Huntington Woods October Events 2026: Centennial & Halloween

Huntington Woods held its biggest centennial party on Sunday, Oct. 4, in a place it doesn't own. The Huntington Woods Parks & Recreation Department set up a tent inside the Detroit Zoo from 3 to 7 p.m. during the first weekend of Zoo Boo. The party had cider and doughnuts, a cash bar, city remarks at 3:30 p.m., and costumes were welcome for anyone who wanted to explore the zoo afterward. The event was for residents only and required registration. Admission and parking were free, thanks to the zoo and the presenting sponsor, the Huntington Woods Men's Club.

That afternoon was the high point the city planned for, but the rest of the 100th year looks different. Everything the city still has on the calendar between now and Election Day is small, mostly limited to residents, and depends on residents making something: a drawing for a sticker, a decorated porch, a light left on at 6 p.m. The zoo's Halloween season ends on Oct. 25. For the six days after that, the town handles its own Halloween.

The Zoo Party Was Paid For $100 at a Time

The centennial started small. In November 2025, the City Commission put out a call for residents to join a 100 Year Celebration Committee that would plan programs and gatherings for the anniversary year. The 100 years count from 1926, when Huntington Woods was incorporated as a village. It didn't become a city until 1932.

The money came from neighbors too. In an Aug. 18 notice, the city asked 100 people to give $100 each toward a $10,000 celebration at the zoo. Donors got a hat or T-shirt and recognition at the event, and Melissa Prowse was the contact. So the party took place in a regional landmark, but the city funded it the way a block party gets funded. The rest of October works the same way.

Next Door, Zoo Boo Still Has Three Weekends Left

The zoo's own Halloween event keeps running on the city's border through late October. Zoo Boo 2026 continues Oct. 9–11, Oct. 16–18 and Oct. 23–25, from 3 to 8:30 p.m. each day. On those dates the zoo's regular hours shrink to 10 a.m.–2 p.m. It then reopens at 3 p.m. for the event, which needs its own ticket.

Here's what changed this year. Gates open an hour earlier, at 3 p.m., and the whole zoo, back habitats included, stays open until 6 p.m. Families can use the new Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails, which have tie-dye animal crafts, chalk art, leaf rubbing and story times.

Every guest age 2 and up needs a ticket, and prices change by date and time. On busy days the zoo runs shuttles from off-site parking. It only posts the shuttle locations when they're available, so check before a Saturday visit.

For Huntington Woods, the timing is what matters. Zoo Boo's last night is Sunday, Oct. 25. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, six days later, with no zoo event on the calendar. The city's own events fill that last stretch.

Oct. 9 Decides What Voters Wear on Nov. 3

The centennial project with the longest reach is the cheapest one. The City Clerk is running Huntington Woods' first "I Voted" sticker design contest. It's open to residents and to Burton Elementary students of every age. Designs must be original, made by a person rather than generated, nonpartisan, and include the words "I Voted." Entries are due at the Clerk's Office by Friday, Oct. 9.

The city will announce the winning design on Oct. 20 and hand it out at polling places for the Nov. 3 general election. The zoo party lasted four hours for the people who registered. The sticker reaches every voter in the city who picks one up. It's the last centennial item on the official calendar, and a resident will have drawn it.

The Smaller Rooms Fill Up First

Between the sticker deadline and Halloween, the centennial year runs through the city's own buildings. Their rooms are much smaller than the zoo, and most programs ask you to register ahead.

The Huntington Woods Public Library has a new director this fall. Shannon Rourke took over on Aug. 1, after working as the children's librarian since 2022. Her first October lineup leans toward kids:

• Cozy Crafting: Pumpkin Palooza, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 6:30–7:30 p.m., with pumpkin crafts and snacks for elementary-age kids, tweens and teens. Registration required.
• Graham Cracker Haunted House, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6:30–7:30 p.m., for ages 10–17. Registration required.

Adults have their own room. The Rec Department is holding a Mah Jongg tournament on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Warming Room. It costs $15 for residents and $20 for nonresidents, and players must be 21 or older. A daytime round follows on Thursday, Nov. 12, from 1 to 3:30 p.m., at the same prices with the same age minimum. If you'd rather start casually, drop-in Mah Jongg meets regularly in the Senior Room on the Rec Center's weekly calendar.

The Week the Zoo Goes Quiet

Huntington Woods' own Halloween run starts on Zoo Boo's final weekend and runs until the porch lights go off on Oct. 31. In order:

1. Friday, Oct. 23: Goblin Gala. The Rec Department's party runs 7–8:15 p.m. in the Gillham Recreation Center gym, with dancing, treats and crafts. Children must come with an adult. Pre-registration is $15 per person, and the listing shows a higher price at the door. It's on the same night as one of Zoo Boo's last Fridays, so families can pick the zoo crowd or a gym of neighbors.
2. Sunday, Oct. 25: Zoo Boo's last night. After this, the zoo is done with Halloween.
3. Wednesday, Oct. 28: Hauntington Woods registration closes. The Rec Department's second annual Halloween decoration contest is open to residents only and costs $5 to enter. It welcomes haunted houses, yard displays and other Halloween setups.
4. Saturday, Oct. 31: Trick-or-treat. The city's posted Halloween guidance suggests trick-or-treating from 6 to 8 p.m. and asks homeowners who are taking part to turn on their porch lights. That page is the city's standing guidance and doesn't carry a 2026 date, so look for any update from City Hall as the day gets close.
5. Early November: Contest winners. The Rec Department plans to announce Hauntington Woods winners at the start of the month.

The decorating contest's registration deadline falls three days after Zoo Boo ends. Halloween night has no ticket and no venue other than the sidewalks. During the anniversary year, the city's Halloween is the porches the neighborhood decorates and lights up for itself.

What the 100th Year Leaves Behind

After the celebrating, the centennial year's biggest practical result comes from a ballot. On Aug. 4, voters approved a $17 million bond for road, sewer and park improvements with 75.72% voting yes in the unofficial count. C&G News reported the breakdown: $13 million for roads, water mains and sewers, $2 million for rear-yard sewer repairs, and $2 million for parks and recreation. The city manager expects work to start in the spring.

Residents can already feel some of that work. A city notice from July 2 said Borgman and Meadowcrest would close starting July 6 for water main and street repairs. The bond's own construction schedule hasn't been published yet. For now, the spring start is the only date on record, so expect the work to begin about when the centennial year is over.

Between now and then, the dates to keep are Oct. 9 for sticker entries, Oct. 23 for the Goblin Gala, Oct. 28 for Hauntington Woods registration, and 6 p.m. on Oct. 31 for the porch light.

At The Madelon Collective, we keep track of the small dates that shape a year in Huntington Woods, from the Clerk's sticker contest to the first bond projects next spring. If you'd like to know how plans like these could affect your street or a future move, get in touch, and we'll share what we're watching.