The City of Carbondale is overjoyed it is October, for we get to welcome in all of the amazing festivities for Carbondale Halloween 2024!!
The Official Carbondale Halloween lineup has a variety of free and ticketed events running from October 18-November 9. We have a huge array of classic Carbondale Halloween events with some new traditions getting their start this year!
What better way to kick off spooky season than with some classic Halloween films?? The Varsity Center is getting things kicked off early with a spooky slew of classic horror films for their Special Film Screenings, starting with "Young Frankenstein" (10/4), "Carrie" (10/5), "Suspiria" (10/12), “Twilight” (10/18), “Donnie Darko” (10/19), “Blair Witch Project” (10/24), a special showing of the Orsen Welle’s “Chimes at Midnight” freshly restored by SIU Alumni Michael Dawson, with a Live Q&A with Michael (10/25), and capping off the series on Halloween night with the classic thriller “Scream” (10/31). Doors open at 6 PM, with showtimes at 7 PM for all films.
You can also take in some classic Halloween films outside! SIU After Dark Presents: Outdoor Horror Movie Nite, showing the original "Friday the 13th" out at the Becker Pavilion at the SIU Campus Boat Docks, Tuesday October 22nd starting around 6:30, hosted by the The Student Programming Council at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. On October 25, The Carbondale Park District will have an outdoor showing of “Hocus Pocus 2”, at Parrish Park at 6:30 pm- bring your blankets, lawn-chairs or enjoy drive-in style!
Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center invites people to immerse themselves into the woods of the Shawnee for delightful, family friendly thrills! Their all ages, family friendly event, Haunted Hollow, takes place on Sunday, October 20, free for entry with ticketed activities within, from 11 AM-4 PM. Come October 26th, they will host the Spooky Catalyst Bike Race, held on their incredible Mountain Bike Trails. Registration at 9 AM, race at 10 PM.
Some of Carbondale’s most iconic Halloween events will be returning once more! Green Earth, Inc. will host the ever so popular event, The Pumpkin Glow at the Oakland Nature Preserve the evenings of Oct. 24, 25, and 26, held from 5:30-9:30 each evening. Rain alternative location TBD for this event. The Great Carbondale Pumpkin Race will bring a rambunctious, competitive spirit to Downtown Carbondale on Oct. 26th, as competitors send their homemade pumpkin racers down the Mill Street underpass, and those who send down a cheater pumpkin will have to face the Mallot of Justice! Registration for the Pumpkin Race is 1-1:45 PM, races begin at 2 PM. Rain alternative location will be at the Lakeland Center. The day before on Friday, October 25, a Racer Making Workshop will be held at The Carbondale Public Library from 2:30-5:30.
Saturday October 26th is an opportunity for kids and pets to dress up and enjoy candy walks and costume contests! The Safe Howl-O-Ween will be held from 10 AM-2 PM at the Murdale Shopping Center, where you can bring your pets for pictures and a costume contest! The Candy Walk, hosted by Carbondale Main Street, will take place at participating downtown businesses from 12-2 PM. Maps can be picked up at Carbondale Main Street’s office, located at 121 S. Illinois Ave. During this time, folks can stop to make some crafts with Artspace 304’s Make and Take + Treats at their secondary location at 607 S. Illinois Ave.
Two new events to join the lineup this year are The Little Resource Center’s Keep Carbondale Weird Fun Run/Walk and Si Cabe’s Dias De Los Muertos Community Altar! The Keep Carbondale Weird Fun/Run Walk will take place on Saturday Oct. 26, from 2:30-4:30, starting at the Carbondale Town Square Pavilion, giving folks of all ages the chance to dress up and run around in your own unique weird Carbondale way, while raising money for The Little Resource Center! Check in/line-up begins at 2 PM. The Fun Run is followed by a block party in the area of 216 N Washington with a DJ, performances, and fall games. The Dias De Los Muertos Community Altar is an opportunity for the community to honor loved ones they have lost and an educational component to this Mexican tradition. The Ofrenda exhibit will be unveiled at The Varsity Center on Oct.26. The Varsity Center will screen the Disney|Pixar film "Coco" on Friday, Nov 1 with doors open at 6, and showtime at 7 PM. The exhibit installation will remain for viewing through Nov. 2.
The festivities on Saturday October 26 will wrap up with the Carbondale Halloween “Off the Rails” concert featuring The People Brothers Band and Ernie Johnson from Detroit! Held at the Downtown Entertainment and Events Plaza, from 7-10 PM, this concert will also feature an all ages community costume contest.
There is still more fun to partake in after Halloween! On November 9th, bring your used jack O’ Lanterns and other decorative gourds (all free of any extra debris) out to the SIU Farms Service Center (2704 Union Hill Road) from 12-3, to dispose of your pumpkins in a sustainable and fun way at The Great Southern Illinois Pumpkin Smash hosted by SIU Sustainability! Chuck it, smash it, catapult it and more- have a blast while keeping waste out of the landfill! This year guests can bring a container (5 gallon bucket, bag, coffee container, etc.) to take home their own finished compost from the SIU Forced-Air Compost Facility!
For a full detailed itinerary of Cabrondale Halloween 2024 events visit: https://carbondalehalloween.com/ Carbondale’s official residential Halloween Trick or Treat hours will be on October 31st from 4-8 PM. If you’d like to be part of the “Pumpkin Patrol”, the Halloween Safety Patrol sponsored by the Police Department, you can contact Randy Mathis at 618-457-3200, Extension 402, or send an e-mail to rmathis@carbondaleil.gov.
Interim City-Manager and Police Chief Stan Reno states, "We are excited to announce the details for Halloween trick-or-treating in Carbondale this year. Halloween is always a special time for families and children in our community. We encourage everyone to participate safely and responsibly. We ask that parents accompany young children and for drivers to be extra cautious in residential areas during this time. Let’s work together to ensure a fun and safe Halloween for everyone."
Those wanting to show off their Halloween decorations and be eligible for a gift card ($50 for residential winner, $50 for business), can submit photos of their spooktacular decor to contest@carbondaleil.gov from now until Oct. 23.
For more information contact Carbondale’s Public Relations Officer at 618-713-0711.
