Free community event · Springfield, VA
Trunk or Treat
Saturday, October 17 5:00 to 7:00 PM
Two hours of carnival games, treats and costumes in our parking lot on Selger Drive, and at 6:30 the decorated trunks open for candy. Register your family, come in costume, and bring a few canned goods for ECHO if you can, so the night feeds local families too.
Free to attend. Please register everyone coming with you so we can plan candy, parking and food.
- Freefor the whole family
- About 500neighbors came last year
- 5 to 7 PMhome by bedtime
An easy night out, two weeks before Halloween
Parents, you know how Halloween night goes: dark streets, a toddler who is done after four houses, and a big kid who wants to go farther than you do. Trunk or Treat is the easy version. The first hour and a half is carnival games, face painting and treats. At 6:15 the kids parade around the block in costume, and at 6:30 our church family pops the trunks and the baskets fill up. You stay in one place, talk with other parents, and head home by seven.
Last year about 500 of our neighbors came, and we are planning for more this year. Registering your family takes about a minute and tells us how much candy, food and parking to prepare. We would love to know you by name before you arrive.
What's waiting in the parking lot
Decorated trunks
At 6:30 the trunks open, car after car, and the kids fill their baskets with candy and trinkets. Friendly themes, nothing frightening.
Bounce house
A place to burn off the first round of sugar.
Carnival games
Running from 5:00, with a few aimed at the 9 to 14 crowd who think they are too old for this.
Popcorn, cotton candy, s’mores
Made on the spot by our volunteers and handed out free. The s’mores station runs the whole two hours.
Face painting
Pick a design and hold still (mostly).
Costume parade
At 6:15 the kids line up and march around the block together. Grownups are welcome to walk too.
Kona Ice and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee
Both are parked on site, one for the kids and one for the grownups who are on their feet for two hours.
Giveaway drawings
Free prize drawings through the evening. Nothing to buy, no tickets to sell.
A double blessing
Bring a few cans, feed a neighbor
South Run partners with ECHO, which puts food and basic supplies into the hands of families facing hardship right here in Springfield and Burke. This year Trunk or Treat is also a food drive. If you can, bring a few canned goods, and our team will point you to the ECHO collection spot when you arrive.
It is entirely optional. The night is free either way, and everything you bring goes to a family in our own community.
ECHO’s most needed
- Rice
- Dried or canned beans
- Lentils
- Canned fruit
- Low-sugar cereal
- Canned tomatoes
- Pasta sauce
- Shelf-stable milk
- Crackers
- Cooking oil
Please bring items unopened, unexpired and in their original packaging, and skip anything perishable. ECHO’s list changes, so check their page for the latest.
How the evening goes
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5:00PM
Games and treats open
Carnival games, the bounce house, face painting, s’mores, popcorn and cotton candy. Come whenever you can.
-
6:15PM
Costume parade
The kids line up and march around the block together. The cheering section is welcome too.
-
6:30PM
Trunks open
The decorated trunks pop open just as the sun sets, and the baskets fill up.
-
7:00PM
Good night
Last candy of the evening, and everyone heads home.
Good to know
- Is it free?
- Yes. The candy, carnival games, bounce house, face painting, s’mores, popcorn, cotton candy and giveaway drawings are all free. Kona Ice and Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee are visiting vendors.
- When do the trunks open?
- At 6:30. The first ninety minutes are games, treats and the costume parade, so come early and stay for the candy.
- Do we need to RSVP?
- No, walk-ins are welcome. An RSVP takes about a minute, helps us plan how much candy to bring, and lets us email you if the weather changes our plans.
- Should we wear costumes?
- Please do, grownups too. Our trunks keep things friendly rather than frightening, so the littlest trick-or-treaters feel at home.
- Where do we park?
- Our parking team will point you to a spot when you arrive. Trunks take up part of the lot, so give yourself a few extra minutes.
- What should we bring?
- A bag or bucket for candy, a camping chair if you want a seat, and a flashlight or glow stick. The sun sets right as the trunks open, and a little light helps small trick-or-treaters stay easy to spot.
- Is there anything for older kids?
- A few of the carnival games are aimed at ages 9 to 14, and the costume parade is for everyone.
- What if the weather turns?
- We will email every family who RSVPs and post updates on our Facebook page.
- Where is South Run?
- 8712 Selger Drive in Springfield, half a mile off the Fairfax County Parkway. Get directions.
- Is there a program or a service?
- No program to sit through. Come for ten minutes or stay the whole two hours.
A note from Pastor Eric
Trunk or Treat is one of my favorite nights of the year at South Run. We do it because we like being your neighbors, and this year we are adding a food drive for ECHO so the night can bless our community twice. We would love to know you by name, and registering is how that starts. Come find me and say hello.
Pastor EricFor the neighborhood
The next morning
Sunday, October 18
- 9:45 AMBible Study for all ages
- 11:00 AMWorship, nursery provided
Costumes optional.
Plan your visitSee you on the 17th
Saturday, October 17 5:00 to 7:00 PM
8712 Selger Drive, Springfield
Register freeInvite a friend and follow updates on our Facebook event. Marking Going there helps spread the word, but registering here is how we count your family.
Hosting a trunk or volunteering? Start here.