Halloween Monster Bash

Desert West Park hosts the Halloween Monster Bash on Friday, October 16, from 6 PM to 8 PM. It's a free family event run by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department, aimed at kids ages 3 to 12. The night is built around a few staples: live music, candy, inflatables, and a costume contest for the kids.

If you're bringing a little one, the costume contest is the main thing to keep in mind. The inflatables and the candy are there for the whole crowd, and the live music runs through the evening, so it's a pretty straightforward setup for a Friday night with the family. The whole thing is free, which makes it an easy one to drop into without much planning.

This particular bash is part of a larger round of free, family-friendly celebrations the Parks and Recreation Department is spreading across Phoenix for the fall season. The Monster Bash is one of several events they've got lined up, alongside community trunk-or-treats, lively inflatables, and spooky attractions as the city's parks are dressed for autumn. If you're in the mood for more than one night of this, it's worth keeping an eye on what else they're doing around town this month.

Desert West Park is at 6602 W Encanto Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85035. The Monster Bash runs from 6 PM to 8 PM on Friday, October 16, and it's free.