Together with the City of Wichita

Discover Your Next Passion and dive Into Wichita’s Evolve Guide!

Looking for fun, creativity, or something new to try? The Evolve Activity Guide brings together the best from CityArts, Wichita Park & Recreation, and Wichita Public Library, all in one spot.

Whether you’re into art classes, fitness programs, library events, or community workshops, Evolve makes it easy to explore, register, and get involved.

Get your copy today (or look online) or pick one up at city facilities or local businesses, or subscribe and get it delivered to your mailbox!

Let your next great experience begin with Evolve.

College “Halloweentown” Hill

Every year, one neighborhood in Wichita turns into Halloweentown.

Many people get involved in elaborate decorations while even more people flock there in the days leading up to, and especially on, Halloween.

College Hill is one of the best places to celebrate spooky szn, so we wanted to talk to a few people about their experience living in Wichita's Halloweentown.

Before we do that though, here is a video from Wichita Life friend Travel with a Wise Guy (make sure you subscribe to his channel!):

Here are 5 perspectives from people who live and breath College Hill (you’ll start to see some common themes):

Teri McCluer

• How long have you been in College Hill? I’ve lived in College Hill for exactly one year on October 30, 2024.

• What makes Halloween in College Hill special? I feel Halloween in College Hill is special because the decorations are all so unique just like all the homes. 

• Any favorite Halloween memories or traditions in College Hill? Last year I felt so welcomed by the neighbors as they were so surprised we just moved in and were already participating in Halloween. Everyone was so kind to stop by and introduce themselves. 

• What’s the best street? That’s a hard one to decide because I’m obviously biased to my street. I have noticed the homes on Pershing, and Belmont tend to get a lot of traffic. 

• Is it mandatory to decorate? No, College Hill is diverse as the homes are here with people of all walks of life which some don’t celebrate Halloween. And that’s what’s wonderful I’ve noticed is people here seem to respect each other’s boundaries. 

Jordan Page

• How long have you been in College Hill? My husband and I moved to College Hill just over 4 years ago. 

• What makes Halloween in College Hill special? Halloween in College Hill is a collective spectacle! It's fun to watch through the fall as the days and weeks go by and more and more incredible decorations go up, the closer we get to Halloween. Every year, I discover a new favorite! This year, I found on house on Fountain that had windows blocked out to make an amazing jack-o-lantern out of the whole front of the house. 

• Any favorite Halloween memories or traditions in College Hill? When we first moved in (and this was in the heat of August) the very first thing a neighbor asked us was if we would be decorating for Halloween. True story!

• What’s the best street? Honestly, it seems to always change! Different neighborhoods seem to take up the mantle that year. Fountain is always good to see how the actual fountain is decorated that year. Go see the sea monster!

• Is it mandatory to decorate? Not mandatory, but why wouldn't you?!

Tina Chamberlain

• How long have you been in College Hill? We’ve been in College Hill for about 6 years, and it’s quickly become one of our favorite places we’ve ever lived.

• What makes Halloween in College Hill special? Halloween here feels straight out of a movie — the energy, the crowds, and the creativity are unmatched. Nearly every house gets into it, and thousands of trick-or-treaters flood the streets. It’s a real community event that brings everyone together.

• Any favorite Halloween memories or traditions in College Hill? Our favorite tradition is to take a neighborhood stroll the day before Halloween - less traffic, open streets and still all the same great decorations!

• What’s the best street? We’re biased and think Broadview is the best street but you can’t go wrong.

• Is it mandatory to decorate? Not officially — but it sure feels like it! Almost everyone decorates, and even a few simple pumpkins or lights help you join in the fun.

Anna Harter

• How long have you been in College Hill? I’ve lived in College Hill for almost 3 years

• What makes Halloween in College Hill special? Halloween in CH is so special because everyone gets super into it. There’s decorations all over the whole area and nearly everyone hands out candy. It’s very rare to see a dark porch on Halloween night.

• Any favorite Halloween memories or traditions in College Hill?  My favorite tradition so far has been having a big party every year, we light a fire pit, eat, drink and hand out candy. My friends come from all over Wichita to celebrate.

• What’s the best street? Ohhh best street? I’m not sure probably Belmont or Pershing.

• Is it mandatory to decorate? It’s not mandatory to decorate but it’s super fun to join in on the festivities.

Tacocat333

• How long have you been in College Hill? Lived here from 17-22, moved but missed it so much we moved back recently.

• What makes Halloween in College Hill special? The energy of all the people walking around enjoying the vibe.

• Any favorite Halloween memories or traditions in College Hill? Traditionally host the extended family over and have the kids trick of treat.

• What’s the best street? Broadview for sure!

• Is it mandatory to decorate? Not mandatory, more much more fun the more neighbors who do decorate.

Thank you to the others that replied and live in College Hill!

If you want to see even more photos of College Hill Halloween, be sure to follow the instagram account ​@hallowichita​!

What do you want to see us go deep on in a future deep dive?

Let us know!

The Wichita Life Dinner Club

You all are amazing. Spots are almost full and you’ll have to wait for the next dinner. If you are new to Wichita or just want to make some friends, sign up today!

Here’s how it works:

🍽️ Take a quick quiz about your personality, interests, and food preferences.

✨ Get matched with five other Wichitans who fit your style (think food preferences, budget, life stage).

📍Your table of six meets for dinner on Tuesday, November 11th at 6:30PM - the exact restaurant is revealed that morning.

🥂 After dinner, all groups are invited to a casual after-meetup to keep the conversation going.

Want to go with someone specific (signifcant other, good friend, etc.)?

Fill out the form, then forward the link to that person. At the end of the quiz, you’ll have the option to invite a friend — they’ll get an email and need to book within 12 hours so the platform can seat you together.

The logistics:

• Booking: Just 15 bucks per seat (supports Wichita Life)

• Your meal: You pay for what you order at the restaurant

• What we do: Orchestrate everything. Book the restaurant, send reminders, sort every detail. You just show up.

If you’ve been wanting to meet new people in town, this might be the easiest (and most fun) way to do it.

👉 Take the quiz & grab your seat ›

Quick Event Rundown

• Frank Einstein | Mosely St Melodrama | 9/19 - 11/1

• "Rocky Horror Show" | Roxy's Downtown | 10/10 - 11/16

• Nightmare on Brew Street | Nortons Brewing Co | 10/1 - 10/31

• Wicked Island | OJ Watson Park | Now Open

• Wild Lights | SCZ | Now Open!

• Nate Bargatze | Intrust Bank Arena | 12/10 (rescheduled from September)