How to Celebrate Halloween in Delaware

Haunted houses, bar loops, trick-or-treating, "Punkin Chunkin" are all activities that come to mind when discussing Halloween in Delaware. The nation's first state may be on the small side, but Delawareans certainly know how to party with ghost and goblins!

Instructions

1. Head down to Sussex County for the annual "Punkin Chunkin" event. If you've never been to this uniquely Delaware festival, where locals use their own mechanical contraptions to hurl pumpkins as far as possible, you don't know what you're missing. The event is located at Chaplins Chapel Road in Bridgeville. "Punkin Chunkin" is a three-day festival featuring three "chunkin" competitions, concerts, rides, food vendors, marching bands and cooking contests. The festival ends on Sunday with a closing ceremony honoring the new World Champion of Punkin Chunkin.

2. Don a Halloween costume and spend a night out on the town by participating in Wilmington's Halloween Loop. This annual event, held the Saturday before Halloween, has been a favorite of local bar patrons since 1980. A free shuttle connects 17 bars in North Wilmington for the duration of the evening. Participating bars include Union Tavern, Gallucios, Dead Presidents, Timothy's on the Waterfront, Kelly's Logan House and Blue Parrot. A wristband costs $10 and is necessary to enter all participating bars the night of the loop.Shuttles start running at 8:15 pm and continue until 1:30 am. (Last call in Delaware is 1:00 am.) Patrons can park their cars and purchase wristbands at the first venue they visit. Wristbands are available for sale starting at 7:00 pm the evening of the loop.

3. Provide the neighborhood kids with candy by participating in trick-or-treating. Late October weather in Delaware usually isn't terribly cold, and lots of people sit outside on their front steps and hand out candy to costumed children. It's a great chance to talk to your neighbors and enjoy the crisp fall evening air. And it certainly beats hearing the doorbell ring all night long!

4. Scare yourself silly by visiting a haunted house. Middletown's Frightland amusement park is open until the weekend after Halloween and offers haunted attractions, rides, games, food, a haunted hayride and live bands. Admission to all the attractions and carnival rides is $30.

Tips & Warnings

• Even if it's just a matter of donning a clown wig or cat ears, dress up for Halloween. Most people participating in the Halloween Loop do wear costumes, and holidays are usually much more fun if you play along.

• If you participate in the Halloween Loop, plan your course so your last stop is within walking distance of your home or car. It's difficult to catch a bus across town after midnight.

Resources

• Punkin Chunkin
• Wilmington City Loop Series
• Frightland