Halloween in Montana

Halloween in Montana is not for the faint of heart. Weather on October 31^st in most places in the state can range from snow, heavy rain, or even unseasonably warm temperatures. Supplemental underclothing is not usually a thought for much of the rest of the country but often a necessity in this state.

But Montana kids are a tough lot as seen by the unusual amount of boys wearing shorts at school when temperatures drop below freezing. The hunt for a large candy load sometimes takes precedent over personal comfort.

In Missoula the location for trick-or-treating is usually a much discussed topic. If it’s below freezing or close to it, the best location is often densely spaced housing such as the University District or central Missoula.

For good weather, the Prospect region off of Grant Greek offers prime trick-or-treating and upscale residents, but involves a lot of walking and many hills to climb. The South Hills area is also popular but may have sporadic home participants and is also very hilly. The Ranch Club area west of town offers a good compromise of dense housing and a high level of trick-or-treat participants by local residents.

But many parents just stay close to their respective neighborhood for safety and comfort reasons.

The timing of pumpkin carving can also be a difficult task as carving too early means early rot in warm environments as well as potential critter invasion by Montana’s vast wildlife. But colder than average temperatures can keep an exposed pumpkin in prime condition for weeks.

The 2020 Halloween season presented certain Covid related challenges but most homes responded with socially distant protocols and sanitized precautions so children could get their expected bag of candy in a safe environment. Some innovative thinkers even created a socially distanced candy chute that could be used at home.

In all likelihood, the weather challenges in Montana for Halloween or all outdoor activities for that matter make for resilient and stalwart kids. Growing up in a Montana environment will likely pay dividends in their future endeavors whether its career oriented or sports oriented. Yes, Montana kids in the future will not only tell the story of how they had to walk to school in zero degree temperatures and through a foot of snow like their grandparents did – but I bet they’ll also remember the freezing rain they had to endure to get that giant back of candy on Halloween.

Missoula also offers many other Halloween related activities.