As October approaches and the air carries that familiar hint of autumn excitement, the city of Des Moines, WA, and surrounding communities are gearing up for a spirited round of Halloween gatherings. For families seeking festive fun with a community feel, this season offers more than just door-to-door trick-or-treating—it’s about parades, floats, costumes, and collective energy. With a promise of fun, creativity, and shared experience, the local scene invites both young and older participants to step into the parade route and costume zone.
In these events, the usual cues of fall—pumpkins, costumes, candy—merge with something more communal: local businesses, civic groups, music, and performance blending into the Halloween experience. Whether you’re watching from the sidelines or actively participating, the environment becomes one of inclusion and celebration. Here’s a look at where the parades and festivals are happening in 2025, how families can join, how local shops get involved, and suggested tips to prepare for a memorable outing.
Where They’re Happening
While the heart of the festivities lies in Des Moines, WA, event organizers and community partners have announced key Halloween events for 2025. In downtown Des Moines, the annual Trick-or-Treat Path along Marine View Dr S—from roughly 216th to 227th—will be held on October 31 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., with local businesses distributing treats and setting up decorated booths.
Beyond Des Moines, one nearby highlight is the 2025 Maple Leaf Halloween Parade in Seattle, scheduled for Saturday, October 25, at Maple Leaf Reservoir Park. The event begins with festivities at about 3 p.m., followed by the parade at 3:30 p.m., welcoming pets, costumes, and community participation.
These events feature more than static displays—look for floats, decorated booths, costumed attendees, and family-friendly interactive zones. The parade atmosphere in Maple Leaf, for instance, welcomes pets and owners in explicit costumes, adding an extra layer of fun.
How Families Can Join the Fun
Families arrive with children in tow, ready for costumes and treat bags, but they can also participate in ways beyond watching. In Des Moines, the Trick-or-Treat Path invites local groups to register booths and tables, hand out candy, and help guide the trick-or-treat route.
For kids, this means dressing up, walking the path, collecting treats, and enjoying the festive environment alongside parents. Parents might help pick a costume theme, coordinate siblings, and ensure everyone stays together and safe. The Maple Leaf Halloween Parade encourages pets and families to join the fun, with prizes for best costumes—including pet/owner combos.
Participation is simple but effective: dress in costume, bring a treat-bag, arrive early to find good viewing spots or booth access, and engage with others around you. For younger children, primarily, seeing other kids in costume, floats moving by, and community members cheering builds a sense of belonging and celebration.
Local Business Involvement
Local commerce plays a strong role in making these Halloween events vibrant. In Des Moines, the organizing body invites businesses and community partners to set up booths or tables along the Trick-or-Treat Path to hand out goodies, decorate, and contribute to the seasonal atmosphere.
These businesses might decorate their storefronts, offer themed promotions, sponsor segments of the event, or collaborate with civic groups to draw attention and build community rapport. Their involvement does more than decorate; it anchors the event in the local business ecosystem. For families, seeing familiar shops engage in the celebration reinforces a sense of community and support.
On the other side, for businesses, the parade and festival provide exposure, customer engagement, and a memorable connection with families—especially for those in the downtown Marine View Drive district. Participation may take the form of costumed staff, candy-giving stations, themed displays, or even mini performances.
Preparing for the Parade Outing
Heading out to one of these Halloween parades or festivals benefits from a bit of preparation to make it smoother and more enjoyable. Start by choosing a viewing spot early—arriving ahead of the scheduled start helps families secure a good place and gives kids time to acclimate to the atmosphere.
Bring a comfortable chair or blanket: parades often involve waits before floats or costumed groups begin, so a seat helps maintain comfort, especially for younger children. A treat bag or tote is essential for collecting candy or small gifts from booths. Having water bottles, a light jacket (October evenings in the Pacific Northwest can be cool), and a small flashlight or phone-light adds peace of mind.
Don’t forget to plan for logistics: confirm start time, route or location, parking or transit options, restrooms, and snack availability. If the route is along busy streets (such as Marine View Drive in Des Moines), remind children to stay on sidewalks, hold hands, and obey any instructions from event volunteers or marshals. Lastly, wearing a visible name-tag or brightly coloured costume elements can help keep young ones easily spotted in a crowd.
Making Memories That Last
A parade or festival is more than just a sequence of floats—it’s a communal moment where families, businesses, and neighbors come together to celebrate creativity, costume, and seasonal fun. For children, the experience of dressing up, walking among costumed peers, watching decorated floats, and collecting treats becomes a treasured part of Halloween tradition.
The involvement of local businesses and community groups helps embed the event in the fabric of the city. It ties trick-or-treating to a more structured community celebration, making it accessible, fun, and memorable for all age groups. With some planning and a playful spirit, families can transform a simple outing into a ritual of joy.
In the region around Des Moines, WA, Halloween 2025 offers more than the usual door-to-door routine. With the Trick-or-Treat Path along Marine View Drive and nearby parades like the Maple Leaf Halloween Parade in Seattle, families have new opportunities to engage in costume-filled community events featuring floats, booths, and business participation.
By dressing up, joining the route, and taking some simple steps to prepare—such as bringing chairs or blankets, treat-bags, snacks, and keeping safety in mind—parents and children can make the most of the festive season. Meanwhile, the businesses and vendors that decorate, sponsor, and hand out treats help turn a neighborhood into a celebration zone, weaving connections into the event.
When families, shops, and local organisations collaborate in this way, Halloween becomes more than candy—it becomes community. This year, let the seasonal spirit carry your family into a parade route of smiles, costumes, and shared memories. Happy Halloween!
Sources: waterlandblog.com, destinationdesmoines.org, allevents.in, seattlesouthside.com
Header Image Source: seattlesouthside.com
