Celebrate Halloween in the Yampa Valley with some of these fun events
Wide variety of events for all ages
For Steamboat Pilot & Today
John F. Russell/Steamboat Pilot & Today
Holidays that feature an opportunity to wear a costume have always been a big deal in the Yampa Valley and this Halloween is no different.
As the leaves fall and crisp air nips at the cheeks, residents across the valley will join together to celebrate this spooktacular holiday. Below is a summary of some of the events occurring over the holiday weekend.
Steamboat Springs
• The city’s annual Halloween Stroll will come to downtown Steamboat Springs and Lincoln Avenue on Tuesday evening with the route being closed to traffic. The Lincoln Avenue closures will go into effect as early as 4:45 p.m. on Halloween and run through approximately 8 p.m.
• Bud Werner Memorial Library, 1289 Lincoln Ave., will host a community altar for Dia De Los Muertos from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Nov. 3. A candle-lighting ceremony will be from noon- 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Participants can bring a photo or token to remember a lost loved one. There will also be an option to write a note to the deceased. Items left can be picked up from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 6 in the conference room at the library. More information can be found at SteamboatLibrary.org/events/altar2023.
• Graveyards, monsters and surprises will highlight this year’s 24th Screamboat Chamber of Horror at Colorado Mountain College. The 24th Screamboat will be from 6-10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Halloween night.
• There will be an enchanted castle from 4-6 p.m. Sunday at the Colorado Mountain College Hill Hall. Guests can enjoy a free carnival, prizes and trick-or-treating.
• Zombies will invade as Amaze’n Steamboat Presents “Zombie Invasion … A Small Town’s Nightmare!” from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Tuesday. Family day will be 2-5 p.m. Sunday featuring a “less scary” haunted maze for those easily frightened ($10), goblin golf ($10) and a combo of both for $15. The event will be behind the Chamber VIsitor Center, 125 Anglers Drive. For more, AmazenSteamboat.com.
• United Way of the Yampa Valley will host the annual Monster Mash from 6:30-10 p.m. Friday. This fun-filled event at the Steamboat Grand, 2300 Mount Werner Circle, will feature a DJ, dancing, silent auction and costume contest.
Tickets are $100 if purchased before the event or $125 at the door. The band Constant Change will be playing for attendees. There will be an antipasto bar, ice cream bar, pasta bar (with gluten-free options), build-your-own-brisket slider bar (with vegetarian options) and a wine and beer tower.
Additionally, SBNY’s orange carpet costume contest will take place along with a haunted hallway, photo booth and trick or treat games. Cocktails (vodka or gin gimlets) will be available compliments of Mythology Distillery. More information can be found at UnitedWayOfTheYampaValley.org/monster-mash/. This event is for ages 18 and up.
• The Steamboat Climbing Collective, 2673 Jacob Circle, Unit 300, will host a Halloween Headlamp Climbing Scavenger Hunt from noon-7 p.m. Sunday. Climbers are encouraged to bring a headlamp.
• The Steamboat Springs Running Series will host the Foundry Halloween 5K run and walk at 9 a.m. Saturday at Soda Creek Elementary School, 220 Park Ave. The cost for adults is $30 ($35 on race day) and $15 for those age 17 and under ($20 on race day).
Participants are encouraged to run in costume and are welcome to bring their fur-babies (provided they are leashed) to the event. There will be awards for the top three overall male and female participants, a prize drawing and an award for best costume. Refreshments and food will be on hand to cater to “fa-boo-lous” appetites. To register, go to RunningSeries.com/foundry-halloween-5k/.
• On Sunday, Snowbowl Steamboat will host a Howl-oween for people’s furry friends. A doggy costume contest will run from 2-5 p.m. and prizes will be awarded. A grand prize of a two-night stay at The Boathouse in downtown Steamboat Springs is up for grabs. Participants will be able to decorate Mountain Paw Bakery doggie treats and will also be able to make a dog paw painting. The address is 2090 Snowbowl Plaza and entry is free. For more, go to SnowbowlSteamboat.com or call 970-879-9840.
• “Frankenstein Slept Here” will be performed by The Players at Perry-Mansfield at the Julie Harris Theater on Friday and Saturday. Showtimes for each performance will be 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
Audience members of all ages are encouraged to attend the performance in costume. There will be prizes and interactive opportunities for attendees. Tickets are $20 for adults or $10 for students age 16 and under. For more, Perrymansfield.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/perrymansfield/event.jsp?event=1302.
From 4:45-8 p.m. Tuesday, Lincoln Avenue will close for the annual holiday stroll.
During the closure, vehicles and motorists will be directed to use Yampa Street and Lincoln Avenue westbound onto Oak Street. Once the event is over, Lincoln Avenue will reopen to traffic.
Traffic regulators will be stationed at the Fifth, Seventh, Eighth and 11th street intersections with barricades set up along the entry of the designated side streets. Alleyway access between the main street will be limited.
Starting Tuesday night, westbound vehicles will make a right turn onto Fifth Street, followed by a left turn onto Oak Street, before proceeding onto 11th Street and Lincoln Avenue. To facilitate smoother movement for semi-trucks, parking will not be permitted around the Fifth and Oak and 11th and Oak intersections. Also, on-street parking on Oak Street will be restricted due to the detour.
Traffic moving east will make a right turn at 11th Street, followed by a left turn onto Yampa Street. It will proceed along the seven blocks of Yampa to Fifth Street before heading back to Lincoln Avenue. There will be no parking permitted on 11th Street or at the junctions of 11th and Yampa and Fifth and Yampa.
The Soda Creek Bridge project closure will only be open for the event starting around noon in order to facilitate detour traffic plans. The Fifth Street Bridge will only remain open to northbound traffic.
Throughout the closure, temporary bus stops for westbound Steamboat Springs Transit routes will be located on Fifth Street and at Seventh, Ninth and 10th streets. For eastbound SST routes, the stops will be situated on 11th Street, as well as Ninth and Seventh streets on Yampa Street. Once Lincoln Avenue reopens, the buses will resume their regular operations.
Information about SST locations and schedules can be accessed at SteamboatSprings.net/transit or by calling 970-879-3717.
Hayden
• The United Way, Partners for Youth and Mountain Valley Bank will play host to the Hayden Hall of Horrors at the Routt County Fairgrounds. The event will be open nightly from 5-10 p.m. Saturday-Tuesday and will feature carnival games, food trucks, bounce houses and a haunted house. There will also be a gel blaster zombie survival arena.
Saturday will feature a pumpkin pie competition, a pumpkin pie eating contest and a creative pumpkin contest with judging to occur Monday. Signups for other events will also occur.
There will be another pumpkin-pie-eating contest, as well as a best pumpkin pie contest, at 8 p.m. Sunday.
On Monday, a “Worst Witch” contest will be at 9:15 p.m. Additionally, the creative pumpkin contest will be judged at 8 p.m.
Tuesday will feature trick-or-treating from 5-9 p.m. There will also be costume contests for best pet (6:30 p.m.), best kid (7 p.m.) and best adult (7:30 p.m.).
• Yampa River State Park’s Hike or Treat will take place from 1-3 p.m. Saturday (or until all the candy has disappeared). The 1.25-mile trick-or-treating loop is a fun way to get the kids (and adults) active to burn off the calories from all the Halloween treats. Nonperishable food donations will be accepted to benefit LiftUp of Routt County. For a list of food items needed, visit LiftUpRC.org/donate-food/. Those interested in volunteering at the event can call 970-276-2061 or stop by the Yampa River Headquarters visitor center at 6185 U.S. Highway 40 in Hayden.
• Alpenglow, located at the Granary, 198 E. Lincoln Ave., in Hayden, will be hosting a Halloween costume party from 3-10 p.m. Saturday. There will be awards for best human costume and best pet costume. Judging will take place at 8 p.m. Also at Alpenglow, there will be a “Witches Night Out” from 5-9 p.m. Monday.
The night of sisterhood and delights will culminate in a contest for best-dressed witch, which will come with a prize. Dance and gather around a fire while enjoying beverages (with and without alcohol), a photo booth and a march to the Hayden Hall of Horrors. Those in costume will get half-off entry at the Hayden Hall of Horrors on Monday night, where the “worst witch” contest will occur at 9:15 p.m.
• The Hayden Congregational Church, 202 E. Jefferson Ave., will offer a Trunk-or-Treat from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. This will be a fun and safe opportunity for children to gather their favorite Halloween goodies from the trunks of decorated vehicles. Those interested in volunteering to decorate their vehicle in order to hand out candy should email haydencongoffice@gmail.com.
• The Hayden Library at 201 E. Jefferson Ave. will have a Halloween fun house all day Friday. People are encouraged to come by in their costumes, play games, compete for prizes and get some treats for the entire family.
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