Submitted by Rachel Verinis, HKYFS
(September 30, 2026) — Costumes, candy, creative trunks, spooky surprises, and a whole lot of community spirit are coming together for one of HKYFS’s most fun family events of the year. On Saturday, October 17, 2026, families are invited to the HKYFS Fall Fest and Trunk or Treat at the Haddam Killingworth High School for an evening designed to feel like a giant neighborhood Halloween celebration.
This year, families can expect more than 26 decorated trunks created by community members, local sports teams, local businesses, volunteer organizations, and community leaders. These are not your average trunks!! Kids can keep an eye out for Candy Land, a giant gumball machine, a Day of the Dead display, a fortune teller, Disney zombies, a crazy cat lady, and even an alchemy and potions-themed setup just to name a few. Some trunks will hand out candy, while others are planning fun surprises like pencils, sticky hands, spider rings, and other treats.
The new setup is meant to give families the feel of walking through a neighborhood trick-or-treating together as they make their way around the HKHS circle of Trunks. Be sure to start by coming through the main entrance area under the START line. Give a quick hello to the HKYFS staff, play games, and do not forget to grab your scavenger hunt card for some extra fun!
And there is more than candy waiting around the corner. The HK High School Community Service Club will be bringing some kid-friendly spooks to the night, while HKYFS will have activities and family fun happening throughout the event. The goal is simple: create a safe, welcoming, high-energy evening where kids can have fun and families can enjoy being together. Delicious concessions and snacks will be available for sale.
What makes Fall Fest truly special is the way so many people come together to make it happen. This event is powered by our community, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who has already stepped up to help. Families and community members are decorating trunks, local teams and businesses are joining in support, students are volunteering their time, and neighbors have been dropping off candy donations throughout the community. Every person who contributes helps create a fun, welcoming, and memorable night for local families.
Candy donations are still needed. Please drop off any donations at one of HKYFS’s community donation locations leading up to the event. Every bag helps keep those 28+ trunks stocked and ready for hundreds of excited trick-or-treaters. Additionally, candy donations also supply the annual Boo-Fest Halloween Event put on by the wonderful Beechwood Community on Halloween Night.
For HKYFS, Fall Fest is about more than Halloween. It is about creating a space where kids see familiar faces, families run into neighbors, local organizations show up for one another, and the whole community gets to share a little fun together. So, pick out the costumes, grab the treat bags, and get ready for a night full of surprises.
HKYFS Fall Fest & Trunk or Treat will be held Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the HKYFS/HK High School campus in Higganum. Admission is free, donations are welcome. HKYFS is also partnering with the Killingworth Women’s Organization to help support their HK Backpack Program. Please consider bringing one of the following items to be sure they can support families each and every weekend: cereal boxes, soup, shelf stable milk, spaghetti-os/Chef Boyardee.
