Halloween in Alaska
Halloween in Alaska can be a lot different than in the lower 48 states. Trick-or-treat, costumes, and lots of spooky good fun are still the main attraction. But special considerations like staying warm, watching out for wildlife, and navigating a tricky climate add a unique twist to this fun holiday. If you’re new to Halloween in Alaska, here’s a few guidelines that’ll keep you from ending up in a truly scary situation!
Alaska Halloween Rule #1: Stay Warm
Here in the Anchorage / Eagle River area it can get pretty cold this time of year, so it’s important to plan costumes that will keep you warm. Buy costumes several sizes too big to allow room for snow gear underneath. Or get creative and plan costumes that incorporate cold-weather gear like mummies, chubby garden gnomes, ninja turtles, mummies or anything warm and fuzzy like unicorns, teddy bears and pandas.
Once your costume is set, don’t forget the extras. Snow boots that can safely navigate the inevitable ice on the ground, gloves and glove warmers to keep kids hands warm (because you know they will be taking their gloves off to sample candy when you’re not looking!).
Alaska Halloween Rule #2: Be Visible
Halloween in Alaska means it’s full dark by the time kids go out. Make sure kids can be seen by applying reflective tape to their costumes, letting them wear or carry glow stick type products (necklaces, bracelets, etc.) and with flashlights available if they have to walk through a dark stretch of land to get from house to house.
If you’re staying home to hand out candy, spooky decorations are fun, but be sure to also have plenty of lights along pathways and to your door to help kids safely walk back and forth.
Alaska Halloween Rule #3: Be Prepared
Parents who are driving or chaperoning kids who are trick-or-treating outdoors should be prepared for any situation by carrying extra cold weather gear in their cars, full charged cell phones, and emergency kits for … well… emergencies.
Alaska Halloween Rule #4: Watch for Wildlife
One safety concern that Alaskans watch out for during Halloween is the wildlife factor. Alaska is also home to wildlife who love pumpkins, sweet treats, and long walks in the dark just as much as the kids do. Moose, who can’t resist the yummy carved pumpkins many people put out on Halloween night, can become dangerous if they are startled or feel cornered or threatened. Don’t ever try to walk past a moose or make it move. Take a different route or wait until the moose moves a safe distance away. Have your kids carry flashlights, watch sides of the road and wooded areas near when they are trick-or-treating, and always keep a safe distance from wildlife when sighted.
Alaska Rule #5: When In Doubt, Stay Inside
If the weather suddenly changes for the worse, or you’re just not looking forward to trekking around in the cold behind the kiddos, there are plenty of indoor activities for every age, like the annual Alaska Zoo Boo, a family friendly trick-or-treat event at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage, with visitors coming in costume to enjoy safe trick-or-treat stations along zoo trails.
