Free Treats, Two Buildings, One Afternoon
On Friday, Oct. 30, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Anna City Hall and the Anna Community Library at 111 W. 5th St. will host Haunt the Halls 2026 — the city’s annual free Halloween event that turns municipal offices into a trick-or-treat corridor for the whole community.
The format is straightforward: city departments and local nonprofit organizations set up treat stations inside the buildings, and residents of all ages walk through to collect goodies. There is no ticket, no registration, and no cost to attend.
What to Expect on the Day
The two-hour window — 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. — is deliberately compact, so it works well for families with younger children who need to be home before dark. Because the event is indoors and spread across City Hall and the adjacent library, participants are not dependent on weather conditions the way a typical neighborhood trick-or-treat run would be.
The mix of city department tables and nonprofit organizations means attendees encounter a range of familiar local faces alongside the candy bowls. In past iterations, the setup has given residents an informal way to learn what various city departments actually do — parks, utilities, public works — while the kids focus entirely on the treats.
The library side of the event is a natural fit. The Anna Community Library already runs robust programming throughout the fall season, and Haunt the Halls gives it a high-traffic moment to connect with community members who might not visit on a typical weekday.
Getting There
City Hall sits at 111 W. 5th St. in downtown Anna. Parking is available on-site and along surrounding streets. The 2:30 p.m. start time means the event begins roughly when many Anna ISD elementary schools dismiss, so families can head straight over without a long wait at home.
If you are coming from the newer residential areas south and east of US 75, budget a few extra minutes for afternoon traffic on Collin County roads. The event runs a full two hours, so arriving at 3:00 p.m. still leaves plenty of time to work through both buildings.
Part of a Larger Fall Calendar
Haunt the Halls is one piece of a broader City of Anna fall programming slate running from September through November. That same week, the city is also holding a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off on Saturday, Oct. 24 — a reminder that the city tends to cluster community-facing events in the days surrounding Halloween. The Adults 50+ Crafting Corner series, which takes up embroidery hoop pumpkins on Oct. 28, is another example of how the fall activity calendar layers events across different resident groups.
For families who attended the Greater Anna Chamber of Commerce’s Boo Bash at Slayter Creek Park on Oct. 17, Haunt the Halls offers a second Halloween-season outing without any overlap in venue, format, or cost.
A Note on Logistics
No specific parking instructions or entry procedures have been announced beyond the address and hours. The city has not listed an RSVP requirement, so the event appears to operate on a walk-up basis consistent with how it has been structured in prior years. Costumes are common but not required.
For the most current updates — including any last-minute changes to hours or participating departments — check the City of Anna’s official calendar. The city posts event updates there as they become available.
The Short Version
If your household has school-age children, Oct. 30 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at 111 W. 5th St. is worth putting on the calendar. The event is free, covered, and run by the people who keep Anna’s city services operating day to day — which makes it one of the more low-key but genuinely community-rooted ways to spend a Halloween afternoon in this city.
