Halloween falls on a Saturday in 2026, which turns a normal after-school party into a full afternoon - and this one lands before trick-or-treating hours rather than competing with them. St. Mary's Park is the South Bronx's central green space, and the courts give it a hard surface that survives a soggy lawn. If you have small kids in Mott Haven and need somewhere to burn costume energy, this is the slot.
What to expect
Craft and game stations laid out across the basketball courts, with Parks staff running the activities. It is drop-in: arrive whenever, stay as long as the kids hold out, leave in time for trick-or-treating.
Good to know
- Take the 6 to Cypress Avenue or the 2 and 5 to Third Avenue-149th Street
- No registration required - just turn up
- Held on the basketball courts, so it holds up better than a lawn event after rain
- Costumes are the point; bring a bag for whatever the kids collect
- Aimed at elementary-age children and younger
Planning Sep 25–27, 2026 in NYC?
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Common questions
Does it cost anything?
No. NYC Parks lists Pumpkin Palooza as free and open to the public.
Will it conflict with trick-or-treating?
It runs in the early afternoon and wraps before the usual evening trick-or-treating window.
