The return of Halloween

10/1/2025

Since 1938, trick or treating in Des Moines has taken place on Oct. 30, commonly called “Beggars Night,” in hopes to deter bad behavior from taking place on Halloween night. Never in my lifetime did I think I would see the return of trick-or-treating on Halloween night. I am not going to waste anyone’s time on the local history of “Beggars’ Night,” as seemingly every media outlet in this city has covered it during a slow news cycle around the spooky season. I, too, am guilty. 

Halloween and Independence Day have been my favorite holidays for as long as I can remember. Neither holiday forces you to face off with your racist uncle or your pacifist niece across a giant table while you attempt to choke down a meal. It’s 100% about having fun, staying out late and, when it comes to Halloween, having a good scare. I have great memories of being dressed as a vampire, carrying a big pillowcase around my neighborhood and filling it up with candy to the point that it was too heavy to keep going.

The Midwest does Halloween right. If you grew up in a small town and went trick-or-treating as a kid, you might remember the streets and sidewalks being flooded with younglings in costumes. Houses would also be decorated like there was a best in show contest on every block.

I decided to celebrate this year as “The Return of Halloween.” After 87 years, we finally get to celebrate the haunting holiday properly. So many Halloween-related activities are happening in our city that I obviously can’t name all of them. One big note, though, is saying RIP to Misfits Karaoke, which previously took place at Beechwood Lounge on Halloween weekend. It won’t be happening this year, but let’s hope it will return someday. Meanwhile, make these events and activities part of your Halloween happenings. 

 

Tour a historic cemetery

Originally called “Woodlawn” cemetery, the Glendale Cemetery land was purchased from Ebenezer J. Ingersoll in 1886. I run through the grounds at 4909 University Ave. several times a week. The cemetery is full of hills and has areas dedicated to both veterans and our Jewish community. It is a great place to get lost in, and the newly renovated reflection pond is a nice touch. The territorial Canada geese have claimed much of the ground as their turf, so beware if you hear a hiss in the tall grass. The last time I went through the house that sits on the inside of the 48th Street entrance, it was for sale — just in case you want to live in a cemetery. Date: Oct. 11, 10 a.m. to noon. Tickets: $10.

I love Woodland Cemetery, 2019 Woodland Ave. It was one of the first places I explored when I moved to Des Moines in 2007. On my 40th birthday this year, I did my morning walk through the ground on the old brick roads. I was obviously coming to terms with my age and where my next stop would be. The people who built this city are buried here. It’s a great place to escape to when you need to cool off or just need quiet time. A fox even ran past when I was on my midlife reflection stroll.
Date: Oct. 4, 1-3:30 p.m. Tickets: $10.

 

Check out a haunted house

Most locals know about The Slaughterhouse, 500 Locust St., Des Moines, but not everyone knows about The Haunt Speakeasy, located in the center of The Slaughterhouse. Proprietor Ian Miller showed me the speakeasy side of this venture last year, and it was incredible. The place feels like it is straight out of the 1990s Addam’s Family mansion. Like all things Miller, there are secret puzzles and games wrapped up in the experience. So, you can either go and enjoy a spooky beverage, or you can dive into the long form game that Miller has concocted. Who knows, you might have a key to the bar by the end of it all. Location: 500 Locust St., Des Moines.

Linn’s Haunted House is the oldest operating haunted house in Des Moines. I wrote about it last year, but Merlyn Linn has been doing this for more than 40 years in the basement of Linn’s Supermarket in Highland Park. If anything, you need to go to breathe in four decades of Halloween nostalgia.
Location: 3805 Sixth Ave., Des Moines

 

Attend a Halloween event or festival

Halloweenapalooza in Ottumwa may be a little far away for some of you, but it is Iowa’s only horror movie convention, as it looks like Nightmare Weekend will not be returning this year. The current guest lineup has a “Fright Night” reunion featuring Amanda Bearse, Willam Ragsdale and Stephen Geoffreys. The two-day event also has a film festival, author panels, puppet show, live trivia, live podcasts, vendors, a blood drive and a craft room.
Dates: Oct. 10 and Oct. 11 at the Bridge View Center, 102 Church St., Ottumwa.

 

View a horror film 

Halloween season isn’t complete unless you check out at least one horror movie on the big screen. While most of these screenings are in town, I recommend paying attention to what will be playing at the Valle Drive-In in Newton. At the time of this writing, they didn’t have an October schedule out but they normally have at least one weekend with a horror double-feature. Check these movies out as well. 

“Sleepy Hollow” at Flix Brewhouse, 3800 Merle Hay Road, Suite 1300, Des Moines, Oct. 1, 6:45 p.m.

“Misery” 35th Anniversary with TCM Festival Q&A at The Varsity, 1207 25th St., Des Moines, Oct. 14, 7 p.m. 

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with Live Shadow Cast at The Varsity, 1207 25th St., Des Moines, Oct. 17, 10 p.m.

“Scooby-Doo” with Audience Interaction at The Varsity, 1207 25th St., Des Moines, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.

The Fright Zone presents “Nightmare on Elm 3: Dream Warriors” at The Varsity, 1207 25th St., Des Moines, Oct. 23, 10 p.m.

Invincible Czars Present: “Phantom of the Opera” at The Fleur Cinema, 4545 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, Oct. 28, 9 p.m.

 

Listen to live music

Thrash of the Titans and SuperKnot – Black Sabbath Tribute at XBK, 1159 24th St., Des Moines. While I am not huge fan of cover bands, this one looks interesting. Thrash of the Titans will be covering Anthrax and Slayer while SuperKnot is covering all Sabbath tunes. I am surprised there hasn’t been any Ozzy or Sabbath tribute shows in town yet, especially when Misfits karaoke was a popular event around Halloween time here. Date: Oct. 11, 7 p.m.

Sunday Before Samhain featuring BanjoKat, Luke S. Williams and Cameron McCallister at Lefty’s Live Music, 2307 University Ave., Des Moines. Spooky folk music the weekend before Halloween. While I have not listened to any of these acts, I can only hope they sound like Timber Timbre (solid spooky Canadian folk music). Date: Oct. 26, 9 p.m. $10.

Night Stories and Traffic Death Annual Halloween show at XBK, 1159 24th St., Des Moines. If you love punk rock and dance music, be sure to check out this special night. Richie Daggers will also be spinning records all evening. Costumes are highly encouraged. Date: Oct. 31, 7 p.m. $15.

 

Kristian day’s select Halloween movies and albums 

Movies

“Halloween IV: The Return of Michael Meyers” (1988)
Most all of you have seen the original. With “Halloween III” finally gaining notoriety, you likely indulged in it as well. But how about “Halloween IV”? This late 1980s slasher captures the Halloween atmosphere perfectly. The opening title sequence breaks away from the normal jack o’ lantern variations of the previous three movies. Haddonfield, Illinois, could have been anywhere in Iowa, or at least it felt that way growing up.

“Trick ‘r Treat” (2007)

This one is on my mind because I finally picked up the 4k UHD, and it is the best way to watch the movie. Multiple storylines are intertwined and out of linear order. I also recommend checking out the short animation “Season’s Greetings.” This was the genesis of this film and the origin of the mascot character of “Sam.”

“Trick Or Treat” (1986)

This movie also just had its 4k UHD re-release last year, and it was long overdue. If you like 1980s heavy metal and horror movies, this is the film for you. Next to “The Howling II,” this is the movie I have talked about most with people. Backwards messages coming from a one-of-a-kind record leads to the resurrection of a dead rock star who wants revenge. An incredible premise. Gene Simmons of KISS has a role as a radio disc jockey, and he plays it all too well. Plus, if you miss Ozzy Osborne as much as I do, he has an amazing cameo in this movie as an evangelical preacher.

“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1993)

When was the last time you watched this movie? It’s time. This was Francis Ford Coppola’s last great movie. It is big budget Hollywood, but it still feels handmade. The movie is as much of a love story as it is a horror flick. An incredible cast includes Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, Wynona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins — and don’t forget Tom Waits’ unforgettable performance as Renfield. The art direction and music are also their own characters in this movie. Flashbacks are sometimes played out with puppets. Castle Dracula is such a fortress, and every scene in Transylvania is drenched with cold dread.

“Cemetery Man” (1994)

This is my deep cut. I first saw this Italian masterpiece late at night on HBO in the 1990s. It is a tragic love story like “Dracula,” but it takes place in modern times. And, instead of vampires, it is about zombies. Rupert Everett plays a graveyard groundskeeper, and Anna Falchi is a widow he falls in love with while attending her husband’s funeral. The zombies are not the main storyline. They exist in this world that Francesco Dellamorte (Everett) inhabits while pining for “she” (Falchi and she doesn’t have a name in the movie). Like “Dracula,” this movie has a strong gothic atmosphere. 

 

Albums

“Shore Ghosts” by The Phantom Lightkeeper (2025)

Timing on this one couldn’t be better. Justin Beahm from Marion, Iowa, crafted this perfect mix of surf guitar and doom metal. He shared demos with me in June of this year. In October, Waxwork Records will release this first album. It is dreary, cold and drenched in reverb. I recommend checking this out. 

“My Animal Original Soundtrack” by Augustus Muller (2023)

Boy Harsher’s August Muller atmospheric synth/vaporwave makes you feel like you are ghost walking through an empty neighborhood. I don’t want this list to be a bunch of synthesizer music, but I can’t ignore how good this record is during spooky season. I would also say check out the movie, which is solid but a little weird for the average viewer. Think George Romero’s “Martin” but with werewolves. 

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Original Soundtrack” by Tobe Hooper and Wayne Bell (1974/2024)

It took 50 years, but we finally have a proper release of this soundtrack. The themes on this are so raw that they cut deep into the spine. It was recorded in Tobe Hooper’s living room using simple synthesizers and children’s toys processed through tape delays and reverb. Most people have seen the movie, but hearing the isolated music tracks is an experience.

“Headless Cross” by Black Sabbath (1989)

Here is my left field pitch. I love Ozzy Osborne, but this Tony Martin era Sabbath rules. This is the most cult record they have produced and is my favorite in the post-Ozzy era. The song, “Devil & Daughter,” was inspired by the Dennis Wheatley horror novel, “To The Devil a Daughter.” (Hammer Films also produced a film adaptation starring Christopher Lee.) The title track song is my favorite. If you are into 1980s metal, this is your jam.

“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath (1970)

This was the first Black Sabbath record I purchased. The opening thunderstorm that leads into the church bells of dread and opens the gates to the doom-drenched guitars will haunt you upon first listening. This album mixes the working-class blues sounds of Birmingham and the post-war fears of Vietnam. (The theme shines more in their following album, “Paranoid.”) ♦