The smell of pizza filling the room. The sight of Jack-o-lanterns and skeletons spread around. The taste of sweet chocolate and gummy candies. The sound of children giggling coming from every direction. This is the experience of Palatine High School’s annual Trick-or-Treat Festival.

“I think this is going to be our 26th year that it’s taken place,” Administrative Assistant to Principal Tony Medina, Cynthia Rogers said. “It started just in the classrooms, and then it grew. And now we have some games and activities in the cafeteria… and also in the gym.”

Every year Palatine High School hosts a trick-or-treating event for the young kids across the town. The school typically advertises the event all around town through newspapers, emails and even directly through the district 15 elementary schools. 

“This year it’s October 27 from 5:00 to 6:30,” Rogers said. “We typically have it the Thursday before Halloween.”

Each Halloween, the school gets together to make sure the festival can take place. Many teachers and students volunteer to help at the event and families can donate candy and other treats so the children can have a fun time. 

“Some ladies in the office help with decorating,” Rogers said. “Our maintenance staff helps tremendously and they set everything up. The sponsors, coaches, teachers, all help…so it’s really everybody.”

Due to COVID, last year’s event was held outside in the parking lot on an unfortunate, rainy day. So, this year Palatine is welcoming back the indoor festival with many rooms throughout the school being prepared for this event. The gym is filled with activities such as basketball contests and in prior years, a blown up corn maze. Other classrooms at Palatine High School are filled with candy, fun games, and even a bouncy house in the cafeteria.

“Last year we had… a bouncy house in the middle of the cafeteria for the little kids to climb in and… other years we have had a corn maze, a blow up corn maze in the gym,” Rogers said. 

The purpose of Palatine’s Trick-or-Treat Festival is to make sure kids are safe during the Halloween season but are still having a good time. Palatine finds the festival to be important so that every kid has a fun opportunity to celebrate the spooky holiday.

“[We want] to provide something fun and safe and local for the community for our kids to enjoy,” Rogers said. 

To find more information about the annual Trick-or-Treat Festival go to Palatine High School’s website.