Ways to celebrate Halloween around Salem: Trunk-or-Treats, festivals, costumes and candy

With Halloween less than two weeks away, upcoming events in Salem offer plenty of ways to get in costume, trick-or-treat and celebrate the season.

If you see an event missing from the list, email reporter Madeleine Moore at [email protected] to have it considered. 

Here are some of the options in the next couple of weeks to prepare for Halloween or simply enjoy the fall season: 

Trick or Treat events

Gilbert House Children’s Museum is hosting its annual “Halloween Re-Engineered” on the sidewalk and parking lot outside of the museum on Sunday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Trick-or-treaters will get candy delivered to them by the museum’s gizmos and machines. Children, and everyone else, can dress up in costume to enjoy the Halloween activities, crafts and sweets. Tickets cost $10 and don’t include museum access. The museum is located at 116 Marion St. N.E., more information about the museum is available online. 

On Sunday, Oct. 27, Willamette Heritage Center’s Drive-Thru Trick-or-Treat returns for its fifth year of giving people an early chance to trick-or-treat and show off their Halloween costumes. The Candy Crew, people from local nonprofits and businesses, will hand out candy along a decorated route through the center’s parking lot, 1313 Mill St. S.E. The drive-thru event is free and available to cars and bikes only. It runs from 12-4 p.m.

On Halloween night, Thursday, Oct. 31, North Salem High School is hosting two hours of trick-or-treating. From 5-7 p.m., people can stop by the high school, located at 765 14th St. N.E., and enjoy some candy.

Deepwood Museum is also hosting trick-or-treating on Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31, from 3-6 p.m. The museum is prepared to give around 500 trick-or-treaters a pumpkin sugar cookie when they stop by the front door of the museum home, 1116 Mission St. S.E.

Here are the Salem churches and businesses hosting free trunk-or-treat events leading up to Halloween: 

Wednesday, Oct. 23: 

• Chemeketa Community College, Red Lot, 4000 Lancaster Dr. N.E., 5-8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25: 

• Salem-Keizer Volcanoes Stadium, 6700 Field of Dreams Way, 5:30-8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 26:

• McNary High School, 595 Chemawa Rd. N., 2-4 p.m.
• Morningside United Methodist Church Parking Lot, 3674 12th St. S.E., 3-5 p.m.
• Newsong God Church of Prophecy, 3850 Portland Rd. N.E., 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 27: 

• Trinity Covenant Church, 5020 Liberty Rd. S., 12-2 p.m.
• Radness Ensues, 3837 River Rd. N., 1-3 p.m.
• West Salem Christian Church, 1155 Glen Creek Rd. N.W., 2-4 p.m.
• Morning Star Community Church, 4775 27th Ave S.E., 3-5 p.m.
• New Harvest Fellowship, 4290 Portland Rd. N.E., 4-6 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 30:

• Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, 2551 Pringle Rd. S.E., 4-7 p.m. Includes candy, food, prizes and information about community resources and DIY weatherization.

Thursday, Oct. 31: 

• Willamette Valley Multiple Listing Service, 4-7 p.m., in the office parking lot at 670 Hawthorne Ave. Includes candy, photo booth, face painting, games and a kickoff for the annual food drive. Bring a check, canned food or pet food to donate in support of Marion Polk Food Share, the Oregon Humane Society and Linn-Benton Food Share.
• West Hills Community Church will have a Halloween Candyfest from 6-7 p.m. in the church gym at 1650 Brush College Rd N.W.
• Christian World Fellowship, 4932 Liberty Rd. S., 6-8 p.m.

Costumes and family fun

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church is throwing a free harvest party with games, treats and fall fun on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 3-5 p.m. The community event is free and located at the church, 1770 Baxter Rd. S.E. More information about the event is available on Facebook. 

The Salem Police Department is hosting its 17th annual “Halloween Dress Rehearsal” for children to learn and practice how to stay safe on Halloween night. Children and their families will learn from officers about pedestrian and traffic safety while getting to play games and have some Halloween fun. The rehearsal will take place at the Salem police station, 333 Division St. N.E., on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 3-5 p.m. 

Sunnyslope Christian Reformed Church is throwing a harvest carnival on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 5-8 p.m. There will be carnival games, a cake walk, candy and crafts for children ages 10 and under. People can buy food between 5:30-7:30 p.m. The festival will take place at the church, located at 197 Hrubetz Rd. S.E. 

Radness Ensues, a community center in Keizer, is throwing its first annual day of Halloween fun on Saturday, Oct. 27. From 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., the Rad Monster Mash will include a free costume closet, trick-or-treating and a family-friendly concert. All ages are welcome to every event. More information about the event’s schedule is on Facebook. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 30, West Salem High School is throwing a harvest festival for people to truck-or-treat the night before Halloween. The festival will have one of Salem’s emergency services fire trucks, along with games, prizes, booths and candy. The event is from 4-5 p.m. at West Salem High School, 1776 Titan Dr. N.W.

McKay High School invites the community to the McKay theater, 2440 Lancaster Dr. N.E., for a night of horror movie thrills on Thursday, Oct. 31. From 5-7:30 p.m., the theater will host a cast of horror movie characters in its “haunted movie theater.” The event is welcome to everyone but is not recommended for children ages 12 and under. Tickets cost $5.

From 5:30-7:30 p.m. that night, McKay High School is also hosting McHalloween, a free event for people to play games and go trick-or-treating. The event will take place at the high school, 2440 Lancaster Dr. N.E.

Also on Wednesday, Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action’s Harvest Fest will bring dancing, tarot readings and philanthropy to the Willamette Heritage Center. There will be drinks and mocktails, and live music from Sarah Mutinelli and the WonderBand. Tickets are $40, and costumes are highly encouraged. All proceeds go to renovate Taylor’s emergency youth home. There will also be games, a cake walk and silent auction.

On Thursday, Oct. 31, Fairmount Park will have its 13th annual Halloween parade through Salem’s Fairmount neighborhood. Children in costume and their families are invited to walk in the parade to show off their creative and fun outfits and celebrate the season. People interested in participating need to meet at Fairmount City Park, 650 Rural Ave. S., on Thursday, Oct. 31 at 5 p.m.

Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].

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