Dreadfully Awesome Guide to Halloween Activities in Anchorage

Whether you are looking for family-friendly Halloween activities or simply seeking to have to change your shorts after a fright, you’ll love these ideas for fall fun! Alaska offers a wonderful setting in which to enjoy the weather and absorb the values that you and your family retain for this fall holiday. Getting started early means you can enjoy dressing up all month at lots of fun places in the community!

The month of October has many varied meanings for families and people all over the world. Consider using this time to find out more about your friends, family, and neighbors. Choosing costumes is a great way to see what currently interests your children. Let them help pick a costume for your pet, too!

Consider letting the kids choose what you will dress as for Halloween. This can add to the fun for everyone and always brings lots of laughs! What should you and your kids wear this year and where should you go? Let’s have some fun looking at your options.

Kid-Friendly Places for Halloween Fun in Anchorage

• Experience Halloween at the Anchorage Museum. Explore bucket loads of activities and events for trick-or-treaters of all ages! Storytelling, treats, science, music, and plenty of Halloween fun will be available on October 31. Costumes are encouraged! Find them at the Anchorage Museum at 625 C. Street, Anchorage, Alaska 99501.

• Ride the Kid’s Halloween Train on the Alaska Railroad. Departure times vary. It is advisable to purchase tickets in advance. The train leaves from Anchorage and takes about 2 and a ½ hours round trip. Games and treats are part of the fun on the Kid’s Halloween Train! Catch the train at the Anchorage Depot at 411 West 1st Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501.

• Run the Zombie Kids 2.5k. This activity is free for kids and offers paid adult races. Locations vary by the actual event that is chosen. Come out and enjoy some fresh Alaskan air with the Anchorage Running Club this October!

• Attend a Pumpkin Patch Party. Little ones and their families are invited to join the Halloween party fun with Anchorage Parks & Recreation. Multiple times are available for the event to be held at the Spenard Recreation Center, 2020 W. 48th Avenue, Anchorage, 99519. Dress as a pumpkin or in a costume you already have in mind!

• Visit a Trunk or Treat Event. Kids of all ages and interests will enjoy going from vehicle to vehicle with this activity. Instead of going from house to house, children get to trick or treat by going from one decorated car to the next all one location! Costumes are encouraged! Find this event at Faith Lutheran Church located at 5200 Lake Otis Pkwy., Anchorage 99507.

• Go to Trick or Treat Street. Merchants in Downtown Anchorage will be welcoming Halloween goers for treats and kid-friendly activities! Come and bring your little creatures Downtown this October for some community fun in Anchorage!

• Head to the Library. Check out your favorite fall books and read them in costume with your kids! Pick a random family day to wear your costumes and be the talk of the town as you strut your costumes early! This makes a great ‘dress rehearsal’ and keeps the kids interested in reading at the same time! While you are there, review any Halloween events that may interest your kids.

• Your Own Home. Halloween can be a scary time for young kids. Help them to understand that much of what they may see is pretend. Be prepared to answer questions that may signal that your child has seen something that has scared them and they were not ready for the experience. Work to make sure that your own home feels safe for them. Be sure to ‘listen’ to what they may not be verbalizing. Let children help choose how you will decorate the outside of your home, including the front walkway if you expect trick-or-treaters. Remember to have an adult answer the door (but, of course, kids can join you at the door if desired).

Add to a Costume You Already Have or Make Your Own

Setting your creative side free may be part of what you most enjoy about Halloween. Let your wings fly with these fun ideas and personal additions for costumes in Anchorage!

• Use cardboard to make a cage for your favorite colorful animal. Be sure that the animal inside can see so that they may safely walk.

• Felt is great for making and adding to costumes! Use it to create ears, colorful hair additions, antennae, robot extensions, and anything else that you can imagine!

• Customize your Halloween attire to accommodate physical difficulties. For example, a person needing wheelchair assistance might have fun dressed as Stephen Hawking for a day.

• Play to your child’s interests. For example, if your child loves science, teach them about Isaac Newton and help them make a prism to include as a prop for their costume.

Need to feed your creative side? Try out these ideas for making your own costume:

• Favorite animals
• Robots, androids
• Rare or favorite food items
• Tree with fruit attached (hangers and felt are great for this)
• Your ancestor(s)
• Group themed (chocolate and milk, momma kangaroo and little joey)
• Modern amenities (giant cell phone)
• Aleutian hunter or fisherman (easy to stay warm in Alaskan weather)
• Historic items (railroad train car)
• Famous or important people in history (your favorite actress, Albert Einstein and his hair)

Where to Buy Costumes in Anchorage

If making your own costume sounds daunting or you simply do not have the time, try out these Anchorage places for your favorite Halloween costume choices.

• Partycraft West Anchorage. 639 W Int’l Airport Rd, Suite 2, Anchorage, AK 99518
• Party World. 3810 Arctic Blvd., Anchorage, Alaska 99503 (can ship items)
• Village Value. 501 E Dimond Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99515 or 5437 E Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage, AK 99508

Costume Safety Tips

• Remember to make sure that all costumes have a feature that allows each person to be seen in the dark. Whether you choose to buy costumes or make your own, make sure to keep safety first. Placing reflective tape on the costume on the arms, back, or head helps to keep Halloween explorers visible.

• Each person should carry a flashlight or other light giving source in some manner for safety on walkways and near streets.

• Each person should be able to see well enough to walk freely.

• Feet should not be so encumbered that walking becomes difficult.

• Consider how you may want to alter your costumes for warmth if needed.

• Make sure each person is able to manage wearing their own costume without losing pieces – or a candy bag – for the time that you plan to be exploring.

Consider letting the kids choose what you will dress as for Halloween. This can add to the fun for everyone and always brings lots of laughs! What should you and your kids wear this year and where should you go? There are lots of interesting things to see in Anchorage. Let’s have some fun looking at your options.

Shop Local for Your Halloween Candy

Treats can be an important part of the holiday tradition. Shopping local helps everyone and puts a sweet treat in your mouth, too! Consider treating your child’s teacher to something special this year. Start a new tradition for your family and surprise a coworker or neighbor with something special this Halloween!

• Sweet Chalet. 300 Dimond Blvd. Ste. 202, Anchorage 99515

• Alaska Wild Berry Products. 5225 Juneau St., Anchorage 99518 or 320 W. 5th Ave. #176, Anchorage, 99501

• Alaskan Sweet Thing’s. 100 Muldoon Rd., Anchorage 99504

Where to Go for Eyes that Want to Get Spooked

• Get Spooked at the Live Theatre! TBA Theatre is offering several Halloween performances for those who want to shake in their seats in Anchorage. Venues vary depending on the show that you choose. Prepare to thoroughly enjoy your Halloween season at the Training Better Artists, Toward a Better Alaska Theatre in Anchorage this fall!

• Freak Out at Fright Nite! Scare yourself silly in Anchorage with this one. Fright Nite welcomes patrons to visit the Northway Mall for some Halloween spooks. Wear your costume and come prepared to see something unexpected this October! The Northway Mall is located at 3101 Penland Parkway, Anchorage 99508.

Bring It Home Anchorage Style on Halloween!

Anchorage is filled with fun for every age of trick-or-treat lovers! Find your level of spooks and treats with these fun locations this October! Get your costumes together and have fun planning your Halloween events in Anchorage with friends and family.

Remember to plan ahead and make sure that each member of your party is prepared for the locations that you choose. Family-friendly locations in Anchorage may also have spookier events planned. Be prepared to make adjustments so that youngsters are not frightened unnecessarily.

Have fun together as you enjoy creating your own new Halloween adventures! Thinking about choosing different costumes for different events? Better get to creating! Don’t forget to plan for how you will store all that candy after the events!