Trunk or Treat in Des Moines 2026

If you have younger children, you may be looking for options beyond Beggars’ Night. Trunk or Treat is another wonderful, free, family-friendly Halloween event. Des Moines-area businesses and organizations may offer a costume contest, scavenger hunt, live music, food, fun games, and more, making 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.

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Other Halloween resources to bookmark:

Community Trunk or Treat

October 3 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Shottenkirk Chevrolet Waukee

Join Shottenkirk Chevrolet Waukee for our 5th Annual Trunk or Treat is BACK… and it’s going to be our BIGGEST one yet! 

Throw on your favorite costume, grab the whole family (yes… even your furry pup friends ), and join us for an evening packed with Halloween fun! The night will include tricked-out trunks loaded with candy, local vendor fair, live magician, tons of treats, family fun around every corner and plenty of surprises we can’t wait to share!

Come for the candy, stay for the fun—there’s something for the whole family!

Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and get ready to make some Halloween memories with us! 

Halloween in Uptown

October 8 from 4 to 8 p.m.

Uptown Ankeny

Uptown Ankeny’s beloved Trunk-Or-Treat event is back! Come for the candy, in the form of FOUR blocks of trunk-or-treating, then stay for more Halloween frights and delights! Spooky tunes from DJ Big Lare, costume contest, rides on the Uptown Express, plus more bewitching surprises. Halloween In Uptown is presented by our friends at Veridian Credit Union.

St. Jude’s Trunk of Treat

October 16 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Cadence Academy Preschool on Grand in West Des Moines

Join us for a spooktacular evening of trick-or-treating, decorated trunks, fun, and giving back during St. Jude’s Trunk or Treat! The night includes trunk or treat and creative & spooky decorated trunks. Costumes encouraged! 

Come enjoy the Halloween fun while helping support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital! Every donation makes a difference for children and families at St. Jude. 

Let’s fill the night with treats and our hearts with kindness! 

ICYF Trunk or Treat

October 17 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Indianola Football Stadium Parking Lot

Join the Indianola Community Youth Foundation’s Trunk or Treat for an evening of tricks, treats, and community fun!

Trunk or Treat

October 22 from 5 to 6 p.m.

Genesis Health Club on Mills Civic in West Des Moines

Grab your friends, put on your best costume, and join us for a spook-tacular community event at Trunk or Treat! Our amazing staff and local trunk-decorating pros will be handing out sweet treats and surprises from their decked-out car trunks.

But that’s not all—get ready to dance with a live DJ from our very own Kids Club, playing family-friendly tunes all event long! Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for exciting mini-games. It’s going to be a frightfully good time you won’t want to miss!

Trot or Treat – Trunk or Treat Through the Horse Barn

October 17 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Menagerie Stables; 3237 NE 108th Street, Mitchellville

We will have a spooky fun path through the barn, and stalls will be decorated for a family friendly Halloween! Walk through the barn, say hi to all the horses, and fill your Halloween bag!

Attendees will receive treats or prizes at each of the decorated stalls. You will also receive one horse snack per admission to give as a treat to a horse. We will have games, activities, a selfie station, and treats in our arena! There will be no horse riding offered at this event.

Admission: $10 per person (we take cash, credit card, or check). No pre-pay tickets available; tickets will only be available at the door the day of.

Please note, use the Mitchellville address for this event. Our old location in Altoona still appears on Google Maps, so please use the Mitchellville address!

Trunk or Treat

October 18 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Waukee United Methodist Church

Need a fall activity that’s safe and fun for the whole family? Join us at Waukee Church on October 18th for our annual Trunk or Treat party. Live music, games, and fun! Food and drink will be provided for free, just show up in your costumes and trick or treat around the parking lot! We will have decorated trunks open and ready for trick or treaters. Free fun for the whole crew!

We’d love if you could RSVP by clicking “interested” and invite your friends, too! See you there.

Norwalk Parks and Recreation Trunk or Treat

October 20 from 5 to 7 p.m.

McAninch Sports Complex

Join us for our spooky fun 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!!

Trunk-or-Treat with the Urbandale Police Department

October 22 from 4 to 8 p.m.

3740 86th St, Urbandale, IA

The Urbandale Optimist club will have a booth at the Urbandale Trunk-or-Treat sponsored by the Urbandale Police Department. Set-up/decorations begin at 4:00 pm. The theme for 2026 will be “Crazy Cat Lady”. Come enjoy the fun handing out candy. Costumes are optional, but highly encouraged.

Trunk or Treat

October 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Spare Time Des Moines

Join us for a day of spooktacular fun with all the Halloween-themed trunks plus meet Benny the Bowling Pin! No tricks, just a great excuse to wear your costume & get a jump start on building your candy stash! We will be giving out game card coupons so you can join us in the center after! We can’t wait to see you!

Trunk or Treat

October 24 from 12 to 2 p.m.

Za Ga Zig Shrine in Altoona

Please Note the Time Change! Save the date you’re invited!
Za Ga Zig’s Annual Trunk or Treat!
Everyone is invited!

Modern Custom Dreamz Trunk or Treat

October 24 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

3200 Adventureland Drive, Altoona

We’re back! Join us for a night of spooky fun! We love Halloween and showing off our cars to the kids. Bring the kiddos all dressed up with their candy bags ready for an evening of fun and see some creative ideas from all the car clubs around the Des Moines area. Tons of cars and cool lights and costumes. Also don’t forget to vote for your favorite Spooky car that evening, hosted at the former Spectators Sports Bar and Grill lot at Adventureland!

Trunk or Treat

October 25 from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Lutheran Church of Hope West Des Moines 

Children in grade 6 and younger are invited to get dressed up in their family-friendly Halloween costumes and trick or treat through the Hope parking lot on an October afternoon!

Grimes Trunk or Treat

October 25 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Grimes South Sports Complex

Grab your costume and get ready for some free Halloween fun! Grimes Trunk or Treat sponsored by U.S. Bank is October 25, 2026, at the South Sports Complex from 2 pm to 4 pm. Local businesses and city officials will have cars decked out for the holiday and will be handing out candy.

North High School Annual Trunk or Treat Community Event

October 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

North High School Parking Lot

Please join us in celebrating North’s annual Trunk or Treat community event.Our Trunk or Treat event is one of biggest events that North will host this year.  Last year we were privileged to serve over 1200 students and families who attended our event. Our event is a great opportunity for our North community members and families to come together and celebrate in a safe and welcoming environment.  Thank you for your consideration in assisting North High School making this event the best it can be.

Trunk or Treat

October 26 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Gigi’s Playhouse

Join us for our annual Trunk of Treat in our GiGi’s Parking Lot!! Wear your costumes and bring a big bag for treats! Please login to register.

Spooktacular Trick or Treat at Skateland

October 27 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Skateland Des Moines

Get ready for a fun, safe, and family-friendly Halloween night at Skateland! Join us for Skateland Spooktacular Indoor Trick-or-Treat, where kids can dress up in their favorite costumes and trick-or-treat safely indoors while local businesses and organizations hand out candy and goodies. This is NOT a skating event. No skating will be taking place during this event. Our entire focus is creating a fun, safe indoor trick-or-treat experience for families. We are also looking for local businesses, organizations, and vendors who would like to participate by setting up one of the tables provided by Skateland and handing out candy, treats, coupons, promotional items, or other goodies to families. There is no charge to participate! Want to be a vendor? email us at info@skatelanddm.com . Bring the kids, wear your favorite costume, and join us for a spooktacular night of indoor trick-or-treating at Skateland! Tuesday, October 27 5:30–8:00 PM Skateland Safe. Indoor. Family-friendly.

Love Leads Community Trunk or Treat

October 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Birdland Aquatic Center

We’re excited to announce our 1st Annual Trunk or Treat!

Get your costumes ready and mark your calendars! Bring the whole family out for an evening of fun, treats, and community.

Everyone is welcome! We can’t wait to see you and your family there!

Come dressed up, bring your little ones, and enjoy a FREE community event hosted by Love Leads Community Foundation.

We hope to see you all there!

Trunk or Treat

October 31 from 5 to 6:15 p.m.

Pumpkinville and Cornmaze in Mitchellville

It’s our 3rd Trunk or Treat event. Show up in your costumes and get some candy!

Trunk or Treat

October 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Pathway Church in Johnston

Set up a car and have some fun mingling with neighborhood families at Trunk or Treat.