ROCHESTER, N.Y. — For the first time since 2020, Halloween falls on a Saturday. The Rochester area is going all-out for Halloween with events planned at local libraries, museums, farms, community centers, and more. Here’s your guide to spooky-themed events on Friday and this weekend:
Trunk-or-treating events
Some local organizations are hosting trunk-or-treating events — meaning gatherings where community members hand out candy from the open trunks of their cars. Here are the events for Friday:
- I-Square on Bakers Park in Irondequoit is holding a trunk-or-treating event with candy and other entertainment from volunteers in the community. It runs from 4:30 to 7 p.m.
- The McDonald’s on East State Street in Mount Morris is holding a trunk-or-treating event and food donation drive from 5 to 6 p.m. Guests who bring a donation item for the local food bank will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win a “boo basket.”
Here are the events for Saturday:
- The 19th Ward Community Association is holding its sixth annual trunk-or-treating event at the Tops on West Avenue from 2 to 5 p.m. There will also be free food, raffles, and community leaders.
- The Rochester Home Builders’ Association is holding its first-ever trunk-or-treating event at its parking lot on 20 Wildbriar Road. It runs from 10 a.m. to noon. There will also be concession sales to raise money for the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester.
- The Hilton Community Center is holding a Halloween party featuring trunk-or-treating, games, a live DJ, a costume contest, and more. It runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on the lawn of the community center on Henry Street. The first 200 guests will get a special surprise giveaway.
Pumpkins in the Park 5K (Saturday)
The annual Pumpkins in the Park 5K falls on Halloween morning this year. The race at Cobbs Hill Park typically draws more than 1,400 people, including runners dressed in full costumes.
Saturday’s 5K race starts at 9 a.m. on Norris Drive and goes through neighborhoods around Cobbs Hill before returning to the park. There’s also a kids’ half-mile race that starts at 10 a.m. between two huge inflatable cats in the park…