Thank You for Your Responses to the Barnesville Halloween Survey! 🎃👻
We are thrilled to share that we received 260 responses to our Halloween survey this year! Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their feedback. Your thoughts are incredibly valuable, and we’re excited to use your suggestions to make future events even better.
🔗 Full survey results are now available on the Village of Barnesville website. You can access them by visiting: https://barnesvilleohio.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Barnesville-Halloween-Survey-Results.pdf
A Quick Recap of the Last Two Years
For the past two years, we’ve held two separate Halloween events — the traditional Trick-or-Treat and the Barnesville Spooktacular Downtown. We made this change based on your feedback, aiming to give families more flexibility. One event was designed for door-to-door fun, while the other focused on the big crowds and downtown festivities.
Here’s What We Learned from Your Feedback:
- Two Events, Two Favorites: The majority of responses indicate that you enjoyed having two separate events. Many of you appreciate being able to enjoy both traditions without feeling rushed. The Trick-or-Treat was great for families who prefer a quieter, more traditional experience, while the Spooktacular Downtown offered a chance to enjoy activities and support local businesses.
- Timing: The time slot of 5:30–7:00 PM for Trick-or-Treat was a big hit. Many of you felt it provided just enough time to enjoy both events without feeling overwhelmed.
- Food Trucks: A lot of you suggested food trucks during the Downtown Spooktacular. While we only had a coffee truck this year, it seems like the addition was well-received, and we’re excited to expand on that in the future.
Suggestions for Future Events:
- Longer downtown event: Several of you mentioned that the downtown event felt a little short and suggested we consider extending it.
- Costume contest: A few people recommended adding a costume contest to the Downtown Spooktacular to bring some fun competition to the mix.
- Family-friendly atmosphere: Many of you suggested more family activities like games and entertainment, which could be a great addition in future years!
Why We Chose Separate Days:
- Flexibility for Families: Many of you shared that it felt challenging to attend both events on the same night. When Trick-or-Treat and Spooktacular Downtown were on the same evening, some families felt rushed or had to choose between them. By keeping the events on separate days, we give families the chance to fully enjoy both experiences — whether they want to stick to traditional door-to-door fun or dive into the lively downtown atmosphere.
- Managing Crowds: While the Downtown Spooktacular is popular, it can get crowded. By separating the events, we aimed to reduce the congestion and give families the chance to enjoy both events without feeling overwhelmed. This way, everyone has room to enjoy the fun safely and comfortably.
Why Not Weekends or Fridays?
- Fridays: We typically avoid scheduling Halloween on Fridays due to potential Shamrock Football games. If the game is home or away, we want our Shamrock community to have the chance to enjoy the game without having to choose between Trick-or-Treating and football.
- Weekends: We also try to avoid weekends for safety reasons. Weekends can bring higher traffic, and there’s always the concern of drunk drivers. Our top priority is ensuring the safety of our children and families while they enjoy the festivities.
Looking Ahead to Halloween 2026:
We’re already planning for Halloween 2026 and look forward to continuing these events while making them even better based on your feedback! The Village of Barnesville and Barnesville Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to bring you:
- Barnesville Trick-or-Treat (Traditional)
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
5:30–7:00 PM - Barnesville Spooktacular Downtown
Thursday, October 29, 2026
5:30–7:00 PM
Thank you to everyone who shared suggestions, and please know that we are actively considering how to make our future events more fun, accessible, and safe for all.
We look forward to another fantastic Barnesville Halloween in 2026 with both the traditional Trick-or-Treat and the Spooktacular Downtown, and we can’t wait to see you there!