Ghosts, vampires and werewolves, oh my! The Spooky season is approaching us and ‘tis the season to start planning for a fun Halloween party. Here are some Halloween party ideas that are sure to chill and thrill guests. Of course, I’m also including tips and tricks to keep people safe in this new normal that we are experiencing due to COVID-19
Halloween Party Ideas for 2020
Whether a corporate event, a city-sponsored event, a fundraising gala, a private adult party or a children’s Halloween party, here are Halloween party ideas that still work in today’s pandemic environment.
1. Keep the Halloween party outdoors
Think outside the box with your Halloween party this year by bringing it outdoors. A fact that has been prevalent during this pandemic is that it is best to do group activities in an outdoor setting. This is a great excuse to soak up the beautiful fall weather.
The CDC does not have specific guidelines for how many people can safely congregate in an outdoor area, but it is important to choose a setting where social distancing is possible. It is also important to wear a mask when social distancing of 6 feet or more is not possible. Follow your state or local health department guidelines for the number of people who can attend an outdoor event.
2. Keep it small and private
Instead of sending out an invite to hundreds of people or creating a public Facebook event for everyone, keep it small and private. Make it a company only event or create a private Facebook page that only members can access. Keep the buzz at bay and remove the possibility of unwanted guests at your event. If you want to be prudent, be sure to provide disposable masks and hand sanitizer for guests.
3. Keep it fun
On to the most important part: the fun! Although safety is now an essential, having fun is of course the number one issue. Your Halloween party can still be the talk of the town with exciting spooky decor, show stopping performers and various forms of entertainment. Here are a few Halloween party ideas that are sure to spook your guests this year:
- Psychics: A psychic or a fortune teller is a perfect fit for a Halloween party. It fits the theme of Halloween, a night that can be both horrifying as well as dark, magical, and mystical.
- Costume contest: Have your guest show off their most ghastly garments with a costume contest. There are so many categories that can work for everyone. Different categories can be incorporated like most scary, most funny, best couples costume, etc.
Some more creative ideas include best Do-It-Yourself costume, best movie inspired costume and best cartoon inspired costume. Even add a pandemic twist, like a contest to see whose mask is the best or best pandemic related costume (like a DIY bottle of hand sanitizer costume).
- Hire a cover band: To keep all the monsters dancing all night, hire a great cover band to play crowd favorites to sing along to and spooky songs to get everyone in the holiday spirit. They can play classics like “I Put A Spell On You,” “Superstition” “The Monster Mash” and “This Is Halloween.” Hiring a good cover band can also be adapted to the pandemic. People can experience this as a drive in concert and jam out from the safety of their cars.
- Spooky Bar: Put the “boo” in beverages with a fun Halloween bar party. Serve drinks that are spine-tingling and delicious, like witch’s brew and poison apple cocktail. Get imaginative and put red punch in blood bags to feel like a vampire.
- Horror movies in the park: A pop up movie night in a park or any vast grassy area would be such a fun Halloween party experience. People can bring their own blankets or lawn chairs and enjoy a movie under the stars as a horror movie is projected onto an inflatable projector screen. Guests can have designated spots that are adequately spaced out to ensure safety.
An outdoor concession can also double as a bar so people can enjoy their movie with a fun drink in hand and Halloween treats like candy corn and pumpkin shaped Reese’s peanut butter cups.
Put your thinking cap on and come up with your own Halloween Party Ideas that fit your plans for the event you want to have.
4. Kid Friendly Halloween Party Ideas
Don’t forget about Halloween entertainment for the children! Keep the little monsters entertained with these alternatives to trick or treating. Just because Halloween looks a little different this year doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.
- Trunk or treat: Instead of going door to door and having the neighbors hand the kids a piece of candy, or children digging in the giant self-serve bowl outside that no one actually ‘just takes one’ from, do a trunk or treat. Trunk or treat, often done at schools and churches, is a safe alternative to trick or treating in which people deck out a trunk with Halloween decor and fill the trunk with candy for kids to pick up. For safely dealing with the handling of the candy, make candy goodie bags so the children grab one and go. Set it up so that only the person picking up the bag touches that bag. Use your imagination on how best to distribute the goodies safely. Though this is normally done at community events, it could easily be done on a larger scale and parents can RSVP to be sure that the candy will not run out.
- Candy Scavenger Hunt: Another option for trick or treating can be hiding gift bags of candy and sending the kids on a scavenger hunt. In another attempt to minimize the amount of people that touch the candy, a scavenger hunt is a perfect way to go.
No matter what kind of Halloween party you are wanting to host, these Halloween party ideas can help you throw a fund Halloween party for your kids or for an adult event.
Think outside of the box and think safety as your plan your Halloween party. I hope these Halloween party ideas get you thinking about what you can do for your event.
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Entertainment Options for Private Events During The Pandemic
