Frightful Forecast For Dark, Devilish Denver

Spooky Trunk Or Treat Returns; Halloween Parade Hikes On Broadway

by Glen Richardson

Black cats will prowl and pumpkins will shine on Halloween 2025. That’s because the frightening, fearsome holiday falls on a Friday this year. The last time Halloween fell on a Friday was in 2014.

This year’s “Fright Friday” is sure to send shivery shivers down your spine. Ghosts and goblins will ring your door chime. Beware and be scared! It’s a night when anything can happen.

You’re not going batty; the moon does hang low in the sky like a ghostly lantern. Dogs guard, and cats watch during grave’s delight night. Ghosts and demons frighten people the most in local cemeteries. Around Halloween, some locals even claim to hear footsteps and voices when visiting boneyards.

Trunk Or Treat

Get an early start to this year’s Halloween holiday happenings by taking the family to Glendale’s Halloween Trunk or Treat at Infinity Park Oct. 13, 4:30 p.m. No, it isn’t Friday the 13th, but there are games, a costume contest, plus candy for the kids. Don’t forget to bring a picnic blanket and chairs. Food trucks will be on site. Free parking is in the P1 lot at the NE corner of Kentucky Ave. & Cherry St., in Glendale.

The evening includes Movie Night featuring the film Monsters, Inc. starting at

6 p.m. It’s a great film because of its original and creative concept, which reverses the typical monster-under-the-bed trope to show monsters who are afraid of humans and power their city with scream energy.

The movie features strong, well-developed characters like Mike and Sully. Plus, a humorous and witty script has memorable one-liners. The groundbreaking animation still impresses today. It’s a heartfelt story with relatable themes of overcoming fear, the power of laughter, and combating fear of the dark.

Broadway Parade

For charming, family-friendly fun, plan to attend the Broadway Halloween Parade hosted by the Broadway Merchants Association and City Council District 7. The 9th annual parade steps off on Saturday, October 25, beginning at 6 p.m.

The parade attracts more than 30,000 people — many in creative costumes — to see the pageantry and view the floats. The parade runs along Broadway from 5th to Alameda. Viewing areas are available along the entire route on both the East and West sides of Broadway.

It features a variety of spooky floats, cars (including a flame-shooting 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood Hearse), lively bands, and marchers. Event organizers say the parade spotlights the good in the neighborhood, connecting people to businesses they never would have known were in the area. Viewing areas are available along the entire route on both the East and West sides of Broadway. Many of the restaurants and bars along Broadway say the parade is their busiest night of the year. Be wise and get there early for best viewing and a spooktacular good time for all ages.

Four Mile Park

Enjoy the annual Pumpkin Harvest Festival at Four Mile Oct. 18 & 19th, followed by Halloween Haunt on October 28th, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. At the Harvest Festival you can pick your perfect pumpkin. There will be 40 vendors on site, plus live music and performances.

Haunted Halloween will be in a heated building and heated tent. This enchanting evening features creepy crafts, pumpkin decorating, face painting, crawly critters, and games to fascinate both kids and adults. Don’t miss the double feature — Halloweentown & Halloweentown II, Kalabar’s Revenge — under the tent.

Hankering for even more chills and thrills? Join the women of Denver’s XX Paranormal Communications as they investigate Four Mile House Oct. 31, 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. You’ll wander the grounds of the 1859 historic house, and learn about the lives of those who once lived there. Moreover, in the Bee House you can speak with the spirits who remain. A unique evening of history and mystery.

Botanic Gardens

Celebrate 10 years of magic at Denver’s most luminous Halloween celebration, Glow at the Gardens™ annual Open Air Scare Oct. 10-12, 17-19, & 30th from 5:30-10:30 p.m.

The spooky outdoor event features hundreds of hand-carved jack-o-lanterns lighting the way through the garden’s dark paths. A perfect spooky experience for a date night, a friends’ outing, or family fun (especially for older kids and teens!).

The Botanic Gardens are stunning in the daylight, but at night they come alive with glowing displays and soft, atmospheric light­ing that guide you through each eerie stop. Along the way, storytellers share the chilling tales of the gardens’ legendary ghosts, making the experience both spooky and fun.

Boettcher Concert

If you are a music fan or concert-goer, don’t miss the Colorado Symphony’s Halloween Spooktacular at Boettcher Concert Hall Oct. 26, 2:30 p.m.

A spooktacular event for all the boys and ghouls, this family-friendly concert features spooky classical favorites alongside music from films and television. Costumes are encouraged, making this a ghastly good time for every little monster and their mummy.

Featuring witches, pirates, and skeletons, you’ll hear music from Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath (Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique) plus Danse macabre (Saint-Saëns). The afternoon also includes The Flying Dutchman Overture (Wagner), and the Medley from Pirates of the Caribbean.

Bloody Mary Festival

Finally, taste the craftiest, most delicious Bloody Marys at the 9th annual Bloody Mary Festival at RealWorks October 26, 12:15 to 2:20 p.m. Featured are unlimited Bloody Marys, food and drink samples, plus one vote for the People’s Choice Award. Event includes selections of the best Bloody Marys from the metro area’s finest bars, restaurants, and craft bottled mixes.

Also included are food tastes for local eateries. But if you’d rather skip the lines and the crowds, you can always head to Sam’s No. 3 in Glendale or downtown.