Halloween 2026 in Durham is over. The city sets no official trick-or-treat hours; this page is updated each October with the next Trunk or Treat and BooFest.

Last checked Nov. 3, 2026. Updated each year. Events come from Durham Parks and Recreation, the Downtown Durham events calendar and the organizers.

Halloween 2026 has passed; it fell on Saturday, Oct. 31. The City of Durham does not post official trick-or-treat hours, and we found none from Durham County, so families set their own. The city’s free Trunk or Treat was the Wednesday before, Oct. 28. Everything below is this year’s record; we update the page each October with the next year’s dates.

Updated Nov. 3: Halloween 2026 has passed; all events on this page are marked past.

Who to call

  • Durham Parks and Recreation events: 919-560-4355; weather line 919-560-4636, then 8
  • Police non-emergency: see who to call at City Hall
  • Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222
  • Emergency: 911

Trunk-or-treats and Halloween week events

  • Trunk or Treat, 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver St. Durham Parks and Recreation announced its annual trunk-or-treat, with businesses, groups and neighbors decorating cars and passing out treats, in a fall events notice we read Oct. 11. That notice is no longer on the department’s website, and we found no change of date; call 919-560-4355 to confirm before you go.
  • Family-friendly Halloween party, 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, and Thursday, Oct. 29, at the train car and patio on the American Tobacco Campus. Lutra Cafe and Bakery and Ment Beverage offer free pumpkin carving and ghost paperweight-making, with $15 tarot readings, according to the Downtown Durham calendar listing.
  • Halloween Storytime on the Roof, 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, at The Durham Hotel.
  • BooFest, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the Museum of Life and Science, 433 W. Murray Ave.: trick-or-treat challenges, a costume catwalk and pumpkins popped in Gateway Park, included with admission.
  • Halloween Pet Costume Party, 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Ment Beverage Co., 312 Blackwell St.; free.

Fright Night (Oct. 16) and Bull City BOOs Fest (Oct. 17) are past. Everything else on the calendar, including the grown-up parties, is on our Halloween events page.

Trunk-or-treats from past years

These ran in 2025. Their 2026 dates were not posted when we checked; confirm with the hosts.

  • Durham County Sheriff’s Office Trunk or Treat and Touch a Truck: in 2025 it was 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 1 at Northgate Shopping Center, and in 2024 it ran 5 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31 in the same lot, ABC11 reported in 2025 and 2024.
  • Durham Technical Community College held a trunk-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30, 2025, in the Wynn Center on its main campus, according to Triangle on the Cheap.

Hosting a trunk-or-treat at a church, school or business? Send the details to our newsroom through the contact page and we will add it.

Safety

  • Be seen. The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Halloween reminder tells families to carry a flashlight or glow stick and to cross at crosswalks or intersections when possible, and asks drivers to slow down, stay alert and never drive after drinking.
  • Costumes and candles. The State Fire Marshal’s office recommends flashlights or glow sticks instead of candles, and avoiding costume fabric that billows or trails behind, which can catch fire.
  • Check the candy. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services warns that some candy-like edibles contain THC. Look for “THC,” “cannabis” or a small marijuana leaf on the wrapper, and call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 right away if a child may have eaten one.

What this means for you

  • Trick-or-treat night is Saturday, Oct. 31; there are no official hours.
  • The free city Trunk or Treat is the Wednesday before, Oct. 28, at Holton; call ahead to confirm.
  • Driving after dark on Halloween? Neighborhood parking and road closures are on our getting around and road closures pages.

More: things to do in Durham this month, fall festivals and pumpkin patches and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

What are the trick-or-treat hours in Durham, NC?

The City of Durham does not post official trick-or-treat hours, and we found none from Durham County. Halloween falls on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026, so families set their own times.

Is there a trunk-or-treat in Durham?

Durham Parks and Recreation announced its annual Trunk or Treat for 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Holton Career and Resource Center, 401 N. Driver St. The notice is no longer on the department’s website, so call 919-560-4355 to confirm before you go.

What can kids do in Durham on Halloween day?

BooFest at the Museum of Life and Science runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, included with admission. Lutra Cafe and Ment Beverage hold a free family Halloween party with pumpkin carving from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 28 and 29 on the American Tobacco Campus.

What should I do if my child eats a THC edible from their Halloween bag?

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services says to call Poison Control right away at 1-800-222-1222.