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Fun Ways to Celebrate Halloween 2020 in Omaha

By October 7, 2020April 5th, 2023Community
family-doing-fun-halloween-activity

We’re celebrating Halloween 2020 style this year! Dr. Nathan Hawley knows firsthand how exciting Halloween is for families and how important it is to celebrate the creativity and inspiration that comes with it. That’s why we’ve rounded up our favorite ideas for marking the occasion with fun ways to celebrate Halloween this year. Check our top 10 fun ways to celebrate Halloween in Omaha as a family safely – outside and at home!  

Head to an Omaha Area Pumpkin Patch and then Decorate Your Pumpkins

Pumpkins are a Halloween must-have! There are a lot of pumpkin patches in Omaha and the surrounding area to choose from. Some of our favorites include Vala’s Pumpkin Patch in Gretna, Bellevue Berry and Pumpkin Ranch in Papillion, as well as Markman Pumpkin Patch and Wenninghoff’s Farm, both in Omaha. Take advantage of the different attractions and events, let the kids pick some pumpkins and then have a family pumpkin carving and decorating night to ring in Halloween at home. 

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Watch a Family-Friendly, Spooky Movie Outdoors at Ditmars Orchard & Vineyard19475 225th St., Council Bluffs, IA

Ditmar’s Orchard & Vineyard is celebrating Halloween 2020 in the Omaha area with Friday family movie nights. The free outdoor events offer plenty of space for families to socially distance. In October, they’ll be showing Halloween flicks at dusk. Bring your own chairs and blankets and get cozy while you watch a movie. Check out their Facebook page for approximate start times each week. The schedule is as follows:

    • October 9 (6:50pm) – Hocus Pocus
    • October 16 (6:40pm) – The Nightmare Before Christmas
    • October 23 (6:30pm) – Goosebumps
    • October 30 (6:20pm) – Ghostbusters

Do Some Halloween Baking

Baking spooky treats is always one of the best Halloween ideas! Either have a low-key day of baking together as a family or, if you want to add a little more excitement and your kids are old enough, take a page from The Great British Bake Off. Set up stations with ingredients and give kids a time limit to bake and decorate their best Halloween desserts. You could also provide them with already baked but undecorated cookies or cupcakes and let them tap into their creativity and decorate them. Here’s a whole list of Halloween baking ideas from Country Living

Go on a Treasure Hunt at Hitchcock Haunted Hollow – Hitchcock Nature Center, 27792 Ski Hill Loop, Honey Creek, IA

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Hitchcock Haunted Hollow is one of the beloved Omaha area Halloween events and it will be held this year with a few changes in place to keep attendees safe. You can see the updated rules and COVID guidelines here. Have the kids dress up in their costumes and head to Hitchcock Nature Center on Saturday, October 17 between 1 and 4pm to pick up treasure hunt materials. You’ll take your clues with you on the trails as you try to find the answers. There will be different routes based on age and skill level. Admission is $5 per person age four and over. Online pre-registration is requested. 

Trick-or-Treat With the Farm Animals at Gifford Farm – Gifford Farm Education Center, 700 Camp Gifford Rd., Bellevue, NE

On Saturday, October 17 from 10am to 3pm, Gifford Farm Education Center will host an outdoor Halloween event in Bellevue. Kids can trick-or-treat with the animals and take part in a variety of activities. Costumes are encouraged, of course. Admission is $5 for each trick or treater (accompanying adults are free). The rain date is October 24 from 10am to 3pm. The farm is planning on announcing some changes due to the coronavirus soon. Stay tuned here for updates. 

Boo! Your Neighbors

 “You’ve Been Booed!” is one of our favorite Halloween ideas and it’s perfect for celebrating Halloween 2020. It’s kind of like a Halloween version of a Secret Santa. Put together a little basket of Halloween goodies (think candy, snacks, stickers, crafts, etc.) with a small sign that says “You’ve been booed!’ and instructions for the recipient to place the sign in their window and pass on the cheer by boo’ing another neighbor. Kids will love leaving the basket on a neighbor’s porch, ringing their doorbell and running. The Littles & Me has adorable, free, downloadable printables you can use.

Attend the 2020 Baseballoween – Werner Park, 12356 Ballpark Way, Papillion, NE 

The annual Papillion Halloween event Baseballoween will return for its ninth year. The free, family-friendly celebration will be held at Werner Park on Friday, October 23 from 3 to 8pm. Since the number of attendees has to be limited, time slots must be reserved in advance (the final time slot is at 7:45pm). You can reserve time. The outdoor event will include trick-or-treating and a variety of Halloween activities. 

Check Out the Boo Drive-Thru at Oak View Mall – Oak View Mall, 3001 S. 144th Street, Omaha, NE

Oak View Mall and the YMCA are putting on a COVID-friendly, Omaha Halloween event with their Boo Drive-Thru on Friday, October 23 from 6 to 8:30pm. Decorate your car, don your costumes and drive through the festive Halloween decorations. You’ll also receive a treat bag with a take-home craft that’s appropriate for kids 12 and under, as well as offers and discounts to Oak View Mall stores and restaurants. Admission is free but be sure to reserve a treat bag ahead of time by registering here. Entrance to the event is at the West Center Road and Oak View Drive entrance. 

Enjoy Spooktacular Displays at the Great Halloween Drive Thru – The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St., Omaha, NE 

The Durham Museum and several other community organizations are putting on the Great Halloween Drive Thru, an amazing, free Omaha Halloween event on Tuesday, October 27 from 5 to 8pm. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes and decorate their cars for the festivities, which will be held in the museum’s parking lot. You’ll drive through different themed stations like the Wild West Saloon and the Zombie Zone while collecting treats and prizes along the way. There will also be a Halloween laser light show that you can watch from the comfort of your car. Registration isn’t required. Vehicles can enter the drive thru from the museum’s lower level parking deck at 9th and Leavenworth Streets. 

Go to Toddler Trick-or-Treat Outside of Sump Memorial Library – Sump Memorial Library, 222 N. Jefferson St., Papillion, NE

Sump Memorial Library is hosting its annual Toddler Trick-or-Treat in Papillion for kids birth to age five on Friday, October 30 from 10am to 12n. Join in for music, candy and toys. Following COVID-19 guidelines, the event will be outdoors right outside of the library and staff will be wearing face masks and gloves when distributing toys and treats. Halloween costumes and face masks are also encouraged for guests. 

We hope you loved our ideas of fun ways to celebrate Halloween this year, whether it’s out and about in the Omaha area or at home. If you’re also interested in getting a boo-tiful smile this fall (sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves), schedule a complimentary in-person or virtual consultation at Hawley Orthodontics for yourself or your child!