If you’re hosting on Halloween and the guest list includes both kids and adults, there’s no need to plan two separate parties. Instead of coming up with two different menus, drink offerings, and activities, we asked entertaining pros to share their best tips for a Halloween gathering that’s as fun for little ones as it is for the grown-ups.
The key is customizing kid favorites—whether it’s the snacks or drinks—for the adults. Case in point: a spectacular candy bar the littles are guaranteed to love that also includes nostalgic candies to bring back memories of Halloweens past for the adults. The same goes for the drinks station; mix up a single ghoulish beverage and provide customization options for adults.
To bring everyone together, hosting experts also suggest incorporating a variety of activities and a fun experience—whether it’s a pumpkin carving contest or a Halloween-themed photo booth. If you want to throw a Halloween bash the kids and the adults will talk about for years to come, get inspired by these frightfully fun ideas from some of our favorite entertaining experts.
Set Up an Epic Candy Bar
Is it even October 31st if candy isn’t involved? Dylan Lauren, founder and CEO of Dylan’s Candy Bar, says Halloween is the perfect excuse to have fun with candy. Her motto is the more colorful, the better!
“I love mixing different colors, shapes, textures, and flavors to create a display that feels festive and exciting for guests of all ages,” Lauren shares. “Use clear bowls, jars, and containers at different heights so all of the candy becomes part of the decor, and add a few spooky touches like pumpkins, cobwebs, or fun Halloween props to really bring the theme to life,” she adds.
Variety is the key to making a candy bar fun for both kids and adults, according to Lauren. “I like to include a little something from every candy ‘food group’—chocolate, gummies, sour candy, chewy candy, hard candy, and nostalgic favorites,” she shares. While kids may go straight for the colorful gummies and sour treats, she says adults often get excited when they spot a candy they remember from childhood. Nostalgia is a big part of Halloween and Lauren notes that candy has an incredible way of bringing back memories. “I love the idea of mixing classic candies guests grew up with alongside newer, more colorful or unexpected treats,” she says.
To organize your candy bar, think about color and category. “You can have fun with a color story—orange, black, purple, and green instantly feel like Halloween—or even create sections around sweet, sour, and chocolate so guests can gravitate toward their favorites,” Lauren says. On a practical note, the candy expert recommends using scoops or tongs with open bowls and jars, then setting out small treat bags, cups, or boxes so everyone can fill their own. “It becomes an activity in itself, and guests can take their creation home as a sweet party favor—just make sure everything is easy to reach and clearly separated so the display stays looking boo-tiful throughout the party,” Lauren says.
Arrange a Spooktacular Scene
“We love to create an engaging and inviting Halloween experience that feels spooky and nostalgic and touches all of the senses,” say Aleah and Nick Valley, co-founders of Valley & Co. To set a spooky scene, they suggest turning cheesecloth into Halloween decor. “A little bit of kitchen cheesecloth can do wonders to turn a mantel, bookshelf, piano, or window into a creepy vignette,” they share. Leave it as is for a mummy-inspired look, or dye it black or gray and drape over furniture and books for what the Valleys call an elevated take on classic cobwebs.
“We're all for using a curated playlist to enhance the setting too; open up your front windows (so fun for trick-or-treaters to hear), dim the lights, and crank up the creaking floor and ghost sounds,” they suggest. To create an instant ambience and set the tone for an enchanting evening, the Valleys like to set up a fog machine outside the front door. “We're also suckers for classic paper Halloween garlands and window silhouettes that look spooky from the inside and out,” they share.
Incorporate a Fun Contest—and Give Out Awards
To make this Halloween extra memorable, incorporate an activity or experiential moment everyone can enjoy. “A pumpkin decorating competition is a family favorite that adults enjoy as much as their children,” says Callista Osborn, owner and creative director of Callista and Company. She recommends providing classic carving tools and templates, but also paints and craft supplies so guests can get creative. “Consider announcing a few awards at the end, like Best in Show, Spookiest, and Most Creative,” Osborn says.
To make dressing up in Halloween costumes more fun for the grown-ups, add a competitive edge. “Costume contests are memorable, but elevate them and ask guests to tell a spooky or silly story about who they are in costume—bonus points for wild stories,” they say.
Plan a Variety of Activities
To keep kids and adults entertained throughout the evening, plan a variety of Halloween-themed activities. “A simple decorated Halloween photo booth with festive props will draw in guests of all ages,” the Valleys share. Their other favorites include Halloween sing-alongs or karaoke, classic games like charades (way more fun in costumes!), bobbing for donuts, and scavenger hunts. “Welcome your ghoulish attendees by assigning a haunted house passport book—for each activity they complete, they can get a stamp on a printed map, and those who finish get a Halloween prize bag,” the Valleys suggest.
After all the fun, Osborn recommends letting adults carry on with the festivities while the younger ones settle down for a movie night. “Invite children to bring pajamas to change into and set up a cozy den with pillows, popcorn, and family favorites like Casper and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” she says.
Serve a Signature Halloween Drink
Every good party needs a signature beverage, Halloween included! “Make one base that works for everyone, then let the adults add to it if they please,” Osborn says. Her favorites include the following:
- Poison Apple Punch with an apple cider base (adults can add whiskey)
- Dark and Spookies with a ginger beer base (adults can add rum)
- Blood Orange Vampire Spritzes with a blood orange and cherry juice base (adults can top off with sparkling wine instead of sparkling water)
“Consider different glassware for mocktails and cocktails so that there’s no confusion when guests set down their drinks,” Osborn adds.
To put a spooky spin on the beverages, the Valleys suggest serving them from a cauldron or pumpkin. Their Halloween staples include a warmed up berry punch or apple cider, which kids can garnish with polka-dotted straws or plastic spider swizzle sticks, and grown-ups can enhance or keep sans-alcohol. “The fun is in the accoutrements—honey sticks, a dash of edible glitter, ‘eyeball ice cubes’ (blueberries frozen in round ice cube trays), or even rock candy sticks all provide that welcomed Halloween whimsy and nostalgia,” the Valleys say.
Maria Sabella is a lifestyle writer with a passion for home and interiors — from paint colors and holiday decor to the latest design trends. Her work has appeared in outlets including Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, BuzzFeed and Bustle.
