Halloween 2020 in Vancouver, WA (or anywhere for that matter) may be approached a little differently than previous years given the Covid-19 pandemic.
But that doesn’t mean it can’t be just as much fun: Below are six Halloween-themed events in Vancouver to help you ring in the spookiest day of the year, while keeping health and safety a top priority.
But first, we thought we’d share a few ideas for celebrating Halloween at home, as well as some tips for safe trick-or-treating, courtesy of the City of Vancouver.
Tips for a Safe, Healthy, and Fun Halloween
Halloween Fun at Home
While it may not be advisable to throw a large Halloween party this year, you can still have a great time with those closest to you. You could have a Halloween movie marathon with members of your household, or a haunted scavenger hunt (dress up and hide treats or small treasures around the house or yard).
To share the festivities with family and friends beyond your immediate household, consider hosting a virtual costume or pumpkin carving contest.
If you plan on handing out candy or taking the kiddos trick-or-treating, follow the tips below to minimize the spread of Covid-19:
- Wash your hands before and after trick-or-treating
- Bring hand sanitizer along with you
- Trick-or-treat with members of your household, and stay at least 6 feet from non-household members
- Wear a cloth face mask (ages 2 and up)
Note: Plastic costume masks are not a substitute for cloth face masks.
- Provide individually wrapped treat bags
- Place treats on a table in your driveway or garage to avoid crowding
- Place lights, mini-pumpkins, or other decor 6 ft. apart to encourage social distancing
- Sit or stand at least 6 ft. away from the treat table to see the trick-or-treaters
- Wear a cloth face mask or covering
- Wash or sanitize hands often
You can also register on Nextdoor app’s “treat map,” where you can share your safety plans for decor viewing, socially-distanced trick-or-treating, etc.
Halloween 2020 Fun in Vancouver, WA
Some of the usual Halloween festivities in Vancouver, WA have been cancelled for 2020 because of the pandemic, while others have been modified to keep everyone safe and healthy. Below are 6 local events that will help you and your family make the most of the spookiest day of the year.
Cinema of Horrors Drive-In Movie Series
Cinema of Horrors is a drive-in movie experience that started on October 12 and will run through October 31st, 2020.
This drive-in movie, complete with high-quality lighting and in-car audio, is truly an immersive experience. Expect plenty of thrills and chills from ghouls and monsters both on the screen…and outside your car door!
Gates open at 6:00 pm and the movies start at 7:15 pm. You will be able to buy drinks and snacks at the venue, but tickets must be purchased in advance.
Visit the Clark County Event Center website for more info on the movies being featured, times, and location.
Booville at Vancouver Mall
The Parks Foundation of Clark County is putting on a drive-through trick-or-treating event for kids and their families from 12:00-2:00 pm on Halloween day. In addition to the treat bags available to the first 450 kids that come through, the HAPO Community Credit Union Tent will have a small pumpkin and decorating supplies, and the Fort Vancouver Library Foundation will have books for kids up to grade 5.
If you’re planning on taking your costumed cuties to Booville this Saturday, head over to the Vancouver Mall, then look for the tent in the parking lot between JC Penny and AMC Theatre.
Pumpkin Patches at Bi-Zi Farms and Pomeroy Farm
Next on our list we have 2 perfect pumpkin experiences for you to choose from: the 2020 Pumpkin Patch and Harvest Festival at Bi-Zi Farms, and Pumpkin Lane at Pomeroy Farm.
Pumpkin Lane is a drive-through experience of amazing pumpkin people and scenes, as well as a market where you can purchase that perfect pumpkin or your favorite fall treats.
Pumpkin lane is open Thursdays-Sundays throughout October from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Admission is $15 per vehicle.
The Bi-Zi Farms pumpkin patch is open Tuesday-Friday from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm and Saturday-Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Admission for ages 3+ is $10.00, ages 65+ is $8.00, and free for ages 2 and under.
- A free pumpkin (any size you can carry!)
- Admission to the corn maze and farm animals
- Corn shelling and grinding demo
- 2 shots on the Pumpkin Launchers
- A sample of freshly pressed apple cider
Children’s activities include pedal tractor driving, a bale pyramid, and a bale maze. Visit the Bi-Zi Farms website for more information on their Covid-19 safety plan and to purchase tickets.
And for tickets and more information on Pumpkin Lane at Pomeroy Farm, head over to https://pomeroyfarm.org/pumpkin-lane/.
We recommend visiting both farms if you have the time, as they each offer a unique pumpkin patch experience.
Paint Your Favorite Monster or Villain
If you want to express your creative side—Halloween style—you can paint your favorite monster or villain at the Vancouver Art Space’s event on Friday, October 30th at 4:00 pm.
Send a photo, or simply the name of your favorite monster or villain to vancouverartspace@gmail.com, and they will provide a pre-sketched 11″ x 14″ canvas, as well as all of the materials you need to create your masterpiece.
The class is $48 and for ages 15 and up. Class sizes are limited and cloth face masks are required.
For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.
Virtual Haunted Walking Tours
The last item on our list of local Halloween events is the 2020 Haunted Walking Tours: Virtual Edition. These spooky strolls through Clark County’s haunted history are sponsored by Clark County Museum and Spirit Tales, and are streamed on Youtube every Friday and Saturday evening at 7:00 pm during the month of October.
The weekly tours lead up to the ultimate Halloween night experience—a live paranormal investigation brought to you by Jeff Davis.
Visit the Clark County Museum’s website to purchase any of the tours and for more information.
That completes our list of Halloween 2020 events in Vancouver, WA—plenty to keep you and the kiddos frightened and delighted through the end of the month!
However and wherever you choose to celebrate Halloween this year, remember that taking extra measures to stay safe and healthy doesn’t mean you can’t have lots of spooky fun!