Crunchy leaves and spooky skeletons rustle through Mercer Island in fall, ready to greet the ghouls, goblins, and little ghosts that live here. The island leans hard into cozy fall vibes and full-on fun as the autumn breezes blow in the scariest season of the year with a plethora of family-friendly ways to celebrate Halloween. The trick to finding the best ones is reading our list of frightfully fun things to do on Mercer Island this month: you’ll be in for a treat with these spooktacular traditions, activities, and events.
1. Buy costumes at the Mercer Island Thrift Shop
For a costume that’s frightening and frugal, drag your bag o’ bones to the Thrift Shop. Every October, the shop assembles a huge section of costumes and haunting decorations, and this year they even cleared out much of the furniture to make more space for spooky stuff. Find the build-your-own-costume section and DIY a winning combination of clothing, jewelry, and collectibles.
Mercer Island Thrift Shop hours are Sunday through Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm.
2. Haunt Local Businesses at the Town Center Trick-or-Treating Event
Friday, October 27, 4 – 6 pm, at Mercer Island Town Center
Gather your ghouls and goblins for trick-or-treating in Town Center! This annual event is sponsored by the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce and the City of Mercer Island. Before Hallo-Weekend, Mercer Island Parks & Recreation will release a map of participating businesses on its website.
3. Behold a Bounty of Jack-O’-Lanterns at the Mercer Island Pumpkin Walk
Sunday, October 29, 5 to 8 pm, at Mercerdale Park, Free (Donations encouraged)
Find your costume and your sneakers – and polish off your pumpkin carving skills – the Mercer Island Pumpkin Walk is approaching fast! This annual non-scary event is sponsored by the City of Mercer Island and will follow the city’s annual trick-or-treat event (see above).
The Mercerdale Park loop will be decorated with glowing Jack-o’-lanterns for walkers to enjoy. If you’d like to drop off a carved pumpkin, you can do so from 12 to 4 pm the day of the event.
4. Go Trick-or-Treating in a Spooky Local Neighborhood
Find the happiest haunting on the south end of the island, where The Lakes boasts a king-sized reputation for impressive Halloween decor and generous helpings of sweets. Use our tips below to ensure the chorus of “boos” don’t become “boo-hoos.”
- In consideration of the youngest ghouls with early bedtimes, trick-or-treating begins around 5 pm and ends around 9 pm.
- No guests are allowed to drive into The Lakes after 5 pm. Families can park nearby at Lakeridge Elementary or Islander Middle School.
- The main loop around the neighborhood is nearly a mile, which might be too much for little feet! Shorten the route by turning on SE 76th, the street that bisects The Lakes.
- Historically, residents of The Lakes host a Halloween food drive for the Mercer Island Youth & Family Services (MIYFS) food pantry. This year, the food bank is not collecting food donations, but it is accepting gift cards! Islanders are encouraged to support the food bank by dropping a gift card in the utility collection box at City Hall.
Arrive with your costume, candy bag, and thank-yous: The Lakes residents invest hours of their time and pounds of candy into this community event.
Or if you want to find another spooky neighborhood on Mercer Island and avoid the crowds in The Lakes – try one of the following popular trick-or-treating neighborhood destinations: East Seattle, First Hill, Mercerdale, Mercer Island Estates, Parkwood, or the Ellis Pond / Library neighborhoods.
5. Knock at the Cookie House
In the East Seattle neighborhood of Mercer Island, the Cookie House carries on the 78-year tradition of eschewing packaged candy and instead handing out homemade gingerbread cookies. When Tara and Milton Reimers bought the property in 2011, they learned their house came with the opportunity to continue a beloved island custom.
Each year, they assemble a devoted team to bake and decorate more than 400 gingerbread cookies, and on Halloween, trick-or-treaters swing by the Cookie House for an old-fashioned treat.
6. Celebrate the Season at the Fall Festival
Sunday, October 29th, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Free
Youth Theatre Northwest’s annual Night of 1000 Scares has moved off-island to Ark Cinemas this year, but they will still keep the spooky spirit on the island with a Fall Festival. Presented in partnership with Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Emmanuel Day School, the event will include a trunk-or-treat, costume contest, and face-painting, plus plenty of games and food. Check out the event’s Facebook Page for more information.
7. Swing by the Saddle Club for a Spooktacular Happy Halloween Party
Sunday, October 29th, 2 to 4 pm at the Mercer Island Saddle Club, 8635 SE 68th St
Enjoy a scary stroll down the barn aisle to say hello to the horses. Swing by the Cook Shack for some hot cider and sweet treats, before finding your way to the cookie-decorating loft. Enter the magic arena and visit with an enchanted unicorn, a mystical Pegasus, dueling pair of angel & devil horses or the rarely spotted ‘Honnabee’ (smile for the camera!), and don’t forget to stop by the Fun Games Arena and Arts Corner to express your ghoulish creativity. You won’t want to miss this fun-for-all-ages Halloween party hosted by the Juniors of the Mercer Island Saddle Club.
To reach the entry gate, head east on SE 68th and turn right just before ICW. Parking is available at the nearby QFC lot. The Saddle Club suggests a donation of $20 / family, which will support the MISC Junior Fund & Barn Operations.