20+ Carnival Halloween Party Ideas For A Creepy Night At The Midway

Carnivals are fun until you make them dark, add creepy clowns and somehow convince everyone to walk through fog.

Then they become perfect for Halloween. 

A carnival theme also means you can actually keep people busy instead of relying on decorations alone.

There can be games, snacks, ridiculous photo booths, fortune telling and enough little stations that guests spend the whole night moving around.

Basically, if your Halloween style is less elegant dinner party and more "what exactly is happening over there?", this theme understands you.

Carnival Halloween Party Ideas For A Creepy Night

1. Haunted Big Top Tent Entrance Décor

@63koda969

Red and black stripes instantly give you that old carnival feeling.

Make the entrance dark, bring in dramatic lighting and let the shadows do the creepy part.

Your guests should have at least one second of hesitation before walking inside.

2. Creepy Clown Makeup Tutorial for Guests

@ditadi

Clowns on Halloween are already disturbing enough.

Give guests white face paint, black details and a creepy grin tutorial and let them make the situation worse themselves. 

3. Carnival Ticket Booth Photo Backdrop

@kitto2802

A fake old ticket booth can do two jobs at once.

Use it as part of your entrance decor first.

Then let everybody pose around it later for pictures.

A few aged signs will make it feel much less like something you put together that afternoon.

4. Skeleton Ringmaster Costume Inspo

@joshuaegallagher

Every creepy carnival needs somebody running the show.

A red tailcoat, top hat and skull makeup will make the ringmaster very easy to spot.

5. Popcorn Bar With Dark Halloween Flavors

@growinganything

You cannot have a carnival without popcorn, I don't make the rules.

But regular butter popcorn looks a little too cheerful for this particular situation.

Bring in dark purple, orange and black varieties.

Serve them inside little cauldrons.

Now we're getting somewhere.

6. Fortune Teller Crystal Ball Activity Station

@spotonstaging

Tuck a little fortune teller table somewhere between the games and food.

Guests can stop for a reading whenever they feel brave enough.

Candles and dark velvet will make the setup feel much more convincing.

Related: 20 Mystical Fortune Teller Halloween Party Ideas To Predict A Good Night

7. Carnival Game Booth With Spooky Prizes

@labellabeads

This is the part of the party where everyone suddenly becomes competitive.

Set up a simple tossing game and pile spooky little prizes behind the booth.

You can use monster toys, Halloween candy or whatever weird things fit your theme.

Just make sure there is actually something worth winning because people get serious about carnival games. 

8. Gothic Ferris Wheel Centerpiece Idea

@mamcdaniel40

A miniature black Ferris wheel surrounded by skulls and candles is beautifully unnecessary.

Which means it belongs right in the center of the table.

9. Caramel Apple Station With Creepy Toppings

@delzventura

Let guests decorate their own caramel apples.

Eyeball sprinkles are obviously encouraged.

Black chocolate drizzle makes them look even creepier.

And if somebody completely destroys the look with twenty toppings, that's between them and their apple.

10. Freakshow Banner Garland Wall Display

@electromagneticxp

An aged carnival-style banner instantly makes a blank wall look more interesting.

I would keep the lettering dark and slightly old-fashioned so it feels like it has been hanging there much longer than it actually has.

11. Black and Red Balloon Arch Entrance

@hballoontherapy

Black and crimson balloons are dramatic enough before you add anything else.

Put the arch near your big-top entrance and now guests basically have two warnings about the night ahead.

12. Carnival Freak Show Invitation Design

@nnmnt12490

Don't send a cute invitation for a creepy carnival party.

That makes no sense.

Go with aged paper, dark lettering and something that looks like an old midway advertisement.

The theme should start before anyone even arrives.

13. Glowing Jack-o-Lantern Ring Toss Game

@jennylinn76

Pumpkin ring toss feels like Halloween and carnival in equal amounts.

Use glowing jack-o'-lanterns if you're playing outside at night.

It looks better.

It also makes the targets slightly harder to ignore, which some of us may need. 

Related: 20 Halloween Carnival Games To Keep Guests Entertained

14. Witch's Brew Punch Bowl Centerpiece

@handinhand2015

A bubbling green cauldron belongs somewhere in every chaotic Halloween party apparently.

Here, let it take over the drink table.

If you're using dry ice for the fog effect, keep it out of anything guests can accidentally swallow.

15. Dark Circus Tablescape With Candelabras

@blushandivyevents

Maybe you want the dinner table to look less carnival game and more evil ringmaster banquet.

Use black candelabras.

Add red roses and skulls.

Keep the lighting dark.

Suddenly dinner has become much more serious than the popcorn bar outside.

Related: 25+ Circus Halloween Party Ideas For A Dark And Dramatic Night

16. Acrobat Silhouette Shadow Puppet Show

@chipotleteatro

A white sheet, strong backlight and dramatic silhouettes can become one of the strangest little performances at the party.

You don't even need a huge setup.

The shadows are doing most of the work.

17. Cotton Candy Station in Spiderweb Display

@aalya289

Cotton candy is almost too cute for this party, so cover the station in spiderwebs.

Problem solved.

Purple and white candy will still look pretty underneath all that creepy webbing.

18. Carnival Mirror Maze With Fog Effects

@lucasneverdies

Mirrors already get confusing when there are too many of them.

Add dim lights and fog and now your guests are wandering around looking at ten haunted versions of themselves.

This one is definitely more work than putting out a bowl of candy.

But if you have the space to create even a small mirror area, people will remember it.

And take approximately 400 pictures.

19. Strongman Dumbbell Photo Prop Corner

@kitto2802

Give guests an enormous fake dumbbell and somehow everybody will immediately know what pose to do.

I love easy entertainment. 

20. Midnight Carnival Dessert Tower Display

@ewalk2888

End the food table with a black tiered dessert stand piled high with dark sweets.

Add skull details and candles around it.

The whole display should look like dessert is being served at a carnival nobody should have entered after midnight.

Perfect.

Conclusion

A Halloween carnival is one of those themes where doing too much almost helps.

One booth? 

Fine.

Five booths, creepy clowns, glowing pumpkins, popcorn everywhere and a questionable mirror maze? Much better.

The games keep everyone entertained while the striped decor, old signs and dark lighting bring that unsettling carnival feeling into the room.

I would personally start with the ticket booth and game station, then spend an unreasonable amount of time decorating the caramel apple bar.

And if a creepy clown appears in the corner later, well, that's the risk we took choosing this theme.

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25 Beetlejuice Halloween Party Ideas For A Strange And Spooky Night

Beetlejuice is not exactly known for being subtle.

So why would the party be?

Black and white stripes can go everywhere, the drinks can look radioactive and weird things are absolutely allowed to crawl across the dinner table.

This is also one of those Halloween themes where things don't have to match perfectly.

A little strange is kind of the whole point.

If your party looks like Halloween and the afterlife accidentally collided, I think you're doing fine.

Beetlejuice Halloween Party Ideas

Say the name if you dare.

1. Black and White Striped Table Runner Wow

@maisonmood

You can't really have a Beetlejuice table without bringing those black and white stripes somewhere.

A runner is probably the easiest place to start because everything else can be built around it.

2. Beetlejuice Sandworm Centerpiece That Stuns

@cumbercolby

A huge sandworm going across the table is ridiculous.

Exactly why I want it.

Keep the rest of the centerpiece simple and let this strange thing steal all the attention.

3. Say It Three Times Cocktail Bar Setup

@evenstarlaurelin

Black and white stripes behind glowing green cocktails already says everything that needs saying.

4. Neon Green Slime Punch Bowl Goals

@jokari

Why serve normal-looking punch at a Beetlejuice party?

Make it bright green.

Put it inside a dark cauldron or bowl and bring in some spooky fog around the setup.

It should look slightly toxic even when it tastes completely fine. 

5. DIY Shrunken Head Garland for the Win

@thornerose

Shrunken heads strung up as garland definitely isn't cute Halloween decor.

But for Beetlejuice? 

Completely acceptable.

6. Lydia Deetz Inspired All-Black Place Settings

@glowwithgrace

This is where the party gets a little more gothic.

Go with matte black plates first.

Then add deep red roses and tall candles.

I wouldn't even bother adding much white here because the darker look is what makes it feel like Lydia.

Very dramatic dinner guest energy.

7. Ghostly White Balloon Arch Statement Piece

@aysanmis

White and black balloons around the entrance can make your house look like the Netherworld opened a door for the evening.

8. Creepy Tombstone Charcuterie Board Masterpiece

@reddecliffsandra

Charcuterie but make it graveyard.

Use tombstone-shaped crackers around dark olives, meats and spreads.

This would look especially good served on a black slate board.

9. Beetlejuice Candy Corn Cocktail Magic

@tammileetips

Candy corn colors don't immediately scream Beetlejuice, but the layered look is too fun to ignore.

Keep it orange, white and gold and let the rest of the bar bring in the stranger details.

10. Mini Haunted Model House Tablescape Centerpiece

@cocon

A tiny haunted house in the center of the table is already cute in a disturbing way.

Surround it with black and white striped candles.

Keep the lighting low.

Now everybody is eating dinner around a miniature creepy property and that feels very appropriate.

11. Waiting Room Scene Costume Photo Booth

@tokit

The afterlife waiting room has so much photo booth potential.

Give guests numbered tickets and put up a "Now Serving: The Dead" sign.

Then let everyone pose like they have been waiting 200 years for an appointment.

12. Worm-Themed Jello Cups Guests Will Devour

@jeannettedavis

Crushed cookie dirt with bright gummy worms is gross-looking dessert perfection.

13. Dramatic Black Tulle Ceiling Draping Inspo

@smophy_girl

Don't forget the ceiling.

Black tulle hanging overhead can change the entire room without adding twenty small decorations.

String lights underneath make it feel even stranger.

It is part haunted ballroom, part nightmare.

Very Beetlejuice, basically.

14. Green Face Paint Beetlejuice Makeup Station

@анастасия

Set up green face paint, brushes and a mirror and let the transformation happen at the party.

Someone is absolutely leaving much greener than they arrived. 

15. Striped Suit Napkin Fold Trick

@ladefleur

Even napkins can join the theme.

Use black and white striped ones and fold them into a sharper shape that reminds you of the famous suit.

Tiny detail, but it makes the place settings feel much more intentional.

16. Floating Ghost Lanterns Above the Party

@vanroyada

White ghost lanterns floating overhead will do a lot more for the atmosphere than another decoration sitting on the table.

17. Beetlejuice Movie Reel Invitation Suite

@hellerteri

Start being weird before the party even happens.

A retro black and white movie reel invitation fits the theme so much better than a basic Halloween card.

Make it look old.

Make it creepy.

Then let guests wonder what exactly they agreed to attend.

18. Creepy Eyeball Cake Centerpiece Perfection

@santiagonancy

A black cake covered with white eyeballs and green irises is not going to be ignored.

I don't know if I want dessert staring back at me but here we are.

19. Haunted Polaroid Photo Wall Backdrop

@6bc

A wall of black-framed Polaroids feels creepy without being too obvious.

Add ghostly effects to the pictures and it gets even better.

This could also turn into one of the best spots for guests to stop and take photos.

20. Glowing Green Deviled Egg Platter Spook

@maureenosborne

Green deviled eggs are disturbing to look at.

Perfect.

Add tiny black spider details on top.

Serve them on a dark platter.

Then watch everybody hesitate for two seconds before eating them anyway. 

21. Beetlejuice Striped Gift Wrap Favor Bags

@arsyshorty

Black and white striped favor bags tied with ribbon are probably the easiest Beetlejuice detail you can add at the end of the night.

22. Graveyard Dirt Cake Dessert Table Spread

@instructables

Go full graveyard for the dessert table.

Crushed cookie "dirt" makes the base.

Add white mousse and tombstone cookies throughout.

This is one of those desserts where looking slightly messy actually improves the situation.

23. Giant Spider Web Porch Entrance Drama

@kataokalaura

Covering the whole porch in giant white webs feels wildly dramatic.

I see no problem here.

24. Beetlejuice Themed Balloon Weights Wow Factor

@inflatedcreations

You already have striped balloons, striped napkins and probably striped everything else, so why stop now?

Use black and white balloon weights too.

It's small, but the repetition makes the whole party look like one proper theme.

25. Creepy Hand Reaching Out of Punch Bowl

@kayamanda

A skeleton hand coming straight out of green punch is disgusting.

Also brilliant.

There is really no normal way to end a Beetlejuice party list anyway.

Conclusion

The nice thing about a Beetlejuice Halloween party is that weird is actually helping you.

Your table can have worms on it.

Your cake can stare at people.

There can be a skeleton hand inside the punch and everybody just has to accept that this is what we're doing tonight.

Start with black and white stripes, throw some green into the mix and then add whichever strange little details make you laugh.

Personally, the waiting room photo booth deserves a spot because guests will actually do something with it instead of only looking at it.

Then bring out the sandworm and let the rest of the night get strange.

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20 Halloween Party Favors For Kids Worth Putting In The Goodie Bags

I have one tiny issue with children's party favors.

Why do some of them look like things nobody actually wants? 

If you are already putting together a Halloween party, I think the little take-home gifts deserve some spooky attention too.

Of course candy is always welcome, it's Halloween after all, but there are so many fun favors you can give besides filling another plastic bag with chocolate.

Some of these are edible, some glow, some are crafty, and a few are cute enough that I may want one myself.

Halloween Party Favors For Kids 

1. Mini Cauldron Slime Kits Kids Love

@tlsimon68

Slime inside tiny black cauldrons is so Halloween that I don't even need convincing.

The neon green makes the whole thing look like a witch has been cooking something questionable.

Kids will love this one.

2. Glow-in-the-Dark Skeleton Finger Puppets

@holidayhints

These glowing skeleton finger puppets are creepy, funny and small enough to throw straight into every favor bag.

3. Personalized Trick-or-Treat Candy Bags

@arshinerofficial

A personalized bag always feels a little more special.

Orange and black obviously works perfectly here.

Add each child's name and suddenly the bag itself becomes part of the gift.

Plus, there is somewhere to put all that candy they are definitely collecting.

4. Spooky Eyeball Bouncy Ball Sets

@m1niv4nilla

Who decided eyeballs needed to bounce? 

The bright blues, greens and purples make these much more fun than your regular little party ball.

5. Witch Hat Cookie Pops Wrapped Cute

@sweetjeenie

An edible favor will never offend me.

These black witch hat cookie pops look really cute wrapped in cellophane and ribbon.

I also like that you can display them on the party table first before everyone grabs one on the way out.

6. Mini Frankenstein Playdough Jars

@simpleeverydaymom

Green playdough jars with tiny Frankenstein faces are adorable and that's basically the whole argument.

7. Halloween Temporary Tattoo Sheet Packs

@entertainidea

Temporary tattoos are one of those small things kids can somehow spend forever choosing between.

Pumpkins, bats, ghosts; give them the full Halloween selection.

They can wear them during the party or save them for later.

Either way, this is an easy little favor that still feels fun.

8. Mummy-Wrapped Flashlight Favors

@ssdesign_

Now this is a favor with commitment.

Wrap mini flashlights in white gauze, add those googly eyes and suddenly you have tiny mummies ready for the goodie table.

9. Personalized Spider Web Lollipop Bouquets

@lizardgem

Lollipops are fine.

Lollipops turned into creepy spider web bouquets are much better.

The black candy and shimmery web wrapping make these almost too pretty to open.

Almost.

Put a few together on the table and you also have part of your Halloween decor sorted.

10. Vampire Fang Lip Balm Favor Tubes

@zazzle

Vampire fang lip balm in red and black packaging is such a funny little Halloween beauty moment.

11. Pumpkin Seed Packet Craft Activity Kits

@michele95361

If you don't want every favor to involve sugar, this idea is actually interesting.

Pumpkin seeds inside kraft packets tied with twine have a cute rustic look too.

And unlike candy, this is something the kids can take home and do something with later.

12. Glow Stick Wand Witch Brooms

@clund1023

Glow sticks were already made for Halloween if you ask me.

Turn them into tiny witch broom wands and you have a favor the kids can start waving around before the party is even finished.

13. Mini Monster Bubbles Bottle Collection

@hillaryyeater

Little monster bubble bottles are so unserious. 

The green and purple colors fit Halloween without everything needing to be orange.

Add one to each favor bag and you're basically done.

I also like favors that kids can play with immediately instead of forgetting about them at the bottom of the bag.

14. Haunted House Puzzle Favor Boxes

@dortheholmhenni

A haunted house box that also becomes a puzzle is way more interesting than plain favor packaging.

15. Candy Corn Scented Bath Bombs

@humblebeeandme.com

Candy corn as a bath bomb instead of another handful of actual candy?

Cute.

The orange, yellow and white stripes still give you that classic Halloween look without adding another sweet to the pile.

16. Spiderweb Stamper and Ink Pad Sets

@spidersnowflake

Crafty kids are going to like this one.

A spiderweb stamp and black ink already feels very Halloween before they have even used it.

Let them stamp paper, favor bags or whatever little craft you have set up.

It also works nicely if your party has an activity table.

Related: 15 Halloween Party Activities For Kids That Are Fun And Easy

Just expect somebody to become extremely committed to stamping webs everywhere. 

17. Ghost Shaped Crayons in Favor Bags

@diddysdesigns25

Chunky ghost crayons tied inside clear favor bags are simple but very cute.

Add a ribbon and they already look gift-ready.

18. Pumpkin Face Paint Palette Sets

@usproductsoffer

These little pumpkin and ghost face paint palettes can keep the Halloween fun going after the party.

I like the idea of giving something creative instead of only toys and candy.

The bright colors also make them look good displayed with the rest of the favors.

Mini artists, this one is for you.

19. Bat Wing Bookmark Leather Craft

@kasuwa_de

A black bat-wing bookmark is probably the favor I would secretly keep for myself.

20. Dracula Juice Box Costume Wrappers

@sprkls2sprnkls

A juice box wearing a Dracula cape? Please. 

These are perfect for dressing up the snack table before the kids eventually take them.

Very simple idea, very obvious Halloween result.

Conclusion

A good Halloween favor doesn't have to be expensive, huge, or overflowing with sugar.

The fun is really in making ordinary little things look like they belong at a spooky party.

Related: 15+ Halloween Party Themes For Kids That Are Cute, Spooky, And Fun

You can go messy with slime and playdough, cute with ghost crayons, useful with flashlights, or just give everyone cookie pops and call it a day.

No judgement from me.

I especially love the favors that can double as part of the table decor because why shouldn't one thing do two jobs?

Now fill those goodie bags, hide a little candy inside and send your tiny monsters home happy.

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