Pointe-Claire Plans a Month of Halloween Activities for Families

Halloween celebrations are taking over Pointe-Claire this October, with the city planning a series of family-friendly activities ranging from spooky storytelling at Stewart Hall to a Witches’ Dance and the return of the popular Zombie Walk.

The activities begin on Friday, October 16, with Night Falls at Stewart Hall, a bilingual evening for children ages six to 12 at the Stewart Hall Cultural Centre.

Beginning at 6:30 p.m., participants will explore the historic building during a short flashlight-guided tour before settling in for scary stories told by Louise Standjoski about Stewart Hall and Pointe-Claire Village. Children are encouraged to bring their own flashlights, and advance registration is required.

Family Halloween celebration on October 25

The festivities continue on Sunday, October 25, when the Olive-Urquhart Sports Centre hosts a day of Halloween activities for the entire family from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The free activities will include game stations, giant games, roaming entertainment, children's wax hand-making, a Halloween photo booth, arts and crafts and a Hocus Pocus scavenger hunt.

Free hot chocolate, candy, popcorn and cotton candy will also be available, while a barbecue, coffee and espresso station and cookie cart will offer additional items for purchase.

Families can also take part in an art workshop inspired by the exhibition Under the Magnifying Glass: Spiders, Scorpions and Ticks at the Stewart Hall Cultural Centre.

Witches take over the library

Things get a little more magical on Friday, October 30, when Pointe-Claire's witches and wizards gather outside the Pointe-Claire Public Library's Central Branch for the Witches’ Dance.

The performance begins at 3:15 p.m. In case of rain, the event will move inside the library.

Zombies return on Halloween

Halloween itself will bring several activities to Pointe-Claire's libraries on Saturday, October 31.

Younger children can start the day at the Valois Branch with English and French story times featuring stories, songs, music and movement.

Then it's time for the zombies.

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., children and teens can head to the Central Library for zombie makeup, accessories and a special station where they can transform old clothing into zombie costumes. Participants are encouraged to bring used clothing and arrive early enough to allow the paint to dry.

At 3 p.m., the undead will hit the streets for the fourth edition of Pointe-Claire's Zombie Walk.

The bilingual event is open to everyone, with participants meeting in front of the Central Library before heading out together for the Halloween parade.

Making Halloween accessible to everyone

Pointe-Claire is also encouraging residents to help make trick-or-treating more inclusive.

“Accessible Property” signs are available at City Hall, the Recreation Building and the Central Library. Residents can display the signs to let families know their property offers an accessible location for collecting candy.

Families dealing with food allergies are also being considered. Residents can place a teal pumpkin outside their homes to indicate that non-food treats are available.

With activities stretching from mid-October right through Halloween afternoon, families have plenty of opportunities to celebrate close to home.

Registration is required for some activities.

Full details, registration information and updates are available through the City of Pointe-Claire website.