Planning your Halloween Community Festival for next year? These themed table (and “Trunk or Treat”) ideas are ones you’ll want to save. I used them for our own Halloween Community Festival, and they mix scary and kid-friendly options with a healthy dose of spooky and fun. So many of these setups used repurposed materials and props from past parties, because I’m all about recycling and reusing where I can. Read on for inspiration for your next Halloween community or charity event, your next Halloween party, or your next Trunk-or-Treat!
Halloween Community Festival Entrance
Before we get to the tables, here’s a quick look at how I set up the entrance to the festival. We used large cardboard letter cutouts (find a selection of letters HERE) to spell out “Hillside”, the name of our community, by where people were parking their cars. I had already used these for our Summer Block Party – but I repurposed them and turned them spooky by adding a variety of skeleton bones throughout.
As families entered the tennis courts, they were greeted by a skeleton greeter, sitting under a balloon garland in a Halloween color scheme and some caution tape – enter if you dare! Mr. Skeleton also provided hand sanitizer and information on how to connect with the community president.
On the other side of the wicked and spooky entrance, I added more Halloween decorations on a trick-or-treat stand I previously used as a cider stand for my Fall Festival – some of which were repurposed from my Punk Inspired Halloween Bar Cart, my Stranger Things Party and the Ancient Egyptian Tomb Trunk-or-Treat.
We also used the entrance to thank the sponsors of the event.
Now, onto the tables!
Pirate Table
The first table was a Pirate themed table. I reused several items from my Haunted Halloween Luau and my daughters Pirate Party as well as adding a few more pirate elements (find all my pirate decor HERE) – things like chocolate coins, a treasure chest, pirate flag, items from the sea, and a spooky skull pineapple!
You can get a treasure chest that you fill with your own selection of “treasure” or save yourself the time and grab one that is pre-filled with treasure. Give the chest an authentic feel by adding some fish netting around it. I found a fun skeleton monkey to sit with the treasure chest too, the first mate! Finally add some pirate bandanas, shells or starfish, skulls, or even an anchor to create the look!
One of my favorite pieces of decor for the pirate display is this ship wheel stand-up, it has such a big imact and really sets the scene. I used wood paper roll on the table behind it to make it look like the ships deck behind the wheel.
Pumpkin Patch Table
For a more toddler/kid-friendly table, I set up a Pumpkin Patch table. I used a few pumpkins and props from my Traditional Halloween Party for Kids, but added tons more so that it looked like a true pumpkin patch! The backdrop, garland, and table cloth really helped here too. I also had a sound machine playing spooky sounds at this table!
The pumpkin patch backdrop is about 12 x 3 ft so covers an extensive area behind the table. If you don’t have a selection of Jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins, you could also use an inflatable pumpkin patch. This is 8ft so takes up the length of a whole table and super fun for kids to pose with as well!
For a less spooky version of the table cover try this one HERE. And keep the theme going by serving candy from Jack-o-lantern buckets.
Monster Table
Another even more kid-friendly table was the monster table. These smiling monsters are far from scary – just look at those smiles! A large cardboard friendly monster cutout served as a great photo op. Adding giant googly eyes to painted pumpkins and the candy bowl made this table even more fun. This table also served as my teal pumpkin area – and had a variety of non-candy treats available for those who can’t have candy.
I used a large monster backdrop behind the table but recently found a fun monster backdrop that kids can put their hand through (right through the monsters mouth!) that you could have fun with.
You can find a great selection of non-candy cute monster themed treats HERE. I found bracelets, pens, stress balls, bracelets, craft kits, stickers, tattoos, toys and more. They all come in bulk amounts too which makes them perfect for community and fair tables.
How cute do giant googly eyes look on bright colored pumpkins?! Shades of Sully right? I spray painted a selection of pumpkins bright colors first. Then I added the googly eyes and drew on a mouth (sometimes teeth too!). Finally I added party hats, so sweet!
Fortune Teller Table
Then, I repurposed props from my Mystical Misfortune Dinner Party and Fortune Teller Halloween Craft Party to set up a Fortune Teller Table. My favorite part has to be the two-headed skeleton fortune teller in the center – she predicted candy in everyone’s future! But for those who wanted more of their fates foretold, there was also a wheel of fate and tarot cards aplenty. I also loved the look of the metallic silver moon balloon hovering over this table from Hello Me Party.
I found my 2-headed skeleton HERE. Dress it up with fortune teller headwear for the mystical vibe. The Wheel of Fate was great for having the kids spin to get candy or a fortune!
I used a large Fortune Teller backdrop (scene setter) behind the table and on the table used fortune themed props, spell books and a scattering of tarot cards. A crystal ball prop is a MUST for this table! and add stars or moons to pumpkins if you use those too.
Spider Table
Next, one of the easiest yet creepiest tables – the Spider Table! I used giant spider props from my Spooky Spider Party – enough to give anyone the creepy crawlies. And to get candy from this table, kids needed to be brave enough to sneak some away from the spider keeping watch on this candy cauldron! Would you be brave enough?!
I found a large selection of spiders HERE. Everything from fuzzy spiders like I used to larger sizes and scary oversized ones too! I also found a skeleton spider which I spray painted lilac and added to my cauldron candy bowl. Do you dare?! Cover the table with a spider web table cover and if you want to go a step further addstretchable spider web to give a 3D effect.
For the backdrop I used simple black spider web silouettes and garlands. You could also try one big spider web with a giant spider on it as the backdrop.
Candy Land Table
To balance out the fear factor, the next table was a fun one – a Candy Land Table! After all, there is no Halloween without candy, right? This one was also pretty easy to create with lots of candy balloons, giant gummy bears, and giant wrapped candy I made out of pool noodles! A fun and simple DIY project anyone can do and would also be great to repurpose for the holidays!
To DIY cut the noodles into smaller lengths. Then wrap (wind around the length) the pool noodle with white masking tape to give it a stripe. Finally wrap it with cellophane wrap and tie off each end with a bow!
The gummy bears are inflatables and come in a variety of colors. With these just factor in conditions, you may have to stick/weigh these down.
I put some of the striped candy balloons onto sticks and covered with cellophane wrappers (and a bow) to make them look like giant lollipops! These just need to be air inflated first. With the balloons you don’t do this too you’ll need helium and balloon weights to display them.
Witches Table
Getting back to the spooky Halloween vibes, the next table I created was a spellbinding Witches Table. I used plenty of props from my Hocus Pocus Party and my Black Cat Party, and added a fun witchy backdrop and of course, a huge cauldron of candy.
I used a cauldron/spell room backdrop for this set-up. You could also focus on the witches and use a dancing witch backdrop and add some floating witch hats above it for a 3D effect!
I used a nesting set of cauldrons so I was able to fill some with candy and others with non-candy witch themed treats.
Other fun props to use: Witch themed signs (Dollar Tree always has a good range!), eyeballs, spell books, potion bottles (I love these light up ones!), pumpkins, familiars (like cats, toads and rats), skulls and witches brooms.
Ghoul Gang Table
For a more sweet-than-scary twist on traditional Halloween characters, I set up the Boo Gang table! This one was easy to set up using the Ghoul Gang line of decor from Oriental Trading. I also added a few props from my Friendly Frankie Party and Little Ghost Party.
The key for this one is finding the cute versions of timeless characters like Frankie, The Mummy, Jack-o-Lantern, Black Cats, Skeletons or Witches. Group them together for a fun animated group of characters kids will love. An alternative party line that works perfectly for this with themed backdrops, balloons, and stand-ups is Frightfully Fun!
Rainbow Unicorn Table
Another fun and colorful one was the Rainbow Unicorn Table! I used painted unicorn skeletons from Oriental Trading, overlooking rainbow filled pastel jack-o-lantern candy buckets. A pretty rainbow garland and table cloth, sparkly letters spelling out “Boo”, and pastel pink balloons added to the whimsy of this table. P.S. Those rainbow polka dot pumpkins are from my Rainbow Thanksgiving Table for Kids.
The unicorn skeletons can be found HERE. You can even extend this table to be a mystical creatures table. There are now mermaid, dragon and cyclops skeletons that would be fabulous!
For this table I used all the pretty colored (non-traditional) jack-o-lanterns and painted pumpkins with colorful rainbow stripes or polka dots.
Harry Potter Table
Last, but certainly not least for all the witches and wizards out there – I set up a Harry Potter themed table! I packed the table with Harry Potter props, but with a particular focus on the candy from the wizarding world – Honey Dukes and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans! A Hogwarts tablecloth and backdrop added to the magical feel of this table – but my favorite prop has to be Hedwig the owl getting ready to fly!
There is a huge range of Harry Potter themed candy you can get for this table now! Real Bertie Bots, Jelly Slugs and chocolate frogs!
I used a brick backdrop with a Hogwarts flag as my large backdrop but you can use something more specific or even more magical. I found a selection of backdrops HERE including Hogwarts the castle, the great dining hall and the house flags. These would create such a magical Harry Potter atmosphere!
I used hand painted Honeydukes & Bertie Botts stand-ups for my table but there are a large variety of ready to go stand-ups you can get HERE. Everything from character stand-ups to a personalized Hogwarts Crest which would be great for a community or school name.
Props I used on the table included Harry’s suitcase, a lantern (for making your way through the Forbidden Forest!), a cauldron for potions class, owl cages, a golden snich and large candy holders filled with candy, just like you’d find at Honeydukes.
If I was doing this table again, I’d for sure use the Quidditch Hoops and add wings to gold wrapped candy! And a fun tip for bird cages, fill them with LED flameless candles for spooky candlelight!
Exit
After all of the tables were visited, a skeleton surrounded by spiderwebs bid guests farewell and Happy Halloween as they exited the tennis courts!
I hope this has inspired you for next year’s Halloween Festival or Trunk-or-Treat! Don’t forget to pin it to save it, and then tell me in the comments, which of the ten tables was your favorite?!
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PIN FOR LATER:
That is a tall order to come up with only ONE favorite!! These are incredible and I can’t believe you pulled off all 10 of these. I could probably do a few but definitely not 10! SO impressed and love that the whole neighborhood got to enjoy this fun night. The fortune tellers and Harry Potter are my favorites if I HAD to choose! : )