Spooky Season in Highland Park
Pumpkins, treats, gatherings, decor, and more… Let our guide to Spooky Season raise your spirits. Check back often, new entries are added weekly!
Events
Check out the view from the driver’s seat and pick up some treats along the way with the Park District's Truck-or-Treat event. The biggest, coolest, shiniest trucks around will be on display for exploring and trick or treating! The fun takes place at Hidden Creek AquaPark on October 5. Registration is not required and costumes are encouraged! This event will be sensory-friendly (no horns, sirens, or flashing lights) From 9:30 AM - 10 AM.
Get into the spooky spirit with Mil Colibris Bakery + Cafe! One Happy Cookie Bakeshop will hold a cookie class on October 18. Learn how to make and decorate cookies for your next gathering.
Dress in costume and receive a free round at River’s Edge Mini Golf on October 19. Reservations are optional but can be made up to 7 days in advance.
Bubbles Academy invites kids 0 - 9 years old and their parents to a complementary open play day on October 19, before Scarecrow Fest & Walk. Kick off fall with a fun, free, festive play date!
Start the day with a self-led, leisurely Scarecrow Walk through Downtown Highland Park, where businesses will showcase the spirit of the season with unique decorated scarecrows in front of their stores.
Head back to The Lot (525 Central) to cast your vote for “Best in Show Scarecrow” and commemorate the fall season with scarecrow-themed family fun, pumpkin painting, live music, tasty food, games, and more, including fall-themed photo ops with Mermaid Elle and a giant scarecrow!
Dance along to family-friendly tunes from DJ Snicholfritz, Ben Tatar & the Tatar Tots, five-time Grammy-nominee Justin Roberts, and Grammy-nominated Ralph's World.
Beautiful multicolored leaves are a hallmark of spooky season. Learn how to immortalize these fall colors with a Fall Leaves Watercolor Workshop at Kaleidoscope heART Market on October 19. This workshop will be led by instructor Kathleen Rietz. Try six different watercolor techniques and leave with 2-3 ready-to-frame works of autumnal art. All materials are included, but you may bring your own leaves if desired.
Wayfarer Theaters presents The Madame Zuzu's Matinee of The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. This Classic film from 1947 takes you back to a magical time as a A young British widow rents a seaside cottage and soon becomes haunted by the ghost of its former owner. The fun starts at 1 PM with free pumpkin painting, followed by the screening at 2 PM.
The annual Bubbles Academy Bubbleween celebration has returned! Enjoy fun open play, live music with Miss Anna spooky arts and crafts, family snapshots, and nut-free snacks on October 20.
Annoucing the first Secret World Books game night of the year! Co-owner Michael Brandeis presides as the Dungeon Master during a one-shot Halloween-themed Dungeons & Dragons campaign on October 23. This event is open to both beginners and experienced players. Seats are limited and will go quickly - secure yours today!
Get a head start on Halloween festivities at Michael's Grill & Salad Bar on October 24. Take part in family-friendly games and activities for the kids, participate in costume contest with prizes, hit up the s'mores bar, and indulge in an all-you-can-eat buffet filled with all your Michael's favorites: jumbo char dogs, burgers, teriyaki chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken tenders, garden and caesar salads, and of course, Michaels' famous cheese fries.
Let the talented young musicians of the Highland Park High School Band give you chills and goosebumps during their Halloween concert on October 24.
Calling all witches!! Come cast your spells and be amongst your coven at Soulshine Boutique & Healing Sanctuary’s Witchy Women Halloween Party & Fundraiser. Sip and snack for a cause on October 24; a portion of proceeds from the party tickets, raffle tickets, and sales from Soulshine Boutique during the event will go towards Cancer Wellness Center, an organization that provides free services to people affected by cancer and their families.
Your $55 ticket includes entry to the Witchy Women Party, 5 tickets for 5 practitioner offerings, wine, snacks, free gifts & 2 tickets for a raffle prize worth $500! Costumes are welcome.
Trick-or-treaters can go business to business to receive buckets of Halloween candy during the annual Port Clinton Trick-or-Treating event on October 24.
Find a variety of entertainers including a DJ, a face painter, a balloon artist, and more, at the Renaissance Place Boo Bash on October 25.
Spin along to a live DJ at Studio SPIN on October 25. Workout to Halloween classics and make room for all of the candy you’ll be eating later in the week! Call the studio or book online.
The annual Ravinia District Halloween Candy Stroll returns on Friday, October 25, 2024! Pick up a candy collection bag at Jens Jensen Park (540 Roger Williams Ave.) Visit participating businesses within the Ravinia District for trick-or-treating, then head back to Jens Jensen Park for tons of fun, games, and a contest to guess the weight of a giant pumpkin!
Is your front porch missing something? Paint a pumpkin at Madame ZuZu’s on October 26 and add a decoration to your Halloween set up that’s uniquely you. Paint, brushes, and one pumpkin will be provided with every ticket.
Get in the spirit of Halloween with the Library’s Halloween Railroad, presented by the North Central 'O' Gaugers Model Railroad Club. Families are invited to stop in and watch model trains travel around the Spookytown tracks, decorated with Halloween scenes and figures on October 28This Halloween-themed model railroad also features a special Thomas the Tank Engine track with Thomas, Percy, and Diesel. Kids are welcome to attend in costume! Generously sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Kids ages 3 - 12 can dive into a world of whimsy and wonder at the Pumpkin Pool Splash on October 26. Experience an exhilarating splashdown as colossal pumpkins take the plunge into a sparkling pool, creating a mesmerizing spectacle of color and excitement. Get ready to make a splash of your own amidst the vibrant autumn atmosphere, where fun knows no bounds and laughter echoes through the air.
Get ready for a spooktacular night of rockin' music. Head to Madame Zuzu's on October 26 for the Monster Bash Battle of the Bands where the best local bands will compete for the title of the ultimate Halloween rockers. Grab your friends, put on your scariest costume, and get ready to rock the night away!
Get ready for some spooky fun at the Catch a Character Race on October 27! Grab your family, wear your favorite costumes, and join the Park District for a Halloween-inspired adventure at Larry Fink Memorial Park! Race through engaging activities and hunt for classic characters—will your family be the first to catch ‘em all?
Secret World Books has a spine-tingling event planned for Spooky Season! Celebrated horror writers Juan Martinez and Richard Thomas join forces to read from their work and discuss writing horror.
Juan Martinez is the author of the novel, Extended Stay, released in January 2023, and was one of Crimereads and Tor.com’s best horror novels of the year.
Richard Thomas is the award-winning author of several books, including his most recent novel, Incarnate. He has won contests at ChiZine and One Buck Horror, has received five Pushcart Prize nominations, and has been long-listed for Best Horror of the Year six times.
In a wild coincidence, two Highland Park authors, Gayle Brandeis (co-owner of Secret World Books) and Rebecca Johns, have written novels about Elizabeth Bathory, the Hungarian countess accused of murdering up to 650 girls and women around the cusp of the 16th/17th centuries. The authors will read from their novels and discuss their process approaching disturbing stories, and their fascination with this compelling historical figure.
Banish bad vibes with candlelit Halloween yoga all day long on October 31 at YogaSix. Choose from Slow Flow from 9 AM - 10 AM, Restore from 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM and again from 7 PM - 8 PM, and Power from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM. Call or email the studio to reserve your spot.
Pumpkin Smash is a community-driven event dedicated to sustainability and reducing waste during Halloween. Join the Park District on November 1 to compost your carved and uncarved pumpkins, turning them into valuable nutrient-rich soil. This fun and eco-friendly initiative not only helps divert tons of organic waste from landfills but also educates participants on the importance of composting for environmental conservation. Bring your pumpkins and enjoy a day of smashing, composting, and learning about sustainable practices that benefit our planet.
Dining
Why bob for apples when you can get a deliciously sweet and crisp caramel apple from Terry’s Toffee?
Who said Halloween candy was only for kids? Add Halloween candy pairings to your next wine flight at Lynfred Winery through October 31 for just $4.
Denny’s presents the Afterlife Menu, a new menu full of food options inspired by the new movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Banish your hunger with menu items like the Say It Three Times Slam, The Afterlife Melt, the Beetlejuicy Burger, and the Cookies 'N' Scream Shake.
Get the all-new Boorrito from Curt’s Cafe before it returns to the spirit world on October 31. This delicious treat is comprised of seasoned ground beef, lettuce, corn, black beans, pico de gallo, salsa verde, avocado, and chihuahua cheese, all wrapped in a flour tortilla and served with chips and a pickle.
Spice things up pumpkin season with the bagel and cream cheese of the month from Once Upon A Bagel. Sink your teeth into a soft caramel apple bagel topped with deliciously smooth pumpkin cream cheese.
Burger King is teaming up with Amazon MGM Studios Consumer Products and the animated adaptations of The Addams Family to serve up scary delicious takes on some of the brand’s most iconic menu items. Try the new Addams Family menu beginning October 10: Wednesday’s Whopper, Thing’s Rings, Gomez’s Churro Fries, and Morticia’s Kooky Chocolate Shake.
Customers of all ages can get their hands on the all new redesigned Boo Buckets at McDonald’s beginning October 15. These trick-or-treat-ready buckets come with themed stickers for customization.
Beginning October 16, try out the new selection of hauntingly delicious treats at Dunkin’: the all-new potion macchiato, a spider specialty donut, and a Halloween Munchkins bucket.
Retail
Find candles, tablescapes, decor, home goods, accessories, and more to enliven your home.
Jewelry, miniatures, ceramics, and more - all designed and handcrafted by artists; head to Kaleidoscope heART Maket for a truly unique Halloween find.
Stop by Old Elm Resale, one of Highland Park’s newest retail locations and find Halloween costumes, clothing, decor, craft items, bakeware, and more! Best off all, Halloween items are currently 50% off!
Starbucks new line of Halloween-inspired drinkware is sure to add a hauntingly beautiful touch to your Starbucks drink: find tumblers, cold cups, mugs, and more.
Contact Marketing Coordinator, Diane Larson, to have your Halloween event, menu, or decor featured.