Trunk or Treat in Des Moines 2023
If you have younger children, you may be looking for some other options besides Beggars’ Night. Trunk or Treat is another wonderful Halloween event that is a family-friendly free event. Des Moines area businesses and organizations may offer a costume contest, scavenger hunt, live music, food, science experiments, fun games, and more which make it a fun event for all ages! Below is a list of Trunk or Treat events in Des Moines at local churches and businesses. Grab your costumes and have a fun night.
** Keep this page bookmarked. We will be updating it daily through the season! Have something to add? Please email us and we will get it added.
Other Halloween resources to bookmark:
- Halloween Events in Des Moines
- Halloween Costumes in Des Moines
- Fall Festivals in Des Moines
- Fall Sensory and Inclusive Events in Des Moines
- October Special Days to Celebrate
Polk County Sheriff’s Office Candy Crawl
October 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Grimes South Sports Complex
The Grimes Fall Festival for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Candy Crawl and the Grimes Parks and Recreation City Patch. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office will have many displays and demonstrations, bounce houses, clowns and balloons, and other fun activities for all ages! The Grimes Parks and Recreation is organizing the City Grimes Patch to include vendors and food trucks.
This family-friendly event will be held at the Grimes South Sports Complex on October 7th, from 10 AM – 2 PM. Sensory-friendly time will be 10 AM – 10:30 AM, with no lights or sirens used. Be sure to wear your costumes and bring a bag to gather candy and swag!
Community Trunk or Treat
October 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Shottenkirk Chevy
Enjoy food trucks, music, face painting, games, and more!
Halloween in Uptown
October 19 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Uptown Ankeny
For 2023, Uptown Ankeny has added an entire block of entertainment to our beloved Trunk-Or-Treat event! Come for the candy, in the form of TWO blocks of trunk-or-treating, then stay for more Halloween frights and delights! Spooky tunes from DJ Big Lare, costume contest, face painting, balloon animals, rides on the Uptown Express, and Pirate’s Revenge galleon ride, plus more bewitching surprises. Halloween In Uptown is presented by our friends at Veridian Credit Union.
Clive Chamber Business Trick or Treat
October 19 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Clive Aquatic Center
All ghosts and goblins are invited to enjoy an evening of dancing, crafting, free trick or treating, and to meet some of the amazing businesses right here in our community! Join us on Thursday, October 19th from 5 to 7 pm at Greenbelt Landing. Kids can wear a costume collect yummy treats from local businesses and dance their hearts out at the Halloween Hop hosted by the Clive Public Library.
3rd Annual Trunk or Treat
October 20 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Christ the King School
Bring your best costume and come ready to have fun! Tons of fun and prizes for the best-decorated car. Learn more.
2023 Trunk or Treat
October 21 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
Friendship Center
Come enjoy our Annual Halloween Costume Party for MLK Families. A Bingo Tournament at 4 p.m., a Free Family Meal at 5 p.m., a Clothing Closet, and a Food Pantry from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Outdoor Games and a Kids Halloween Costume Contest as well.
ICYF Trunk or Treat
October 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Indianola Middle School Football Field
Join community businesses and organizations for some Halloween fun! Lots of tricks and treats for you to enjoy! Admission is free but please consider bringing food/personal hygiene items to benefit the Helping Hand.
Bondu Spooktacular
October 21 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Bondurant City Park
Prepare yourself for a thrilling and incredibly safe Trick-or-Treat spectacular! The kids are in for a treat with a ton of awesome games, thrilling activities, and guess what? A sugary avalanche of CANDY awaits them!
Get set for a super cool costume contest happening at different times during the event. Make sure your child is all set and dressed up for the judges! The contest is split into groups. Learn more.
2023 Trunk or Treat
October 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Dojo’s Family Martial Arts – Johnston
Dojo’s Annual Trunk or Treat – Are you READY!?
They plan to fill the parking lot with cars, trucks, fire trucks, boats, police cars, and more! Each vehicle will have its trunk decorated and children will walk from trunk to trunk gathering goodies & enjoying festive Halloween decorations. PLUS, kids can enjoy awesome obstacle courses, bounce houses, and more! Yummy Food, T-shirts, Glow Toys, and MORE!
You and your family will have so much fun at this event, it gets bigger and better every year!
Trunk-N-Treat
October 21 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Conmigo Early Education Center; 828 Scott Ave., in Des Moines
Their event is free and open to the public. All treats will be peanut and tree-nut-free. They will also have special goodie bags for kids with other food allergies.
Trunk or Treat at Tommy’s Express
October 21 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Tommy’s Express – Waukee
Enjoy trunk or treat at Tommy’s! Anyone who also Carwashes that night will be supporting two local sports teams. We will also be selling presale tickets for the Tunnel of Terror.
Trunk or Treat
October 22 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Grimes South Sports Complex
Mark your calendars for our Trunk or Treat event! Head to the South Sports Complex on October 22nd to enjoy early trick-or-treat fun from 2 pm – 4 pm. Local businesses and city officials will have cars decked out for the holiday and will be handing out candy. If you are interested in being a participating trunk, please email dsloan@grimesiowa.gov.
Trunk or Treat
October 24 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Williams Stadium – East High School
Get your kids dressed in their Halloween costumes and experience the fun of the Scarlets & Friends official Trunk-or-Treat!
Children and families are invited to Trick-or-Treat in the Stadium parking lot. We will decorate our cars, have music, and snacks, and give out candy to all who show up. There will be prizes for the best costume and the best-decorated cars, trucks etc.
Car, decorating, and prep will begin at 4:30 PM Trunk or treat will be from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Business Trick or Treat
October 25 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Altoona Civic Plaza; 360 Center Pl, Altoona, IA 50009
Join Altoona for the Business Trick or Treat set for Wednesday, October 25th from 5 pm – 7 pm at the Civic Plaza next to the Altoona Hy-Vee! This free family event features over 30 booths from our business community, a scavenger hunt, and lots of candy!
There will be ONE entrance and ONE exit. You will enter Civic Plaza and follow along the bike trail to get your treats.
Trick-or-Treat with First Responders
October 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Fire Station 38 10225 NW 62nd Ave., Johnston
Join community members and trick-or-treat with first responders on Wednesday, October 25, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Fire Station 38, 10225 NW 62nd Avenue. The Police and Fire Departments will hand out treats from their vehicles and discuss safety during Beggars’ Night. Have your children show up in costumes! This is a great opportunity for families to get to know our Police Officers and Firefighters/EMS members.
After your visit to the fire station, head to The Bridge Church for kid-friendly treats and activities. Parking is available at The Bridge Church. Enter the parking lot from NW 100th Street. The parking lot entrance will be blocked off at NW 62nd Avenue.
This event is in partnership with The Bridge Church.
Trunk or Treat
October 25 from 5 to 7 p.m.
McAninch Sports Complex in Norwalk
Join for the NEW Trunk or Treat event! Norwalk city departments, local businesses, and community organizations will be at McAninch Sports Complex with decorated trunks and all your favorite goodies! Enjoy this family-friendly, fun, and safe event, and don’t forget to wear your Halloween costumes! This event is FREE and all ages are welcome!!
“Haunted” Hike (an Indoor Trunk or Treat)
October 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Covenant Presbyterian Church; 1025 28th Street, West Des Moines
FREE for families and kids! Trick or treat through our building, in the dark (with a flashlight) gathering candy along the way. Costumes are highly encouraged. No RSVP is needed; simply show up. The event is an open house, come and go as you please between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Enter through the doors on the north side of the building, labeled “old sanctuary entrance”.
2023 Trunk or Treat
October 26 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Keller Williams Greater Des Moines on Westown Parkway
Enjoy easy, early trick-or-treat fun! The KW family will have vehicles decorated and will be handing out candy in our parking lot.
Trunk or Treat
October 27 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Freedom Blend Coffee
Wear your fun – not scary – costumes and enjoy a family-friendly evening with Freedom for Youth, Freedom Blend Coffee, and other community partners. Play games, gather treats, and have a fun evening at Freedom!
Trunk or Treat
October 28 from 4 to 5 p.m.
New Hope Methodist Church
Come out to New Hope United Methodist Church for a Trunk or Treat and stop by to take photos with your favorite superheros!
Trunk or Treat at DSM Fellowship
October 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Des Moines Fellowship
Join them for this fun, family-friendly event!
Trunk or Treat @ Captain Roy’s
October 29 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Captain Roy’s
Who’s ready for some candy?! Bring the kiddos down (in their costumes) to Captain Roy’s to trick-or-treat out of car trunks! Cars wanting to be involved are more than welcome to decorate their trunks to whatever (age-appropriate) theme they’d like. Let’s bring the community together by providing a festive and enjoyable experience for all ages!
Trunk or Treat Nightmare in Maytag Park
October 31 from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Maytag Park in Newton, Iowa
The City of Newton and Newton Main Street are hosting a FUN, FREE, family-friendly event for all Halloween lovers! Stroll through Maytag Park wearing your costumes and enjoy treats, fun photo ops, a lighted display, and so much more.
Any Trunk or Treat Events happening on the Southside??
I have not seen any listings yet. It is still early!
Hello!
Is there a way to add a trunk or treat event to this page?
Do you have addresses for the churches?
Just added all addresses. Thanks!