Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, which means more time to stroll, more families out, and more porches going all-out. In Denver’s older urban neighborhoods, the season is a front-porch event: Victorian stoops, deep bungalow porches and tree-lined blocks turn into a free, walkable show every October.
Catherine and I have lived, worked and invested in these neighborhoods for more than 20 years, and Halloween is one of our favorite times to see them. Here are three urban Denver neighborhoods worth a walk this year, whether you’re trick-or-treating with kids, out for an evening stroll, or quietly scouting where you might want to live next.
1. South Park Hill: Denver’s best-decorated block?
If you only walk one block this year, make it Clermont Street between 18th and 19th Avenues. The Denver Gazette called it perhaps the best-decorated Halloween block in the city last year, noting it can draw hundreds of trick-or-treaters an hour.
The anchor is a home that has decorated every year since 2007, each year around a new theme. Both next-door neighbors now have displays of their own, and last year a neighbor across the street built a homemade version of Casa Bonita’s pink facade. The result is a full block that feels like a set piece rather than a single house.
• Why it works: Park Hill’s stately homes sit on deep front setbacks, a rule its early developers set, which gives every display room to breathe.
• Make a loop of it: Wander the surrounding blocks of South Park Hill, just north of Colfax, to see more porches.
• Good to know: Park a few blocks away and walk in; this block gets busy right after dark.
2. Montclair: ground zero at Severn Place and Oneida
Montclair’s quiet, leafy streets come alive on Halloween. 5280 has called the corner of East Severn Place and Oneida Street “usually ground zero” for decorations, and nearby streets have been closed to traffic because of the crowds. Westword also points to Oneida Street between 6th and 8th Avenues, which usually closes to cars and serves hundreds of kids.
• Why it works: Montclair’s mix of Victorian, Queen Anne and Tudor Revival homes and bungalows gives every porch a dramatic backdrop.
• Make a loop of it: Walk Oneida, then head north to Montclair Park at Oneida Street and Richthofen Place Parkway.
• Good to know: When the street is closed to cars, it’s one of the most stroller-friendly spots in the city.
3. Washington Park: porches plus South Gaylord Street
Wash Park pairs classic bungalow and Denver Square porches with a neighborhood-wide party. Historic South Gaylord Street hosts its Trick-or-Treat Street on Halloween, complete with a doggie costume contest; last year it ran 4 to 7 p.m., per Westword.
• Why it works: You can start on Gaylord while it’s still light, then head into the residential blocks once the porches light up.
• Make a loop of it: Walk the residential streets between Gaylord and the park itself, lined with Denver Squares, bungalows and Tudors.
• Good to know: Confirm this year’s Gaylord Street hours before you go, and bring the dog in costume.
Tips for a great porch walk
• Time it right: The sun sets at about 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, so the best porch viewing is roughly 6 to 8 p.m. Come a night or two early to see the displays with smaller crowds.
• Park and walk: These blocks fill up fast. Park several blocks out, or take a rideshare.
• Light up: Bring a flashlight or glow sticks for kids; tree-lined streets get dark quickly.
• Follow the porch light: A lit porch means candy; a dark one means the household is sitting this year out.
• Be a good guest: Stay on sidewalks, keep off lawns and displays, and thank the neighbors who put in the work.
Fall in love with the neighborhood
Halloween is one of the best times to see what a neighborhood is really like: who comes out, how people know each other, and how the blocks feel at night. If one of these streets catches your eye, Catherine and I would love to show you what’s on the market there, or help you find the next block you’ll call home.
Reach out to Buildings & Residences of Denver, Denver, CO 80206.
Happy Halloween!
Brian Richardson and Catherine Richardson are Denver real estate brokers and co-owners of Buildings & Residences of Denver.
Sources
• Is this Park Hill block Denver’s best decorated for Halloween?, Denver Gazette
• Best Denver Neighborhoods for Halloween Trick-or-Treating 2025, Westword
• Top 7 Candy Hot Spots for Trick-or-Treating in Denver, 5280
• Park Hill, Denver and Montclair, Denver, Wikipedia
• Washington Park neighborhood guide, Rick Janson
