Halloween weekend is here and there are tons of spooky ways to celebrate in New York City! Check out our list of 16 alternative ways to celebrate and for some not so scary events, here are our Untapped Picks for the rest of the week:

Friday, October 26th

Climb to the top of the Little Red Lighthouse in Fort Washington Park on an exclusive tour with Untapped Cities Insiders. Led by an Urban Park Ranger, ascend the original cast iron steps while learning the history of this unique landmark and the surrounding area of Fort Washington Park, The George Washington Bridge and the Hudson River. You can sign up for this free tour now if you are an Untapped Cities Insider! Not an Insider yet? Become a member today and access free behind-the-scenes tours and events in New York City all year long!

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Saturday, October 27th

Look at death from a new perspective at one of the many events in the week-long Reimagine End of Life New York series. The series will feature 322 events including discussion, rituals, comedy shows, performances, tours and exhibits focused on exploring death and celebrating life. See 19th century postmortem portraiture at the Merchant’s House Museum, learn how to craft a condolence letter with Green-Wood cemetery educator Amy Cunningham, or see a film about embracing life. Many of the events are free. The series will run through November 3rd.

Attend Lofty Ghouls Halloween Kickoff Show, the Halloween version of Lofty Goals, a monthly backyard comedy/variety show and benefit party that fundraises for organizations pursuing justice for marginalized communities and all people. Lofty Goals has raised over $9,000 for Brooklyn Bail Fund, Unidos por Puerto Rico, the National Immigration Law Center, the Audre Lorde Project, and more. This months show will benefit Sanctuary for Families, New York’s leading service provider and advocate for survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking and related forms of gender violence.

Sunday, October 28th

Photograph Courtesy of Urban Archive, Dumbo Scavenger Hunt

Embark on a historical scavenger hunt through Chinatown with Urban Archive and Think!Chinatown. This free event is part of the exciting programing happening for Chinatown Arts Week. You can register with a team of up to four people and one must have an IPhone in order to download the Urban Archive app. Start the day off with a hot chocolate at the welcome reception and spend an afternoon exploring. Prizes will be given to the top three teams!

Photo courtesy United Palace

Explore the stunning United Palace Theater, a 3,400-seat entertainment palace originally built as one of the five Loew’s Wonder theaters, on a behind-the-scenes tour with Untapped Cities Insiders. Designed by architect Thomas Lamb, the landmarked theater looks almost identical to its original form thanks to various restoration projects throughout the years. Today, the United Palace is a transformational venue that fuses culture, spirituality and entertainment. You can sign up for this free tour now if you are an Untapped Cities Insider! Not an Insider yet? Become a member today and access free behind-the-scenes tours and events in New York City all year long![mepr-show if=”rule: 518547″][uc_booking_button title=’Book Now’][/mepr-show][mepr-hide if=”rule: 518545″][uc_insider_button title=’BECOME A MEMBER TO JOIN THIS TOUR FOR FREE!’ url=’/plans/insiders/’][/mepr-hide][mepr-show if=”rule: 518546″][uc_insider_button title=’UPGRADE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO JOIN THIS TOUR FOR FREE!’ url=’/plans/insiders’][/mepr-show]

See our full list of Untapped Cities Insiders Tours and our upcoming Public Tours.

Catch a free family screening of the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus with Rooftop Films at Industry City. Before the and after the film kids will be entertained with story time and a post feature puppet show. Doors open at 11:00am.

Monday, October 29th

Reserve your spot to tour Gracie Mansion. The mansion is a rare surviving example of a Federal-era wood frame house and has served as the residence of New York’s mayors since 1942. It was originally built as a country retreat in 1799 for Scottish immigrant Archibald Gracie. Executive Director of Gracie Mansion Conservancy, Paul Gunther, will lead one-hour tours concentrating on the architecture of the home which will include a visit to the 1966 Wagner Wing, an addition built as a public event and meeting space.

Image from the Regional Plan Association, Courtesy of the Center for Architecture

Find out what’s  in store for the tri-state at the Center of Architecture’s “Designing the Future of the Tri-State Region” Archtober Lecture. This panel discussion will dive into the findings of the Regional Plan Association’s Fourth Regional Plan, a long-range strategic plan for the New York Metropolitan Area that includes a broad vision and specific recommendations to promote equity, health, prosperity, and sustainability for the next generation. If you are or become an Untapped Cities Insider, you can attend this event for free!

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Wednesday, October 31st

Take a haunted history tour of the Fraunces Tavern Museum. Led by a costumed guide, this free tour through the oldest standing structure in Manhattan will reveal stories of the tragic events that took place in the building and explain 18th century funerary customs. Guest will also learn what George Washington’s last days were like at Mount Vernon and find out what paranormal investigators discovered within the Museum! This tour if free with regular Museum admission.

Witness the 14th New York – London Dialogue organized by Center for Architecture, New London Architecture and The Urban Design Forum. This live, cross-Atlantic video seminar will take place simultaneously in both cities with experts from the fields of architecture, design, and city planning discussing the future of their two global cities. Breakfast foods will be served before the video conference begins. This seminar is part of Archtober, a month long series of events celebrating design and architecture all over New York City. If you are or become an Untapped Cities Insider, you can attend this event for free!

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March in the 45th annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade! Remember, you can only march if you are in costume. If you’d rather watch, pick a spot along 6th Avenue north of Spring Street to 16th Street where the parade will come through from between 7:00pm to 10:30pm. Don’t even want to leave the house? Catch television coverage on NY 1 from 8:00 pm to 9:30pm.

Thursday, November 1st

Join Elizabeth Albert, editor of Silent Beaches, Untold Stories: NYC’s Forgotten Waterfront​, and author Kurt Schlichting at the Gotham Center for, ​“Waterfront: The 400 Year Struggle over NYC’s Greatest,” a discussion on Schlichting’s new book, Waterfront Manhattan, the first comprehensive history of the asset which made New York City the unrivaled commercial hub of the nation and the north Atlantic world.