Welcome to Halloweentown

If you grew up watching Disney Channel, then there is a very real chance you have seen the Halloweentown series on more than one occasion. We all remember the giant pumpkin in the town square, the friendly monsters roaming the streets, Benny the skeleton cab driver, and the evil mayor with a crush on Marnie’s mom. For Millennials and Gen Z, Halloweentown has become a Halloween tradition. With each passing fall season comes another Halloweentown binge-fest. 

What you probably didn’t know, though… is that Halloween town is an actual place. Yes, you read that right. You can actually visit Halloweentown! Although, sadly, you won’t get to encounter any friendly monsters or meet the famed Aggie Cromwell, it’s the aesthetic that counts. Cruise down the streets of Halloweentown finding all your favorite spots where scenes took place or take a selfie with the Great Pumpkin in the city square. 

While Halloweentown was being filmed, most of the scenes took place in the town of St. Helens, Oregon. To commemorate this iconic Disney film, St. Helens began transforming itself into the famed Halloweentown for one whole month. They call this festival the Spirit of Halloweentown and it has been taking place every year since the movie’s release in 1998. 

This exciting festival begins at the end of September with the first lighting of the Great Pumpkin in the city plaza. Food cards and craft vendors fill the square through October 31st. Other activities include corn mazes, pony rides, a haunted house, costume contests, a Halloween paint party, and a concert of the “greatest villain songs.” St. Helens also has a Museum of Peculiarities and Oddities and a Spirit of Halloweentown gift shop to enjoy as well. 

 In 2017 during the festival, Kimberly J. Brown, who played Marnie in the first two films, as well as some other cast members from the movie paid a visit to Halloweentown and participated in the festivities as well in honor of the late Debbie Reynolds, who is best known as Grandma Aggie. They haven’t been back, but who knows… with all that has been going on this past year, they may need to make another trip back home to Halloweentown to get some much-needed Halloween spirit. 

So, this year while making travel plans, don’t forget to include a trip to the famed Halloweentown. Take out your broom or hop onto the magical Halloweentown bus and make your way to town before the clock strikes midnight. As Aggie Cromwell once said… “Magic is really very simple. All you have to do is want something and let yourself have it!” To learn more about this festival and the city of St. Helens, Oregon, you can visit the town’s website or go to Seventeen.com and read more. 

-"We call on the dreams of creature and mortal to heal the wounds the worlds divided. From now on we can each create a portal and each of us our own path decide." — The Cromwells