CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN IN MILWAUKEE

Chillier nights, overcast days, pumpkin patches. In other words, it’s the beginning of October and the beginning of Spooky Season. You can never celebrate Halloween too early in Milwaukee. Here’s a list of a few laid-back yet thrilling Halloween activities to get you into the perfect spooky mood.

View the Changing Leaves Around the City

Despite the urban setting of skyscrapers and largely populated areas, Milwaukee has tons of greenery throughout the city. Parks fill the county, with multiple biking trails, picnic areas and surrounding trees. Trees mean TONS of falling leaves! Walk along Milwaukee’s Lakefront or the Oak Leaf Trail to see gorgeous colors of orange, yellow and red. Nothing says Spooky Season like an autumn walk through the changing leaves.

Cozy Up at Home and Watch a Scary Movie

Get into the Halloween spirit with a deathly frightening or nostalgic Halloween movie. That’s not all though. Soothe your throat with some warm, bittersweet apple cider while snuggling up with fluffy blankets and pillows. It’s the perfect combination for a rainy, overcast night or day. Relaxing your mind and body on the gloomier days makes all the difference, so why not enjoy it with a touch of Halloween and a dash of Fall?

Visit the Milwaukee Makers Market on Oct. 16

Yup, that’s right! The Milwaukee Makers Market returns on Sunday, October 16 at the Ivy House between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Join us for some of Milwaukee’s best artisans, creators, designers and makers for a completely free event. Look out for Halloween-themed creations and goodies from over 30 makers, while browsing around and enjoying the spooky atmosphere. Costumes are highly encouraged! Whether it be your favorite superhero or the Great Big Pumpkin, we welcome your gruesome, last-minute or hilarious outfits.

Carve a Pumpkin With Friends

You can’t possibly have Halloween without a lit-up pumpkin in your home or on your doorstep. Laurie Strode had the right idea on Halloween night, and I don’t mean fighting off a serial killer (though that was pretty killer). Grab your kit, light up your autumn-scented candle and put on a spooky playlist. Showcase your artistic talent with some pumpkin carving fun. Host a competition with friends on who has the best pumpkin, or enjoy the activity for laughs and memories. Either way, it creates a wonderful spooky atmosphere.

Decorate Your Home for Halloween

If you’re dying to get in the Halloween spirit, I’d suggest committing to the decorations this year; especially if you’re not one for haunted houses, cold weather or leaving the comfort of your own home. Celebrate the Spooky Season with hanging candy corn lights, caution tape on your door, creepy skeletons, spider webs and more. Check out the Milwaukee Makers Market on Sunday, October 16 for some unique, hand-made Halloween decorations!

Explore a Haunted Park (At Your Own Risk 😉)

If it’s one thing Milwaukee doesn’t lack, it’s the number of alleged haunted locations found throughout the city. A few notable, completely free places to check out this October are Lake Park and Grant Park. Multiple patrons admitted to feeling a ghostly presence or cold spots in different areas around Lake Park; specifically on the Lion Bridge or near the Northpoint Lighthouse. Others reported similar feelings while aimlessly strolling on Grant Park’s Seven Bridges Trail. Many spotted ghostly apparitions or heard sounds of screaming. Yikes!