With Halloween right around the corner, many are looking forward to snacking on candy, dressing up in costumes or indulging in scary movies. Whatever you like the most about the holiday, the core activity is always the same: trick-or-treating.
On Thursday, Oct. 31, Brookfield, Riverside and North Riverside will each host official trick-or-treating hours from 3 to 7 p.m.
Generally, houses planning to give out candy should leave their lights on while those not participating can keep their house dark. North Riverside residents are also encouraged to display village-provided signs in their windows that state whether they’re handing out treats.
The North Riverside Park Mall is hosting trick-or-treating inside the mall with participating stores from 5 to 7 p.m. on Halloween. At 6 p.m., the mall will hold a costume contest for members of its free Kids Club split into three groups for kids aged 5 years old and younger, aged 6 to 8 years old and aged 9 to 12 years old.
While not day-of, there are other ways to celebrate the season of scares. The Brookfield Historical Society and Brookfield Chamber of Commerce will host the 25th annual Monsters on Mainstreet business district event Saturday, Oct. 26. From noon to 3 p.m., kids can stop in at participating businesses with signs along Grand Boulevard and Broadway Avenue to trick-or-treat.
The event includes a costume contest at 3 p.m. at the historic Grossdale Station, 8820 ½ Brookfield Ave., though parents are welcome in or out of costume. The first 500 children can also get free apple cider, taffy apples and pumpkins at the station starting at 2:30 p.m.
Riverside’s Frederick Law Olmsted Society will host four two-mile walking ghost tours toward the end of the month. At 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 and 26, the society will take attendees through its regular route, showing off historic homes in town, while incorporating ghost stories. All tours will start at the Riverside Train Station; tickets cost $10 for Olmsted Society members and $15 for non-members.
While the ghost stories will be family-friendly, and the Olmsted Society encourages children and teenagers to attend, officials said it may be too scary for kids under 12.
This year’s ghost tours are a trial run, meaning they may become a yearly fixture going forward if the tours are heavily attended.
North Riverside will host a family zombie ball at the Village Commons gymnasium on Friday, Oct. 25 from 6-8:30 p.m. Families are encouraged to attend the night of dancing and activities in costume, though attendees must register by calling the gymnasium by Oct. 21. Tickets are $8 for North Riverside residents and $10 for non-residents.
If you or a trick-or-treater you know has allergies or dietary restrictions, the Teal Pumpkin Project provides ideas for allergy-friendly or non-food treats as well as an interactive map online to find homes giving away such treats. If you plan to hand out toys, stickers, trinkets or other inclusive treats this year, you can add your home to the map so other users know where to find you.
Correction, Oct. 11, 10 a.m.: A previous version of this story misnamed the Brookfield event on Oct. 26. That event is called Monsters on Mainstreet. We apologize for the error.
