At 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24, the daytime trick-or-treat at The Haunted River in Menan ends. At 4 p.m., the State Street intersection on Rigby's Main Street closes, and the Trick or Treat Main Street line starts moving.
That hour between the two events makes Oct. 24 the most packed Halloween day in Jefferson County this year, a week before Halloween. Halloween itself lands on a Saturday in 2026. Still, the costumes-in-daylight events for little kids happen the weekend before, and you can do both in one afternoon.
The rest of the month fits around that Saturday. Here's how it lays out.
The Saturday, Hour by Hour
- 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.: Daytime trick-or-treat at The Haunted River. This is the haunt's family session. It costs $5 per person, compared with $25 for the same weekend's night tours. The site is on Road 530 N between 3100 E and 3200 E in Menan.
- 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.: The gap. This is your hour to drive back into Rigby and park before State Street closes.
- 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.: Trick or Treat Main Street. It's free, sponsored by the Rigby Lions Club and organized by Aliza King.
- 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.: The Haunted River's night session. It reopens for older kids and adults at $25 a person.
Two events run on the same day, and neither one cuts into the other. You'll need a car, a costume that holds up for six hours, and a plan for dinner somewhere in the middle.
How the Main Street Line Actually Moves
Trick or Treat Main Street has a set route, and knowing it ahead of time helps when 2,000 or more kids show up. The line starts at the corner of Main and 1st West, across from the Dollar Tree. It goes east along Main toward Farnsworth Way, crosses Main Street there, and comes back west along the other side. Businesses and organizations set up booths on the road facing the sidewalk, so kids walk the sidewalk and the candy comes from the curb side.
The State Street intersection works differently. It's closed from 4 to 7 p.m. and holds music and demonstrations by local groups all evening. If your group wants a break from the line, that's the spot.
According to King, crowds have reached 5,000 children in some years, and a typical year falls somewhere between 2,000 and 4,000. The count depends a lot on the weather. That number explains this year's main rule change.
The New Rule That Keeps the Candy From Running Out
In past years, King suggested 5,000 pieces of candy. For 2026, every participating organization is required to bring at least 5,000 pieces. Businesses also have to stay for the whole event so the line doesn't have gaps.
For families, that matters most at the end of the evening. In a year with 4,000 kids, a booth with less candy could run out halfway through. The 5,000-piece minimum covers even the biggest crowd King has recorded, so a 6:30 p.m. trip down the line should get the same treats as a 4:15 p.m. trip.
King also described why she runs the event, and accessibility is a big part of it:
One of her main motivations is to give families a place to connect, give kids a safe place to collect candy, and give people with disabilities easy access to an activity they might otherwise have to sit out.
That's paraphrased from her comments to the Jefferson Star. In her own words: "It's the Lions and the local businesses that make this event possible."
If you own a business and want a booth, call King at 208-541-9365. Setup starts at 3 p.m. on Oct. 24, and booths are currently planned at 15 feet wide.
The Rest of The Haunted River's Month
The Oct. 24 daytime session is the only family-priced time slot on The Haunted River's October calendar. The night schedule runs every Friday and Saturday this month, and the start times get earlier as the evenings get darker.
| Date | Hours | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Fri & Sat, Oct. 2–3 | 8:00–11:00 p.m. | $25 |
| Fri & Sat, Oct. 9–10 | 7:30–11:00 p.m. | $25 |
| Fri & Sat, Oct. 16–17 | 7:00–11:00 p.m. | $25 |
| Fri & Sat, Oct. 23–24 | 7:00–11:00 p.m. | $25 |
| Sat, Oct. 24 daytime trick-or-treat | 1:00–3:00 p.m. | $5 |
| Thu, Oct. 29 | 7:00–9:00 p.m. | $20 |
| Fri & Sat, Oct. 30–31 | 7:00–10:00 p.m. | $25 |
The cheapest night is Thursday, Oct. 29, at $20, and it's also the shortest session at two hours. The haunt says it's open in all weather. Tonight, Oct. 3, the night session runs 8 to 11 p.m.
The Saturday Before Belongs to Jefferson County Lake
If you can only save one other October Saturday, make it Oct. 17. Jefferson County Parks & Recreation is holding A Spooktacular 5K for Cancer Awareness at Jefferson County Lake that morning. Check-in and the donation table open at 9 a.m. at Shelter A. The Ceremony of Hope and the 5K start at 10 a.m. Costumes are encouraged, all ages are welcome, and all proceeds go to cancer research. You can register online through the county's site at jcgov.us.
A morning costume run at the lake works well on a day that ends at The Haunted River, which opens at 7 p.m. on Oct. 17. That also gives anyone who wears a costume to the 5K a test run a week before Main Street.
Squealers Is Back on Rigby Lake Drive
The other new stop this fall is just down the road from the lake. Squealers Fun Park, at 735 Rigby Lake Drive, reopened parts of the park in June after being closed for five years. Before this year, the fun park had last run for about a year before shutting down in July 2021.
Derek Hansen runs it as part of a family business. His parents, Kent and Ann Hansen, have owned the property since 2020. Hansen grew up in Monteview and recently retired after 22 years in the Air Force. He calls the current setup "a shoestring operation" run by "a couple guys and me."
What's running:
- The 18-hole mini golf course, which Hansen and a couple of local youth groups cleared after years of overgrowth
- The go-karts on the Wild Hogs Raceway, which a mechanic got running again
- The buckaroo ride, a spinning seesaw where you jump to ring a bell before the other rider does
The batting cages are still waiting on repairs. In late August, East Idaho News reported hours of 6 to 9 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays and 3 to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, at $5 for each attraction that's working. If those Saturday hours still hold in October, Squealers could fill the 3 o'clock gap on Oct. 24. No October schedule or closing date has been published, though, and it's an outdoor park with a small crew. Check the Squealers Fun Park Facebook page before you plan around it.
Pumpkins on the Honor System
Ashland Produce, at 158 N 4544 E in Rigby, posted on Sept. 24, 2026, that its pumpkin patch is ready and open. The farm says staff are around less this year, mostly in the evenings and on Saturdays, but self-service is available anytime. Since you can pick up a pumpkin there on any day, it doesn't have to compete with the Oct. 24 schedule. Any weekday this month works.
After October
The season doesn't end on Oct. 31. Jefferson County Parks & Recreation plans its third annual Turkey Trot for Thanksgiving, which falls on Nov. 26 this year, together with The Giving Cupboard food bank. The county's 2026 preview doesn't include a start time or registration details yet, so watch for the county's own notice later this fall.
If your Halloween weekends in Rigby have you thinking about which part of town works best for the years ahead, Adam Walz is glad to talk through it, Main Street to Rigby Lake Drive. Schedule your free consultation.
