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Douglas Park residents have been greeted by some extra ghoulish sights this Halloween season as neighbors compete for the spookiest house in the neighborhood.

Tomorrow (Friday) is the last day to cast votes in the competition organized by Douglas Park’s new Mom Club. A total of 20 houses have registered in the contest, creating a route of spine-tingling attractions that visitors can walk in about an hour.


Around Town

Revelers who’ve been drinking can get a free ride home on both Friday and Saturday nights this Halloween weekend.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s SoberRide program will offer one free Lyft ride per person, worth up to $15, from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. this Friday (Oct. 30) and Saturday (Oct. 31). The offer is open to anyone 21 and older.


News

Arlington police staffing remains lower than desired but is improving, Police Chief Andy Penn said at a recent meeting.

“We’re still struggling with it,” Penn said of staff levels at the Oct. 13 Civic Federation meeting. “The good news is, hiring is up. I feel really positive about that.”


Around Town

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so trick-or-treaters won’t have to share the streets with rush-hour traffic.

Before the big night, Arlington and Falls Church have a full slate of costume contests, trunk-or-treats and spooky-themed events over the next two-and-a-half weeks.


Events

Gently used Halloween costumes will be available for free in Arlington at a pair of events this weekend.

Arlington Mill Community Center and the new 2700 Art Space in Green Valley are both hosting costume swap events at the following times:


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.


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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.


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