Hood River Harvest Festival Decorating A Room For Halloween Party

Set the Scene

Get your haunted house ready for the festivities by decorating any areas where guests will gather, including outdoor spaces. But be sure to adjust the scare factor based on what age groups will attend. If only adults are on the guest list, scare it up, but if kids — particularly small children — will attend, nix the blood and gore and keep the decorations family-friendly. Our printables, like this free banner, scary-good cocktails, DIY kids' crafts and our best Halloween decorating ideas, below, will help you set the scene in a way that all ages can enjoy.

See More Photos: Our 100 Favorite Halloween Decorating Ideas

Make It Treat-tastic for Kids

Move over grown-up charcuterie, your young guests' jaws will drop when they see this cookie-cuterie you magicked up just for them. Our instructions, below, walk you through each delicious step.

get the recipe: How to Make a Skeleton Cookie Charcuterie Board for Halloween

Serve Adult-Friendly Fare, Too

Lay out a spread of sweet and savory nibbles so each guest can choose flavors to please their palate. Menu items to consider: vegetarian and cheese-based dips that can be served at room temperature, crudité, fresh fruit, assorted nuts, and the always-popular charcuterie and cheese board. Best of all: Serving buffet style frees you up so you can join your guests in partying like the undead. Get more tips for hosting like a pro, below.

See More Photos: Party Like a Pro: Our 55 Fave Entertaining Ideas

Decor: Pick a Palette

Limiting your decor's color palette to just a few shades creates a look that's perfectly pulled together. For our Halloween mantel, we chose black and white and shades of orange. Metallics are a must for any well-styled vignette, so mix in copper, gold or silver for an added touch of glam. Get more of our best Halloween decorating tips, below.

See More Photos: Our 100 Favorite Halloween Decorating Ideas

Don't Forget to Deck Out the Outdoors

A decorated front porch signals to guests that they're in for a ghoulishly good time before they even enter the party. Whether you opt to keep your decor kid-friendly or terror-inducing, be sure to include several sources of illumination, like battery-operated candles or mini lights, to light the way to the festivities. Get more of our best ideas for haunting your front porch, below.

See More Photos: 73 Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Halloween

Host a Kids' Costume Party

Hands down, Halloween is one of the most anticipated holidays for kids. Celebrate this Hallowed Eve by inviting your favorite little ghouls over for a fun get-together. Ask the kids to come dressed in their best Halloween finery and treat them to a spooky spread. Get tips, free printables, menu suggestions and even easy costume ideas to make throwing a costume party child's play, below.

See More Photos: Host a Halloween Costume Party

Keep the Guest List Adults Only

Truth be told, many adults love Halloween just as much as (or maybe even more than) kids. If only adults will be in attendance, you can make the party's decor and mood a bit darker. Also, make it easy for your guests to get their boos with a self-service bar area. A bewitching project to try? Learn how to magic up our DIY wine cauldron, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Party Magic: Make a Wicked Wine Cauldron + Ghostly Garnishes

Or, Plan for Guests of All Ages

When planning your party, pick activities and menu items that will keep everyone happy. If babies and small kids will attend, avoid super-scary surprises and provide plenty of easy-to-eat small bites. Learn how to make this cute mom-and-baby kangaroo costume, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make a Matching Mom and Baby Kangaroo Costume

Set Up This Easy Game Outdoors

Weather permitting, set up some Halloween games outside. Spreading your party out onto the back patio, deck or even into the yard will give guests more areas to mingle and prevent everyone from just crowding around the buffet. Get our tips for setting up a pumpkin tic-tac-toe board, below, then check out our full list of DIY Halloween game ideas for endless hours of frightful fun.

learn more: 3 DIY Pumpkin-Themed Yard Games for Fall Fun

Or, Play With Your Food Indoors

Here's a game that's easy to set up and kids will love playing. All you need are sandwich cookies and a plate for each child. Have the kids compete to see who can stack the most cookies in one minute — without the cookies falling over. Time them to keep the game fair, and have small prizes on hand to reward the winners. Get more crowd-pleasing game ideas, below.

See More Photos: 31 Fun Halloween Party Games for Kids and Adults

Serve Frighteningly Fun Foods

See More Photos: 60 Sweet & Salty Halloween Snacks

And, Don't Forget the Drinks

Spending the night disguised as a superhero, fairy princess or member of the undead is hard work for a kid; help them hydrate by stocking a tub with plenty of ice and their favorite sodas, milk and juices. Give your tub a quick and easy makeover with a costume of its own: a friendly monster. Learn how with our step-by-step instructions, below.

get the how-to: DIY a Friendly Monster Party Tub for Halloween

Adults Only: Magic Up Potent Potables

See More Photos: 50 Scary-Good Halloween Cocktails

For Kids: Serve Sinister Sips

Give storebought bottles of fruit-flavored soda an easy Halloween update with our printable bottle wraps. Complete the look by tying color-coordinated striped paper straws to each bottle with baker's twine.

But, Always Serve Safely

Dry ice + Halloween parties = a match made in hosting heaven — but you must use this subzero substance safely. Get all our tips for spooking up your monster mash without getting burned. Learn how to safely use dry ice by following all our tips, below.

learn more: Learn How to Safely Use Dry Ice This Halloween

Add Fun Surprises for Kids

Let the kids kick off the party with a bang (literally!) with English-style crackers or other interactive games and activities. Check out a few more Halloween party games for all ages, below.

See More Photos: 31 Fun Halloween Party Games for Kids and Adults

And Boo-ey Brews for Adults

Help adult guests get their boo(ze) on this Halloween by giving a standard beverage tub a monstrous Halloween makeover, then use it to create a chilling effect by icing down adults'-only sips.

get the how-to: Easily Dress Up a Party Tub for Sinister Halloween Sips

Don a Costume Yourself

No costume ideas? Gnome problem! With a few common craft materials and everyday clothing items, you can quickly transform yourself and your plus one into the perfect garden-guarding pair. Get more easy ways to dress up you and your boo, below.

See More Photos: 40 Couple's Costume Ideas For You and Your BOO!

And, Don't Forget Your Best Friend

Pets are family, so be sure to include them in your Halloween party plans. Let outgoing pets join in the fun by dressing in costume; alternatively, provide a safe, quiet place away from the hubbub for pets who are timid around strangers, afraid of loud noises or are not feeling well. Learn how to craft a cute but comfy costume for your furry best friend, below.

See More Photos: DIY Pet Costumes for Halloween

Weather Permitting: Take the Party Outside

Be the coolest house on the block this Halloween by using dollar store scores to turn a pop-up canopy into a friendly monster that's stocked with grab-and-go snacks and beverages for both adults and the littlest trick-or-treaters. Get all our tips, below.

get the how-to: Monster Up a Pop-Up Canopy for Outdoor Halloween Fun

And Create a Cozy Spot to Gather

Depending on where you live, All Hallows' Eve may be warm and balmy or downright chilly. Don't let spine-tingling temps ruin your fright-night fun. Cozy up outdoor furniture with heavy throws and, if you have a fire pit, light it up to give guests a snug spot for outdoor convo and cocktails, or position it adjacent to a kids' play area so parents can keep an eye on their little ghouls.

See More Photos: Cozy Fire Pit Tips and Design Tricks for Fall and Winter

DIY Favors: Send Kids Home Happy

After all, who doesn't love a homemade caramel apple? And to really take these fall favorites over the top, we rolled the freshly dipped treats in everyone's other favorite Halloween treat: candy — and lots of it! Get our tips, below, for whipping these up, then hand them out to departing guests as a tasty take-home party favor.

get the recipe: How to Make Caramel Apples Dipped in Halloween Candy

And Send Adults Home With a Boozy Favor

Give your best ghoul friends a buzz-worthy parting present. Here's how: F old, then cut out our free printable tag, create a hole in the top using a hole punch, nail or awl, and slide through some colorful baker's twine or ribbon, then loop around a tasty bottle of vino. Voila — gifting simplified — no spell-casting required. Get more free printables and gift ideas for boo-ing your nearest and dearest, below.

See More Photos: 15 DIY Ways to Boo + Boo-ze Your Favorite Fiends This Halloween

Involve Everyone in a Scavenger Hunt

Looking to scare away boredom this Halloween? Download and print our free neighborhood scavenger hunt that guests of all ages will enjoy. Then, head outdoors in small groups and set out on foot to find as many of the items as possible within a set time limit. The team with the most items crossed off wins a small prize when they return to the party. Get our free printable scavenger hunt sheets, below.

learn more: Free, Printable Halloween Scavenger Hunts

Or, Craft This Fun Carnival-Style Game

Entertain trick-or-treaters or Halloween partygoers of all ages with this DIY game of chance. Felt jack-o'-lantern flaps (instead of paper that would tear) and an open back make it easy to reload the game with candy and small toys to keep the fun going. Construct your own with our step-by-step instructions, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Party Game: Pumpkin Pickin'

Let Them Unleash Their Creativity

Part activity, part decoration and all fun, allowing young guests to carve their own mini pumpkin (with supervision from a crafty adult) to take home is a creative way to keep them happily crafting and, after all, who doesn't love carving a Halloween pumpkin? Want to take your pumpkin game up from a basic Jack? Check out our favorite (and free!) easy pumpkin-carving templates, below.

See More Photos: Beginner Halloween Pumpkin-Carving Ideas With Templates

Or, Show Off Your Own

If your makeup skills are Instaworthy and you're ready to try your hand at pro-level face paint, a neighborhood Halloween party could be the perfect place to show off your skills. Be inspired to try out a new look with one of our masterful makeup-only costumes, below.

See More Photos: 40 Face Paint & Makeup-Only Halloween Costumes

Tempt Them With Treats

In addition to the obvious Halloween kid-pleaser — sweets, sweets and more sweets! — mix in a few healthy treats like these monster apples to temper the sugar rush. Learn how to make them, below.

get the recipe: Halloween Treat: Healthy Monster Apples

Then, Sap Their Sugar Buzz

Interactive games, like this Halloween version of musical chairs, keep your littlest guests entertained while helping them burn off a bit of the candy they've certainly consumed. Get more ideas for Halloween activities and games, below.

See More Photos: 31 Fun Halloween Party Games for Kids and Adults

Boo on a Budget

Throwing a kids' Halloween party doesn't have to be a terrifying prospect for your bank account. Take our cue and dress up black and white party goods with colorful washi tape and strings of pom-poms, as we have here. Get even more budget-friendly Halloween decorating ideas, below.

See More Photos: 60 Halloween Dollar Store Hacks That Give You More Boo For Your Buck

Or, Scare Up Items You Already Have

The cheapest Halloween decor? Giving stuff you already have a temporarily terrifying makeover before guests arrive. For instance, turn scrap wood into a gaggle of ghosts by painting each piece white, adding spunky poltergeist features, then distressing with a hand sander for a well-worn look. Get more tips for turning everyday into holiday, below.

See More Photos: Say No to New: Scare Up What You Have This Halloween, Instead

Set Up an Outdoor Trick-or-Treat Station

Weather permitting, bring a lightweight table or shelf outside and fill it with an assortment of kids' favorite treats packaged using one of our free printable templates. Have adults on hand to make sure everyone gets their fair share and with cameras at the ready to snap photos of the neighborhood kids enjoying the spread. Get more tips for setting up a candy station, below.

See More Photos: Halloween Trick-or-Treat Candy Station

Or, an Indoor Photo Booth

Hit the party store for inexpensive streamers to create a photo-ready backdrop, then use your cellphone and a selfie stick to document the fright-night fun.

Upcycle Empty Bottles Into a Game

In less time than it takes to watch your favorite scary movie, you can turn empty water bottles and inexpensive mailing tubes into a Halloween party game that kids of all ages will love. Get crafting with our free printable template and step-by-step instructions, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Party Game: Snake Eyes

Turn Empty Cans Into These Fun Favors

These adorable treat cans make upcycling look good! Kids will love helping you craft the cans as much as they will devouring their sweet contents. Make one for each Halloween guest, then send them home with the kids as party favors.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Party Favor: Mummy Candy Cans

Offer Some Healthy Snacks

See More Photos: 60 Sweet & Salty Halloween Snacks

And Some Hearty Ones, Too

Keep the Halloween hangries at bay with these yummy mummy empanadas that are sure to keep monsters — both big and small — on their best behavior. Get more monstrous menu ideas at the link, below.

See More Photos: 60 Sweet & Salty Halloween Snacks

Take Storebought Cupcakes Up a Notch

Our free printable cupcake toppers make it a snap to give bakery cupcakes a customized, baked-just-for-you look. And check out even more free (free!) Halloween printables, below.

100+ Printable (and Free!) Halloween Templates

Give Brownies a Candy Corn Makeover

Concentric rings of colored sugar give dense, chocolatey brownies a candy corn costume, just in time for Halloween. Get the recipe, plus download our free printable template that makes the tricolor effect a snap, below.

get the recipe: Halloween Treat: Candy-Corn Brownies Recipe

Turn a Pumpkin Into a Serving Dish

Cut a faux pumpkin in half to create a cute lidded container for serving Halloween candy. The waterproof foam interior also makes these a great cooler when filled with ice and beverages. Get all our tips, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Pumpkin Candy Dish

Point the Way to the Party

Give trick-or-treaters and Halloween party guests a (slight!) scare with this smaller-than-life-size headless horseman figure. Place his jack-o'-lantern head in one hand and a sign leading the way to the festivities in the other. Add a little character to your front porch with our free template and step-by-step instructions, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make a Headless Horseman Figure for Halloween

And, Be Sure to Light the Path

Spookify your front walk or driveway with these DIY paper jack-o'-lantern luminaries. To start, cut paper bags into a collection of smiling, scowling and sinister faces, then lay out a long strand of icicle holiday string lights as your base. Cut holes in the bottom of the paper bags and insert a bulb or two into the bottom of each bag to set their crooked grins aglow.

Halloween Game: Craft a Candy Corn Piñata

What's Halloween without the candy, right? Construct this colorful piñata to serve as both a party decoration and a crowd-pleasing game for your Halloween guests. Get started with our free templates and step-by-step instructions, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Candy Corn Pinata for Halloween

Hang Out With a Few Friendly Bats

These friendly foam bats are a snap to craft. Made using our free printable template and inexpensive foam sheets, they're a weatherproof decoration you can display indoors or out.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Kids' Craft: Hanging Foam Bats

Party Favor: Trick-or-Treat Tote Bags

Trick-or-treating is serious business for kids. Use one of our three free printable templates to help them turn an inexpensive canvas tote bag into a cute carryall to stash their candy haul. Get complete step-by-step instructions, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Kids' Craft: Glittered Trick-or-Treat Bags

Gather the Ghouls

What would a party be without a cute invite, right? A few weeks before your monster mash, mail or hand-deliver this printable chevron invitation. Fill in the details so guests come ready for the frightful festivities. Download more of our free Halloween printables, below.

learn more: 100+ Printable (and Free!) Halloween Templates

Plan a Plot

Whether you choose to add funny sayings or be deathly serious with traditional designs, our tips, below, show you how to turn inexpensive foam sheets into realistic-looking grave markers.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make Foam Halloween Tombstones

Halloween Game: Ghost Marshmallow Toss

Get a little help from the kiddos to craft this easy party game. You need just a few inexpensive supplies and our free printable to craft a Halloween game that'll keep kids happily occupied for hours. Learn how to set up the game, plus download the point circles below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Party Game: Marshmallow Toss

Let Kids Help With the Decorations

SEE MORE: 80+ Halloween Kids' Crafts

Party Favor: Sweet-and-Salty Snack Mix

Pretzels and white chocolate-covered popcorn combine with M&M's for a crunchable snack your Halloween guests won't be able to get enough of. Add our free printable labels to cut-down brown paper lunch bags, then fill with this addictive mix for a budget-friendly (and crowd-pleasing!) party favor.

GET THE RECIPE: Sweet and Salty Halloween Snack Mix

Halloween Game: Pin the Spider on the Web

Whether you're expecting a houseful of Halloween guests or are just looking for an activity to keep the kids entertained, this fun-to-craft game is one they can help you assemble then play on their own for hours. Learn how to make a yarn web and download printable spiders, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Pin the Spider on the Web Halloween Party Game

Cast a Spell With These Clever Place Cards

Made from a twig, raffia and a scrap of paper, these diminutive brooms add an enchanting touch to a sophisticated Halloween soiree, plus they're a fun party favor that guests can take with them.

GET THE HOW-TO: Witch's Broom Halloween Place Card Holders

Set Up a Devilishly Delish Snack Table

Keep guests refreshed with a snack station where they can help themselves. For an easy decoration, print, then cut out our free bat templates and attach them to the wall above the table; place the largest bats near the bottom and smallest bats at the top for a trompe l'oeil effect. Get even more free printables (over 100!), below.

learn more: 100+ Printable (and Free!) Halloween Templates

Halloween Game: Toss the Spider on the Web

Party Favor: Put Chocolate Under Wraps

Kids love candy bars — after all, who doesn't? For a super simple party favor, use one of our printable designs to give a classic candy bar a Halloween makeover. Just print either the orange stripe template or black stripe template onto standard copier paper, cut out the design and use double-sided tape to attach the Halloween wrapper to a chocolate bar.

Haunt the Front Porch

See More Photos: 73 Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Halloween

Light the Way to the Party

Fill clear buckets or cylindrical glass vases with battery-operated tea lights and sand to easily craft kid-safe, fireproof luminaries to light up your Halloween celebrations. Make your own with our instructions, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Jack-o'-Lantern Luminaries

A Tasty Favor Kids Can Craft

Combining a creative craft project with sweet + salty treats, these pretzel skeletons are sure to make your smallest Halloween party guests smile. Set up a craft table for the kids; stock it with a few inexpensive grocery- and craft-store materials then let the kids make (then munch!) their own edible character.

GET THE HOW-TO: Halloween Kids' Craft: Pretzel Skeletons

Halloween Game: Follow the Ball

This classic game with a Halloween twist is a low-cost, fuss-free way to provide tons of fun for the kiddos. Just add eyes to 3 white paper cups so they resemble ghosts. Give kids a marble or gumball and show them how to play the game with a partner by hiding the ball under one of the ghosts, moving the ghosts around, then having their partner guess which ghost has the ball. Check out even more Halloween game ideas for guests of all ages, below.

See More Photos: 31 Fun Halloween Party Games for Kids and Adults

Party Favor: Glittered Treat Bags

Give plain muslin bags a custom touch with one of our 4 free printable patterns. These little sacks are just the right size to give out as party favors, take to the kids at school or use to surprise your favorite trick-or-treaters. See the full tutorial and download printable templates, below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Glittered Halloween Party Favor Bags

Throw a Cupcake Decorating Party

Let them eat cake — cupcakes that is. A Halloween cupcake decorating party is the perfect not-scary theme for all ages. With a little help from an adult, kids can top prebaked cupcakes with their favorite flavor of icing and assorted Halloween-themed candies. Our free printable invites, cupcake toppers and favors put the finishing touch on this (sweet!) party.

See More Photos: Throw a Halloween Cupcake-Decorating Party