The question comes every year that Halloween falls during the week: When will people go trick-or-treating in Springfield?
The answer — every year — is Oct. 31. However, you don’t have to wait until Tuesday to have some spooky fun with your family. There are many Halloween events scheduled around the Queen City this weekend, including several trunk-or-treats, and many of them are free. Here are five ways to get some candy early.
Track-or-Treat at Hammons Field — enjoy a haunted house and movie
By the time you read this, there might not be any tickets left for the Springfield Cardinals’ popular Track-or-Treat on Friday, Oct. 27. As of 12:35 p.m. on Oct. 26, there were just 65 spots remaining. However, there are still ways you can have fun at Hammons Field (955 E. Trafficway St.).
Track-or-Treat is a free event that allows children to trick-or-treat at stations set up along the Hammons Field outfield wall warning track. In order to participate, families book tickets for all children aged 12-and-under in specific time slots from 4-8:30 p.m. Accompanying adults do not need a ticket.
The Cardinals will play Halloween-themed music on the stadium video board while your children collect their candy. There will also be photo stations set up around the ballpark, performances on the field by the C-Street Zombie Corps at 7:30 and 8:15 p.m., and kids can pick out a pumpkin from the Price Cutter Pumpkin Patch while supplies last. Need some refreshments while you’re there? Soft drinks and adult beverages will be available for purchase.
New this year is a free haunted house inside the Bill Rowe Indoor Training Facility just beyond the right field wall. It will be open from 6-10 p.m. and fans do not need a ticket or to book a time slot. It is open, as the Cardinals say, on a “first-come, first-spooked” basis. The haunted house is recommended for fans 12 and up and will be accessible through the east parking lot at Hammons Field, off of East Trafficway Street.
Fans will be allowed onto the outfield grass at 8:30 p.m. to enjoy a screening of the 1993 Walt Disney film “Hocus Pocus.” The movie is open to all fans and no ticket is required.
Enjoy sensory-safe trick-or-treating at the Shrine Mosque
The Arc of the Ozarks and TheraCare host the eighth-annual Sensory-Safe Trick-or-Treat Sunday, Oct. 29, from 3-7 p.m. The event is held inside the Shrine Mosque (601 E. St. Louis St.). The event is free, though families must register for a single time slot so that sensory stimulation can be kept at a minimum.
The event gives children the opportunity to practice their trick-or-treating skills in a safe, calm environment. Volunteers from Arc of the Ozarks and TheraCare will be joined by Springfield-area businesses and nonprofits to pass out treats. Both candy and non-candy options will be available. The event also includes a separate area for snacks and games.
Get some candy — and maybe a gift card — at the Battlefield Mall
The Battlefield Mall (2825 S. Glenstone Ave.) hosts its second annual Boo Bash from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. Retailers will be handing out candy and coupons or promotional materials. There will also be a photo opportunity area and interactive activities from Sylvan Learning Center and Parents As Teachers.
This year’s event includes a spooky stroll starting at the JCPenney East Court, where children get a goodie bag and can take part in a “stamp and shop” scavenger hunt called the Boo Bash Dash. Collect stamps from a minimum of three retailers, then exchange your card for a special Boo Bash theme cup, some of which will contain $25 gift cards.
Candy for the kids, groceries for you at Hy-Vee
Both of Springfield’s Hy-Vee locations are inviting families to join them from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, for trick or treating throughout their stores. There will also be kid-friendly activities.
Springfield’s original Hy-Vee is located at 1720 W. Battlefield Road. Its second store opened at 2150 E. Sunshine St. in February 2022.
It’s fun to play at the YMCA
The Ozarks Regional YMCA’s annual Boo Bash is Saturday, Oct. 28, from 3-5 p.m. The event will be held indoors at the Pat Jones YMCA (1901 E. Republic Road). The Boo Bash is free and open to the public.
The YMCA is looking for candy donations for the Boo Bash. You can drop off donations at the Pat Jones YMCA before it closes on Friday, Oct. 27.
