Last updated: August 12, 2024 by Michelle
Halloween is my favorite time of the year! Growing up, my mother would make my costume. As an adult, Halloween is more about hanging out with friends and less about costumes and trick-or-treating. That doesn’t mean that I, and other adults, can’t embrace the Halloween spirit! Maybe you’re helping your kids get dressed up. Maybe you’re going to a party – or throwing one yourself. Either way, Halloween trivia questions can liven up your party or start your kids’ trick-or-treating night off right.
We’ve gathered our 65 favorite Halloween trivia questions for kids, adults, and everyone else. Some of these focus on your favorite Halloween movies and books. Others zero in on the traditions and customs that created Halloween in the first place. Skip to your favorite section, or scroll down to find our top Halloween trivia picks.
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The spookiest Halloween trivia questions are the ones that creep up on you!
Best Halloween Trivia Questions
We have a ton of Halloween trivia for you to pick from, but here are some of our absolute favorite tidbits. These run the gamut from pop culture to anatomy to historical facts. See which piques your interest!
Q: Which state holds the distinction of playing host to the first citywide Halloween celebration in the entire country?
A: Minnesota.
Anoka, Minn., hosted the first citywide Halloween celebration in 1920 (a fact the city is quite proud of).
Q: The White House isn’t immune to Halloween. Who is believed to haunt the Rose Garden?
A: Some believe Dolley Madison, wife of James Madison and former first lady, haunts the Rose Garden.
Don’t believe us? Ask the White House.
Q: Approximately how much money did we spend on Halloween decorations last year (2023)?
A: About $3.9 billion.
Q: The human skeleton includes how many bones?
A: 206.
Q: When did Spirit Halloween open its first store?
A: 1983.
Q: What celebration did the Irish and Scottish observe before Halloween came to be?
A: Samhain, a pagan festival to mark the end of summer.
Q: The last time we had a full moon on Halloween was 2020. When is the next time it will happen?
A: 2039.
Q: Count Dracula lives in Transylvania, which lies within the borders of which country?
A: Romania.
Q: Who wrote the famous Halloween song “Monster Mash?”
A: Boris Pickett.
Q: Are you required to disclose that your house is haunted when you sell it?
A: No, but there are some interesting laws in certain states. For example, in New Jersey, the seller must disclose “departed roommates,” but only if asked. In New York, you may have to disclose that your house is haunted if you’ve shared this opinion “to the public at large.”
Q: What was the weight of the largest pumpkin pie ever made?
A: 3,699 pounds.
Q: In 1989, President George H.W. Bush told a group of children that which former president was haunting the White House?
A: He claimed it was Abraham Lincoln.
Q: What do you call the night before Halloween?
A: That depends on where you live! New Jersey and Pennsylvania call it “Mischief Night” while Michigan calls it “Devil’s Night.” Some in Vermont and New Hampshire call it “Cabbage Night,” and in Arkansas you might hear “Devil’s Eve.” Some other names include gate night, trick night, and All Hallows Eve.
Q: How did folks in New England protect themselves from dark spirits way back in the day?
A: They hid their shoes in the walls. They believed a personal item, like a shoe, had the “essence” of the wearer and could throw a spirit off their scent.
Halloween Trivia for Kids
Gather the kids around before they go out trick-or-treating. These Halloween trivia questions are perfect for them.
Q: What’s the name of the big pot a witch uses?
A: A cauldron.
Q: Where is it illegal to use Silly String on Halloween?
A: Hollywood. Specifically, Beverly Hills.
Q: Where should you go to find a real mummy?
A: The pyramids in Egypt.
Q: What’s the name for a group of witches?
A: A coven.
Q: How much candy does the average American eat in a year?
A: About eight pounds.
Q: How many colors should you find in an average bag of M&Ms?
A: Six: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and brown.
Q: But really, how many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
A: Believe it or not, universities have studied this question. Purdue found it took 252 licks. The University of Michigan found it took 411 licks.
Q: What is another name for a werewolf?
A: Lycanthrope.
Q: How many types of Kit Kats flavors can you find in Japan?
A: Japan has more than 300 flavors of Kit Kats, including melon and cheese, royal milk tea, sake, and cherry blossom green tea latte.
Q: What does a magician say in order to perform a magic trick?
A: Abracadabra!
Q: When you go trick-or-treating, how many pieces of candy will you get from each house you visit (on average)?
A: Two.
Q: What is the most popular candy in America?
A: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups takes the crown!
Q: What is the least popular candy?
A: Circus Peanuts are widely reviled, even more so than candy corn.
Q: What is the only mammal with the ability to fly?
A: A bat.
Q: What is the most popular costume choice for children?
A: Ghost! In the lead-up to Halloween 2023, “ghost costume” was one of the top searches under “kids Halloween costume.” Other entries include witch, skeleton, cat, and Bowser.
Halloween Movie and Pop Culture Trivia
Are you a monster movie buff? Maybe you love classic horror stories like “Dracula.” Test your Halloween pop culture knowledge with these Halloween trivia questions.
A: We know him as Count Dracula, but what was the original name for Bram Stoker’s infamous vampire?
Q: Count Wampyr. A page of Stoker’s notes actually contains the name Count Wampyr crossed out and replaced with Count Dracula.
A: Mike Myers’ famous mask in “Halloween” is not what it seems. What was that mask originally?
Q: The mask was a Captain Kirk
mask that the production modified.
Q: Which horror movie from 1994 included co-stars Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, and Brad Pitt?
A: “Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles.”
Q: Edward Cullen is the name of a vampire from which famous book and movie series?
A: Twilight.
Q: Which Shakespeare play is responsible for the quote “double, double toil and trouble?”
A: Macbeth.
Q: Which classic horror movie used the Oscar statuette as inspiration for its monster?
A: “The Creature From the Black Lagoon.”
Q: Before it was called “Thriller,” what was the name of this famous Michael Jackson song?
A: “Starlight.”
Q: What true story inspired the events of the movie “Poltergeist?”
A: The Herrmann House. In 1958, James Herrmann’s wife said she heard strange noises in their house. Herrmann told his family to stay calm, but bottles kept moving and popping all over the home. The family eventually asked a priest to come bless the home.
Q: Who wrote “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?”
A: Washington Irving wrote the short story in 1820.
Q: Which movie does Rotten Tomatoes rate as the scariest horror movie ever?
A: “The Exorcist.”
Q: What inspired Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein?”
A: Lord Byron challenged Shelley and others to a horror writing competition in 1816. The competition resulted in Shelley writing “Frankenstein.”
Q: When did Charles Schulz’s famous Halloween special, “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” debut on television?
A: Oct. 27, 1966.
Q: Who called “Hocus Pocus” one of her favorite roles of her career?
A: Bette Midler called it one of her favorite movies.
Halloween Trick or Treat Trivia
Let’s get to the best part of Halloween – trick or treating. Here’s some Halloween trivia all about collecting your candy on Halloween.
Q: How did the practice of trick or treating begin?
A: The origins are murky. Some Celtic celebrations saw villagers dressing up and setting up banquets of food to appease malevolent spirits. In the Middle Ages, people dressed up as various creatures would receive food and drink in exchange for wacky antics. And back in 1,000 A.D., poor people would visit the wealthy to receive cakes in exchange for the promise that they’d pray for the souls of the rich folks’ dead relatives.
Q: What nearly caused cities to ban Halloween in the 1930s?
A: Back then, there were no treats, only tricks. And those pranks were getting so extreme that some American cities considered banning the holiday.
Q: When did we start celebrating Halloween here in the U.S.?
A: Early settlers brought the tradition over with them, so we were celebrating Halloween from the very start.
Q: How many calories are in the typical trick-or-treater’s candy bag?
A: One estimate says each trick-or-treater’s bag contains almost 5,000 calories.
Q: Where in the U.S. can you get in trouble for dressing up as a priest or nun on Halloween?
A: Alabama.
Q: What is the Guinness World Record for the most lit jack-o’-lanterns?
A: 30,581, displayed in the city of Keene, N.H., on Oct. 19, 2013.
Q: What percentage of Americans planned to celebrate Halloween in 2023?
A: 73%.
Q: How much candy corn is produced every year?
A: 30 million pounds.
Q: Where can you find the biggest Halloween parade in the world?
A: New York City, where the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is the largest event of its kind.
Q: What was the most popular overall Halloween costume in 2023?
A: Barbie, followed by princess, Spider-Man, witch, and fairy.
Q: What is the first country recorded to have used the phrase “trick or treat?”
A: Canada, where we can find a print reference to the term in 1927.
Q: What was the first company to start making “fun sized” candy bars for Halloween?
A: Curtiss Candy Company, which makes Butterfinger and Baby Ruth.
Fall Trivia
This time of year isn’t only about Halloween, though that’s certainly one of my favorite aspects of it. It’s also about the changing colors, cozy days in your favorite sweater, and all things fall. Let’s take a look at some fall trivia to mark this magical time of year.
Q: How many apples go into a gallon of apple cider?
A: It takes 30-40 medium apples to make a gallon of cider. Of course, you also need an apple press.
Q: Which Roman goddess protected fruit trees, gardens, and orchards, and would often be shown with a cornucopia or platter of fruit?
A: Pomona.
Q: Are pumpkins a fruit or a vegetable?
A: Fruit.
Q: Which vegetable did the Irish and Scottish carve up for Halloween instead of pumpkins?
A: Turnips.
Q: What occurs during the Autumnal Equinox?
A: The sun passes directly above the equator, making day and night equal length. This marks the start of autumn.
Q: What German celebration takes place in fall?
A: Oktoberfest.
Q: When is All Saints’ Day?
A: Nov. 1.
Q: Which three Zodiac signs are associated with fall?
A: Libra, Scorpio, and Sagittarius.
Q: Which state do most Americans’ pumpkins come from?
A: Illinois. Morton, Ill., to be precise.
Q: What freak weather event hit during Halloween 1991?
A: The Halloween Blizzard of 1991, which hit the midwest with feet of snow. Duluth suffered 36.9 inches of snow, a state record at the time.
Frequently Asked Halloween Trivia Questions
No tricks here, we’re going to answer your most frequent questions about Halloween trivia. Learn how to best use your Halloween trivia questions with kids and friends.
How Should I Use These Halloween Trivia Questions?
There are a ton of great ways to put together your own Halloween trivia game. One way you could use them is by hosting your own Halloween party. Halloween trivia questions are a fantastic ice breaker when your guests first arrive. Or save them for later in the night as a fun party game to keep the vibe light and cheerful.
If you’re a teacher or parent, you could also enjoy Halloween trivia with your kids during the holiday. More on that below!
Is There Halloween Trivia for Kids?
Yes! You can check out our Halloween trivia for kids section above. However, many of the general Halloween trivia questions are also appropriate for children. Just make sure you read them ahead of time so you know they’re age-appropriate.
If you want to use these with your kids or perhaps in your classroom, they make a great Halloween game. You could reward correct answers with candy in order to make learning not only fun but delicious.
What Are Some Other Halloween Party Activities?
Your Halloween party doesn’t need to begin and end with Halloween trivia. You could also incorporate classics like bobbing for apples. If this is more of an adult gathering, you could host a scary movie night as your Halloween party. If there are some kids around, you may want to choose tamer spooky fun.
If you want to take it to the next level, you could host a spooky murder mystery party, where all your guests dress up and fulfill certain roles while trying to solve a mystery. If there are little ones about, entertain them with Halloween coloring pages that will keep them engrossed for hours.
Halloween Coloring Pages
Looking for more fun Halloween activities as you get ready for trick-or-treating? Check out these spookily fun Halloween coloring pages, Monster Coloring Pages, and ghost coloring pagesin high-quality PDF format to download and print at home for your kids. Including pumpkins, ghosts, monsters, and more!
More Fall and Halloween Fun
Don’t let the fun end there. Here’s a ton more Halloween and fall activities to enjoy.
