Spooky Savings: Best Halloween Deals and Free Events in Philadelphia 2025

Halloween in Philadelphia is extra fun when you can score a great deal or catch something free. From haunted icons like Eastern State Penitentiary to neighborhood festivals and pumpkin patches just outside the city, 2025 is shaping up to be a season of spooky savings, smart swaps, and local giveaways you do not want to miss.

Philadelphia Halloween deals and free events to bookmark

If you love big scares, Eastern State Penitentiary’s Halloween Nights is the headliner. Pro tip: look for weeknight tickets and early-season dates for friendlier prices and shorter lines. In South Philly, Fright Factory delivers old-school haunt vibes in a 120-year-old warehouse. Prefer a quick drive for maximum thrills? The Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride in Glen Mills is a suburban favorite with sets and effects that rival theme parks.

Not every fright has to cost a fortune. Neighborhood calendars in East Passyunk, Manayunk, and the South Street Headhouse District typically feature free or low-cost Halloween fun like kids’ costume parades, outdoor movies, and trick-or-treat strolls. Dates change each year, so check event pages as October approaches to catch the latest lineups and any RSVP requirements.

Costumes on a budget: where locals really shop

Here is where Philadelphians are saving on looks this year:

• Philly AIDS Thrift in Queen Village: The city’s go-to for costume building blocks, wigs, and last-minute accessories. It is affordable, and your purchase supports a worthy cause.
• The Wardrobe (Center City and South Street): Nonprofit shop with everyday pieces you can repurpose into clever costumes you will wear again.
• South Street Art Mart: Indie accessories, pins, and Philly-centric flair to give even a simple costume a local twist.
• Circle Thrift in Kensington and Fishtown: Great for flannels, denim, and vintage layers to build DIY looks without the markup.

Bonus tip: college neighborhoods around University City see informal costume swaps in late September and early October. Keep an eye on community boards and local Facebook groups for pop-ups where you can swap instead of shop.

Patches, hayrides, and cider donuts near the city

When sweater weather kicks in, locals head just beyond Philadelphia for pumpkins and fall photos. Linvilla Orchards in Media is a tried-and-true favorite with big patch energy, hayrides, and a farm market that basically smells like autumn. Bucks County’s Shady Brook Farm brings daytime FallFest fun and after-dark scares, while Johnson’s Corner Farm in Medford, NJ is an easy cross-river trip for apple picking and family-friendly hayrides. Look for weekday pricing, bundle passes, or late-afternoon deals; they often cost less than prime-time Saturdays.

Family-friendly free(ish) Halloween fun in the city

Philadelphia’s neighborhoods do a great job of keeping things festive without crushing your wallet:

• East Passyunk Fall Fest and Spooky Saturday: Expect live music, a kids and pets costume contest, and local vendors. It is one of those reliably packed but friendly neighborhood days.
• Manayunk dog costume parade on Main Street: A crowd-pleaser that is as much a people-watching event as it is a pup runway.
• Franklin Square’s spooky mini golf: While not free, it is a fun, manageable splurge for families; keep watch for weekday bundle offers.
• Old City ghost walks and history tours: Some operators run early-bird or weeknight specials; even if you skip the tour, a self-guided stroll past brick alleys and churchyards sets the mood.

For a sweet ending on a budget, swing by Reading Terminal Market for caramel apples and cider donuts, or make a pit stop at Shane Confectionery in Old City for seasonal treats and giftable Halloween candies.

Local giveaway alerts, discounts, and neighborhood steals

Keep your eyes on neighborhood Instagram accounts, brewery taprooms, and independent coffee shops for Halloween-week giveaways and ticket raffles. Fishtown and Northern Liberties spots love a good costume contest with bar tabs or snack boards as prizes. Evil Genius Beer Company often drops seasonal brews like Trick or Treat Chocolate Pumpkin Porter; watch their feed for party announcements and themed glassware nights. Yards and other local breweries usually roll out fall beer flights that make a night out feel like a deal even before the discounts.

Shopping for candy in bulk? Reading Terminal Market vendors sometimes bundle buys near the holiday. Outside Center City, neighborhood grocers and specialty shops along Passyunk and Germantown Avenue may post curbside chalkboard specials on pumpkins and baking supplies the week before Halloween.

Quick list: 7 wallet-friendly Halloween ideas in Philly

• Go early or go late: Haunted attractions are often cheaper early in October or on weeknights.
• DIY costume challenge: Build a character using only thrift and dollar-store finds under a set budget.
• Neighborhood photo tour: Hit Elfreth’s Alley, Society Hill, and Laurel Hill Cemetery’s grounds during posted hours for moody, free backdrops.
• Potluck pumpkin party: Host a porch hang with homemade snacks and a small-prize costume contest.
• SEPTA savings: Skip parking fees by taking transit to Center City and Old City events.
• Two-stop treat crawl: Pair a hot cider at Franklin Square with a Franklin Fountain or Shane Confectionery treat.
• Family matinee: Many indie theaters and libraries schedule kid-friendly screenings earlier in the day at low or no cost.

Make a plan that stretches your budget

1. Pick one major haunt or pumpkin patch as your splurge.
2. Fill the rest of your calendar with free neighborhood events and self-guided walks.
3. Shop costumes early at local thrift spots, then add one new accessory from a favorite Philly maker.
4. Track Instagram stories from venues in Fishtown, Passyunk, and Old City for flash giveaways and last-minute ticket deals.

Whatever your mix, the best part of Halloween in Philadelphia is how easy it is to keep it local. Grab a cider with friends in Old City, catch a sunset over the Schuylkill Boardwalk before a ghost walk, and support small businesses while you build the perfect costume. And if you are feeling lucky, check out ZipSweep — the daily, ad-funded sweepstakes where Philly locals can snag free prizes by ZIP code, first come, first served.