AllEvents

AllEvents in your city

Popular cities

Trunk or TreatEvents in Gaithersburg 2026

Celebrate Halloween 2026 with the best Trunk or Treat events in Gaithersburg. 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 Gaithersburg.

Listings updated

See all events in Gaithersburg

Curated by the AllEvents team, for you.

Trunk or treat events in Gaithersburg

On now

Wed, Oct 28140 Reserve Blvd, Laurel

Trunk or Treat at Lightbridge Academy of Laurel

You're invited to Lightbridge Academy of Laurel's annual Trunk or Treat — and ALL families are welcome! Bring the kids in costume for a safe, family-friendly evening of trick-or-treating. What to expect: 🍬 Decorated trunks with yummy treats 🎮 Family fun

4:30 PM

Trunk contest

On now

Wed, Oct 28946 Marimich Ct, Sykesville

Trunk or Treat at Piney Ridge Apartments!🎃

🎃👻 Trunk or Treat is coming to Piney Ridge! 👻🎃 Get your costumes ready and join us for an evening of Halloween fun, candy, and creatively decorated trunks! 🍬🕷️ Whether you’re coming in costume, bringing the family, or just looking for a fun way to celeb

5:00 PM

Trunk contest

On now

Wed, Oct 28Manassas Mall

Trunk Or Treat

Macy's Parking Lot 8300 Sudley Rd.

5:30 PM

On now

Wed, Oct 28Bethany Church, Ellicott City

Bethany Church’s 2026 Trunk or Treat

Bethany Church's Annual Trunk or Treat is back! Join us for a fun and safe event for the whole family! Tickets are FREE! Bethany Church's Annual Trunk or Treat is back! Join us for a fun and safe event for

6:00 PM

Free

On now

Wed, Oct 28475 W Central Ave, Davidsonville

RTBC Trunk or Treat

RTBC Trunk or Treat is back! We're doing something special this time—each trunk will tell a different Bible story, making it a fun experience for everyone. Plus, we'll have some affordable and free snacks for all to enjoy while exploring the trunks. We’d

6:00 PM

On now

Wed, Oct 288428 Highland Lane, Mount Vernon

Awana Trunk or Treat

Come enjoy a fun and safe event for the family on October 28th from 6-8pm! Kids (and parents) are encouraged to dress up in different costumes. There will be lots of games, snacks, new and old friends, and especially trunks from the candy. This event is

6:00 PM

Games & bounce houses

On now

Wed, Oct 28328 Hanover Pike, Hampstead

HBC 2026 Trunk or Treat

You're invited to join us for this year's Trunk or Treat! We'll have lots of candy, snacks, games, an obstacle course, and a hay ride for you to enjoy! You can also place your vote for your favorite trunk!! This is a FREE community event! Don't forget to

6:30 PM

HayrideGames & bounce houses

Thu, Oct 2913025 Chinn Park Dr, Woodbridge

Chinn Trunk or Treat | FREE EVENT

Join Prince William County for an afternoon of Halloween fun as we host our very first Trunk-or-Treat event for the community! Families are invited to dress up in their favorite costumes and enjoy a safe, family-friendly way to trick-or-treat. As you make

4:00 PM

Thu, Oct 292202 Dargan School Rd, Bakerton

TRICK-OR-TREAT & TRUNK-OR-TREAT

Stop by the firehouse for Dargan Trick-or-treat. We will also have Trunk-OR Treat available as well if you would like to set up your vehicle. We will have Hot Dogs, Chips, Juice, Soda and Fire Prevention! Food will start at 5:00PM Dargan Trick-or-Treat

5:00 PM

Food trucks

Thu, Oct 297899 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick

Trunk or Treat

You're invited! Restoration Church is hosting a Trunk or Treat on Thursday, October 29th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, and we'd love to see you there. What to expect: -Dozens of decorated trunks and lots of candy -Costumes encouraged (bring the whole family) -Fr

6:00 PM

Trunk contest

Fri, Oct 30Celebree School of Canton, Baltimore

Spooktacular Fall Festival 2026

Join us for trunk-to-trunk trick-or-treating, festive games, and community fun at Celebree School of Canton!

3:45 AM

FreeGames & bounce houses

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.

More to do around Gaithersburg

More trunk or treat events nearby

Costume corner

What kids are wearing this year, and how to dress for an evening in a car park.

What kids are wearing

  • No. 1SuperheroSpider-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.
  • NewPop-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

A 1990s station wagon with its tailgate open outside a small white church, children in costume walking up to it

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.

  1. Early 1990sThe first trunk or treats appear at church fall festivals, as a gentler alternative to door-to-door.
  2. 1994A Baptist congregation in Alabama holds one — the earliest specific year on record.
  3. Early 2000sChurches across the South add it to their calendars, then malls and schools follow.
  4. TodayCar parks across suburbia fill up, and decorating the trunk has become a contest of its own.

Trunk or treat in Gaithersburg: the basics

When are trunk or treat events in Gaithersburg in 2026?

Trunk or treat events in Gaithersburg run from Oct 24 to Nov 1, 2026: 95 events. The busiest weekend is Oct 30 – Nov 1, with 99 events.

Is there a trunk or treat in Gaithersburg this weekend?

Yes: 85 events are on for Oct 30 – Nov 1, including Trunk or Treat at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Spooktacular Fall Festival 2026 at Celebree School of Canton and Trunk-or-Treat 2026 at Celebree School of Owings Mills. Another 5 events are on nearby.

Are there free trunk or treat events in Gaithersburg?

Yes: 43 of the 95 listed are free, including Trunk or Treat at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Bethany Church’s 2026 Trunk or Treat and Spooktacular Fall Festival 2026 at Celebree School of Canton. The ticketed ones run from $5.04 to $690.60.

Is there a trunk or treat near Gaithersburg?

Yes: 5 more events are listed within reach of Gaithersburg, in Washington, Baltimore, Alexandria and Vienna. The soonest is Washington DC Halloween Bar Crawl in Washington, on Fri, Oct 30.

Where are trunk or treats held in Gaithersburg?

At 92 venues, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (8 dates), XCAL Shooting Sports and Fitness (2 dates), Manassas Mall and Bethany Church. Most take place in the car park of a church, school, library or community centre.

What are the best trunk or treat events in Gaithersburg?

The most popular on AllEvents right now are Sweet Tooth Costume Carnival 2026 at St John Baptist Church (Sat, Oct 31), Messiah Community Church Trunk or Treat (Fri, Oct 30) and Trunk or Treat Vendors & Food Trucks (Sat, Oct 31).

What time do trunk or treats start in Gaithersburg?

Start times run from 3:45 AM to 9:00 PM. Most begin around dusk, so the decorated trunks are lit when the children arrive, and last two or three hours.

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.