Halloween Happenings: Kids’ Costume Swap, Decorating Contest and More

Are you known for your demonic décor? Or is your Halloween display pure family-friendly fun?

Plainfield Park District residents have until Oct. 19 to enter the 6^th annual “Spook-tacular” Haunted Houses Halloween outdoor decorating contest.

Prizes will be awarded for the scariest house and the most family-friendly house.

The cost to register is $10 per house. To enter the contest, email rathke@plainfieldparkdistrict.com or call 815-436-8812, ext. 35.

All decorations must be visible from the sidewalk, which is where all judging will take place.

Depending on the number of houses to be judged, a contest committee all entries from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24 and/or Thursday, Oct. 25.

Winners will be notified on Friday, Oct. 26. A map of participating addresses will be made available on the Plainfield Park District website by Wednesday, Oct. 24.

You can also show off your haunted house by posting uploading pictures to this article or posting them to Plainfield Patch’s pics and clips gallery. 

Are the ghosts of Halloweens past haunting your kids’ closets? Do you have a collection of costumes that have been worn once and discarded?

Parents can trade their kids’ gently used costumes at the park district’s Kids’ Costume Swap, set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Heritage Center, 24023 W. Lockport St.

All costumes must be dropped off at the recreation/administration center, 23729 W. Ottawa St., by Wednesday, Oct. 10. Families who drop off costumes by the deadline will receive a receipt to “shop” for a gently used costume at the Oct. 18 Costume Swap.

For more information email rathke@plainfieldparkdistrict.com or call 815-436-8812, ext. 35.

The park district will also offer the following fall-themed activities:

• Ghost and Ghouly Family Day at the recreation/administration center, 1 p.m. Oct. 13
• Halloween Craft Night at the recreation/administration center, 6 p.m. Oct. 17
• Frankenstein’s Kiddie Carnival at Central Elementary School, 6 p.m. Oct. 19
• Haunted Pony Rides at the Normantown Trails Equestrian Center, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 28