Halloween approaches, and that means the fall festivities are ramping up in Homer. The chamber is bringing back their annual festival and community trick-or-treat, but that’s not all that’s in store — other local businesses and organizations are also sponsoring Halloween- and fall-themed events through the month of October.
Homer Chamber of Commerce
HCOC’s annual Fall Fest returns for the third year on Saturday, Oct. 26 with a wide range of free, family-friendly and fun activities taking place from 2-8 p.m. at the chamber.
Drop off and register your pumpkins for the People’s Choice Award and register for the 5K Zombie Run from 2-4 p.m. Awards will be announced at 8 p.m. The Zombie run kicks off at 3 p.m., alongside a fun 1K Candy Run. Further details for the 5K and 1K runs are forthcoming. Face painting will also be held inside the chamber building from 3-4 p.m.
Activities for all ages kick off at 4 p.m. Join in some classic fun with potato sack races, three-legged races and s’mores at the fire pit. Decorate cookies inside the chamber building or take your chances in the self-guided Haunted Trail.
Show off your creative costumes during the kids’ and pet costume contests, starting at 5 p.m., for a chance to win prizes. The day begins to wind down at 6 p.m. with Zoey’s Reading Hour, an enchanting story time inside the chamber building. The spookiness ramps up on the Haunted Trail from 6-8 p.m.
Award announcements for winners of the pumpkin and costume contests will take place from 7-8 p.m.
Pioneer Avenue Trick or Treat returns on Thursday, Oct. 31 from 4-6 p.m. Businesses who want to participate and be featured on the walking map, soon to be released, can sign up online. Trick-or-treaters can also collect tokens to redeem for prizes at the chamber.
For more information on chamber-sponsored Halloween activities, visit them on Facebook or check homeralaska.org/events/.
Other Halloween events
The Homer Public Library hosts “Teen-tober,” weekly autumn and Halloween events for teens and tweens, on Wednesdays from 4:45-5:45 p.m. On Oct. 16, make a ghostly book display and help decorate the library with spooky themes. On Oct. 23, craft a “spook-tacular” Halloween lantern.
HPL will also hold a “Spook-tacular Storytime” on Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 10:30 a.m. Costumes are encouraged. Trick-or-Treat@HPL will take place on Thursday, Oct. 31 from 4-6 p.m. For more information or to register for events, visit www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/library or email cnofziger@ci.homer.ak.us.
On Friday, Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. KBBI will hold a Fall Music Festival at Alice’s Champagne Palace, featuring Kiernan McMullan, Stevie Rae Stephens and Jenny Baker. Tickets can be purchased at kbbi.org or at the door on the day of the event.
The Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Visitor Center will host “Creepy Critters: Halloween Extravaganza,” Oct. 25-26 from 5:30-8 p.m. Come learn about some not-so-spooky animal species, including bats, spiders, owls, wolves, corvids and more. This free event is family-friendly and costumes are encouraged.
Chapman School in Anchor Point will host their annual Halloween carnival on Friday, Oct. 18. Stop by between 6-8 p.m. for carnival games, a haunted house, cake walk, Candyland maze, costume contest, a raffle and silent auction, and more. Organizers are currently seeking donations, including gift cards, new toys and new or handmade items, for the raffle and silent auction.
Trunk-or-Treat returns to the Anchor Point Community and Senior Center on Thursday, Oct. 31 from 3-4 p.m. Set up starts at 2 p.m. Community members are welcome to volunteer for the event — decorate your truck or car trunk to pass out candy to trick-or-treaters on Halloween. The center is also welcoming candy donations. Visit anchorpointseniorcenter.com/ for more information.
This story has been updated to reflect the correct date for the Homer Chamber of Commerce Fall Fest, on Saturday, Oct. 26.
