Halloween may only come once a year, but you can celebrate it all month long in the beautiful town of St. Helens.

Credit: City of St. Helens

The Spirit of Halloweentown

Name: The Spirit of Halloweentown
Start: 2025-09-27T10:00:00-07:00
End: 2025-10-31T20:00:00-07:00
Location: Spirit Of Halloweentown

The historic town of St. Helens, 45 minutes from Portland, celebrates Halloween all October long with haunted tours, costume contests, celebrity appearances and more.

2 min read

John Patrick Pullen

Learn More About Spirit of Halloweentown and St. Helens

When do the festivities begin?

Decorations are on display all throughout town from Sept. 27 through Halloween. But the prime time to visit is on the weekends — each Saturday and Sunday you’ll find a calendar full of events, featured attractions, performances and more. The final day of festivities is Halloween itself — Oct. 31 — when there will be limited activities in the afternoon and evening, including trick or treating at local businesses. Be sure to check the official calendar for more details. Details are subject to change; please check Spirit of Halloweentown’s website for current information.

How much does Halloweentown cost?

The town is open to the public, and pumpkin displays, pirates and performances on the plaza are always free.

General admission tickets for a day of Halloween events start at $40. (Individual tickets to some events are also available, starting at $15.) The admission pass includes entry to the haunted house, a filming location tour train ride, signature attractions, the games zone, costume competitions and more.

Tickets are available online and may sell out; get them in advance. Parking is limited on weekends; check the official site for more details on costs, lots and shuttle availability. Details are subject to change; please check Spirit of Halloweentown’s website for current information.

Is the town of St. Helens where the volcano is?

The town of St. Helens gets its name from the active volcano Mount St. Helens. But don’t let that spook you. The town has views of Mount St. Helens, but it is still 39 miles (63 km) away.

How many “Halloweentown” movies are there?

All told, there are four “Halloweentown” movies. The original “Halloweentown” (the one partly shot in St. Helens) came out in 1998. “Halloweentown 2: Kalabar’s Revenge” came out in 2001. “Halloweentown High” (also known as “Halloweentown 3”) came out in 2004. And the final movie, “Return to Halloweentown,” came out in 2006.

Has anything else been filmed in town?

St. Helens, Oregon, was also a filming location for the “Twilight” movie series, featuring several homes, stores and street locations. Actors from the “Twilight” movies often make appearances during Spirit of Halloweentown; check the official Spirit of Halloweentown’s website for more details.

Each year, St. Helens remembers its entry into lighthearted Halloween canon with Spirit of Halloweentown, a fun, family-friendly celebration of the spookiest holiday around. The celebration of the creepiest day of the year extends into every weekend in October, starting with the lighting of the Great Pumpkin in the city plaza.

cars make their way through a crowded parade route — Cheer on your favorite characters at the St. Helens Big Halloween Parade — you just might get a sweet treat.

skeletons dressed as pirates are posed in front of a house decorated for Halloween — In St. Helens, it's not hard to find the the perfect Halloween plans for any scare-seeking witch or warlock.

a giant pumpkin sculpture surrounded by smaller pumpkin baskets is lit at night in front of a town hall — The town of St. Helens transforms itself into a spooktacular destination each year.

a large crowd waiting in a town square for the annual pumpkin lighting — The giant pumpkin is lit on the first Saturday of October following the Big Halloween Parade and stays lit at night for the month-long celebrations in St. Helens.

two dressed skeletons with wigs on sitting in the front seat of a car — Start your engines and join the fun at the annual Haunted Hot Rods in St. Helens.

a woman and a child dressed up as Maleficent for Halloween — The peaceful waterfront city of St. Helens, just 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Portland, hosts the annual family-friendly Spirit of Halloweentown.

a crowd of people dressed as witches walk in a parade — There will be plenty of witches and witchy activities to entertain the crowds at the Spirit of Halloweentown in St. Helens.

five people dressed in Mandalorian costumes for Halloween — Grab your friends and put on your costumes — you just may win a prize at the St. Helens Spirit of Halloweentown's costume contest.

a crowd of kids dressed in halloween costumes posing for a photo on the steps of a building — The historic town of St. Helens celebrates Halloween all October long with haunted tours, costume contests, celebrity appearances and more.

a skeleton sits in the back of a hearse — The town of St. Helens celebrates all things spooky at the Spirit of Halloweentown annual festival.

Almost everyone was in a costume, the vendor village was popping with food and beer, there was a costume contest happening on the steps of the courthouse and tons of themed cars lining the plaza around the Halloweentown pumpkin.
Kara Harms, Whimsy Soul

And what started as an event fully focused on the “Halloweentown” movies has grown in scope over the years — it’s now a full-fledged celebration of all things Halloween, featuring celebrity appearances by stars from other spooky movies, roaming performers, and tons of other activities and attractions (including plenty of delicious food and drink).

Events include costume contests, tarot card readings, story times, trick-or-treating through St. Helens’ Old Town District, haunted tours and scarecrows galore. Visitors will find a fun, kid-friendly atmosphere, decorations and opportunities for photos at every turn, including carved pumpkin displays and a replica of the vintage taxi driven by the skeleton cab driver Benny in the “Halloweentown” movies.

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During Spirit of Halloweentown, local merchants are dying to get you in the spooky spirit, with costume shops stocking everything from frisky vampire getups to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shells. And with such a fun environment and so many events leading up to the big day, you’ll want to be dressed and ready for action. So be sure not to miss it, or you’ll be haunted with regret — at least until next year.