Skeleton Festival
Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 2 – 5 PM
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance is thrilled to host it’s pre-Halloween celebrations, Skeleton Festival! This family-friendly festival will feature trick-or-treating, costume contests, Sip & Stroll, and more as we welcome spooky season with our community.
Presented By
Featured Activities
- Trick-or-Treating at 40+ downtown businesses
- Costume Contest
- Sip & Stroll
- Dia de los Muertos Plaza
- Sensory-Friendly Activities and a Low Sensory Trick-or-Treating Hour
TRICK-OR-TREAT
Give your family plenty of time to pick up candy before the costume contest and pumpkin showdown begin on Court Square by starting your trick-or-treat adventure on Liberty & Mason Street businesses during this pre-festival promotion.
Participating Liberty and Mason Street businesses will be giving out treat bags to the first 30 visitors at each location starting at 1 PM! Treat bags will be filled with toys, candy and possibly $10 Downtown Dollars inside! First come, first served while supplies last!
Trick-or-treating will continue until 5 PM with other participating businesses giving out candy starting at 2 PM. There are over 40 businesses handing out candy this year, check back soon for the official candy map and grab a print copy from HDR info booth on Court Square on Saturday, October 19.
COSTUME CONTEST
Come to Skeleton Festival dressed your best and sign up for the in-person costume contest on the Court Square lawn! This competition is open to all ages (and species!). A judging committee will select the winners of the following categories.
CATEGORIES
Pet
Pre-K (under 5)
Elementary School (5 – 11 years old)
Middle/High School (11 – 18 years old)
Adult (18+ years old)
Duo/ Group
How to Enter
To enter, sign up at Court Square on the day of the event. The costume contest will be taking place from ~3:30 – 4:30 PM.
HDR reserves the right to disqualify contestants. Fraudulent activities and inappropriate submissions will be monitored and lead to disqualification.
SIP & STROLL
Sip & Stroll is an element of our events that replaces the usual beer garden. Adults aged 21+ can purchase a beer, wine, or cocktails at a participating brewery, cidery, or restaurant and enjoy it while strolling downtown.
Click on the button below to learn more about how Sip & Stroll works, view participating locations, and preview seasonal drink specials that will be available during the event.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS PLAZA
Head on over to the “Jimmy Madison’s” parking lot to learn about Dia de los Muertos, in collaboration with Virginia Organizing. Featuring a community ofrenda, pop-up market, kids crafts, and photo op.
THE SPOOKIEST AFTER-PARTY
Join The Loft at Liberty St. as they transform its space into Isadora Nightshade’s curiously creepy mansion. Dance the night away under the spell of DJ Ryan Clark, enjoy frightfully delicious bites, and a cash bar of boo-zy potions. Visit the fortune teller, get a vintage photo, and don your best costume–Isadora will be watching! This is going to be one legendary party! Ages 21+
As part of our Celebrating Good Event Series, a portion of the night’s proceeds go to support the good work of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance.
Skeleton Fest would not be possible without the support of our generous sponsors!
Are You Interested in Being a Sponsor for this Event Next Year?
We are no longer accepting sponsorship and vendor requests for this year’s Skeleton Festival, but we are happy to talk about sponsorships for next fall! Interested? Send us an email at hdr@harrisonburgva.gov.