70 Fun Halloween Party Ideas: Games, Activities, and Decorations for a Spooky Bash

The thing with Halloween is that while we LOVE traditional activities, we also want to mix in a few new ideas every now and then. After all, we throw this party every year - why not make it a little interesting and challenge ourselves to get better each time?

For those who love a good bash and are thinking of ways to spruce up their plans, we’ve gathered 70 fun things to do at a Halloween party that you and your guests will absolutely love!

What Are Some Unique Pumpkin Carving Ideas?

Carving pumpkins have been a staple on Halloween since the 18th century and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. More and more people are getting creative with their carved pumpkins each year and even throwing contests to commemorate the activity.

How to create spooky pumpkin designs

#1 Owl Pumpkin - Start with a round pumpkin, carve out small upside-down triangles for feathers and a nose, then finish off with eerie eyes.

#2 Vampire Pumpkin - In honor of one of Halloween’s go-to characters, carve out eyes, log fangs, and a spiky lid.

#3 Skull Pumpkin - Use a skull stencil to carefully carve out the shape. May need a little patience and practice, but it’s worth it!

#4 Eyeball Pumpkin - This can go one of two ways. Either you get a spooky eyeball or one that looks like Mike from Monster’s Inc. Both are winners in our book, though!

#5 Puking Pumpkin - Maximize the insides of the pumpkin by making it look like it’s puking out its own guts.

#6 Mad Cat Pumpkin - Channel the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland for this animal-themed design.

#7 Fire Pumpkin - Carve out flames on elongated pumpkins for an extra fiery Halloween design. 

Tips for hosting a pumpkin carving contest

#8 Prepare For Mess - Pumpkin carving will be messy and that’s partly the fun in it all. Prepare by laying craft paper on the work area, a bucket for the pumpkin “guts”, and a nearby washing station (or towels).

#9 Have Containers - Aside from a bucket for the pumpkin guts, you can also have a separate one for the seeds, making it easier to gather and roast later on.

#10 Offer Decor Options - In addition to carving tools, bring out some paint, tape, feathers, markers, google eyes, stencils, cookie cutters, and other decor options. The more you have, the more creative your guests can get.

#11 Create Awards - To keep guests motivated, give out awards for the “scariest”, “funniest”, “most unique”, “best traditional”, “most colorful”, and other awards you can think of! Maybe have one for each person so everyone goes home a winner.

#12 Candles - Don’t forget to prep either real or battery-operated candles to light up all the finished work. The big finale is where you get to truly appreciate your guests’ craftsmanship.

#13 Snacks and Music - For those who aren’t joining the actual contest, keep them busy with snacks, drinks, and music. The party is for everyone, even those who are just around for the vibes.

#14 Theme - If you want to help get creative juices flowing, prepare a theme they can stick to. It can be as general (such as “Pop Culture”), or specific (such as “Beetlejuice”) as you want.

Using pumpkin carvings as good decorations

#15 Entrance Decor - While it may be an obvious spot, nothing screams “Halloween Party” like a carved pumpkin by the event entrance.

#16 Centerpiece - Show off your carving skills by having your pumpkin front and center at the dinner table.

#17 Candle Holders - Mini gourds make for perfect tea-light candle holders for your dining area or bedroom.

#18 Pumpkin Planters - Granted, this works better when you don’t carve holes into the sides of your pumpkin. But you can still hollow it out and fill it up with succulents.

#19 Vase - In theme with plants, you can turn your elongated pumpkin into a vase by filling it with fall-colored flowers.

#20 Candy Bowl - Perfect for trick-or-treaters!

#21 Pathway - Carved out one too many? Line them up with candles inside to light up a pathway to the party.

How to plan a spooky costume contest?

High up on the list of must-haves for Halloween is a stand-out costume, or better yet, a costume contest! If you’re planning to host your own, here are a few ideas to throw an unforgettable night.

Ideas for Halloween-themed costumes

#22 Halloween Masks

Start off with an idea that will not only help make your costume more affordable but also work wonders for those preparing last-minute. A special Halloween mask paired with a basic all-black outfit will, more often than not, result in a party-ready look!

#23 Dia De Los Muertos

If you want to add a little more effort into the look, opt for a Day of The Dead-inspired costume. You can start off with a Dia De Los Muertos mask, wear an all-black ensemble, paint your arms and neck like a skeleton, and top off with floral accents.

#24 Witch

This is a classic! All you need is a dress, a signature witch hat, and a prop such as a cauldron or a broom.

#25 Mystical Forest Characters

This holiday is the perfect time to dress up as awe-inspiring characters from a different world. There is a variety of mystical forest outfits to choose from and you can simply top it off with intricate masks such as the Goblin and Goblet, Serpent, or Demon Goat.

#26 Devil

This outfit can go from sophisticated to eerie, or even a dash of sultry if you play your cards right. A Devil Horn mask or Devil mask paired with a cape is all you need!

#27 Pop Culture

Another great source of themed ideas is the latest trend. You can opt for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Barbie, or even Beetlejuice.

#28 Disney Classics

Who doesn’t love the Disney movies? Whether you’ve binge-watched in the 90s or are into modern flicks, dressing up as your favorite Disney character will always be good fun!

#29 Masquerade

Want to keep things mysterious, and sophisticated, and pay homage to a classic? Go in masquerade attire complete with an intricate mask to keep the intrigue flowing all night.

Judging criteria for a costume contest

#30 Creativity

The top criterion would have to be creativity. Whether it’s DIY or different pieces put together to create a harmonious look, costumes are all about how much creativity you put into it!

#31 Effort

Even when our creative juices get flowing, it doesn’t always translate well in reality. Props for those who put in the effort to make the best of their chosen costume.

#32 Projection

If creativity and effort fall short, fake it till you make it and show the crowd how good you can carry it! Confidence is key under this criteria.

#33 Originality

Whether they are going for a classic look or opting for the most unique outfit of the night, putting an original spin is always appreciated.

#34 Authenticity

Despite adding a personal touch, did the costume honor the intricate and crucial details that make the costume its own? A simple yes or no determines how high or low their score is under this criteria.

#35 Appropriateness

Last but not least, how appropriate is the costume to the theme and event as a whole? Was this a kid-friendly event or adults-only? Was their costume in line with the theme? Was their costume outright offensive? These are only some factors to consider.

Prizes for the best Halloween costume

#36 Grave Trophies

A unique prize to give out would be grave-inspired trophies wherein instead of the name and dates, you could write out the award such as “funniest”, “most original”, “best couple costume” and so on.

#37 Skeleton Trophies

Think of an Oscar trophy except in the shape of a skeleton.

#38 Halloween Gift Basket

You can put literally anything in this gift basket! From fruits with googly eyes, soundtrack to a scary movie, red wine, pumpkin-themed socks, candy, or any other relevant festive items.

#39 Ribbons

If all else fails, a quick DIY using orange and black ribbons with the award name printed out in the middle still works! Add a safety pin so it’s easier to show off during the “ceremony”.

What are some fun Halloween party games?

Here are a few fun Halloween games for the whole family. Be sure to put on your best Halloween playlist to keep the energy up throughout the games and activities!

Classic Halloween party games for all ages

#40 Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is one of the most fun and interactive party activities. Depending on where you host your Halloween night, there are loads of ideas to try out that will keep your guests hooked. To get you started, we’ve listed a few in the next section.

#41 Halloween BINGO

Everyone must be familiar with BINGO by now and the same rule applies to this Halloween-themed variation. To prep, find printable Halloween BINGO cards online, which should come with images that you are to draw from a pile. You can use Candy Corn, Goldfish Crackers, or other fun items to mark the boards.

#42 Witch Hat Ring Toss

Start by getting mini witch hats or making your own using styrofoam cones painted black then decorate with colored squares or ribbons! Next, glue them on a flat board and find embroidery hoops or similar rings you can use to toss onto the hats.

#43 Sack Race

For this game, you can either find sizable Halloween-themed pillowcases or go the DIY route by getting plain pillowcases/ sacks and painting on them. Anything from pumpkins, zombies, vampires, or even witches would look great!

#45 Haunted Gingerbread House

Who says the Gingerbread Man only comes out during the Christmas season? Put a spin to this family-favorite activity by adding Halloween-inspired decors such as candy corn, eyeball gummies, spider gummies, and more.

Interactive scavenger hunt ideas

#46 Pumpkin Hunt

Get your hands on multiple toy pumpkins of varied sizes and hide them around the area. You can also lose out on how many of each color they need to find with the game.

#47 Riddles As Clues

To get from one area to the next, leave riddles to unlock a clue. One of our favorite online finds is: “A Nightmare on Elm Street, be careful not to sleep. I cook food faster than anyone when I go beep beep” Did you guess it? That’s right, they can find the next clue by the microwave!

#48 Documentation

What better way to play a game and get great party photos at the same time than using pictures and videos as scavenger hunt rules? For example, make a list of all the photos each player has to take such as “person in witch costume”, “pumpkin decor”, and others. The first one to complete the list wins. 

#49 Pick A Theme

By choosing a theme, you can easily narrow down items each player or team has to find. If, for example, your theme is “Graveyard”, hide toys such as skeletons, tombstones, bouquets, shovels, caskets, and the like. 

#50 Decors

While not exactly part of the hunt itself, making sure the area is packed with decors is a surefire way to keep the mood festive and the players motivated.

Creating a Halloween-themed trivia game

#51 Scary General Knowledge Category

This category will be filled with Halloween-themed questions of a wide scope. For example, you can ask questions about who was commissioned to make death masks for the victims of the Reign of Terror. Take a guess before looking it up!

#52 Pop Culture Category

This category can be filled with recent eerie information. It can be about Beetlejuice, Consumed, or other newly released horror films.

#53 Picture Category

For this category, you’ll need to gather a few visuals. For example, you can get a photo of a scary character’s costume or a horror movie’s poster (sans title) and have players guess the name.

#54 Prepare The Tools

Each group or player should have a pen and paper, or a whiteboard and marker. As a quiz master, you need to have a score sheet, your trivia cards, and maybe a projector showing the questions, answers, and photos throughout the game.

#55 Give Out Prizes

Lastly, prepare prizes for those who join the game. It can be as festive as a skeleton award or as fun as a pack of candies!

How to set up a Halloween movie night?

Not all Halloween parties have music blasting and people dancing all night. Some of them are cozy, intimate, and with a close-knit group of friends. If this is the vibe you’re looking for, we recommend a Halloween movie night!

Choosing the best Halloween movie for your audience

#56 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

In this sequel to the 1988 movie, the Deetz family then again experiences a life haunted by Beetlejuice. The film shows Lydia’s teenage daughter discovering a mysterious portal to the afterlife, only adding to the former’s chaotic routine once Beetlejuice unleashes his demonic wrath.

#57 The Substance

The film centers on Hollywood’s toxic ageism and how a mysterious cloning serum is developed to transform Elisabeth Sparkle into an “upgraded” version of herself. We won’t get into detail but needless to say, this is not for the squeamish.

#58 Longlegs

If you love a good serial killer movie, this one is for you. FBI Agent Lee Barker is assigned to a case that finds himself connected to the killer known as “Longlegs” who targets families with daughters born on the 14th. They also leave Satanic coded messages at every crime scene to mark another successful murder.

#59 Stopmotion

While it all starts off like an average day in the life of any tortured artist, you’ll see that Ella’s takes a turn for the worst after she loses her mother. The film revolves around Ella’s stop-motion animation project and how she gradually gets consumed by her horrifying creations as her obsessive tendencies make it harder to control her demons.

#60 Strange Darling

A hot and steamy on-night stand ends in a serial killer continuing their murder spree. It explores toxic romance, addiction, mental illness, and more.

Setting up a spooky outdoor theater

#61 Theme

Before you fill your cart at Michael’s, Target, or the Dollar Store, decide on a theme. It could be zombies, carnival, or if you with to stick to a general “haunted house”, that works too.

#62 Buy, Make, and Set Up Props

With your theme locked down, search for decor ideas online and make a list of what you need. As much as possible, you’d want to reuse and repurpose last year’s decors to save on resources. Since it’s outdoors, you want something that can take some heat and wind - or in some cases, a little rain.

#63 Visual and Sound Effects

While you don’t need to go all out on the technical aspect, making sure your guests can properly see and hear the movie is crucial to a great spooky outdoor theater party.

What are some creative food and drink ideas for a Halloween-themed party?

Earlier, we mentioned the need for some good eerie snacks. Here are a few ideas to get your creative brain juices flowing!

Spooky appetizers and finger foods

#66 Frankenstein Rice Krispy Treats

Add green food coloring to the mix and save some marshmallows for the eyes. To top it off, dip one side in chocolate for the “hair”.

#67 Mummies In Blanket

Wrap strings of crescent roll around a hot dog, add edible eyes, bake, and voila! You’ve got yourself a mummy in a blanket.

Halloween-themed cocktails and mocktails

#68 Witch’s Potion

If you need a quick idea, turn your favorite drink into a witch’s brew by simply serving it in a giant cauldron.

#69 Spooky Syringes

Get food-safe syringes, fill them up with your chosen cocktails and cocktails, label them accordingly, and have guests take their pick before putting in their glasses.

DIY goody bags for guests 

#70 Halloween Good Bags

 

You can either put together all your favorite Halloween treats, accessories, and other items OR you can lay them out buffet style for guests to pick out. Provide each one with a Halloween-themed gift bag or a plastic pumpkin bowl.

You’re All Set!

With our jam-packed list of 70 things to do at a Halloween party, we hope you have a grand time this year. Looking to purchase costumes in bulk for your family, friends, and guests? Check out our Bulk Discount on masks!