Navy Pier hosts spooky films on 31 October
Published on 10/31/2026 at 08:53 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSFilms, venue and long history
- The operator schedules Slightly Spooky Movies at the Pier for 31 October and 1 November 2026.
- Ghostbusters and Halloween (1978) screen on 31 October, while Coco and The Conjuring follow on 1 November.
- Charles Sumner Frost designed the pier, which opened as Municipal Pier in 1916 and became a Chicago Landmark in 1977.
Navy Pier hosts Slightly Spooky Movies at the Pier in Chicago from 31 October to 1 November 2026, with screenings inside Crystal Gardens. The operator’s programme places the family-friendly and spooky films alongside a wider Halloween weekend of activities at the lakefront complex.
Slightly Spooky Movies run across two dates
The free indoor film programme runs from 5pm to 9pm on Saturday, 31 October, and Sunday, 1 November, according to the operator’s dated programme. Both evenings take place inside Crystal Gardens, the enclosed venue at the centre of the event.
On 31 October, short films begin the schedule before Ghostbusters at 5.30pm and Halloween (1978) at 7.30pm. The 1 November programme starts with short films, followed by Coco at 5.30pm and The Conjuring at 7.30pm. The listings identify the participating institutions for the short films, including Columbia College Chicago, Free Spirit Media, Mezcla Media Collective and the Midwest Film Festival.
Crystal Gardens connects the films with Navy Pier’s redevelopment
Crystal Gardens gives the programme an indoor setting within the pier rather than an outdoor stage or a separate cinema. The Chicago Architecture Center records that the 1995 reconstruction created the Crystal Garden, Festival Hall and the Chicago Children’s Museum as part of the pier’s conversion into an entertainment venue.
The site began as Municipal Pier in 1916, designed by architect Charles Sumner Frost from ideas associated with Daniel Burnham’s Plan of Chicago. It was renamed Navy Pier in 1927 and received Chicago Landmark status in 1977. The pier’s long shift from shipping and public infrastructure to cultural programming is reflected in a film programme held inside one of its later additions. The Chicago Architecture Center history describes the structure as 3,300 feet long and built on 20,000 wooden piles.
Chicago’s lakefront pier adds films to Halloween programming
The cinema dates sit within Slightly Spooky October, the operator’s wider 31 October programme. The schedule includes indoor trick-or-treating, a dance workshop, mask making, a community tree activity and a costume contest before the evening films.
That combination matters for visitors because the daytime programme and the evening screenings use different parts of the same complex. The daytime activities spread through the pier, while the film listings specify Crystal Gardens as the venue for both 31 October and 1 November.
Visiting Navy Pier: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The film programme takes place on 31 October and 1 November 2026 inside Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier.
- The 31 October bill includes Ghostbusters and Halloween (1978); the 1 November bill includes Coco and The Conjuring.
- Navy Pier is at 600 E. Grand Avenue in Chicago, between Illinois and Grand Avenue. CTA bus 124 connects the pier with Union/Ogilvie Stations and Millennium Station, while routes 29, 65 and 66 also serve the site.
- All levels of the complex are accessible by lifts, and the main entrances include ramp access for paratransit services.
Searching for Navy Pier on social platforms
These links open searches for Navy Pier on each platform.
Frequently asked questions about Navy Pier
When do Slightly Spooky Movies take place at Navy Pier?
The programme runs on 31 October and 1 November 2026, with both evenings scheduled inside Crystal Gardens.
Which films are shown at Navy Pier?
Ghostbusters and Halloween (1978) are listed for 31 October. Coco and The Conjuring are listed for 1 November.
Where is Navy Pier and how do you get there?
The pier is at 600 E. Grand Avenue in Chicago. CTA buses 29, 65, 66 and 124 serve Navy Pier, with route 124 linking it to Union/Ogilvie Stations and Millennium Station.
