Halloween Fun in Downtown Whitefish
Halloween in Whitefish isn’t just a holiday—it’s a full-on celebration of creativity for both kids and adults alike. From spectacularly creative costumes to streets that go above and beyond to give their trick or treaters the ultimate Halloween experience, it is really a holiday not to be missed. Here we wanted to share our plans for a complete night of Halloween fun with our kids as well as some fun festivities happening around town.
Halloween Night Basics
If you are new to town and want a no-brainer guide to making sure your kids don’t feel like they missed a thing on Halloween night, we have you covered. In Whitefish trick-or-treating happens on Halloween night itself, so after a big day at school, there’s even more fun to be had.
Tips:
- Bring extra snacks, layers, and warm drinks
- Even though our kids aren’t little, we still like to bring a wagon for any younger kids to ride in, or to store costume pieces that get abandoned, or bags of candy!
Schedule:
3:30 PM: Head home from school and get kids (and yourself) ready for an evening of fun!
4:30 PM: We usually try to head to Central Ave by 4:30 so that kids can walk to all of the businesses downtown that are handing out candy. Don’t forget to stop at the Stumptown Art Studio, where they always have a fun “haunted house,” right downtown.
*New this year: Be sure to stop for a photo op in front of Haskill Creek! We’re hanging a big Halloween banner that should make for a fun picture with the kids.*
Depending on the weather, you may want to stop and grab a hot drink from Montana Coffee traders while you’re out on Central Ave–good for keeping fingers and bodies warm!
5:30 PM: We like to stop and fuel up with fries and chicken strips at either the Great Northern Bar or Bulldog Saloon. It’s a good chance to make sure kids are eating something other than candy, adjust costumes and warm up, and let’s be honest, enjoy an adult beverage before hitting the neighborhoods.
6:30 PM: Next, head from downtown Whitefish just a few blocks East to Columbia Ave. That’s where the fun really begins! We walk as far as our kids want to go up and down both Columbia and Somers, and see lots of friends on the way!
Bonus: If you’re not tired yet, be sure to stop over by Riverside Park and visit the big skeletons near the river.
Family Fun Spooktacular Events:
Oct 11th - 26th / Clydesdale Outpost's Haunted Hayride: Embark on a haunted hayride through a circus abandoned decades ago on the outskirts of Whitefish. If you missed the first 4 events, make sure you get to the last two this Friday and Saturday!
Oct 30 & 31st / Whitefish Theater Company Haunted House Experience: An Interactive Walkthrough Experience! Designed by Rachel Naber Burke, complete with witches, grim reapers and more, this all ages haunted house is sure to be a frightfully fun time for all!
Oct 31st / Downtown Whitefish Halloween Costume Contest: Historians have said the annual Whitefish Halloween costume contest originally started in the 1990’s and is back this year with plans to be an over the top costume viewing, bar-hopping event not to be missed.
