Trunk Or Treat: Where To Take The Little Ones For A Safe Beggars' Night Experience In The Des Moines Area

DES MOINES, IA — Homes in most Des Moines metro area communities will light up their porches for Beggars' Night on Oct. 30 as little ghosts and goblins go on the hunt for candy, armed with corny jokes. But in recent years, a number of community groups have started an alternative activity: trunk or treat. In church and school parking lots and at area businesses, people will gather — often with decorated vehicles — to give out sacks full of candy.

For those passing out treats, it can be a busier night than staying home in a neighborhood that might have a sparse number of kiddies dropping by, and visitors may come from multiple communities. And for little ones, trunk or treats can be a dream come true: oodles of candy dropping into the bucket at one stop.

A number of events this year are even making trunk or treat a full carnival-like atmosphere, with entertainment, snacks during trick-or-treating, and activities. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Des Moines Patch, or click here to find your local Iowa Patch. Also, find us on Facebook and, if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Here are trunk or treat activities, by date, in the Des Moines metro area:

Oct. 19

Keller Williams, 4001 Westown Pkwy., West Des Moines. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Candy and treats. Bring your family and wear your costumes to this free and fun event.

Oct. 21

Hy-Vee Stores. 1 to 3 p.m. (Most stores participating, check area store for details.) Coloring, cookie decorating, mini pumpkin decorating. Costumes encouraged.

Oct. 22

St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 612 E. 18th St., Des Moines. 4:30 to 6 p.m. Collect treats, play games and join in activities.

Waukee United Methodist Church, 650 Ashworth Road, Waukee. 3:30 to 5 p.m. Crafts, snacks, face painting and treats.

Oct. 23

Sahar’s Salon and Day Spa, 4100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines. 6 to 8 p.m. Games, prizes, face painting and candy. Wear costumes and prepare your best jokes.

Oct. 24

Chick Fil A, 2410 S.E. Delaware Ave., Ankeny. 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wear costumes and trick or treat with several area businesses giving out goodies. Balloon creations.

Oct. 25

Johnston Police and Fire. 5:30 to 7 p.m., Fire Station 38, 10225 N.W. 62nd Ave. Trick-or-treat with First Responders as police and firefighters hand out treats from their squad cars and firetrucks and talk about Beggars' Night safety. Wear costumes and bring a pet dressed in costume too. Police and Fire Chiefs will vote on the best dressed pet and child and winners' photos will be displayed on the departments' Facebook pages.

St. Mark Lutheran Church, 1105 Grand Ave., West Des Moines. 6 to 7:30 p.m. Family friendly games, candy, crafts and costumes.

Salvation Army, 1216 E. 25th St., 6 to 8 p.m. Games and treats.

Oct. 26

Homemakers Furniture trick-or-treat. 5 to 7 p.m. Indoor trick or treating through the store. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Oct. 28

Rock the Pumpkin. Life Change Church event from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, East 30th Street and Grand Avenue. trunk or treat with inflatables, balloon animals, wax hands, popcorn, candy.

Urban Dreams, 1426 Sixth Ave., 6 to 8 p.m. More than 30 festively decorated cars in St. Vincent De Paul’s parking lot will have treats for kids. Hot dog basket meal also provided as part of a community cookout.

Oct. 29

Holy Trinity PTO, 2926 Beaver Ave., 4 to 5 p.m. in the parking lot.

Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines, 2 to 4 p.m. Wear costumes and visit the church parking lot for inflatables, photo opps, food and treats from trunks. Grades 6 and younger.

West Des Moines Christian Church, 4501 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, 2:30 to 4 p.m. Mini-hayrack ride, bounce house, fun fall games and snacks.

Oct. 30

Merle Hay Mall, 3800 Merle Hay Road, Des Moines. 6 to 8 p.m. Mall-o-ween trick or treating through the mall.

Valley West Mall, West Des Moines, 6 to 8 p.m. Inflatables, crafts, balloon animals, live radio broadcast and coloring contest in mall’s lower level. Trick or treat at stores.

Oct. 31

Northside at North High, 601 Holcomb Ave., 5:30 to 7 p.m. Polar Bear Crew hosting event in school parking lot with school staff, area businesses, Union Park Baptist Church and DM Vineyard bringing games and candy to costumed north-side elementary school students.

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