October Weekend Activities 2017

Looking for things to do with your kids in October? Check out our list of October weekend events for 2017!

Full Moon Barnyard
When: Fri 10/6/17
Where: Chip-In Farm, 201 Hartwell Rd, Bedford
Time: 5:30-7:30 PM
Age: 5 and up
Cost: $22 per child
Parents, take the night off! Bring your kids to the farm for the evening for some barnyard fun, and take a night to yourselves. Kids will help the farmers feed the animals their dinner, take a full moon hike to the crops field for moon and star gazing, and finish up the evening with hot chocolate, popcorn, and storytime. Pajamas are encouraged!

11th Annual Harvest Festival at Verrill Farm
When: Sat 10/7/17
Where: 11 Wheeler Road, Concord
Time: 11:00 AM-3:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: free
Activities will include hay rides, pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin picking, crafts, carnival games, fire truck hours, live music, raffles, food, and more. Activity, game, and raffle tickets can be purchased at the festival and are 5 for $10 or 12 for $20. Proceeds from the Harvest Festival are used to support pediatric care and the Pediatric Intervention Team at Emerson Hospital.

Boston Columbus Day Parade
When: Sun 10/8/17
Where: Bennington Street, East Boston
Time: 1:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: free
Boston’s spectacular Columbus Day Parade features an eclectic mix of marching brass bands, vintage cars, performers, floats, and more. The parade kicks off in Boston and winds through the North End’s narrow streets – Atlantic Ave, Hanover Street, and Cross Street.

Parents Night Out at Jam Time in Maynard
When: Fri 10/13/17
Where: 86 Powder Mill Road, Maynard
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Age: 3-8
Cost: $30 1st child, $20 2nd child, $15 3rd child
At this drop-off event, your kids will watch the movie “Sing”, make their own music, have a sing-along, enjoy pizza, make arts and crafts, and more. To register, visit www.jamtime.com or call 978-897-2917. 

Boston’s Mid-Autumn Moon Festival
When: Sat 10/14/17
Where: 200 Park St, Dorchester
Time: 12:00-6:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: free
The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, known as Tết Trung Thu in Vietnamese, is traditionally an honoring of the end of the summer harvest. Activities will include lantern making/lighting, outdoor games, a competition for best bánh trung thu, and traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

Digging for Evidence Family Program
When: Sun 10/15/17
Where: Jackson Homestead and Museum, 527 Washington St, Newton
Time: 1:00-2:30 PM
Age: 7 and up
Cost: $5 each in advance, $10 each on the day
Bring the whole family to dig for artifacts in a mock archaeological dig to learn first-hand how archaeologists do the detective work of history. See what archaeology can teach us about the Native American people who flourished in this area before European settlement by handling real projectile points and stone tools.

Boo at the Zoo
When: Sat 10/21/17 and Sun 10/22/17
Where: Stone Zoo, 149 Pond St, Stoneham
Time: 11:00 AM-3:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: included with zoo admission
This fun filled event will feature Halloween themed crafts and games, along with a haunted maze. Visitors to the Zoo will also have the chance to learn about enrichment as many of the animals receive pumpkins!

Halloween Celebration on Castle Island
When: Sat 10/21/17 and Sun 10/22/17
Where: BDay Boulevard, South Boston
Time: 12:00-4:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: free
Children of all ages will love the Magical Halloween Castle and Celebration at Fort Independence on Castle Island. Look for storytelling, magicians, refreshments, and more at the star-shaped fort. Weather permitting. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Boston Book Festival
When: Sat 10/28/17
Where: Copley Square, Boston
Time: 10:00 AM-7:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: free
The Boston Book Festival 2017 will take place in various locations throughout Copley Square. With celebrated children’s authors, the Boston Book Festival has activities and events for children of all ages. Lemony Snicket, author of the wildly popular Series of Unfortunate Events books, will be the kids’ keynote presenter this year!

Creepy Crawlies
When: Sun 10/29/17
Where: 280 Eliot St, Natick
Time: 1:00-2:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: Adults $15, Children $9
How do you hiss without using your mouth? Breathe without lungs or gills? Move if you don’t have legs? This program features some of the strange and creepy critters from our wild and wacky world of animals. Get up close and personal with tarantulas, amphibians, snakes, and even some cool cockroaches! Pre-registration recommended.

Trick or Treat at Historic Newton’s Museums
When: Tues 10/31/17
Where: 286 Waverley Ave, Newton
Time: 5:00-7:00 PM
Age: any
Cost: free
While not technically a weekend event, this Trick or Treat venture is perfect for celebrating Halloween! As you make the rounds with your children on Halloween night, please stop by the Jackson Homestead and Museum and the Durant-Kenrick House and Grounds for treats and free museum admission tickets that may be used throughout the fall. You can also enjoy trick-or-treating at the historic homes that are part of the neighborhood. Call 617-796-1450 or 617-641-9142 for more information.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services