Eugene seeks creative frightful features for Halloween celebration

Eugene, OR — As Halloween Downtown returns this October, the City of Eugene’s Cultural Services division is calling on local artists and creatives to help make the annual event bigger and spookier than ever.

Last year’s celebration expanded to cover more than a dozen blocks in Eugene’s downtown core and drew over 11,000 visitors—a remarkable jump from the 5,000 attendees in 2023. Building on this momentum, the Cultural Services Community Events team, led by Senior Downtown Events and Permit Coordinator David Dickinson and Production Coordinator Kerry Weeks, aims to create an even more engaging and interactive experience for 2025.

To achieve a diverse and memorable lineup of attractions, Dickinson and Weeks are encouraging community members to submit ideas for “Frightful Feature” installations by August 25. These eerie and entertaining installations will be scattered throughout the event, offering visitors uniquely spooky experiences.

“Eugene is a goldmine of creative talent, and we’re hoping to provide an opportunity for that talent to coalesce around,” Dickinson said. “It’s the ideas and talent of our local spooky artists that drive the energy of this event.”

Potential participants include performers, visual and installation artists, make-up artists, musicians, businesses, and anyone passionate about the macabre. The Halloween Downtown website suggests ideas such as spooky photo-op scenes, frightful animatronics, haunting musicians, possessed performances, creepy comedians, or any creative blend of art forms.

Weeks emphasized that there are no limits on the types of installations considered, encouraging unique and original submissions that will thrill and chill attendees alike.

With a vision akin to a haunted house dismantled room-by-room and spread across downtown, Halloween Downtown promises a truly immersive and frightful celebration this fall.