This Halloween festival of epic proportions is jam-packed with sinister scares, enchanting entertainment, delectable food and drinks, and unforgettable moments. Halloween Nights features Hollywood-quality sets, props, and special FX makeup; custom soundtracks; and more than 200 talented performers per night. And it all takes place in a truly one-of-a-kind setting.
The outdoor courtyard once known as Gargoyle Gardens has been transformed into Pumpkin Plaza. Have your camera at the ready for some new photo ops filled with Halloween ambience like pumpkins, hay bales, and skeletons. In Pumpkin Plaza, you'll also encounter our legendary hip-hop dance crew. The Boogie Monsters have a new name for 2023 with a new look to match, featuring UV glow characters inspired by the Halloween monsters you love to fear like mummies, jack-o-lanterns, and Frankenstein.
For an even scarier experience, grab a glow necklace on your way into the festival to opt in for true interactivity. Anyone wearing a glow necklace may be grabbed, sent into hidden passageways, and even temporarily separated from their group.
Need a breather between scares? Visiting with some faint-of-heart friends? Halloween Nights also features less intense experiences like historic tours, themed bars and lounges, live performances, and more.
Are you brave enough? To opt in for true interactivity, grab a glow necklace at the entrance to the festival. Anyone wearing a glow necklace may be grabbed, sent into hidden passageways, and even temporarily separated from their group.
Opening and closing times vary each evening. Tickets are sold in half-hour entry times. Many entry times will sell out, so we strongly recommend purchasing tickets online in advance. You can check real-time availability and purchase tickets at our discounted online rates here.
Timed entry allows us to space out visitors, but that does not mean that your visit is limited to 30 minutes. It just means that you have to arrive within the 30-minute entry window listed on your ticket. Closing times vary by night, based on demand. The event closes two hours after the final entry time that evening.
Halloween Nights: REMIXED! takes place on the final two nights of our festival season each year, and offers a different experience than the 30 nights that came before. Here's what we REMIXED! in 2023! Check back later to see what we have in store for you in 2024...
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Yes! Discounted tickets are available for groups of 20 or more*. To receive the discounted ticket price, groups must purchase their tickets in advance. Please see our Group Rates page for pricing and additional information.
If you are planning a visit for a school or youth group, please plan on bringing an appropriate number of responsible chaperones. Chaperones must be 21 years of age or older and stay with their group throughout the festival. We highly recommend one chaperone for every fifteen youth.
VIP Admission includes all General Admission attractions, PLUS: Express Entry into the festival*, entry into The Speakeasy at Al Capone's Cell, and two complimentary drinks or treats (one drink in The Speakeasy and one drink or treat from The Fair Chance Beer Garden bar). The Hospital Flashlight Tour is not included and can be purchased a la carte on-site.
VIP Admission tickets are available exclusively online. Purchasing VIP Admission online is the ONLY way to access The Speakeasy at Al Capone's Cell. *Please Note: Express Entry does not allow you to skip individual attraction queues once inside the penitentiary.
Add-on admission to the Hospital Flashlight Tour ($12) can only be purchased at the door, subject to availability. Admission to the Hospital Flashlight Tour is always free for Eastern State members, subject to availability. Members receive free admission for as many people as their membership level allows (i.e. one for Individual members, two for Dual members, etc.).
Halloween Nights tickets are valid for a specific date and time. All sales are final. The festival runs rain or shine. There are no refunds or exchanges, including for unused or partially used tickets.
If you arrive late on the date of your ticket, you may enter with the next available entry time. If you arrive after the last entry time for the evening, you are still welcome to enjoy Halloween Nights. Please note, however, that the event closes two hours after the last entry time. Most guests spend about two hours when they visit, so you might not get to see everything! We will do our best to allow you to experience the attractions that are still open; however, some attractions or areas may be closed. There are no refunds or partial credits for missed entry times or attractions.
Please Note: Express Entry does not allow you to skip any attraction queues inside the event; however, because entry is timed and there are so many attractions to experience, individual attraction wait times will likely be minimal. In addition, large parties may be required to temporarily split up and enter the festival in small groups to accommodate venue capacity limits.
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. All proceeds from Halloween Nights support the preservation, interpretation, and operation of this National Historic Landmark and museum all year long. As our largest source of revenue for the historic site, our annual Halloween fundraiser has helped us achieve some of our most critical work over the past 30+ years.
Thank you for your support! With your help, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site can continue to interpret the legacy of criminal justice reform in America within these historic cellblocks for many years to come.
Beginning at 6:00 pm, there is a drop-off / pick-up zone located directly in front of the penitentiary on the north side of Fairmount Avenue at 21st Street. Guests wishing to use the drop-off / pick-up zone should approach the penitentiary from the east on Fairmount Avenue. This zone is for active loading and unloading only. No cars or buses will be permitted to wait in this area.
If you are driving to Halloween Nights, you should plan to arrive at our parking lot at the Philadelphia Zoo (3500 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104) 30 to 40 minutes before the time printed on your ticket.
Our festival format allows you to pick and choose from a variety of attractions and experiences including haunted houses, themed bars and lounges, live performances, our flagship history and museum exhibits and more. Seasonal treats and eats are also available for purchase throughout the festival.
If you arrive late, you will enter with the current entry time. If you arrive after the last entry time for the evening, some attractions will be closed, but we will do our best to allow you to experience the attractions that are still open. There are no refunds for missed attractions.
Halloween Nights runs rain or shine. Please dress for the weather and be sure to wear appropriate footwear. Sandals, flip-flops, open-toed shoes, and high heels are not permitted. Parts of the event take place inside; however, some attractions are outdoors, and the penitentiary is not climate controlled.
Eastern State Penitentiary was abandoned for more than 20 years, and, while stabilized, the building remains in a state of semi-ruin. Visitors should exercise caution and stay within the clearly marked public areas. For your safety, the penitentiary complex is monitored by a closed-circuit surveillance system.
During Halloween Nights, our customer service team, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Philadelphia police officers, uniformed security officers, and plain-clothed security officers are on duty to assist visitors.
Eastern State Penitentiary has a zero-tolerance policy for troublemakers. Troublemakers will be ejected from the penitentiary complex without refund. We want everyone to have a safe, fun time and ask that you please follow these rules:
All five of our haunted houses (Delirium, Big Top Terror, Machine Shop, Nightmares, and The Crypt) utilize strobe lights, fog machines, loud noises, dark spaces, and other features that may be disorienting to visitors. Our scare zone, located near S'mores and Lore, also utilizes strobe lights. While our immersive walkthrough experience Kaleidoscope Hall is not scary and does not utilize strobe lights, it does feature shifting lights of varying colors and intensities.
Additionally, there is a drop off / pick up zone located directly in front of the penitentiary on the north side of Fairmount Avenue at 21st Street. Guests wishing to use the drop off / pick up zone should approach the penitentiary from the east on Fairmount Avenue. This zone is for active loading and unloading only. No cars or buses will be permitted to wait in this area.
Climate
Since most of the penitentiary is not climate controlled, we recommend checking the forecast on the day of your visit to prepare appropriately for the weather. Sandals, flip-flops, open-toed shoes and high heels are strongly discouraged.
Terrain & Walking Surfaces
Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary has both indoor and outdoor spaces for guests to explore. The outdoor spaces are mostly poured concrete, with occasional grass or gravel areas. Inside the cellblocks the floors are stone. Both inside and outside, terrain can occasionally be uneven.
Visitors With Mobility Aids
Many visitors who use mobility aids, including both manual and power wheelchairs, visit Halloween Nights every year. That said, the penitentiary complex is not fully ADA compliant due to its historic nature. The building is nearly 200 years old, and is a National Historic Landmark. Sections of it may never be fully accessible.