Halloween 2026: Free Family-Friendly Virtual Events and On-Demand Media
Thursday, October 1 – Saturday, October 31, 2026
Halloween arrives on Saturday, October 31, 2026, bringing costumes, jack-o’-lanterns, and spooky stories for families to enjoy from home.
Multnomah County Library, the Library of Congress, the Museum of the American Revolution, PBS KIDS, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, Tinkercast, the National Film Board of Canada, and Storynory are contributing free online storytimes plus on-demand videos, read-alouds, podcasts, audio stories, puzzles, recipes, and image collections.
Multnomah County Library
Multnomah County Library is the public library system serving Portland, Gresham, Troutdale, and the rest of Multnomah County, Oregon. It hosts storytimes and programs for children and families.
Virtual Events & Meetings
Preschool Sensory Storytime Online
A preschool storytime that is especially welcoming for children and families looking for a more adaptive virtual storytime experience. It is intended for children and their caregivers, and participants may be asked to identify themselves by camera, chat, or unmuting.
Time: Wednesday. 3:30PM – 4:30pm PDT, recurring weekly, every Wednesday.
Format: Virtual
Platform: Online — https://multcolib.org/events-classes/preschool-sensory-storytime-online-120
Phone/Alternative Access: To attend as an observer, call 503-988-5123.
Black Family Storytime Online: Halloweek Boo Bash
Children from birth to age 6 and their caregivers can join a Halloween-themed online storytime with books and stories, songs, and movement activities. Costumes and spooky pajamas are encouraged, and free registration through Zoom is required.
Time: Tuesday, 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM PDT
Date(s): Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Format: Virtual
Platform: Zoom — https://multco-us.zoom.us/meeting/register/fZRVt5EPRdWwNkybw28Q9g · https://multcolib.org/events-classes/black-family-storytime-online-halloweek-boo-bash
Native Family: Native Story Hour Online with Karen Kitchen
Karen Kitchen (Osage Nation) leads a story hour of songs and books from Native cultures. Children, families, elders, aunties, and uncles are all welcome at this online session.
Time: Wednesday, 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PDT
Date(s): Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Format: Virtual
Platform: Zoom — https://multco-us.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwtdOmtqDIsEtzNLLHvgulvn1dAP2JfdvMq · https://multcolib.org/node/34343
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world and the main research arm of the U.S. Congress. Its collections include printed works, films, recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps, and manuscripts.
On-Demand Resources
Autumn and Halloween Image Set
Type: Image collection
A set of 45 free-to-use images covering Halloween, Día de Muertos, and autumn scenes. Some historical photographs may need adult context.
Access: https://www.loc.gov/free-to-use/autumn-and-halloween/
Cooking Up History: Homemade Halloween
Type: Blog post with recipes
Vintage Halloween treat recipes from 1950s newspapers, including popcorn balls and jack-o’-lantern cookies, plus a paper-bag mask activity.
Access: https://blogs.loc.gov/families/2020/10/cooking-up-history-halloween/
Free Puzzles: Halloween Edition
Type: Puzzles
Crosswords, picture puzzles, and letter and number puzzles from historic newspapers, described as perfect for adults and children alike.
Access: https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2022/10/free-puzzles-halloween-edition/
Halloween & Día de Muertos Resources
Type: Research guide
An American Folklife Center guide to folklore, recorded storytellers, supernatural songs, prints and photographs, and film materials. It is curated for researchers and includes supernatural and horror material, so preview it before sharing with younger children.
Access: https://guides.loc.gov/halloween/introduction
Museum of the American Revolution
The Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia shares stories about the diverse people and complex events that sparked the American experiment. Its at-home activities and videos are available online.
On-Demand Resources
Pumpkin Carving Stencils for a Revolutionary Halloween
Type: Printable stencils
Eight Revolution-themed pumpkin carving stencils rated from Easy to Expert, with a printable PDF of the full set.
Why the Revolution: 18th-Century Spooky Stories
Type: Video
Museum staff member Dr. Tyler Putman discusses The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and its Revolutionary roots.
Access: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCE0RvSKdPY
PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS offers educational shows, videos, and games featuring favorite characters for young children and their families.
On-Demand Resources
PBS KIDS Celebrates Halloween Video Collection
Type: Video collection
Duration: 50 videos, from 41 seconds to 56 minutes each
Halloween episodes and short clips from shows including Arthur, Curious George, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and The Cat in the Hat. Longer specials include Arthur and the Haunted Tree House, Curious George: A Halloween Boofest, and The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About Halloween.
Access: https://pbskids.org/videos/playlist/pbs-kids-celebrates-halloween/1823779
SAG-AFTRA Foundation
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a nonprofit that runs Storyline Online, a children’s literacy program in which well-known actors read children’s books aloud with illustrations. Its digital library holds more than 100 read-aloud videos.
On-Demand Resources
Storyline Online Halloween Read-Alouds
Type: Video read-alouds
Duration: Most videos run 5.5 to 13 minutes
Actors read illustrated Halloween and monster picture books aloud: Halloween Hustle, I Need My Monster, How I Met My Monster, Hey, That’s MY Monster!, I’m Not Scared, YOU’RE Scared!, Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies!, and Room on the Broom. A free app is also available.
Access: https://storylineonline.net
Tinkercast
Tinkercast is a children’s media company whose team makes podcasts, books, live events, videos, and educational content for kids, families, and teachers. Its Wow in the World podcast was co-created by Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas.
On-Demand Resources
Wow in the World Halloween Podcast Episodes
Type: Podcast episodes
A kids’ science podcast for ages 5–12 with spooky-season episodes, including Summerville Lights: A Scientific Ghost Story, Ah, BATS!, and Invasion of the Zombie Ants, plus the five-episode Creepy Crawly Week from the WeWow podcast. The episodes are free, and membership activities on the same page are paid.
Access: https://tinkercast.com/events/halloween-podcasts-and-activities-for-elementary-students/
National Film Board of Canada
The National Film Board of Canada is Canada’s public film producer, creating documentaries and animated films for more than 85 years. Its work spans every region of Canada and reaches audiences of all ages.
On-Demand Resources
NFB Halloween Movies Channel
Type: Film collection
A streaming collection of NFB films, including Halloween According to Old Weird Harold, an animated children’s story about Halloween in rural Ontario, and a Halloween episode of the animated series Wapos Bay. Some films in the collection are for older viewers, so preview titles before choosing.
Access: https://www.nfb.ca/channels/halloween-movies/
Storynory
Storynory is a UK-based website of free audio stories for children, published by Storynory Ltd. It has released an audio story every week since November 2005.
On-Demand Resources
Storynory Halloween Stories
Type: Audio stories
Free audio stories read aloud, including Jack and the Jack-o-Lantern, Witches Fly Song for Halloween, The Strangest Flight, and Double, double toil and trouble. Some stories, such as Pliny’s Ghost Story and The Raven, skew older, so preview them before sharing with younger listeners.
Access: https://www.storynory.com/category/seasons/halloween-stories/
Disclaimer: This listing is shared for community information only. The offerings are organized and hosted by the listed organizations, not by PeerGalaxy. Details such as dates, times, availability, and access links are subject to change — please confirm with the relevant organization before attending or applying.