Trunk or TreatEvents in Bloomington 2026
Celebrate Halloween 2026 with the best Trunk or Treat events in Bloomington. Discover family-friendly Halloween celebrations featuring decorated cars, candy giveaways, costume contests, games, community gatherings, and safe trick-or-treat experiences for children. Whether you're planning a fun family outing or looking for Halloween events near you, explore the top Trunk or Treat events happening across Bloomington.
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Trunk or treat decorations, candy and costume ideas
Everything to decorate your trunk, fill the candy bowl and dress the kids — from monster-mouth kits and string lights to bulk Halloween candy and costumes. Check delivery dates before you order.
Links go to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, AllEvents earns from qualifying purchases.
- Decorate
Trunk decoration kitMonster mouth, teeth and googly eyesShop on Amazon - Decorate
Orange string lightsBattery-powered, no outlet neededShop on Amazon - Decorate
Stretchy cobwebsSpiders included, for every cornerShop on Amazon - Decorate
Light-up jack-o'-lanternsLED, safe around kidsShop on Amazon - Treat
Bulk candy variety packIndividually wrapped, enough for a lineShop on Amazon - Treat
Glow-stick braceletsA candy-free treat that lights them upShop on Amazon - Treat
Teal pumpkin bucketNon-food treats for kids with allergiesShop on Amazon - Kids
Jack-o'-lantern bucketThe classic, for collectingShop on Amazon - Kids
Dinosaur costumePlush and hooded, warm for an evening outShop on Amazon - Host
Cauldron candy bowlFor the front edge of the trunkShop on Amazon - Kids
Witch hatSoft and floppy, for little headsShop on Amazon
Family-friendly things to do in Bloomington this Halloween
12 of the best places to eat, explore and enjoy fall in Bloomington, Indiana, before and after trunk or treat — from restaurants and sweet shops to museums, parks and pumpkin patches.
- No. 01Eat
Mother Bear's Pizza
Near campus · 1428 E 3rd St
- Best for
- The whole carful
Opened in 1973, and named by People magazine in 1982 as one of America's top nine pizzas. IU voted it best in town ten years running.
If the campus restaurant is full, there's a second Bloomington branch on the west side at Whitehall Crossing.
Open in Maps - No. 02Eat
Village Deli
Kirkwood Avenue · 409 E Kirkwood Ave
- Best for
- Pancake fans
A Kirkwood Avenue breakfast spot known for its 'ginormous' pancakes, including cinnamon roll and gluten-free versions.
See how big one pancake is before you order more, then share.
Open in Maps - No. 03Treats
Hartzell's Ice Cream
Downtown · 107 N Dunn St
- Best for
- Sweet tooths
Bloomington's local gourmet ice cream shop, in the heart of town on North Dunn Street.
Visit Bloomington lists it for fall flavours, so ask what's seasonal.
Open in Maps - No. 04Fall fun
Fowler Pumpkin Patch
West of town · 5060 N Greene County Line Rd
- Best for
- All ages
A family-run patch on land the Fowlers have farmed for over 50 years, with u-pick pumpkins, a corn maze, petting zoo and hayrides.
A haunted hayride runs on some October evenings and may be too spooky for little ones. Check dates first.
Open in Maps - No. 05Fall fun
Bloomington Community Orchard
South side · 2120 S Highland Ave
- Best for
- Little pickers
An all-volunteer public orchard, run like an edible park, where the harvest of peaches and other fruit is open to everyone.
Late in the season the fruit may be sparse. Go for the walk and count any fruit as a bonus.
Open in Maps - No. 06Fall fun
Great Glass Pumpkin Patch
Downtown · Courthouse lawn
- Best for
- All ages
A display of more than 900 hand-blown glass pumpkins. You can buy one or just admire the colours.
It's a one-day event, usually in October, so check the date first.
Open in Maps - No. 07Explore
WonderLab Museum
Downtown · by the B-Line Trail
- Best for
- Under-12s
A hands-on science museum over two floors, with live animals, a Bubble-Airium, a climbing vine and fossils from southern Indiana.
Add a walk or scooter ride along the B-Line Trail right outside.
Open in Maps - No. 08Explore
Eskenazi Museum of Art
IU campus · 1133 E 7th St
- Best for
- Curious older kids
About 45,000 objects, from ancient jewellery to Picasso and Pollock, in an I.M. Pei building on the IU campus.
Choose three things to find before you go in. A short treasure hunt beats a long tour.
Open in Maps - No. 09Explore
Monroe County History Center
Downtown Bloomington
- Best for
- Families who like a story
Puts up a Día de los Muertos altar in October, and has a pioneer cabin with a local ghost story of its own.
Check the opening days before you go. The altar is gentle and suits all ages.
Open in Maps - No. 10Outdoors
Griffy Lake Nature Preserve
North side of Bloomington
- Best for
- Walkers of all ages
A 1,220-acre preserve around a 1920s reservoir, with hiking trails, boating and fishing.
Visit Bloomington picks it for autumn colour. With small children, stay on the shore trails.
Open in Maps - No. 11Outdoors
Monroe Lake
About 10 miles south-east of town
- Best for
- Picnickers
The largest lake lying wholly in Indiana, with recreation areas at Fairfax, Hardin Ridge and Paynetown.
Pick one recreation area for a lakeside picnic. Don't try to cover the whole shore.
Open in Maps - No. 12Outdoors
Brown County State Park
Nashville, IN · within 20 miles
- Best for
- The whole carful
Indiana's largest state park, known for its autumn colour, with the Hesitation Point vista and a 100-foot fire tower.
Climb the fire tower for a view over the hills, then picnic near Hesitation Point.
Open in Maps
Costume corner
What kids are wearing this year, and how to dress for an evening in a car park.
What kids are wearing
- No. 1
SuperheroSpider-Man topped the list for kids: 2.3 million of them. 
PrincessA classic that never leaves the top five.
WitchThe hat does most of the work. Add a broom for the photos.
GhostOne sheet, two eye holes, done in ten minutes.- New
Pop-star demon hunterThis year's breakout, thanks to KPop Demon Hunters. - DinosaurPlush and hooded: the warmest costume in the car park.
Costume rankings: National Retail Federation, 2025 Halloween survey.
Dress for a car park in late October
- Layer underneathMost start around dusk, and it cools fast. A long-sleeve top and leggings under the costume beat a coat over it.
- Wear real shoesA big car park is a lot of walking. Trainers under a long skirt or a dinosaur tail will not show.
- Glow, so drivers see youCars still move around the edges. A glow-stick bracelet or a strip of reflective tape on the bucket costs nothing.
- Face paint over masksPaint lets them see the step down from the curb, and eat the candy on the spot. Masks usually come off by the third car.
Why trick or treat moved into the car park
Since the 1990s
Churches started it. Parents wanted a Halloween with less gore, fewer strangers and no crossing busy roads in the dark, so congregations parked in a circle, opened their boots and handed out candy from the back. In car-dependent suburbs it simply worked better than a street of houses far apart — and a flat car park suits children with allergies, wheelchairs and strollers too.
- Early 1990sThe first trunk or treats appear at church fall festivals, as a gentler alternative to door-to-door.
- 1994A Baptist congregation in Alabama holds one — the earliest specific year on record.
- Early 2000sChurches across the South add it to their calendars, then malls and schools follow.
- TodayCar parks across suburbia fill up, and decorating the trunk has become a contest of its own.
Trunk or treat in Bloomington: the basics
What is a trunk or treat?
A Halloween event where children go from car to car instead of door to door. Families park in one place — usually a church, school or community car park — open their boots, decorate them, and hand out candy from the back. It began at American churches in the 1990s as a safer, more contained alternative to trick-or-treating, and most now add a costume parade, games or a best-decorated-trunk contest.
What should kids bring to a trunk or treat?
Their costume, a treat bucket or bag, and something that glows — a glow stick or a small torch — because most events run after dark. Comfortable shoes help: a big car park is a lot of walking.
How do you decorate a trunk for trunk or treat?
Pick a theme and fill the open boot with it. Monster mouths, pumpkin patches, haunted houses, outer space and under the sea are the favourites. Battery string lights matter most, since a car park has no sockets; then a backdrop, cobwebs or props, and a bowl of candy at the front edge.
Are trunk or treats safe for kids with food allergies?
Many are. Look for a teal pumpkin: it is the sign of a trunk handing out non-food treats such as glow sticks, stickers and small toys, part of the Teal Pumpkin Project for children with food allergies.