Everyone celebrates Halloween differently and has their own unique traditions that make Halloween special. From decorating for fall and going to harvest parties to donning blood and gore and watching scary movies, the options for Halloween activities are endless.

Marshfield High School student, Haven Summons is a fan of Halloween and enjoys the activities that come with it,

 “I enjoy carving pumpkins,” said Marshfield High School student Haven Summons.  “Normally I carve faces but this year I’m going to do a butterfly or something like that.” 

Trick-or-treating is what many people do for Halloween but finding which places have the good candy can be tricky. Summons finds that trick-or-treating around the school neighborhood is where the good spots are found. This year, Summons is looking forward to watching horror movies with her friends, a highly-recommended activity.

“Dress up and don’t be lame, because Halloween is all about fun,” Summons said. 

“My favorite Halloween tradition has to be trick-or-treating,” said Violet Schell, a freshman at Southwestern Oregon Community College. “I think I’m gonna dress up as what I used to do every year as a kid–a witch.” 

Schell’s been trick-or-treating all around town and knows the right spots for everyone depending on what they are looking for. 

“My number one place for someone who has multiple siblings or parents who want their older kids to walk alone, is Edgewood Drive,” Schell says. “You can’t get lost; all the roads lead back to the same place there’s policemen, fire trucks, a very safe place.” 

For older kids or teenagers, Schell recommends the area around Mingus Park. The streets are well-lit, there are many homes in that area, and Mingus Park offers great photo opportunities.

“It isn’t really crowded but they have some really good candy, every two houses have good candy,” Schell says. 

Young kids are often trick-or-treating before the sun sets and darkness makes it difficult to see the sidewalks. Older kids should try to stagger their trick-or-treating so they aren’t competing with the younger kids. There are benefits to waiting.

 “For funsies if you’re a teenager and it’s past ten if you go on the big streets sometimes they’ll just give you the candy bowls,” Schell says. 

Halloween isn’t complete without the thrills and screams of scary movies. Like many, Schell enjoys most classic scary movies, but her favorite is a series.

“It’s not a movie, but the old Charmed has such a nice vibe,” Schell said. 

Other alternatives to door-to-door trick-or-treating include trunk-or-treat events and downtown candy giveaways. The Salvation Army sponsors a  trunk-or-treat event, sometimes with games and prizes.

“That’s a fun little thing to do because it’s not on Halloween,” Schell says.

Going to the pumpkin patch and carving pumpkins is also an excellent way to celebrate fall. The crisp fall air, the crunchy falling leaves, and the vivid changing colors of the landscape makes harvest festivals the perfect day trip.  

Mahaffy Ranch is a pumpkin patch and is open from the end of September through October. Shawna Mahaffy, owner of Mahaffy Ranch takes a different approach to Halloween. 

“We just pick the harvest theme in general, so we don’t really highlight Halloween,” says Mahaffy. 

Besides picking pumpkins, there’s lots of other activities available at Mahaffy Ranch. It’s tradition for many to bump along on the hay ride through the field, or shoot corn through a canon to hit pumpkin targets. And the fresh cinnamon donuts and apple cider are the climax of autumn.

“It’s a you-pick pumpkin patch, [with] rides, and a corn maze, and all of that,” says Mahaffy. 

Mahaffy Ranch is a good alternative for those who don’t like the spookiness of Halloween. The corn maze is challenging to navigate, but unlike spooky corn mazes, there are no zombies or monsters jumping out from between corn stalks. 

 “For a family friendly harvest option if your littles ones are [easily] spooked you could go to Mahaffy Ranch!” Mahaffy adds.