Evanston Trick-Or-Treat Hours And Halloween 2019 Activities

EVANSTON, IL — Halloween weekend is here, which means plenty of eerie activities for local families to take part in all the way through Thursday, Oct. 31. Take a look at a quick rundown of some Halloween activities for kids and adults planned in Evanston — or add your local event to the Evanston Patch calendar for free.

Farmer's Market Fall Fest
The Downtown Evanston Farmer's Market is hosting a fall fest at the market from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. All children 10 and under will receive a pumpkin to decorate. Anyone who guesses the correct weight of a donated pumpkin can take it home. There will also be other guessing games and a pumpkin roll. Kids and adults alike are invited to come in costume.

Trick or Treat Trot for Tails Walkathon
The fifth annual fundraiser benefits the nonprofit Evanston Animal Shelter Association, which manages and covers the costs of and the city's no-kill animal shelter. The two-mile walk begins at 9:30 a.m. on the east lawn of the Charles Gates Dawes House, 225 Greenwood St. The event is dog- and family-friendly, and there will be a pet costume contest. Find out more or donate online.

Storytime and Costume Parade
A "spooktacular" storytime is scheduled for the South Branch, 900 Chicago Ave., starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. There will be songs and stories suitable for children of all ages, as well as a chance for kids to parade around the library in costume. There will be a showing of "Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit" starting at 2 p.m.

Downtown Evanston Trick-or-Treating
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, downtown business will be hosting Halloween-themed activities. For the first time, there will be a costume parade from Raymond Park to Fountain Square at 10:45 a.m. A costume contest for pets is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the south plaza of Fountain Square. Find a full list of participating businesses.

Main-Dempster Mile Spooky Saturday
More than 50 businesses in Main Street, Chicago Avenue and Dempster Street will be offering treats to costumed kids from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. Merchants will indicate their participation by placing an orange "Treat Stop" sign in their window or doorway.

Halloween Costume Storytime
From 2 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, the Evanston Public Library invites kids in costume to come to the children's room of the main branch, 1703 Orrington Ave., for spooky, yet kid-friendly, stories. There is no registration required.

Halloween Bash
There will be a costume contest and live DJ starting at 9 p.m. at Whiskey Thief Tavern on Saturday, Oct. 26. Prizes include a $100 gift card and special bottle of whiskey. There is no cover before 11 p.m. and attendees can register online.

Halloween Party
Little Beans Cafe is hosting a Halloween Party for all ages from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, at its 430 Asbury Ave. location. The event promises dancing, a DJ and trick-or-treating with snacks, pizza and a costume contest. Tickets are required.

Bug-a-Boo Non-Scary Halloween Walk
Children aged 2 to 10 are invited to the Ladd Arboretum where attendees will meet staff of the Evanston Ecology Center dressed in costume to highlight the creatures that live in the North Shore Channel. There will also be activities and snacks in the Ecology Center. Registration is required.

Preschool Halloween Party
Young children are invited to a Halloween party from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, at the Robert Crown Center. Attendees are invited to come in costume for games, prizes, music and "non-frightening fun." Registration is required.

Evanston Halloween Trick-or-Treat Hours
The city's official hours for trick-or-treating on Thursday, Oct. 31, are from 4 to 7 p.m.

Zombie Scramble
For the sixth year in the row, the city's recreation department is hosting a "Zombie Scramble" event — a two-mile course starting at the Ladd Arboretum offering the chance to outrun and avoid those portraying zombies. Make it through the course without allowing the zombies to grab flags from a belt or become "infected." The event is for ages 8 and above. Check in begins at 4:45 p.m. and waves begin at 5:15 p.m. and continue through 8 p.m. Participants must sign a liability waiver and sign up for a specific wave. Find more information or register online.

And in Skokie:

Scream Scene
The annual haunted house at the Skokie Water Playground heads into its 22nd year. The event is open Oct. 25, 26, 27, 31 and Nov. 1 from 7 p.m. and offers a less scary "lights on" daytime event on Saturday. The house closes at 10 p.m. on Fridays, 11 p.m. Saturday and 9 p.m. on Sundays and on Halloween night. Tickets are available online. Scream Scene is not recommended for children under age 10.