downtown Naperville, Rosemont's Parkway Bank Park, Tinley Park and Schaumburg all have bars running Halloween weekend specials, and this guide tracks the live deals in each. Suburban downtowns also host trick-or-treat afternoons and family events the weekend before, so check your village calendar.
Is there anything family-friendly on this list?
Arts in the Dark on State Street is free and built for kids, and a handful of restaurants run kids-eat-free or treat specials on Halloween night. Most of the bars in this guide are 21+ after dark on the 31st, so plan the family stop for the afternoon.
Search live late-night, drink and costume-party specials by neighborhood or suburb.
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