Most Americans are familiar with traditional Halloween festivities such as pumpkin carving, trick or treating, haunted houses and wearing costumes.
However, some towns have unique traditions that set them apart from standard Halloween activities. For example, Salem, Massachusetts offers a series of “witch related” events and haunting magic.
Closer to home, the Great Highwood Pumpkin Festival offers live music and thousands of jack-o-lanterns on scaffolding throughout the town.
While these events are fun and likely entertaining to many, I would argue that the Village of Lake Bluff’s Halloween celebration is second to none. The Halloween season in Lake Bluff begins with:
The Pumpkin Chase
The LB Parent Teacher Organization organizes a 5k run along with a one-mile fun run. This year, it is held on the morning of Saturday, October 26th. Both courses travel through the brilliant views of the streets of LB and the shore of Lake Michigan while chasing the man behind the pumpkin head at the front of the race.
The Ghost Walk
The LB History Museum has been organizing a ghost walk in the village since 1997. The first two years, producers and volunteers realized how much work it was so they decided to make it every other Halloween after 1998. The objective is to reenact and present scary truths about the history of LB in order to educate the community. Each year, they sell 800 tickets.
The Pumpkin Fest / Haunted Forest
Not only does the Lake Bluff PTO organize the pumpkin chase, but they also organize the pumpkin fest that is held in the middle-school gym. The gym houses raffles, a bouncy house, a wide variety of games, face painting and more. Outside the middle-school, in the ravine across the street, is the haunted forest. Local adults and kids dress up to lightly spook the kids walking through.
Lake Bluff Park District’s Boo Bash at Blair
The Park District holds a bash that has trunk or treating, contests, a movie, fun games and plenty of candy. These events are free to all LBPD residents. This year, the bash will be playing Hocus Pocus as the family friendly movie following a variety of activities.
Costume Parade at Lake Bluff Elementary School
On Halloween day, all students and staff at LBES dress up in their costumes. Everyone walks out the front doors to see all the parents waving their kids on as they walk in a circle to show off their awesome Halloween costumes.
Trick or Treating
Every year, thousands of kids from Waukegan, Knollwood, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff and places beyond are knocking at houses up and down the streets of LB looking for treats.
Halloween is the perfect time of year for activities throughout the community, and Lake Bluff knows how to do it right!
