Spooky Traditions Come Alive in North Park

With Halloween just around the corner, there’s plenty of ways to celebrate the Spooky Season in North Park. From time honored traditions to some new ones, you won’t want to miss all the festivities going in on Walden this Halloween!

The North Park Area Chamber of Commerce, Stockman Bar and Grill, North Park Pioneer Museum, and others have all sorts of treats and tricks in store for you this year. Here’s everything you need to know about what is happening in Jackson County this Halloween! Now let’s scare up some fun!

What’s Going on in North Park This Halloween?

As the seasons move away from autumn to a more somber season, with a hint of snow in the air, there’s no better way to start the colder months than with some good Halloween spirit! The North Park Chamber of Commerce is bringing alive some autumn holiday spirit with the first annual Scarecrow Decorating Contest and Home and Business Halloween Decorating Contest.

Scarecrow Decorating Contest

Scarecrows evoke so many elements of the spooktacular and supernatural. It’s no wonder they scare the willies out of crows! Put your talents to the test and compete with other homes and businesses in Jackson County. It’s just $5 to register your scarecrowiest creation, then display it at your home or business. Registration ends Oct. 28th, and judging begins Oct. 30th. The winner will be announced on Oct. 31st at the Trunk or Treat.

Home and Business Halloween Decorating Contest

If scarecrows aren’t enough for your Halloween decorating game, go all out with your frightful entry to the Home and Business Halloween Decorating Contest. Enrollment closes on Oct. 28th and it’s only $5 to register for Residences (outside only) and $10 to register for Businesses (inside or outside). Winners will be announced on Oct. 31st, 5:30pm at the Trunk or Treat!

North Park Pioneer Museum Events

Originating from the history of our community you’ll find plenty of stories to tell in the dark. This year, the North Park Pioneer Museum Halloween takes you back through time with its Night at the Museum. You’ll get to learn about the darker history and sinister tales of Jackson County throughout the years with a museum tour and dramatic performance of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven.”

Halloween Night Tours and Chili Supper—Oct. 26

Guided tours begin at 5pm, taking you into the depths of North Park’s past at the North Park Pioneer Museum. Join costumed docents to hear ghost stories and old lore from our pioneer days to make your imagination tremble.

You can warm up with a bowl of delicious chili and a cinnamon roll as you hear tales of ghost towns and interesting characters who once called North Park home. Drop by in costume if you really want to get into the spirit.

Event Details

• When: Oct. 26 5pm-8pm
• Where: North Park Pioneer Museum 365 Logan St., Walden, CO

Dramatic performance of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”--Oct 26

Edgar Allen Poe is America’s grandfather of gothic horror. His tales have instilled a fear of black cats, unfinished brick walls, and cellar doors to readers for generations. One of his most atmospheric poems, “the Raven” will get a dramatic performance for attendees. Come check it out…if you dare.

• When: Oct. 26 5-8pm
• Where: 387 Logan St. in Walden

Stockman Bar & Grill—Oct 26

Witch, Please! Stop by your favorite bar and grill in Walden, CO on Saturday night for the annual Halloween Party. It’s the best time of year to eat, drink, and be scary! Sat. Oct. 26 8pm. The Adult Costume Party starts at 11pm and will have you under its spell with outrageous, ghoulish, and ghostly costumes you won’t want to miss. Sing your guts out with Gypsy Karaoke with Kat, and shake your-boo-ty on the dance floor.

Trunk or Treat!—Oct 31st

All the young ghosts, goblins, and clowns (shudder) will be on the town for Halloween night. Trunk or Treat is a great way to maximize your candy flow without dragging your bones all over Walden on Halloween night. Perfect for young and old (and beyond) when it comes to showing off your costume and scaring up some treats. Brought to you by the Jackson County Lifeguards, the 11th Annual Trunk or Treat is a great way to celebrate! 

• When: Oct. 31st, at 5:30pm
• Where: Mountain Valley Bank Parking Lot, Main Street, Walden, CO

Halloween Party at the Stockman Bar and Grill—Thursday, Oct. 31st

The Stockman is back for another round of fun on Thursday night, celebrating Halloween on the 31st with live music, costume contests, and warming your cold bones with chili and cinnamon rolls! 

Come alive and dance to Live Music by Jason Swedlund and Mary de la Fonte throughout the evening. The Kids’ Costume Contest starts at 6pm and the Adult Costume Contest kicks off at the witching hour of 11pm. The Stockman Bar and Grill is on Main Street in Walden. Just look for the place where everyone is having the most fun. You can't miss it!

Trick or Treating!--Halloween, Oct. 31st

One of the perks of living in North Park is the spirit of community and being staked to old traditions (nearly done with the puns!). Each year, kids set out throughout Walden dressed in their Halloween costumes to go door to door, trick or treating, just as they have for generations. 

One of the jokes of Halloween in North Park is you need to be sure your costume can be worn over your winter coat. It’s important to be aware that lots of kids will be on the prowl for Halloween candy throughout the evening. Trick or treaters should wear costumes that don’t restrict their movement, ability to see, or be seen. Because the weather is getting colder (and Halloween is often the first major snowstorm of the year in North Park) it’s important to stay warm and let your parents know where you are going. 

Trick or treat only well-lit houses with decorations, be visible to cars, make sure you can see and hear well in your costume, and be aware of your environment as you walk. Watch out for other trick or treaters and help out the younger kids so everyone is having a good time. Halloween should be a time when the community gets together to enjoy the season! Always be respectful of others and stay safe out there!

From Samhain to Dia de los Muertos

Many cultures throughout the world have brought their own traditions to the United States, and Halloween is like a Frankenstein monster of combined cultures surrounding the beginning of autumn, the harvest, and the beginning of winter for many. North Parkers often dread this time of year because it usually means the beginning of long, chilly nights and snowstorms. 

Coming from Gaelic traditions in the UK and Ireland, Halloween is known by other names, such as Samhain (pronounced SOW-en) or All Hallow’s Eve, when this time of year was considered a liminal time of year when the division between the world of human beings and spirits was its thinnest. Great bonfires and parties and costumes were used to celebrate this time and to keep the evil spirits at bay.

Other traditions, especially in Middle American cultures, also consider this a sacred time of year. With Dia de los Muertos, (Nov. 1-2), the balance between spirit and mortal worlds, especially with ancestral spirits, are celebrated in many Latin American households with iconography such as carved skeletons and decorated skulls (calaveras), which are a reminder of death and a celebration of life and reverence towards ancestors and family that have passed away. The Day of the Dead celebrations incorporate candy skulls, luminaria lanterns, and cut out paper decorations to celebrate this time of the year.

Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!

Whether you are decorating your house with zombies, ghosts, and witches, or celebrating in ways that come from your own traditions, we wish you a safe and happy Halloween! It’s a great time of year to get into the spirit of visiting North Park and seeing how creative our residents can get in how they celebrate. 

It’s a great time of year to swap ghost stories, gather together to go on a scavenger hunt, or warm yourself by the fire with a hot bowl of chili and a cold brew. Watch for trick or treaters, experience the creeptastic events, and fill your bag with goodies during this holiday season!