All Treats, No Tricks: Sensory Friendly Halloween 2026
About This Event
We didn’t want to do this in a parking lot.
If you’ve ever taken a kid who uses a wheelchair to a trunk-or-treat, you already know why.
The asphalt is uneven. There are curbs with no cuts in them. It’s dark, it’s cold, because it’s Colorado on the last night of October, and cars are moving in the same space as the kids. There’s nowhere to sit down. There’s nowhere to change a child who needs changing. And when a kid has had enough, which happens, there’s nowhere to go except back to your own car.
So most of the families we know do one of two things on Halloween. They tough it out for fifteen minutes and go home, or they skip it entirely and hand out candy at their own door while other people’s kids have the night.
We wanted to build the other option.
So we’re doing it indoors.
One building. Warm, lit, level floors, and doors wide enough for a wheelchair and a parent side by side. Kids go table to table collecting candy the same way they would go house to house, except nobody has to cross a parking lot to get there and nobody runs out of energy halfway down the block.
There’s a calm corner with the lights down, so a kid who gets overwhelmed can reset for ten minutes and come back instead of the night being over. Every table is asked to offer at least one non-food treat, because plenty of our kids can’t have candy at all and they should still get to pick something. Costumes are encouraged and completely optional, because for some of our kids a costume is the best part and for others it’s the thing that makes the whole night impossible.
Nobody is going to look sideways at your kid. That’s the entire point.
And while the kids collect candy, the parents get something too.
Every table belongs to a local provider or organization. Pediatric therapy practices, dentists who know how to work with our kids, respite programs, adaptive equipment, advocacy groups, and school district staff.
If you’ve tried to find a provider who genuinely understands disability, you know it mostly happens through other parents, in Facebook groups, one recommendation at a time. This puts fifteen of them in one room on one night. You can have five real conversations in an hour, while your kid is busy being delighted, and you don’t have to make a single phone call to do it.
The details
Friday, October 30, 2026 · 6:00 to 9:30 PM · Douglas County Libraries: Parker · Free for every family
Event Schedule
What the night looks like
6:00 PM, doors open. Decorate your treat bag and make your trick-or-treat cards, then start collecting candy. Come whenever works for you.
8:00 PM, costume parade. Ten minutes. Everyone’s welcome, and watching counts just as much as walking. We announce it three times beforehand so nobody is caught off guard.
9:30 PM, goodnight. Turn in your finished passport for a prize on the way out.
The trick-or-treat route, the craft table, and the calm corner are open the entire night. Nothing here is something you can miss.
What to expect
We’re being specific on purpose, because knowing exactly what’s coming is the difference between deciding to try it and staying home.
- Indoors and on one level. No parking lot, no curbs, no gravel, no crossing in front of cars.
- Doorways and aisles wide enough for a wheelchair and a parent side by side.
- Lights stay up. No blackout rooms, no strobe, no fog machines.
- No jump scares. Nobody in a mask is going to surprise your child. The decor is friendly, not gory.
- Music stays low, and there’s a quiet route to the exit if you need to leave in a hurry.
- Kids go table to table for candy, the same way you’d go house to house, except it’s warm and it’s all within a few hundred feet.
- Every table offers at least one non-food treat, because plenty of our kids can’t have candy and they should still get to pick something.
What’s there for your kid
A calm corner. Lights down, quiet, and staffed the whole night. Sit for ten minutes and go back out, or stay as long as you need. Using it isn’t giving up on the night.
Trick-or-treat cards. At the craft table your child can make their own cards that say trick or treat, thank you, no thank you, too loud, and I need a break. Every table is briefed to watch for them and to answer your kid directly. If your child uses their own AAC device, bring it. These are just one more option.
A passport. Every kid gets a card to fill with stickers, one from each table, and trades it for a prize at the end.
Costumes are optional and loose. A full costume, one accessory, pajamas, or regular clothes are more than okay. It all counts. If a costume is the thing that would make the night impossible, skip it and come anyway.
And something for you
Every table belongs to a local provider or organization. Pediatric therapy practices, dentists who know how to work with our kids, respite programs, adaptive equipment, advocacy groups, and school district staff.
If you’ve tried to find a provider who genuinely gets it, you know it usually happens one recommendation at a time. This puts a room full of them in front of you on one night, while your kid is busy being delighted. There’s no obligation to talk to anyone.
Getting there
- Parking: TBD
- Bathrooms: Accessible
- Strollers, wheelchairs, walkers, and service animals are welcome anywhere in the event.
Good to know
Photos. We’ll have a photographer. If you’d rather your child not be photographed, grab a ORANGE wristband at check-in and our team will know. You never have to explain why.
Allergies. Every table has a non-food option and we label what we can, but we can’t promise an allergen-free room. Bring what your family needs.
Siblings are welcome. All of them. This is a family night, not a program for one kid.
Ask us anything, including the small stuff. Wondering about the lighting, the noise level, the layout, or whether your kid can bring their own snack? Email mfielding@violetbridgefoundation.org. We’d rather answer a question than have you stay home wondering.
Hosted by The Violet Bridge Foundation and Guiding Pathways Foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it indoors?
Yes, our event is going to be indoors only for the entire event.
Is it only for kids with disabilities?
Not at all! This event is for all kids and their siblings to have a relaxed trick-or-treat experience. Please just indicate with your family ticket how many kids will be there so we make sure to have enough goodies!
Will there be options other than candy?
Yes! Sponsors will be bringing their own treats and goodies, but we have confirmed that most of our providers will have non-food options of treats for kids.
Will there be food?
Yes. We are going to have light food and ice cream as well as food trucks join for extra cost. There will be options for dairy-free and nut-free options of food.
Is the event accessible?
Yes. I do want to note that the event spaces will be on the second floor, but there are elevators for people who need it.
- Elevator Access: A public elevator connects the ground floor directly to the second-floor event halls and meeting spaces.
- Accessible Entrances: The main building entrance features step-free, automatic doors.
- Restrooms: Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on both floors of the library.
- Parking: Dedicated ADA-accessible parking spaces are available in the main library lot.
For more information on the location please visit Douglas County Libraries website.
Who else will be there
The organizations and providers joining us. Scroll to see everyone.
With thanks to our sponsors
