News

An annual Halloween bonfire scheduled tonight (Friday) in Madison Manor will represent a passing of the torch for the four-decade-old community tradition.

Hundreds are expected to turn out for this year’s blaze, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at Madison Manor Park (6225 12th Road N.). It will be the last hurrah for organizers James Riley and Brice Henderson, who have been hosting the fires since 1984.


Around Town

A Falls Church “toy library” will let customers borrow some toys free of charge in exchange for donations of leftover candy following Halloween.

The Toy Nest is collecting unopened candy as part of its annual candy buyback program, which loans out games, puzzles and more in exchange for sugary treats. The buyback program runs for a week, beginning the day after Halloween this Saturday.


Around Town

Halloween is Friday, bringing trick-or-treaters, free Lyft rides and lots of thematic events to Arlington.

Here’s a look at what county newcomers can expect and where to go locally on the spookiest night of the year.


Events

As brisker weather returns, the outdoor ice rink in Pentagon City is reopening Friday in advance of a free Halloween-themed skating event.

The rink at Westpost at National Landing opens for the 2025-2026 winter season at 10 a.m. on Halloween, a spokesperson told ARLnow. The next day, an event called “Thriller on Ice” will feature a DJ “spinning all your favorite Halloween tracks” from 5-8 p.m. this Saturday.


Around Town

They entered as a typical group of Arlington teens and tweens. Within 90 minutes, they had been transformed into, among others, a monster, princess, a pumpkin and a unicorn.

The metamorphosis came courtesy of Encore Stage & Studio, which on Oct. 25 hosted its first-ever Halloween-makeup workshop at Cherrydale United Methodist Church.


Events

A Falls Church sorority chapter is hosting a Halloween-themed collection event for old electronics tomorrow (Saturday).

The city’s Chi Beta Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha has planned the “Hallow-E-Waste” event, which will feature daytime trick-or-treating for kids in addition to waste collection.


News

A paranormal investigator and researcher of strange happenings in Northern Virginia is hosting a series of talks at Arlington Public Library starting today (Monday).

Alex Matsuo, the author of “Haunted Northern Virginia” and other books about supernatural mysteries and explorations, will speak about “scientific ghost hunting” at Glencarlyn Library from 6:30-7:30 p.m. today.


It’s now officially fall, and Halloween decorations are just starting to proliferate across Arlington.

While the Halloween displays in stores may start in August, pumpkins and other decor typically don’t start appearing in yards, front entrances and balconies until well into September.

But there is wide variance in when those Halloween decorations go up. Some people might get started early in September, while others wait until just before the big day in late October.

What’s the most common time to put out the spooky decorations in Arlington? Let’s find out.


Around Town

For as much as $1,450, a new local business specializing in “premium pumpkin delivery” is offering decorating jobs to porches in Arlington this season.

The Porch Parade aims to bring “effortless, discreet, and exclusive pumpkin displays” to D.C.-area porches. Andrea Samuelson, a former federal worker, co-founded the business with friend Anusha Seneviratne after their jobs were cut earlier this year.


Events

Halloween is tomorrow (Thursday), and many varieties of spooky celebration are coming to Arlington.

From a Bluemont costume parade to a “monster ball” at a Clarendon club, festivities for ghouls and goblins of all stripes are taking place starting tomorrow afternoon and continuing through Saturday.


Opinion

Anecdotally, there sure seem to be quite a few homes decorated for Halloween this year.

From strings of orange lights to animatronic ghouls to giant skeletons with wandering eyes, some homes have gone all out for the spooky season.


Around Town

We’re two days away from Halloween and for some — mostly newcomers — there may be questions about the local trick-or-treating customs in Arlington.

Unlike some places in other parts of the country, Arlington does not designate an official day and time for trick-or-treating. Instead, the annual, costumed candy-gathering spree takes place on Halloween — Thursday, Oct. 31 this year — and starts shortly before sunset.


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