Halloween in Arlington, VA (2026): Things to Do Before and After 31 October
Halloween lands on a Saturday in 2026, so Arlington gets a full Halloween weekend, with plenty on the Saturdays before it. This guide covers the events with confirmed 2026 dates, the adult side of Clarendon on the night itself, and the hour you can spend being properly frightened five minutes from Clarendon Metro.
Every event below had a 2026 date on its organiser's page or ticket listing when we checked in early October. Details can still change, so follow the link before you go.
Halloween is a Saturday this year: plan the weekend
- Trick-or-treating: Arlington County doesn't set trick-or-treat hours. The county says it usually starts around sunset, just after 6 PM on Saturday 31 October.
- Getting home: Arlington Transit (ART) buses are free from 6 PM on 31 October until about 1 AM on 1 November. The regional SoberRide program offers free Lyft rides home, up to $15, from 4 PM on the 31st to 4 AM on the 1st. Details are on the county's Halloween in Arlington page.
- The weekend before: the Marine Corps Marathon is on Sunday 25 October, with the MCM 8K and Kids Run on Saturday 24 October. The course finishes at the Marine Corps War Memorial beside Rosslyn. The 2026 road closures weren't published when we checked, so look them up before you drive that weekend (marinemarathon.com).
Family Halloween in Arlington (checked 2026 events)
| Date | Event | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct, 6–8 PM | Family Movie Night: Coco | Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S Stafford St | Free, no registration. |
| Sat 17 Oct, 5:30–8:30 PM | Pumpkin Walk | Lubber Run Community Center, 300 N Park Dr | Free; RSVP through Eventbrite. A trail of carved pumpkins, crafts, popcorn and an outdoor movie. Costumes encouraged. The Lubber Run garage is closed, so park on nearby streets. |
| Sat 24 Oct, 2–4 PM | Trick or Treat Trail | Village at Shirlington, 2700 S Quincy St | RSVP to get the digital map of shops handing out candy. |
| Sat 31 Oct, 10 AM–5 PM | Halloween Scavenger Hunt | Central Library | Free, no registration, small prize. |
| Sat 31 Oct, 10:30–11 AM | Halloween Storytime | Aurora Hills Library | Free, no registration. Costumes encouraged. |
| Sat 31 Oct, 11 AM–1 PM | Howl-O-Ween pet party | Courthouse Plaza, 2100 Clarendon Blvd | Free; registration recommended. Bring the dog in costume. |
One way to fill Halloween Saturday with kids: the Central Library scavenger hunt in the morning, an afternoon escape room in Clarendon, then home for trick-or-treating at dusk.
Adults' Halloween in Clarendon
Clarendon is where Arlington goes out on Halloween night. Two events with 2026 dates:
- Sat 31 Oct, 8–11 PM: Arlington's Biggest Singles Halloween Bar Crawl. Check-in at Don Tito, 3165 Wilson Blvd, then Spider Kelly's, Clarendon Ballroom, Bar Bao and Hyde Social. General tickets are $10, and you need to RSVP.
- Sat 31 Oct, 9 PM–2 AM: The Haunted Ballroom at Clarendon Ballroom, 3185 Wilson Blvd. A DJ across three floors and over $2,000 in costume prizes. Tickets on Eventbrite.
For a couple, Halloween night in Clarendon works well like this: an early-evening horror room, dinner in the same complex (Colony Grill, Westville and Tatte Bakery & Cafe are all there), then Wilson Blvd once the costumes come out. Our list of date night ideas in Northern Virginia has more for the rest of the year.
Arlington's scariest hour: Bond's horror rooms, ranked
All three are private games: $34 a person, 60 minutes, your group only. There are no live actors, and the door is never locked. Tell your game master before you start if you want the scares dialled down.
1. Sleepover Slaughterhouse
A triple-dog-dare to spend the night in an abandoned mansion, a Ouija board, and an hour to reverse the curse before your slumber party becomes permanent. Bond's calls it "our scariest room," and it's the one teenagers ask for. It takes 3 to 10 players, it's rated Advanced, and Bond's recommends it for 14 and up. See Sleepover Slaughterhouse.
2. Dr. Panic's Asylum
Dr. Panic has lured you into his asylum and stepped away to prepare your surgery. You have an hour before he comes back. It has scares, takes 2 to 6 players and is built for two, so a pair can book it without buying a third ticket. That makes it Arlington's horror date. See Dr. Panic's Asylum.
3. Elven Forest: The Crawling Dark (October only)
Since Wednesday 7 October, and through Sunday 1 November, Elven Forest has been The Crawling Dark: giant spiders have taken over an elven temple in the cursed forest of Gahl-Zaan, and your band of elves has to get in and claim its magic. The puzzles are the same as the everyday room. It takes 3 to 8 players and is rated Intermediate. Bond's keeps it on its kid-friendly list, so it's the one for families. Skip it if anyone hates spiders. See The Crawling Dark, or read our guide to both October rooms.
Want the local folklore before you go? Urban Legends of the DMV covers the Bunny Man, the Goatman and Crybaby Bridge.
Getting there: Metro, the Fillmore St garage, the elevator
- Metro: about a five-minute walk from Clarendon station on the Orange and Silver lines. Most Arlington players arrive this way.
- Finding the door: Bond's is at 2800 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 910, inside Clarendon Center, at the end of the horseshoe-shaped loop off Clarendon Blvd. Take the ground-level elevator near the Crate and Barrel sign up to the suite.
- Parking: the paid garage next door, entered off N Fillmore St, is the easiest option. Bond's lists it at a few dollars an hour and about $13 a day at most. Metered spaces on the loop are $4 an hour, and there is free residential street parking a short walk away.
- Access: fully step-free. There's elevator access from the ground floor and from the upper garage.
- Arrive early: a few minutes before your slot, so your game master can brief you before the clock starts.
Weekend checklist
- Book Saturday escape room slots early; Halloween weekend is the busiest of October.
- Everyone signs a waiver. Do it in a minute at bondswaiver.com before you leave home.
- RSVP where it's needed: the Pumpkin Walk, the Shirlington trail and the bar crawl.
- Bond's doesn't publish a costume rule, so call (703) 884-1524 if you want to play in costume.
- Driving on Sunday 25 October? Check the Marine Corps Marathon closures first.
- Plan the ride home on the 31st: free ART buses after 6 PM, or SoberRide.
Book Arlington or Fairfax
Bond's Arlington
- 2800 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 910, Arlington, VA 22201
- 6 escape rooms, including Sleepover Slaughterhouse, Dr. Panic's Asylum and The Crawling Dark
- Five minutes' walk from Clarendon Metro; fully accessible
- (703) 884-1524 · escape rooms in Arlington, VA · Book now
Bond's Fairfax
- 3949 University Dr, Fairfax, VA 22030, about 25 minutes west
- 9 more escape rooms, plus the VR Arena and the live Game Show, which Arlington doesn't have
- Free parking, 60+ spaces on site
- (703) 270-0377 · Fairfax details
Questions people ask
What is there to do in Arlington, VA for Halloween 2026?
Families have the Pumpkin Walk at Lubber Run on Saturday 17 October, the Shirlington Trick or Treat Trail on the 24th, and library events on the 31st. Adults have the Clarendon bar crawl and The Haunted Ballroom on the 31st, and Bond's horror escape rooms run all month.
What time is trick-or-treating in Arlington, VA?
Arlington County doesn't set hours. The county says trick-or-treating usually starts around sunset, just after 6 PM on Saturday 31 October 2026.
Is there a scary escape room in Arlington, VA?
Yes. Sleepover Slaughterhouse at Bond's Arlington is Bond's scariest room, recommended for 14 and up. Dr. Panic's Asylum also has scares and is built for two. In October, The Crawling Dark adds a spider-themed room that suits families.
How do I get to Bond's Arlington by Metro?
Take the Orange or Silver line to Clarendon. Bond's is about a five-minute walk away at 2800 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 910. Take the ground-level elevator near the Crate and Barrel sign.
Where do I park in Clarendon for Bond's?
Use the paid garage next door, entered off N Fillmore St: a few dollars an hour and about $13 a day at most. Metered spaces on the loop are $4 an hour, and free residential street parking is a short walk away.
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