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10 Ideas For A Bookish Halloween

10 Ideas For A Bookish Halloween

These 10 bookish Halloween ideas combine the love of literature with the spooky spirit of the holiday. Whether you’re a hardcore bibliophile, a hardworking librarian, or just someone who enjoys a good book, these 10 ideas for a bookish Halloween will help you celebrate the holiday in literary style.

10 Ideas For a Bookish Halloween

1. Literary Costume Party

Encourage guests to dress up as their favorite book characters, and have a costume contest with literary-themed prizes.

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Cheshire Cat Halloween Costume

Intuitively Chosen Holographic Tarot Card Bookmark Gift

2. Haunted Library Tour

Transform your local library or your home library into a haunted house or room with decorations inspired by classic horror literature including Dracula and Frankenstein.

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Dracula Shelf Sitter

Frankenstein Planter

3. Edgar Allan Poe Tribute

Host a Poe-themed evening with dramatic readings of his works, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Raven,” along with an Edgar Allan Poe costume contest.

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Tell Tale Heart Candle

The Raven Spell Book

Nevermore Wine Glass

4. Bookish Pumpkin Carving

Organize a pumpkin carving contest featuring designs inspired by book covers or famous literary symbols.

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Pumpkin Carving Kit

5. Mystery Book Dinner

Plan a dinner party around a mystery novel, with clues and activities inspired by the story. Guests can try to solve the mystery throughout the evening.

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Wizard World Murder Mystery Dinner Party Game

6. Harry Potter Hogwarts Feast

Host a Halloween feast reminiscent of the Hogwarts Great Hall, complete with themed food and decorations inspired by the Harry Potter series.

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Butter Brew Milkshake Craft Cocktail Kit

Harry Potter Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans

Printable Chocolate Frog Boxes Wizard Themed Party Props

7. Scary Story Open Mic

Invite local authors and enthusiasts to share their favorite spooky stories or passages from horror literature. This can be done virtually as well.

8. Library Scavenger Hunt

Organize a scavenger hunt in a library, bookstore, or your home where participants must find specific books or passages from famous horror novels.

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Bookstore Scavenger Hunt with Passport (Digital Download)

Library Scavenger Hunt

9. Bookish Pumpkin Decorating Contest

Instead of carving, have a pumpkin decorating contest where participants use paint and props to create pumpkins inspired by their favorite books.

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Paint Pens Acrylic Markers, ZSCM 12 Colors Paint Markers for Halloween Pumpkin Painting

10. Classic Horror Movie Marathon

While not a book event per se, you can screen classic horror movie adaptations of famous novels, such as The Shining, Psycho, or The Exorcist, followed by discussions on how the films compare to the source material.

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Urban Accents MOVIE NIGHT Popcorn Kernels and Popcorn Seasoning Variety Pack

Remember to tailor these ideas to your audience’s reading preferences and comfort levels with scary themes.

Visit our Reading Essentials section to discover the best bookshelvesreading chairsbook lights for reading at night, and more!

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