halloween

Where to go trick-or-treating across the Denver metro in 2024

 
 

There are only a few days until Halloween, and schedules and plans for trick-or-treating and trunk-or-treating have been announced across Colorado, including throughout the Denver metro and Interstate 25 corridor.

At one point, scheduling trick-or-treating was not a consideration for parents across the U.S., but it’s no longer advised to send your little ones off into the dark to knock on stranger’s doors. Nor is it wise to seek treats from homeowners who might not be expecting people at their door — let alone ghouls and goblins.

Experts with Children’s Hospital Colorado advise that children under 12 should trick-or-treat with an adult, and advise that mature children should be told to stick to familiar, well-lit areas and to stay with a group.

In fact, with Halloween events largely scheduled these days, several events have already passed, such as trick-or-treating at Broomfield Plaza, which was held on Oct. 12. In light of that, here are a few events that offer a family-friendly environment for trick-or-treating.

Colorado trick-or-treat events 2024 schedule

Arvada: Prepare for a spooktacular night in Olde Town Arvada with Trick or Treat Street 2024. The event is planned for Friday, Oct. 25 from 5-7 p.m. Alongside trick-or-treating, the event will feature a “Thriller” dance mob performance at 5:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. in Olde Town Square.

Aurora: It will be a fang-tastic day of trick-or-treating with On Havana Street, which is sponsoring and supporting Rock Fizz Aurora’s Halloween Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treat on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will be held at The Gardens on Havana, 10441 E. Garden Dr., and the costume contest will have categories for children, adults, groups and pets.

Boulder: The Munchkin Masquerade in downtown Boulder will welcome hordes of costumed children to trick-or-treat along Pearl Street. Scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 31, the event will last from 3-6 p.m. and is best suited for children 12 and under. You can check out the downtown Boulder website to see what businesses are participating.

Broomfield (Butterfly Pavilion)

Is your child a fiend for the natural world? Then perhaps Bug-A-Boo at the Butterfly Pavilion is the place to go. The annual event allows kids to roam the facility freely, going from station to station where toys and candy will be offered, while parents enjoy some peace of mind. The event is free with the price of admission.

The event is scheduled for several times throughout the month: Friday, Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Oct. 31 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Castle Rock

Join the Downtown Merchants Association for booth-to-booth trick-or-treating at Festival Park on Friday, Oct. 25 from noon to 3 p.m. The event will feature Halloween music, vendor booths and, of course, plenty of candy.

However, if you’re looking for something more low-key, perhaps Spooktacular at Philip S. Miller Park on Saturday, Oct. 26 is more your speed. The event is designed to provide family fun for the whole family, with sensory-friendly activities planned from 1-2 p.m., and Castle Rock kiddos will be able to access the rest of the event based on the first letter of their last name. Last names starting with A through L are scheduled to play games, win prizes and get candy from 2-3 p.m. Kids with last names starting with M through Z will be scheduled from 3-4 p.m.

Denver

As to be expected with a city as large as Denver, several events are going on throughout the county that offer candy to youngsters (and adults). Some require an entry or participation fee, so here are a few that are free to attend.

The Mile High Trunk or Treat, presented by the Far East Center, will be held at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct. 25 from 5-9 p.m. in Parking Lot C. The family-friendly event will have a variety of live entertainment, including a haunted house, fire eaters and over 150 organizations that plan to hand out treats.

Young and old alike are invited to the 10th Annual BOOnion Station Trick-or-Treat Parade on Thursday, Oct. 24 beginning at 5 p.m. The event will be held at Denver’s Union Station and will feature a costume contest, mini-train rides, balloon artists and more.

On Saturday, Oct. 25, businesses at 37th and Navajo Street in Denver are planning their Fifth Annual Trick or Treat on Navajo Street, organized by students at Embark Education. The event is planned from 5-7 p.m. at businesses on Navajo Street between 36th and 37th. Candy, treats and other surprises are promised to attendees.

Fort Collins: Prepare to be frightened — by how cute Tiny Tot Halloween 2024 in downtown Fort Collins will be. This event provides a morning of trick-or-treating with photo opportunities and lots of candy provided by nearly 90 businesses. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For a full list of participating businesses, visit the event page here.

Golden: Young candy-seekers can trick-or-treat along Washington Avenue on Thursday, Oct. 31. Businesses will be providing candy from 11th Street to 14th Street from 3-5 p.m.

Greeley: Visit Trick-or-Treat Street in downtown Greeley on Friday, Oct. 25 from 4-6 p.m. The event welcomes thousands of families to collect treats from various downtown businesses. The city promises that there will be props set up for Halloween photo opportunities, and free Halloween-themed kids’ crafts.

Read more at KDVR.com

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The 20-minute trick that will help a carved pumpkin last for weeks

 
 

Carving a pumpkin is one of the joys of autumn, but they typically only last between three and five days before beginning to rot.

To stop your pumpkin from looking sunken, sad and smelly, experts have recommended a clever 20-minute vinegar trick that could help your carved creations last for weeks in the run-up to Halloween and beyond.

Better still, this simple solution is an eco-friendly alternative to the trend of spraying pumpkins with bleach.

It's also safe for wildlife too, so you don't have to worry if you leave your pumpkin outside.

"The vinegar kills fungus, making it hard for the pumpkin to rot. That's why vinegar-soaked pumpkins look so new; they're unblemished by the grossness that inevitably befalls their untreated peers," says the team at Taste of Home.

How to preserve a carved pumpkin with vinegar

Want to give this trick a go? According to Taste of Home, you can make your fresh pumpkin last longer by using vinegar and water. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Choose a healthy pumpkin from your local pumpkin patch. "Make sure there are no soft spots or discolored areas, and avoid any gourd that's too bruised," says the team.

2. Next, carve your pumpkin with your desired design. Browse our guide on pumpkin carving ideas for plenty of inspiration.

3. Fill a large bucket with 10 parts water and one part vinegar (the bucket needs to be big enough for your pumpkins). Some experts also suggest doing this in the bath or a large sink.

4. Submerge your pumpkin in the vinegar and water solution, leaving them for 20-30 minutes. Once the time is up, pull them out and let them air-dry. You can then place your carved pumpkins outside for a long-lasting display.

Read more at CountryLiving.com

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35 Halloween activities for kids to enjoy all season

 
 

Who isn’t excited for Halloween? Let the festivities begin with kid-friendly but frightful activities.

Younger children who scare easily will love fall-focused activities, like hayrides and apple picking, while braver souls can enter haunted house attractions and embark on ghost tours. Families will also have fun doing crafts, making recipes and playing board games in the spirit of Halloween.

Try these 35 Halloween activities for kids and enjoy spooky season!

Dig through Halloween sensory bins

Grab a bucket and fill it with “eyeballs” (peeled grapes), “intestines” (cooked spaghetti) and “rotten teeth” (candy corn). Who dares to stick their hands inside?

Get a Halloween makeover

Transform yourself into Dracula, a witch or a ghost with face paint or dramatic makeup.

Take a bone-chilling walk

Stroll through a neighborhood to check out decorated houses with Halloween lights, decorations and animatronics. 

Try on costumes in a Halloween store 

Kids change their costume plans a jillion times before Oct. 31, so plan accordingly by hitting a Halloween store and trying on costumes. Remember to take photos so kids can review their choices.

Listen to a mystery podcast

Get into trouble with a fictional mystery kids podcast like “R.L. Stine's Story Club,” “Mina and Lucy’s Guide to Slaying Dracula” and “Are You Afraid of the Dark? The Official Podcast.”

Explore your town’s ‘haunted’ history

Uncover the chilling truth about your hometown, whether it’s the “headless horseman” of Sleepy Hollow, New York, or the witches of Salem, Massachusetts.

Make ‘Happy Halloween’ cards

Use construction paper, glue, and scary cut-out images to make Halloween cards. Don’t forget to mail them before Oct. 31!

Attend (or organize) a Halloween parade

Watch a Halloween parade or organize your own procession through the neighborhood.

Visit a theme park with Halloween vibes

Major theme parks usually introduce festive menus, scary characters and horror-themed rides in October.  

Spend the morning at a pumpkin patch 

When you’re done picking pumpkins, take holiday photos in the fall-like atmosphere.

Say ‘boo’ at the zoo 

In October, certain zoos (such as in San Diego, California, Grand Rapids, Michigan and Melbourne, Florida) host Halloween events.

Take a ghost tour

Many cities and towns advertise tours of so-called haunted places, such as The Queen Mary ship in Long Beach, California, the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia, and the French Quarter neighborhood in Louisiana.

Cook a terrifying meal  

Serve a zombie-themed cheese and charcuterie board, “mummified” hot dogs or jack-o’-lantern bell peppers (more meal ideas here). For dessert, offer chocolate-covered "booberries" or “sweet Dracula doughnuts.”

Visit a haunted house

Pop-up haunted house attractions can be exhilarating for older kids.

Hang Halloween decorations

Decorate rooms in your home with fake cobwebs, monster decals or pumpkin string lights.

Play scary board games

Games like Candy Land, Ghosts Can’t Draw and Halloween-themed Bingo are appropriate choices for this time of year.

Make a thrilling playlist

Get down with Halloween songs for kids, like “Monster Mash,” “Spooky, Scary Skeletons” or “This is Halloween.”

Carve (and paint) pumpkins

After you’ve carved your pumpkin, add color using glow-in-the-dark acrylic paint.

Play tag with orange glow sticks

Buy orange glow sticks for a nighttime game of outdoor Halloween tag.

Watch scary movies

“Hocus Pocus,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” are kid favorites. While adults can revisit “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Halloween” and “Child’s Play.”

DIY your Halloween costume

Take the hassle out of costume shopping by making one at home. These DIY options are cool.

Play Halloween charades

Charades but make it Halloween-themed: Play a zombie, a witch or a ghost.

Wander through a corn maze

Get lost in a corn maze as a family or pair up to race against each other. Who will get out alive?

'Boo' the neighbors

Leave Halloween treats on a neighbor’s doorstep with a note stating, "You've been BOO'd" and instructions to pay it forward.

Find your way out of an escape room

Visit a child-friendly Halloween escape room, an experience that has players finding their way out of locked rooms by decoding clues and riddles. You can also play the game online.

Tell ghost stories

No campfire is needed to delight in the tradition of ghost stories. Cut the lights and pass around a flashlight to scare each other. 

Learn about Día de Muertos (“The Day of the Dead”)

Día de Muertos, otherwise known as “The Day of the Dead,” is a Latin American tradition to honor late family members and friends. Celebrants paint their faces with skulls and display altars with food and flowers. Kids can learn more about the holiday by watching the Disney movie “Coco.”

Guess at Halloween trivia

Why do we trick-or-treat? Why do we dress in costumes? Why do we eat candy? Learn about the history of Halloween with a fun trivia game.

Go on a hayride

No tricks, just a fun fall afternoon!

Try a Halloween craft

We love paper plate pumpkins and masking tape mummies.

Play Halloween musical chairs

Break out the Halloween tunes and play musical chairs.

Read scary stories

Hide under the covers with a flashlight and a scary book. Older kids can read the “Goosebumps” or Stephen King book series while younger kids might prefer "Spooky Pookie" by Sandra Boynton or “Creepy Carrots!” by Aaron Reynolds.

Go apple picking

Find a local orchard and stock up on a bushel or two of your family's favorite apples. Snack on them plain or dip them in caramel for a special treat.

Play, ‘Guess how many candy corns are in the jar?’

Remember this childhood game? Fill a jar with candy corn (only you know how many there are inside) and have people guess the right amount. The winner gets them all!

Host a post-Halloween candy swap

Little trick-or-treaters might not be entirely thrilled with the candy they collected on Halloween, so organize a swap to keep the fun going.

Read more at Today.com

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