Don’t toss your Halloween jack-o’-lanterns into the garbage! Divert organic waste from landfills and turn your pumpkins into nutrient-rich compost at the annual Pumpkin Smash, co-hosted by the University of Illinois Extension.
Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Lake View High School (4015 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL)
Cost: Free | No registration required
Event Details:
Bring your family and your post-Halloween pumpkins to smash, drop off, and compost! Composting keeps organic matter out of landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enriching local soil.
Drop-off Checklist:
To ensure your pumpkins can be safely composted, please prepare them before arriving:
Remove all candles, wax, plastic, yarn, and non-organic decorations.
Ensure pumpkins are free of non-water-based paint or glitter.
Come out for a fun, eco-friendly post-Halloween community activity!
Lake View High School
4015 North Ashland Ave Chicago,
Illinois
60613United States+ Google Map
What a night! Halloween in Graceland West was nothing short of incredible.
Thanks to our neighborhood’s first-ever Halloween Block Party permit, three blocks of Greenview Avenue were safely transformed into a festive pedestrian haven. Seeing hundreds of costumed trick-or-treaters freely running, laughing, and collecting treats without the worry of traffic made all the hard work behind the scenes completely worth it.
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Community
We want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who made it possible:
Our Street-Closure Volunteers: A huge thank you to everyone who stepped up to park cars, place cones, and monitor our street endpoints at Montrose, Cullom, Berteau, Belle Plaine, Pensacola, Hutchinson, and Warner. Your vigilance kept all of our kids safe and the evening running smoothly.
Our Generous Neighbors: To everyone who stocked up on sweet treats and handed out thousands of pieces of candy—thank you for your incredible hospitality!
The Alderman’s Office: Thank you to the 47th Ward Alderman’s office for granting our block party permit.
Our Residents: Thank you to all neighbors along Greenview and the surrounding side streets for your cooperation, patience, and support with parking and traffic adjustments.
What to Do with Your Pumpkins: The LVHS Pumpkin Smash
Now that Halloween has passed and it’s time to clean up the front porch, don’t let your jack-o’-lanterns end up in a landfill.
Join us and University of Illinois Extension for a free, fun, and eco-friendly Pumpkin Smash right here in the neighborhood at Lake View High School.
When: Saturday, November 7, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Where: Lake View High School (Chicago, IL)
Cost: Free (no registration required)
How to Prepare Your Pumpkins:
Before you bring your pumpkins down to smash and turn into nutrient-rich compost, please remember to:
Remove all non-organic items: Take out candles, wax, ribbons, plastic, yarn, and glitter.
Check for paint: Remove any artificial decorations or painted sections unless water-based.
Composting diverted organic waste reduces greenhouse gas emissions and keeps our city greener. Drop by Saturday to smash your jack-o’-lanterns into compost.
Thank you again to everyone for making Halloween in Graceland West so safe, memorable, and fun!
It is officially the best time of year in Graceland West! From crisp autumn mornings at the park to packed sidewalks on Halloween night, our neighborhood spirit is in full swing.
A Huge Thank You for a Fantastic Warner Park Event!
First, a massive thank you to everyone who joined us last Saturday, October 24th, for our annual Halloween Party at Warner Park!
We had an blast watching kids (and parents!) navigate the Spider Maze, compete in the mummy races, decorate pumpkins, play Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin, and enjoy delicious caramel candy apples. Seeing Warner Park filled with families, costumes and friendly faces is always a highlight of the season.
A huge shoutout and heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who pitched in to run games, manage crafts, serve treats, and clean up afterward. We also want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who brought non-perishable food items for Nourishing Hope. Your generosity will go a long way in supporting local families this fall and winter.
Up Next: Halloween Night Trick-or-Treating & Street Closure Details!
As everyone knows, Halloween in Graceland West is electrifying. Many homes on Greenview hand out well over 1,000 pieces of candy. To keep our trick-or-treaters safe from speeding delivery drivers and heavy traffic, the 47th Ward Alderman’s office has granted our community a Halloween Block Party permit!
Here is what you need to know for this Saturday, October 31st:
Hours: Street closures will be active from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
Closed Blocks: Greenview Avenue will be closed to through traffic in three sections:
Montrose to Cullom
Cullom to Berteau
Berteau to Belle Plaine
Intersections: East-west streets remain open to through traffic, but cars will be blocked from entering Greenview at Pensacola, Hutchinson, and Warner. Endpoints will be secured with cars or cones.
Parking & Resident Info
Parked cars are allowed to stay on Greenview! The goal is safety, not disruption.
If you plan to drive in or out of the neighborhood between 3:00 PM and 10:00 PM, we recommend parking on an east-west street or using an off-alley spot for easy access.
Volunteers Needed & Final Shoutouts
A huge thank you in advance to our Greenview neighbors and the Alderman’s office for getting this permit secured and flyering the neighborhood.
If you’d like to help keep the evening running smoothly—whether by helping monitor endpoints or assisting with setup—please reach out
Thank you all for making Graceland West such a safe, fun, and welcoming place to celebrate. We can’t wait to see your trick-or-treat costumes this Saturday!
Get ready for a morning of festive fall fun! We are excited to invite you to this year’s Halloween event, filled with neighborhood-favorite activities and treats for the whole family.
Date: Saturday, October 24th
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Warner Park
Event Highlights
Spider Maze: Can you navigate your way through our web-tangled maze?
Caramel Candy Apples: Enjoy a delicious, sweet seasonal treat!
Mummy Races: Wrap up and race to the finish line in this high-energy favorite!
Pumpkin Decorating: Unleash your creativity and design your very own pumpkin masterpiece.
Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin: Put on a blindfold and see who can get closest to the mark!
Don’t forget to bring your filled out Scavenger Hunt sheets!
Food Drive for Nourishing Hope
While we look forward to seeing everyone in their best costumes, we are also gathering to support our local community. We will be collecting donations for Nourishing Hope to help stock their shelves for the fall and winter seasons.
A donation collection box will be located right at the entrance of the event. If you are able, please consider bringing non-perishable food items to drop off when you arrive (Most needed list). Your generosity directly impacts local families in need!
Bring your family, friends, and costumes! We look forward to seeing you there.
Calling all ghosts, goblins, and neighborhood detectives…scary sights, spooky skeletons, and festive decorations have popped up all across Graceland West…after a one-year hiatus, the Graceland West Halloween Scavenger Hunt is officially back for 2026!
How to Participate
Download the Scavenger Hunt Sheet: Download and print your copy of the official 2026 Graceland West Halloween Scavenger Hunt Document.
Explore the Neighborhood: Take a walk around the neighborhood boundaries (between Clark & Ashland, Irving Park & Montrose) and match the spooky photos on the sheet with the real-life decorations around Graceland West.
Record Your Answers: Write down the house address where you spot each matching display next to its corresponding number on your sheet.
Turn In Your Sheet & Win a Prize!
Bring your completed scavenger hunt sheet to the GWCA Halloween Party at Warner Park!
When: Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: Warner Park & Gardens (1446 W. Warner Ave.)
Turn in your sheet during the party for a fun prize!
Grab your shoes, rally the family, and see how many scary sights you can spot. Happy hunting!
WHO: All Graceland West neighbors! WHAT: Annual Family Halloween Party WHEN: Saturday, October 24th | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM WHERE: Warner Park and Gardens COST: FREE
Details & Activities Join us for two hours of fun, games, and treats. Get those costumes ready—we can’t wait to see them!
Spooky Games like our Mummy Wrap, Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin and Spider Maze
Pumpkin Decorating Station
Candy & Treats: Including our famous Caramel Candy Apples!
Help Your Community! We are collecting non-perishable food items at the event to benefit those in need. Please bring a donation if you can!
Colin McLeod
Lake View High School
4015 North Ashland Ave Chicago,
Illinois
60613United States+ Google Map
What an incredible turnout for this year’s Graceland West Neighborhood Fest!
Despite Mother Nature throwing a few curveballs and forcing us to cut the bounce house, movie, and a few crafts, the spirit of Graceland West shone brighter than ever. Seeing so many neighbors bundle up in rain jackets, grab a drink, catch up under the tents, and support our community association made all the prep work completely worth it.
A Huge Thank You to Our Volunteers, Sponsors, and Neighbors! Events of this scale take a massive team effort.
To Our Volunteers: From tent setup, to serving cotton candy, to staying late for breakdown, thank you! Your energy and hard work kept everything running smoothly.
Brad, Sarah M., Krist, Liza, Ann, Andy, Melanie, Sarah P., Barbara, Rob, Terry, Donna, Andrea, Colin, Charlie, Margot, Katie D., Addie, Sophie, Sam, Katie W., Megan, Sara L., TJ, Bonnie, Katherine, Matt, Angelia
To Our Sponsors & Local Vendors: Thank you for your continued generosity and partnership. Your support directly funds the GWCA’s projects and initiatives that make our neighborhood such a special place to live.
The Daniel Burnham ($1,000+)
Lowe Group Chicago
The Bertha Palmer ($750+)
Lakeshore Sport & Fitness
The Ruth Page($250+)
34-TEN Architecture
Greg Jareczek State Farm
The Ivy Bar & Kitchen
Off Color Brewing
Sarah Maxwell Group / @ Properties
To Everyone Who Attended: Thank you for showing up, buying tickets, tasting treats, and proving once again that Graceland West has the best community spirit in the city!
Looking Ahead: Halloween Event Needs Your Help!
We love bringing our community together, but we need your help for our next big tradition!
Our annual GWCA Halloween Event is coming up fast, but we are currently in urgent need of volunteers to lead the event. Without neighbors stepping up to take the lead on planning and coordination, this beloved neighborhood tradition is at risk of not happening this year.
If you love Halloween and want to help create a fun, safe celebration for our neighborhood kids, please reach out to us right away at info@gracelandwest.org. Whether you can lead or join a planning committee, every bit of help counts!
Thank you again for an unforgettable Fest weekend. See you around the neighborhood!
It’s time for one last celebration of the Halloween season—the annual Pumpkin Smash!
Thanks to the incredible community spirit and effort, everyone’s commitment has made the Lake View High School location the largest smash and compost event in the city! Last year, with the help of our partners like Lake View High School, their JROTC, and the 47th Ward, we composted over 19,000 pounds of pumpkins, keeping a huge amount of organic waste out of landfills.
This year, we’re challenging ourselves to reach a new milestone: Let’s double the tonnage! Join us in this fun, eco-friendly way to green your Halloween and support the environment.
Event Details
When:Saturday, November 8, 10 am – 2 pm
Where:Lake View High School parking lot, Greenview entrance from Irving Park
How to Participate
Bring Your Pumpkins and Gourds: All decorative squashes are welcome.
Prep Your Pumpkins: Please ensure you remove stickers and candles first!
Show Your Spirit: Halloween celebrants are encouraged to wear their costumes one more time.
Go Green on Transport: We love how many neighbors biked or brought their pumpkins in Radio Flyer or other wagons—it’s the best way to get them to the smash!
Let’s beat last year’s record and make an even bigger impact on our composting efforts!
The date is set, the costumes are planned, and the caramel apples are being prepped! Just a quick reminder that the Graceland West Community Association Annual Halloween Party is happening this Saturday, October 25th, from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM at Warner Park!
The party will be full of fantastic, free fun for all the little monsters: a Pumpkin Decorating, Costume Contest, Ghost Sack Races, Mummy Wrap games, and, of course, Halloween Caramel Candy Apples and plenty of treats.
Don’t forget to bring donations for those in need
While we love seeing creative costumes and smiling faces, the most valuable item you can bring this year is a donation for our neighbors. We are hosting a drive for Nourishing Hope (formerly Lakeview Pantry) to help stock their shelves for the fall and winter months.
We will have a collection point right at the entrance of the party. If you are planning to attend, please consider bringing one or more non-perishable items from their most-needed list. Your generosity makes a direct impact on local families!
We look forward to celebrating Halloween with you on Saturday and making a difference together!
