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Things to do in Boston this weekend, October 30th - November 2nd

October 30, 2025

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Please enjoy your weekend! If you're heading up to Salem this weekend for the spooky season, do yourself a favor and take the train. The Commuter Rail from North Station gets you there in 30 minutes, no traffic headaches, and drops you right downtown. The Salem Ferry is also running through October 31st if you want the scenic route (about an hour from Long Wharf), but fair warning: both will be packed, so buy tickets ahead in the mTicket app and show up ATLEAST 30-45 minutes early. If you're determined to drive anyway, I wish you luck. There are only approximately 4000 parking spots in the area, so aim to arrive before noon. If you target garages outside the core (MBTA Salem Garage, Museum Place, South Harbor) you may have better luck. Also keep in mind streets will start closing in the evening due to all the pedestrians.

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THURSDAY - OCTOBER 30th

Boston Grown-Ups Museum @ Children’s Museum @ 7PM Relive your fondest fears as you trick-or-treat throughout the Museum, visit the Pumpkin Play Arcade, participate in contests, and more.

Museums at Night @ Harvard Art Museums @ 5PM
Get ready for an evening of art, music, food, and more! This event is free and open to everyone.

Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys Halloween Happening @ MoS @ 7:30PM This live Planetarium performance blends music, art, and theatrical chaos in a surreal voyage through sound and space.

Casey Sherman Live Show @ The Wilbur @ 7:30PM Best-selling True Crime Master shares the terrifying tales behind his groundbreaking investigations of The Boston Strangler, The Helltown Murders, and other shocking crimes.

An Evening with John Cusack @ Emerson Colonial Theatre @ 7PM
Don’t miss a special screening of the iconic ‘Grosse Pointe Blank,’ followed by an engaging post-show conversation with the star himself.

Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics @ Temple Ohabei Shalom @ 9PM Hear spooky season favorite tunes from ‘The Addams Family,’ ‘Beetlejuice,’ ‘Stranger Things,’ as well as contemporary and classical compositions.

Handel and Haydn Society in Concert @ MFA @ 5:30PM Inspired by the exhibition ‘Rachel Ruysch: Artist, Naturalist, and Pioneer,’ the H+H Society brings the trailblazing Dutch artist’s art to life through music by Corelli, Telemann, Klein, and Reincken.

Cage The Elephant @ MGM Music Hall @ 6:50PM With Hey, Nothing & Common People

Stand Atlantic @ Brighton Music Hall @ 7PM With Daisy Grenade & Sakoya

Halloween Pop-Ups @ Boston Public Market (various times) Drop-in demos, treats, and seasonal vendors—convenient downtown warm-up stop.

FRIDAY - OCTOBER 31st

‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Screening + Shadowcast Performance @ Somerville Theatre @ 9PM Celebrate the beloved classic’s 50th anniversary with a 35mm screening and live shadowcast by the Teseracte Players!

‘CLUE’ Screening + Live Show @ Emerson Colonial Theatre @ 8PM Join the original ‘Miss Scarlet’ - Lesley Ann Warren - as she hosts a screening of the cult cinema hit ‘Clue’ for its 40th anniversary.

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ in Concert @ Symphony Hall @ 10:30PM Celebrate the centennial of the release of Rupert Julian’s 1925 silent film classic with live organ accompaniment.

Thrice @ House of Blues @ 6:30PM With Modern Color & Downward

Emo-Ween: An Evil Eye Halloween Party @ City Winery @ 7:30PM Break out your most misunderstood halloween costumes and celebrate the early 2000s music with covers of your favorite pop punk and emo bands.

Beacon Hill Trick-or-Treating (street closures) @ 4PM–8PM Legendary neighborhood trick-or-treat; expect closures and big crowds—great for families.

King’s Chapel Candlelit Crypt Tours @ King’s Chapel @ evening times Explore the crypt by candlelight—special Halloween-week slots.

Ghosts & Gravestones Night Trolley Tour @ multiple departures Cemeteries + spooky storytelling; sells out on Halloween night.

SATURDAY - NOVEMBER 1st

Artisan Market @ MFA @ 10AM Find one-of-a-kind items from 12 local jewelry and fashion designers, and other great gifts.

Howl-Ween Patio Party @ Time Out Market @ 11AM Dress up your pup and enjoy decoration stations, a treat bar from Polka Dog Bakery, and treat hide-and-seek for your pup.

Halloween Bash @ Time Out Market @ 9PM Halloween at Time Out Market awaits with wicked bites, live DJ, tarot, tattoos & drag—plus a costume contest for the best costume.

The Life and Music of George Michael Concert @ Emerson Colonial Theatre @ 2PM / 8PM
Back by popular demand, this concert show chronicles George Michael's incredible career, perfectly capturing his iconic sound and performance style.

Celebrating Día de Muertos @ Symphony Hall @ 7:30PM This Día de los Muertos, the Boston Pops honors the rich legacy Juan Gabriel left behind on this festival of remembrance and reverence.

Mania: The ABBA Tribute Concert @ Hanover Theatre @ 7:30PM Don’t miss the world’s No. 1 touring ABBA tribute in Boston!

Dustin Lynch @ House of Blues @ 7:30PM With Dalton and the Sheriffs

ADVENTURE CLUB @ Big Night Live @ 10:30PM With Mitis, Canabliss, & Dream Takers

Born of Osiris @ The Palladium @ 6:30PM With The Browning, VCTMS, Axty, & Lost In Separation

Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin @ City Winery @ 7:30PM Simonetti's Goblin celebrates the 50th anniversary of Dario Argento's 1975 classic, ‘Deep Red / Profondo Rosso’ by performing Goblin's iconic score to a special screening of the film.

Skalloween Party @ The Rockwell @ 8PM Horns, drums, and great people fill the stage as a night of spooky covers unfolds before your very eyes!

SUNDAY - NOVEMBER 2nd

Play Date @ ICA @ 10AM Bring your kids for fun art-making activities, story time in the galleries, and a chance to meet other families.

Learn To Curl! @ Steriti Memorial Rink @ 5:10–7:00PM Try curling with certified coaches from the North End Curling Club—no experience required. All equipment provided; dress in warm, comfortable layers.

‘Twilight’ in Concert @ Emerson Colonial Theatre @ 2PM / 7PM Watch the first film from the ‘Twilight’ saga as an orchestra performs its famous soundtrack to live picture.

All-Mozart Program @ Jordan Hall @ 3PM The Boston Symphony Chamber Players leans into the intimacy, lightness, and intricacy of Mozart’s chamber music.

Signs Of The Swarm @ The Palladium @ 6:20PM With Mental Cruelty, Ten56, Carcosa, & Face Yourself

USS Constitution Museum Scout Day @ 10AM–5PM Hands-on programming at the museum in Charlestown—great family option.

ALL WEEKEND

THURSDAY & FRIDAY - Disney’s ‘Hocus Pocus’ in Concert @ Symphony Hall Watch the BSO perform the beloved spooky season movie’s iconic score to live picture.

THURSDAY & FRIDAY - Cirque of the Dead @ Arts at the Armory This year, Cirque of the Dead presents a classic horror anthology, with twisted tales pulled from the shadows of film noir, creature features, and ‘50s-era sci-fi. Ends 10/31.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY - The Official Halloween Bar Crawl @ Howl at the Moon Boston Get ready to celebrate Halloween like never before at this spooktacular two-day bar crawl.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY - 'Matilda' Musical @ Footlight Club Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl, this Tony Award-winning musical revels in the anarchy of childhood, the power of imagination, and the inspiring story of a girl who dreams of a better life. Ends 11/15.

All weekend - Big Apple Circus @ Suffolk Downs Witness the comedic performances, jaw-dropping trapeze artistry, and high-energy acrobatics and human pyramids in this renowned circus show. Ends 11/2.

All weekend - Boston Turkish Arts and Culture Festival’s 20th Annual Documentary and Short Film Competition @ MFA This long-running event has become a North American tradition, showcasing emerging voices in Turkish cinema and earning international recognition.

All weekend - ‘Hamilton’ Musical @ Citizens Opera House Don’t miss the chance to see this epic saga about the life and legacy of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and find out why it has made a profound impact on the way we think about our history. Ends 11/2.

All weekend - ‘Lizard Boy’ Musical @ Calderwood Pavilion Featuring a genre-blending indie-rock score, ‘Lizard Boy’ is a heartfelt and wildly inventive coming-of-age story about self-acceptance, connection, and becoming the hero of your own life. Ends 11/22.

All weekend - ‘The Cher Show’ Musical @ North Shore Music Theatre ‘The Cher Show’ is 35 smash hits, six decades of stardom, two rock-star husbands, and countless EGOT awards, all in one unabashedly fabulous new musical that will have audiences dancing in the aisles! Ends 11/2.

All weekend - ‘The Ballad of Little Jo’ Musical @ BCA Plaza Theatre Inspired by a true story and told through a folk-infused score, the musical explores identity, prejudice, fear, and the beauty and horror of the American West at the end of the 19th century. Ends 11/2.

All weekend - ‘Sardines’ Play @ The Huntington Theatre This deliciously authentic, insightful, and laugh–out–loud show created and performed by actor-comedian Chris Grace explores answers to life’s most difficult questions. Ends 11/16.

All weekend - ‘The 4th Witch’ Play @ Emerson Paramount Center Manual Cinema returns to Boston with their signature stage-magic to conjure ‘Macbeth’ from a brand new perspective. Ends 11/9.

FRIDAY ONLY - Salem Haunted Happenings: Halloween Night Finale (drone show over North River) Consider train/ferry/bus—roads and parking are extremely congested; streets clear by ~10:30PM.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY - Haymarket @ Hanover St. (daytime) Classic open-air market with fall produce and bargain finds—Boston staple.

NIGHTLY - Ghosts & Gravestones Night Trolley Tours Spooky trolley + cemetery access; multiple departures all weekend.

ONGOING

Ongoing - ‘Sinister Streets’ Walking Tour @ Peabody Essex Museum This indoor/outdoor walking tour takes visitors through the dark side of Salem history - highlighting landmarks from the 1600-1800s. Ends 11/23.

Ongoing - Farmers Market @ Copley Square Fridays* - The largest market in the city, Copley Square Farmers Market offers a cornucopia of local produce, meats, dairy, baked goods, and prepared meals, as well as some non-edible products. Ends 11/25.

Ongoing - Boston Lights: A Lantern Experience @ Franklin Park Zoo
Prepare to be dazzled by the magic of all-new lantern displays, immersive walkthroughs, enchanting interactive displays and Instagrammable moments at every turn. Ends 11/2.

Ongoing - ‘Monsters of the Deep: Between Imagination and Science’ Exhibition @ MIT Museum Using historical prints, this exhibit traces the scientific process of observing, measuring, and describing that turned whales from monsters into mammals. Ends 1/2026.

Ongoing - ‘Of Light and Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor’ Exhibition @ MFA NEW - Follow the major chapters in seminal American artist Winslow Homer’s career and learn about the various environments—ecological, artistic, social, and economic—that shaped his enduring work in watercolor. Ends 1/19/2026.

Ongoing - ‘Rachel Ruysch: Artist, Naturalist, and Pioneer’ Exhibition @ MFA This exhibition brings together 35 of the finest works by pioneering Dutch artist Rachel Ruysch, whose still life paintings invite viewers to reflect on the beauty of the natural world and women’s role in 18th century Netherlands. Ends 12/7.

Ongoing - ‘Deep Waters: Four Artists and the Sea’ Exhibition @ MFA Weaving together artworks by four artists made over centuries and across the Atlantic, this exhibition follows a genealogical thread united by the sea. Ends 11/9.

Ongoing - ‘Rituals for Remembering’ Exhibition @ MFA This exhibition brings together works by influential Cuban artists María Magdalena Campos-Pons and Ana Mendieta whose art explores the notions of displacement, exile, and nature as transformative tool. Ends 2/15/2026.

Ongoing - ‘Portia Zvavahera: Hidden Battles / Hondo dzakavanzika’ Exhibition @ ICA Inspired by Indigenous Shona and African Pentecostal faith traditions, Zimbabwean artist Portia Zvavahera’s exhibition centers around wild animals, where bulls, snakes, rats, and owls represent mysterious forces and potential threats. Ends 1/19/2026.

Ongoing - ‘Sketch, Shade, Smudge: Drawing from Gray to Black’ Exhibition @ Harvard Art Museums This exhibition celebrates the act of drawing using familiar tools—charcoal, chalk, crayon, and graphite, showcasing how simple tools can be powerful vehicles for artistic expression. Ends 1/18/2026.

Ongoing - ‘Jung Yeondoo: Building Dreams’ Exhibition @ Peabody Essex Museum Photographing ordinary families and individuals, Artist Jung Yeondoo’s work invites viewers to take a closer look at those strangers we don’t notice and imagine their dreams. Ends 1/25/2026.

Ongoing - ‘Draw Me Ishmael: The Book Arts of Moby Dick’ Exhibition @ Peabody Essex Museum ‘Draw Me Ishmael’ is the first exhibition focused on the book arts of the hundreds of editions of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick - the most persistently pictured of all American novels. Ends 3/29/2026.

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