🕯 Free, original guides 🎃 Updated for 2026 🦇 Made for U.S. families

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Plan your Halloween

Costumes

Ideas for every crowd

Trick-or-Treat

Hours, safety, etiquette

Parties

Checklist, games, menu

Events

Haunts, mazes & parades

Fun & free tools

Play, print & plan

Costume Finder200+ ideas, filter by who & vibe
Candy CalculatorHow many bags to buy
Spooky Name GeneratorYour witch, vampire & ghost name
Pumpkin StencilsFree printable carving patterns
Coloring PagesPrintable for kids & adults
Halloween BingoPrint unique bingo cards
Halloween TriviaTest your spooky smarts
Halloween Jokes130+ kid-friendly jokes

Road trip, if you dare

Haunted places in all 50 states

Historic hotels, old prisons, lighthouses and mansions with ghost stories — find the most haunted spots near you.

Explore the map of legends →

Halloween night checklist

Ready for October 31?

  • 01Check your town’s trick-or-treat hoursMost run from dusk to about 8:30 p.m. — how to find yours
  • 02Finish the costumeAdd reflective tape and a flashlight — costume ideas
  • 03Carve pumpkins 2–4 days aheadUse LED candles — carving steps
  • 04Stock candy and non-food treatsPut out a teal pumpkin for kids with allergies — why it matters
  • 05Keep pets safe and calmChocolate and xylitol are dangerous for dogs — pet tips

Read, watch, cook

More from the haunted library

History

Samhain to suburbia

Jack-o’-Lanterns

Legend + carving guide

Recipes

Spooky snacks & drinks

Decor

Porch, yard & home

Legends

Ghosts, monsters, mysteries

Movies

Family to full fright

Symbols

What the icons mean

Around the World

Festivals of the dead

Candy

Buy, share, store

DIY Haunted House

Build a home haunt

Poems

Spooky verse to share

For Adults

Grown-up Halloween ideas

Halloween FAQ

What day is Halloween 2026?

Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday, October 31.

What time is trick-or-treating?

Most U.S. neighborhoods trick-or-treat from around dusk until about 8:00–8:30 p.m. on October 31. Many towns post official hours each year.

Why do people dress up on Halloween?

Costumes trace back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, when people may have worn disguises to confuse spirits, and to later customs like guising in Scotland and Ireland.