It’ll be a vortex of spookyness across the red rocks and green valley when the sun sets and the creatures of the night don their costumes to fill their pillow cases with candy across the Verde Valley and Sedona with Halloween descending upon us all this Friday, Oct. 31. Fortunately, here’s how to get your fill of tricks and treats:
Cottonwood
The city of Cottonwood’s Trunk or Treat hosted by Parks and Recreation will be scaring up a good time at the Cottonwood Recreation Center from 4 to 6 p.m. with this year’s theme of “Frightening Fairy Tales Found at your Local Library.”
“It was built to be a safe, fun environment for everybody to come out and enjoy the thrill of trick-or-treating without going door to door,” Parks, Recreation & Library Director Jak Teel said. “We’ve got over 23 different trunks and displays that are going to be there. We’ll have police and fire there with both of their big community rigs, like a touch-a-truck-style event. You get to crawl through the displays of both their booths.”
Teel announced changes to this year’s Halloween event schedule. The adjustment accommodates Mingus Union High School’s senior night at 6:30 p.m. and their football team’s homecoming game, which kicks off at 7 p.m.
“We want to make sure that we aren’t sending people home in the middle of all that traffic trying to get out to that football game,” he said.
Inflatable games for all to enjoy free of charge will be set up as well.
“This event is free and open to the public for trick-or-treaters of all ages,” the city of Cottonwood’s website reads. “If you would like to decorate your trunk and pass out candy, be sure to contact Teel via email at jteel@ cottonwoodaz.gov” to see if there are still spots left.
Verde Village
From 5:30 to 7:30 a.m., the Verde Village will have a truck or treat at the Del Rio Pond, free treats will be given out thanks to local business support. To setup a trunk, contact info@vvcc.life.
“Traffic control will guide trick-or-treaters to the trunks for treats at 3901 E. Del Rio Drive in Cottonwood at the Verde Village Pond,” according to a press release.
Verde Valley Assisted Living
For those that are wanting to get an earlier start on their sugar fix, Verde Valley Assisted Living at 195 S. Willard St. is having a free trick or treat from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and again from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for more information call (928) 634-4278.
“We’re going to do it at two different times so that some of the younger kids that get out early, they’ll have a chance to come from 1 to 2:30 p.m.,” VVAL Family Liaison Diane Martinez said. “We also have a Halloween photo backdrop so families can take a free picture with their children on their own phones.”
“It’s just a way to get the kids from the community in here, and the residents can see some of the kids dressed up, and it reminds them of when you know they weren’t living in a facility,” Martinez said. “They get to be happy and have some joy and hand out candy like they used to … and the staff is on site, so everything is safe
The Cottonwood Old Town Association will have over 25 businesses along Main Street passing out trick-or-treat candy to revelers from 5 to 7 p.m.
Camp Verde
One of the largest Halloween events is made up of the typical 5,000 candy crazed attendees to Camp Verde Parks and Recreation Department’s Main Street Trunk-or-Treat that takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. with Sedona International Film Festival doing a free screening of the 2025 live action version of “How to Train Your Dragon,” at 6:30 p.m. on the Community Center Field with food trucks on hand near the field from 4 to 8 p.m.
Main Street will be closed from Turner Street to Nichols Street from 4:30 to 7:15 p.m. in order to accommodate the trick-or-treaters.
For parking “come early and pick your spot out along Main Street [because] the streets get shut down and that gives those people time to get their [trucks] decorated,” . “The community and their participation is what makes this event so special. Because we have 65 different groups … handing out candy and having decorations, it makes it more fun than what Parks and Rec can do by ourselves,” Camp Verde Parks & Recreation Manager Shawna Figy said
The event also includes a decorating contest, allowing participants who hand out candy to adorn their spaces. Volunteer judges evaluate the decorated areas, and the top six entrees are recognized with the “Ghosts, Goblins and Ghouls Award.”
Movie attendees should bring their own lawn chairs or blankets.
“It’s a great way to spend Halloween night and go trick-or-treating in Camp Verde, and then just come right around the corner to the park, and we will be there with a screen set up with concessions, with ‘How to Train Your Dragon,’ so it’s a great way to cap off your evening and spending time with the family,” SIFF Executive Director Patrick Schweiss said.
For more information call (928) 554-0820 ext. 3 or email parks@campverde.az.gov.
Clarkdale
The town of Clarkdale will have its Safe Trick or Treating event from 5 to 7 p.m. with an estimated 1,500 ghouls attending in upper Clarkdale, additionally the Clarkdale Downtown Business Alliance’s fourth annual Trunk or Treat on 10th Street runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with food trucks on site.
“The trick-or-treating route includes: Main Street, First North and First South Streets in Upper Clarkdale,” the town’s website reads. “These streets will be closed and blocked from vehicular access from 4:30 to 7:15 p.m. and will only be accessible on foot. Please do not park along these streets. Parking will be available at Town Hall and Clarkdale-Jerome School. Bring flashlights, and please leave pets at home.”
The costume contest for cash prizes is free to register for but arrive by 5:30 p.m. at the Clarkdale Town Park, the following categories are available to compete in: 4 and under, 5 to 8, 9 to 12, 13 and up, including adults, and the group costume.
“Some adults really go all out in their costumes and have a great time. Most of them participate in the group costume category, coming out with friends to show off their creativity,” Parks and Communications Manager Chell Smart said. “It’s a wonderful time for families to come out and enjoy the small-town charm. It’s also a great experience for our volunteers — about 40 of
them — who love seeing all the kids in costume and helping with the contest. It’s safe, it’s fun, and after a couple of hours, everyone can head home and rest, since we’re all done by 7 p.m.”
Sedona
Uptown Trick or Treat takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. with the city of Sedona Parks and Recreation Department and Uptown merchants providing all you ghosts and cowboys your fill of the scary season. Parking for this event hasn’t typically been an issue for the over 1,500 attendees according to Special Events Coordinator Jason Vargo.
“All the shops stay open late, join in the festivities, dress up and hand out candy,” Vargo said teasing that attendees should be on the look out for his department staff to be wearing an oceanic themed costume. “Everyone has a great time. It’s well lit, very safe and supported by the Sedona Police Department — both sworn officers and volunteers — as well as … the Sedona Fire District who bring their haunted ambulance and goodies.”
New for this year is several community groups, including the Scorpion Booster Club, will be setup in front of Rollie’s Camera handing out candy.
“In addition to the community coming together in costume, the Sedona Dance Academy and the Halloween Uptown Dancers will be performing the Thriller dance flash mob-style at the Sinagua Plaza at 320 State Route 89A, and the Sedona Fire [District] will be hosting a Haunted Ambulance near Canyon Breeze shops at 300 SR 89A, with the Parks and Recreation Department booth nearby,” a city of Sedona press release reads.
A photo stop will be setup at the Parks and Recreation booth for people to enter into the city’s costume contest with the winner decided by social media.
“The idea is that the community will vote for their favorite costume,” Vargo said. “A few days after Halloween, we’ll decide who had the best costume based on how many likes they got.”
However the number of winners has not yet been decided but it will be for gift cards from Uptown shops.
“It depends on how much of a response we get from attendees,” he said.
“There’s nowhere else in Sedona where more people will see your amazing costume,” Vargo said. “So make your way Uptown between 5 and 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, for the most unique Halloween celebration in the Verde Valley.”
