While trick-or-treating is still a popular mad dash for candy, many families now opt out of the dark city porch crawl one night a year and instead participate in the season all month long.
Fortunately, the metro has plenty of options for spooky fun both day and night, with candy and without it.
Knocking on strangers’ doors to solicit candy is an outdated ideal, but the fun behind a candy-filled treat night isn’t. With the help of metro offerings, families can choose between a variety of trick-or-treating nights, as well as indoor and educational seasonal activities.
Feasts and festivities
At the top of the seasonal to-do list is the Gazette Halloween parade, which begins in Midtown at dusk on Saturday.
Candied treats are necessary for the evening, so before the main event, hit up a local sweet shop that stocks a variety of chocolate and colorful hard candies.
For more than one evening of autumnal pleasure, consider pumpkin patches. They aren’t just for picking, carving and painting, either. Most patches offer trick-or-treating, hay rides and games. For full-service fun, try Chester’s Party Barn & Farm, 5201 Cimarron Rd., Piedmont; WingsOK, 13700 N. Eastern Ave. in Edmond; or Orr Family Farm, 14400 S. Western.
A Halloween favorite for young’uns, Haunt the Zoo at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens, 2101 NE 50th St., includes trick-or-treating with themed sets and characters throughout the zoo. Cost is $7 per child, $6 in advance and adults get in free. It runs nights from 6:30-8:30 p.m. through October.
Creepy learning
Nothing like sneaking some education into the holiday with art and education events. Martin Nature Park Center & Trail, 5000 W. Memorial Rd., hosts a free Bats in the Belfry event to brush up on the culture of the winged mammals. Find out where they live in Oklahoma.
From bats to bones, the Museum of Osteology, 10301 S. Sunnylane Rd., hosts its 4th annual Halloween Bash with candy, door prizes and crafts. Costumes are strongly encouraged. Cost is $3, and it runs 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Trunk or treat
Churches have become a go-to replacement with “trunk or treat” festivities.
From 5-6:30 p.m. Sunday, Crown Heights Christian Church will feature a safe trickor-treating alternative for families at 4020 N. Western Ave.
New Covenant United Methodist Church hosts an event the whole family can enjoy with inflatables, candy, carnival games, refreshments, door prizes and more at 2700 S. Boulevard in Edmond. It starts 6 p.m. Sunday.
Other community spaces participate in the spooky fun, too. Consider the festive downtown Edmond area as it hosts Trick or Treat Downtown Festival at the Edmond Market Place 5-7 p.m. Thursday Oct. 31, or Trick-or-Treat on Our Street at Outlet Shoppes at Oklahoma City, 7624 W. Reno Ave. Guests are encouraged to wear a costume and stop by participating retailers to collect candy and other treats.
If your neighborhood or community space does plan on a trick-or-treating or trunk-or-treating night, you’ll need candy — and lots of it. Here are a few local stops to get stocked up with the goods.
- 42nd Street Candy Company
4200 N. Western Ave.
521-8337 - Woody Candy Company
922 NW 70th St.
842-8903
- Bricktown Candy Co.
100 E. California Ave.
600-9009
- The Candy Store
1016 N. Walker Ave.
232-5776
- Pinkitzel Cupcakes & Candy
150 N. E.K. Gaylord Blvd.
235-7465
and 1389 E. 15th St., Edmond
330-4500
This article appears in Oct 16-22, 2013.