out door halloween party

20 years ago

Hi, I need to 'pick' your brains, for some clever thoughts on this Outdoor Halloween Party that we are giving. It's for a mixed age group. There will be couples w/small children, and some couples by themselves. It's a Pot Luck, Costumes are Optional, and EVERYONE is required to bring a Carved Jack O'Lantern. There will be prizes for ALL. (diff categories). We plan to do this outdoors,(more space for some outdoor games for the kids). We thought it would be nice to give the kids rides in my husband's tractor cart filled w/hay, and have the Big Shed decorated w/Halloween stuff. Also have bales of hay for seating. The main event, of course, will be the Jack O'Lanterns and prizes. Two ques...would it be 'tacky', if the weather is NOT good, to move this indoors, to the basement? It's a new home, the basement is not finished, and completely empty. We would of course, decorate it. At this point, I don't know many children will be coming. My obvious concerns are, being able to accomodate the adults and the kids in the house properly. My husband thinks this would be offensive to set it up in the basement. Second Ques..any good ideas for Prizes? For BEST-IN-SHOW,I plan on making 2 categories -children and adult and award each a special prize..Then EVERYONE will win in different categories, and award something small. Do You have any suggestions with this thought. Also, who should Judge, and How? I know I've 'Heaped' alot into this for you guys to think about..., I Welcome and Thank YOu...for ANY thoughts.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

lindac
20 years ago
i have been to parties in a cleaned and decorated machine shed....one in July was awful and hot....but another in October was great fun!...
The basement wouldn't be tacky if it's raining....I mean, what can you do? But a barn or shed would be nicer I think.
Prizes?
How about variations on the theme...a bag of candy corn, roasted peanute, some gourmet popcorn, maybe a stuffed black cat for one of the younger ones, a giggeling ghost, a nicely decorated basket of gourds and stuff a pot of mums.
And you could use those things for your own decorations and put numbers on them and award "numbers" and everyone will have to go find what they won.
Linda C
plainjane425
Original Author
20 years ago
Hey..lindac. Thanks....I LIKE the idea of the prizes, having numbers on them as well as being a decoration... That's clever.
As far as using the shed, it's big, but NOT that big, especially if it's raining. That's why I'm looking towards the alternative with the basement.
Related Professionals
Gaithersburg Architects & Building Designers · Willmar Architects & Building Designers · Aberdeen Architects & Building Designers · Eau Claire Architects & Building Designers · Pensacola Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Aiken Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Plymouth Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Hempstead Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Platteville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Fayetteville Accessory Dwelling Units · Athens Accessory Dwelling Units · Belleville Accessory Dwelling Units · Raleigh Accessory Dwelling Units · Muskogee Accessory Dwelling Units · Edmonton Accessory Dwelling Units
swampwitch
20 years ago
Sounds like fun! I don't think there's anything wrong with having the party in the basement. In fact, you can do cool, spooky lighting! I'd use bulbs and strings of lights with kids around.

If the basement is a big open space, you can put up white flat sheets to divide the area up (temporary walls) - maybe have a strobe light and music in one area, an area with seating (light with black lights?), one with a spooky movie playing (if you can move a TV down there).

I would have a secret ballot for the contest... everyone at the party gets one vote, and that way no one feels bad that the judging was unfair. MAKE SURE to take a picture of all the jack-o-lanterns together. Light them and put on stairs and you'll have an amazing photograph!

Cheers, from
SwampWitch
plainjane425
Original Author
20 years ago
SwampWitch...great idea w/the sheets..It is a Very large basement, and this will gives me some areas to 'define' for different activites... I like that. I thought so too, to do a secret ballot, my only thought though was ...what if everyone voted for themselves ??? This is going to be tricky... I've got to give this some more thoughts. As far as pics of the Jack O'Lanterns...MOST DEFINITELY!!! Got to catch the moment w/pics for sure!!!
swampwitch
20 years ago
I got the idea from a club in Dallas. They had images projected on some of the sheets, too; and the air conditioner blew them around a little and it was an eerie effect.

As long as you don't vote for your pumpkin, then secret ballot would work! Let us know how it goes. I've always wanted to try the sheet idea.

Cheers, from
SwampWitch
azzalea
20 years ago
I don't see anything wrong with using the basement as your back-up location for bad weather, especially for a Halloween party, and if you decorate it, it could be the best (spookiest) place to have it.

Had an idea for the judging. Why don't arrange the adult pumpkins on one table and the children's on another with their 'little' award categories displayed. Then, let the Adults vote on the best of show KID'S pumpkin, and have the kids choose the winning adult one. (of course, that might mean that the parent with the most kids might win, but if everyone votes honestly, it could be fun).
plainjane425
Original Author
20 years ago
azzalea...thanks for the positive feed back about doing the party in the basement as a back-up plan. I'm getting my DH to soften up on this idea. Mainly because of you guys and your encouragement. The judging of the pumpkins is good with having the two tables for each..that I thought about too...however, I'm still trying to figure out someting a little fairer as to the judging..Got to give it more thought.
swampwitch that club in Dallas sounded pretty cool! I read a great idea for using white sheets over helium balloons, to make 'bobbing' ghosts. I guess, after I get a tally on how many kids, and the range in their ages, I'll be able to determine how scarey to go...AND, If I will be doing this indoors, opposed to outside. Well...I've got a little time yet to keep planning. I do appreciate all the offers though. Thanks...