Halloween Fun Fest Bartlett IL: Parade & Treats

By Bartlett Guide · Published October 13, 2026

If you only do one Halloween event with the kids this year, make it the Halloween Fun Fest Bartlett IL families have been turning out for — Arts in Bartlett bills this year's edition, Halloween Fun Fest 2.0 & Parade, as the 16th annual. It takes over downtown on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., a full week before Halloween itself (Saturday, October 31), so costumes get two weekends of use. The Village of Bartlett's community calendar lists the same date and hours, and the family listing on Mommy Poppins marks it free and for all ages.

Halloween Fun Fest Bartlett IL schedule

The morning runs on a simple schedule, per the organizer:

• 10:00 a.m. — Costume parade step-off. The parade leaves Bartlett Village Hall and heads toward W. Bartlett & Oak Avenues, ending at the Bartlett Depot Museum, where the treating begins.
• 10:15 a.m.–1:00 p.m. — Trick/trunk-or-treat. Treats, tricks, and giveaways from area businesses — trunk-or-treating at the Metra station, stops in downtown business entryways, and more over at the Streets of Bartlett.
• During the fest — Haunted Gallery. Arts in Bartlett (215 S Main St, in Town Center) is converting its gallery into a Halloween scare-zone this year, in place of the old haunted hallway.

The Mommy Poppins listing also mentions pumpkin painting and mini-train rides for an extra fee, so bring a few dollars in cash if your kids spot them. Businesses that want a trunk or a spot on the event map register through the organizer — the online business registration is listed at $22.

The parade: be at Village Hall before 10, sharp

Both the organizer and the village use the same word for the step-off: SHARP. The parade leaves Bartlett Village Hall (228 S. Main St) at 10 a.m. on the dot, and the organizer itself calls it a short trip to the Depot Museum (100 W. Railroad Ave). That means this is a join-in parade, not a watch-from-the-curb production — get the costumes on at home, arrive downtown with time to spare, and line up with the crowd at Village Hall. Miss the step-off and you can still catch everyone at the Depot Museum end and join the treating from there.

Trunk-or-treat in downtown Bartlett and the Streets of Bartlett

From 10:15 a.m. the action spreads out. Local businesses hand out treats from decorated trunks at the Metra station and from their downtown entryways, and the route continues to the Streets of Bartlett shopping area. It works well for younger kids: daylight hours, a compact downtown footprint, and treats from familiar storefronts instead of a long door-to-door walk. Bring a treat bag — and a backup bag has never hurt anyone at this event.

Want the wider season in one place? Our Halloween in Bartlett 2026 guide pulls together the Fun Fest, pumpkin patches, and what to check for October 31 trick-or-treat hours — the village publishes its official hours each October, so confirm those on bartlettil.gov before Halloween night. The full local calendar, refreshed daily, is on the Bartlett events page.

Make it a doubleheader on October 24

October 24 is a two-event day. The Fun Fest wraps at 1 p.m., which leaves the evening open for the last 2026 run of the Ghost Story Train at the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin — campfire stories, s'mores, and hot chocolate about 15 minutes west. Our Ghost Train guide has the departure times and ticket details; the morning fest is free, so the trolley can be the day's one splurge.

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