Halloween falls on Saturday, October 31 this year, which opens up a better option than a crowded party: a small cookout at home. If you live in Claremont apartments near the colleges, you likely have what you need already. At Claremont Collegiate, that’s gas grills, a community patio and friends within walking distance.
Why does a Saturday Halloween work so well in Claremont apartments?
It works because nobody has class the next morning and nobody has to drive. A Saturday gives you the whole afternoon to set up and the whole evening to hang out. And when you live steps from campus, friends from all five colleges can walk over.
The weather helps. Late October evenings in Claremont are usually mild enough to sit outside in a costume and a sweatshirt. That is not true in most of the country, and I think we should use it.
The problem: Halloween plans are usually bad
The standard options are a packed room where you can’t hear anyone, or a long night of walking between things that aren’t that fun. Either one costs money and ends late.
What a lot of us want is simpler. Good food, a dozen people we like, a reason to wear something dumb. That’s a cookout.
Option one: grill on the patio
Claremont Collegiate Apartments has gas grills and a community patio area. That’s the plan in one sentence. Gas grills mean no charcoal, no waiting, and no one pretending to know how to build a fire.
Before you invite people, ask the office how the shared spaces work for a small group, what the guest policy is, and when quiet hours start. Other residents use the patio too, so you’re sharing it, not taking it over.
Keep the menu easy. Sausages and veggie skewers. Corn. Somebody will bring chips. For the Halloween part, a bowl of candy and a pumpkin or two does it. If someone wants to carve, do it outside and bag the mess.
Option two: move it indoors
If it’s windy or the patio is busy, go inside. Your apartment is fully furnished and has a full kitchen, so the food plan survives. Bake the sausages, roast the vegetables, same party.
There’s also a community lounge room. Ask the office whether a small group can use it for a movie. A scary movie with ten people is fun. With thirty, nobody can hear it.
How many people should you invite?
Invite the number you can feed and hear. For me that’s ten to fifteen. Past that, it stops being a cookout and starts being an event you have to manage.
Give it a start time and a soft end. Something like “come at five, we’ll eat at six.” People with other plans can stop by early and leave. People without other plans get dinner and a place to be. Everybody wins, and you’re not hosting at midnight.
Split the cost. One person buys the food, everyone sends a few dollars. Since all utilities are included here and parking is free, the grocery bill is basically the whole budget.
What about roommates who aren’t into it?
Ask them first, and take the answer seriously. If one of you has a paper due or just wants a quiet night, the patio plan is the kind one, because the party isn’t in your living room. Bedrooms stay closed, and the apartment stays livable.
If your roommates are in, give everyone a job. One on the grill, one on drinks, one on music at a volume the neighbors won’t notice.
Sunday: the extra hour
Daylight saving time ends on Sunday, November 1, so the clocks fall back overnight. You get an extra hour. Use some of it to clean up properly. Wipe down the grill, take out the trash, put the patio furniture back where it was. The on-site laundry is free, which is handy for a costume that smells like smoke.
Then enjoy the rest of the day. It’ll get dark earlier that evening, and the semester isn’t slowing down anytime soon. A calm Sunday is a good way to head into another busy week
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is Halloween in 2026?
Halloween is Saturday, October 31, 2026. Daylight saving time ends the next day, Sunday, November 1.
Can I use the grills at Claremont Collegiate Apartments with guests?
The gas grills and community patio are shared resident spaces. Ask the office about guest and quiet-hour policies before planning a get-together.
Is Claremont Collegiate close to the colleges?
Yes. The community is at 1445 N College Avenue, steps from campus. See the neighborhood page for the area.
Key Takeaways
- Halloween is Saturday, October 31, and clocks fall back Sunday, November 1.
- For students in Claremont apartments, a small cookout is an easy alternative to a crowded party.
- Claremont Collegiate has gas grills, a community patio and a community lounge; check the rules with the office first.
- Keep the guest list to what you can feed and hear, and split the grocery bill.