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Halloween trivia

Nine quizzes, ninety questions, from the origins of the night to the candy on the porch. Printable list at the bottom if you are running the party.

  • 9 quizzes
  • 90 questions
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Questions and answers — printable list
  1. Halloween is celebrated on the evening before All Saints' Day. On which date does it fall each year in the United States?October 31In the eighth century Pope Gregory III made November 1 a day to honor saints, and the evening before became All Hallows Eve, later Halloween, according to the Library of Congress.
  2. The name Halloween comes from "All Hallows' Even." What does the old English word "hallow" mean?HolyMerriam-Webster traces "hallow" to the Old English adjective hālig, meaning "holy," so All Hallows' Even is the evening before the holy ones' day.
  3. The tradition of carving jack-o'-lanterns began in Ireland using which vegetable rather than pumpkins?TurnipsAccording to the Library of Congress, jack-o'-lantern carving started in Ireland with turnips; pumpkins came later in America.
  4. Botanically speaking, what is a pumpkin?A fruitThe University of Illinois Extension notes that pumpkins are botanically a fruit, even though cooks treat them as a vegetable.
  5. Día de los Muertos, observed on November 1 and 2, is a holiday most closely associated with which country?MexicoThe Smithsonian describes Día de los Muertos as a Mexican holiday celebrated on November 1 and 2, and UNESCO inscribed Mexico's festivity dedicated to the dead on its heritage list in 2008.
  6. Families celebrating Día de los Muertos build an "ofrenda." What is it?An altar honoring the deadThe Smithsonian explains that an ofrenda is an altar holding photographs of the departed, candles, sweets and their favorite foods and drinks.
  7. The 1692 witch trials centered on the town of Salem took place in which American colony?MassachusettsSmithsonian Magazine places the Salem witch trials in colonial Massachusetts, where more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft.
  8. Who wrote the 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus?Mary ShelleyMary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus was published in London in 1818, and the Library of Congress holds a first edition.
  9. Who wrote the 1897 novel Dracula?Bram StokerBram Stoker's Dracula was published in 1897 by Archibald Constable and Company, according to the Library of Congress and University at Buffalo Libraries.
  10. In Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," which schoolmaster is pursued by the Headless Horseman?Ichabod CraneThe Library of Congress and the Smithsonian describe the 1820 tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman, first published in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.
  11. Edgar Allan Poe's best-known poem, which appeared in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845, is named after which bird?A raven"The Raven" ran in the New York Evening Mirror on January 29, 1845 — the printing that carried Poe's name and turned him into a national celebrity almost overnight. The Library of Congress holds an original copy of that day's paper.
  12. Bats find and catch insects in the dark mainly by using what?EcholocationThe National Park Service says "blind as a bat" is a myth: bats can see, but they navigate and hunt at night using echolocation calls people cannot hear.
  13. Only three of the world's 1,300-plus bat species are true vampire bats. What do they feed on?BloodThe U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service counts more than 1,300 bat species worldwide, and just three — the common, white-winged and hairy-legged vampire bats, all native to the New World tropics — feed entirely on blood. They don't suck it: they make a small incision with their front teeth and lap it up.
  14. In European folklore, black cats were most often linked to what?Witches and bad luckThe Smithsonian's Archives of American Art notes that black cats have historically been tied to witches, demons and bad luck in European folklore.
  15. For its weight, spider silk is stronger and tougher than which material?SteelThe Smithsonian reports that for its weight spider silk is stronger and tougher than steel, and a single spider can make up to seven kinds of silk.
  16. Halloween is not one of the 11 legal federal holidays in the United States. Which of these days is?Veterans DayThe U.S. Office of Personnel Management lists Veterans Day among the 11 legal federal holidays; Halloween is not one of them.
  17. A National Confectioners Association survey ranked candy corn third among favorite Halloween candies. Which type ranked first?ChocolateSmithsonian Magazine reports the survey put chocolate first and gummy candy second, with candy corn in third place.
  18. Who directed the 1978 horror movie Halloween, which was shot in four weeks for about $320,000?John CarpenterThe AFI Catalog credits John Carpenter as director and co-writer with Debra Hill; his contract even required his name over the title.
  19. The white mask worn by Michael Myers in the 1978 film Halloween was made by modifying a mask of which actor?William ShatnerProduction designer Tommy Lee Wallace picked a store-bought "Captain Kirk" mask molded on William Shatner and reworked it at home: he cut the eye holes bigger, yanked off the sideburns, darkened the hair and spray-painted the whole thing dead white, leaving the blank face that became Michael Myers.
  20. Which actor starred as the title vampire in the 1931 film Dracula?Bela LugosiBela Lugosi played Count Dracula in Tod Browning's 1931 Universal film, reprising the role he had originated on Broadway in 1927. The Library of Congress added the picture to the National Film Registry in 2000.
  21. In Universal's 1931 film Frankenstein, which actor wore Jack Pierce's flat head, scars and neck bolts to play the monster?Boris KarloffThe National Library of Medicine credits Universal makeup artist Jack Pierce with transforming the then little-known Boris Karloff into the movie monster.
  22. Which Halloween novelty song by Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers hit No. 1 on the Billboard chart in 1962?"Monster Mash"Billboard reports "Monster Mash" reached No. 1 by the end of September 1962, a feat the Beach Boys took two more years to match.
  23. Whose "Thriller" music video, directed by John Landis, was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry in 2009?Michael JacksonThe Library of Congress selected Michael Jackson's "Thriller," directed and co-written by John Landis, for the National Film Registry in 2009.
  24. In a classic Halloween party game with roots in a Roman festival, players use only their mouths to catch which fruit floating in water?ApplesApples float in a tub of water and players must catch one with their teeth, hands behind their backs. The game is traced to a courting ritual from the Roman festival honoring Pomona, goddess of fruit trees and orchards, which merged with the Celtic Samhain after Rome reached the British Isles.
  25. Halloween grew out of Samhain, an ancient festival of the dead that marked the end of the harvest season. Which people celebrated Samhain?The CeltsAccording to the Library of Congress, Halloween began as Samhain, an ancient pre-Christian Celtic festival of the dead that marked the end of the harvest season.
  26. On Día de los Muertos, families scatter the petals of which flower to make a scented path that guides spirits home?MarigoldThe Smithsonian notes that the cempasúchil, a marigold native to Mexico, is placed on ofrendas and graves, its petals scattered to guide the spirits home.
  27. In the old custom of "souling," poor people went door to door offering to pray for a household's dead in exchange for what?Soul cakesSmithsonian Magazine reports that All Souls' Day gave rise to souling, in which the poor offered prayers for a household's dead in return for "soul cakes."
  28. Which Ray Parker Jr. song, named after a hit movie about catching ghosts, reached No. 1 on the Billboard chart in August 1984?GhostbustersBillboard reports that Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" hit No. 1 in August 1984, and drew a plagiarism suit from Huey Lewis over "I Want a New Drug."
  29. Sleepy Hollow, the village whose name Washington Irving made famous in his headless horseman tale, is located in which US state?New YorkThe U.S. Census Bureau lists Sleepy Hollow, New York, among the country's spooky-sounding place names, with a population of 11,427.
  30. Who wrote "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," the 1820 tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman?Washington IrvingWashington Irving first published "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in 1820 as part of The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., according to the Library of Congress.
  31. In which century did Pope Gregory III designate November 1 as a day to honor all saints, turning the evening before into All Hallows Eve?The eighth centuryPope Gregory III, who reigned from 731 to 741, set November 1 as the day to honor all saints. The evening before it became known as All Hallows Eve, a name that later shortened to Halloween.
  32. Halloween did not take hold in the United States until the 1840s, with the mass arrival of immigrants from which two countries?Ireland and ScotlandSmithsonian Magazine reports that Halloween only caught on in America in the 1840s, carried over by the wave of Irish and Scottish immigrants.
  33. Bobbing for apples traces back to a courting ritual in a Roman festival honoring which goddess of agriculture and abundance?PomonaAccording to Smithsonian Magazine, apple bobbing descends from a festival for Pomona, goddess of agriculture and abundance, which blended with Samhain after Rome conquered the British Isles in AD 43.
  34. By the 16th century, what was the Scottish and Irish custom called in which disguised children went house to house on All Hallows' Eve receiving treats?GuisingSmithsonian Magazine describes "guising" as common in Scotland and Ireland by the 16th century, with children dressed as ghouls collecting treats door to door.
  35. In which decade did the term "trick-or-treat" first begin appearing in print?The 1920sSmithsonian Magazine and Merriam-Webster date the phrase's first printed appearances to the 1920s, including a 1924 Alberta newspaper item using "Treat or Trick."
  36. Which American city has billed itself the "Halloween Capital of the World" since 1937?Anoka, MinnesotaAnoka, Minnesota, has claimed the title since 1937, and has staged a community Halloween celebration every year since 1920, according to Anoka Halloween Inc. and Smithsonian Magazine.
  37. The tradition of carving jack-o'-lanterns began in Ireland, where the lanterns were originally carved from what?TurnipsThe Library of Congress notes that jack-o'-lantern carving originated in Ireland using turnips rather than pumpkins.
  38. Which state grew the most pumpkins in the United States in 2024, with about 485 million pounds?IllinoisUSDA Economic Research Service data show Illinois led all states in 2024 with roughly 485 million pounds on 15,400 acres, more than twice the acreage of any other state.
  39. As of September 2026, how much did the heaviest pumpkin ever recorded weigh?2,819 poundsGuinness World Records lists a 2,819-pound 4-ounce pumpkin grown by twin brothers Ian and Stuart Paton and weighed in Berkshire, England, in October 2025.
  40. According to the National Retail Federation, U.S. Halloween spending was expected to reach what record total in 2025?$13.1 billionThe National Retail Federation projected a record $13.1 billion in U.S. Halloween spending for 2025, up from $11.6 billion in 2024.
  41. Which category was projected to draw the most U.S. Halloween spending in 2025?CostumesThe National Retail Federation projected $4.3 billion on costumes for Halloween 2025, ahead of decorations ($4.2 billion), candy ($3.9 billion) and greeting cards ($0.7 billion).
  42. Which costume did the most American adults plan to wear for Halloween in 2025, according to the National Retail Federation?WitchThe National Retail Federation found 5.6 million adults planned to dress as a witch in 2025, ahead of vampire (2.7 million), pirate, cat and Batman (1.6 million each).
  43. The Goelitz Confectionery Company bought the candy corn recipe in 1898 and marketed the candy under what name?Chicken FeedSmithsonian Magazine reports that Goelitz — today the Jelly Belly Candy Company — sold candy corn as "Chicken Feed," a name pitched at a largely agricultural America.
  44. A National Confectioners Association survey ranked candy corn third among favorite Halloween candies, behind chocolate and what?Gummy candyAs cited by Smithsonian Magazine, the National Confectioners Association survey put candy corn third, behind chocolate and gummy candy.
  45. How many people were executed in the Salem witch trials of 1692 and 1693?TwentySmithsonian Magazine records 20 executions in the Salem witch trials, 19 of them hangings on Gallows Hill, with at least five more accused dying in jail.
  46. Which person accused at Salem was pressed to death with heavy stones in September 1692 after refusing to enter a plea?Giles CoreyGiles Corey stood mute rather than submit to trial and was killed under the punishment known as peine forte et dure on September 19, 1692 — the only judicially ordered pressing in American history. John Proctor was hanged that August, Rebecca Eames was convicted but survived, and George Corwin was the sheriff who carried out the pressing.
  47. Salem Village, home to many of the people accused in the 1692 witchcraft cases, is known today as which Massachusetts town?DanversThe Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive at the University of Virginia notes that the accused lived in Salem town, in Salem Village — now Danvers — and in two dozen other eastern Massachusetts towns.
  48. Of the more than 1,400 bat species described as of 2026, how many are true vampire bats that feed entirely on blood?ThreeOnly three of the world's bat species live entirely on blood: the common vampire bat, the hairy-legged vampire bat and the white-winged vampire bat, all confined to the tropics and subtropics of the Americas.
  49. White-nose syndrome, the fungal disease that has killed millions of hibernating bats, was first found in the United States in which state?New YorkThe National Park Service reports that white-nose syndrome, caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans, was first found in New York in the winter of 2006.
  50. A group of ravens is known by what collective noun?An unkindnessThe National Park Service notes that a group of ravens is called an "unkindness," and that studies show ravens can "count" to seven and solve advanced problems.
  51. An individual spider can produce up to how many different types of silk?SevenThe Smithsonian Institution reports that a single spider can make up to seven types of silk, though most produce four or five, and that spider silk is stronger than steel for its weight.
  52. As of 2026, NASA's figures put the next Halloween to fall on a blue moon in which year?2039NASA lists every Halloween full moon between 1900 and 2100, and because a full moon on October 31 is always the second full moon of the month, each one is also a blue moon. The 2020 Halloween blue moon was the first since 2001, and the next falls in 2039.
  53. Halloween is a cross-quarter day, falling roughly halfway between an equinox and a solstice. Which other American observance is also a cross-quarter day?Groundhog DayNASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day names Groundhog Day as the other well-known cross-quarter day on the American calendar.
  54. Which other work of horror fiction grew out of the same 1816 ghost-story competition at Lake Geneva that produced Frankenstein?The VampyreThe National Library of Medicine notes that Lord Byron's ghost-story challenge at the Villa Diodati produced both Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and John Polidori's The Vampyre.
  55. The white mask worn by Michael Myers in the 1978 film Halloween was made by modifying a store-bought mask of which fictional character?Captain KirkProduction designer Tommy Lee Wallace built the mask from an inexpensive store-bought William Shatner "Captain Kirk" mask, widening the eye holes, reworking the hair and spray-painting it so that no recognizable features remained.
  56. Which flower native to Mexico is placed on altars and graves during Día de los Muertos, its petals scattered to guide spirits home?MarigoldThe Smithsonian Institution notes that the cempasúchil, a Mexican marigold, is used on ofrendas and graves, with petals scattered to make a scented path for the dead.
  57. Bobby "Boris" Pickett recorded the 1962 chart-topper "Monster Mash" with a backing band billed under what name?The Crypt-KickersBillboard credits the record to Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt-Kickers. It entered the Hot 100 in September 1962 and reached No. 1 on the chart dated October 20, holding the top spot for two weeks and ending its run just days before Halloween.
  58. Roughly 85% of the world's canned pumpkin is grown and processed around which Illinois town, home to a Nestlé Libby plant?MortonMorton, Illinois, calls itself the pumpkin capital of the world because about 85% of the world's canned pumpkin is grown and processed there, according to the University of Illinois Extension.
  59. A 2,749-pound pumpkin grown by Minnesota's Travis Gienger set a world record at the 2023 Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, held in which California city?Half Moon BayGienger's record gourd was weighed at the 50th Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, California, on October 9, 2023, per Guinness World Records.
  60. Among the spooky-sounding U.S. place names highlighted by the Census Bureau in 2025, which had by far the largest population?Casper, WyomingThe U.S. Census Bureau put Casper, Wyoming, at 58,823 residents, well ahead of Sleepy Hollow, New York (11,427) and Tombstone, Arizona (1,382).
  61. In the eighth century, which pope designated November 1 as a day to honor saints, so that the evening before became known as All Hallows Eve?Gregory IIIThe Library of Congress credits Pope Gregory III with setting November 1 as the day to honor all saints, which turned October 31 into All Hallows Eve.
  62. The United States observes a fixed list of legal federal holidays, and Halloween is not among them. How many are on that list?ElevenThe Office of Personnel Management lists 11 legal federal holidays, from New Year's Day through Christmas, with Juneteenth the most recent addition.
  63. The earliest known printed uses of the phrase "trick or treat," in 1924 and 1927 newspapers, both come from which Canadian province?AlbertaMerriam-Webster cites a 1924 Red Deer Advocate item and a 1927 Lethbridge Herald article, both from Alberta; the earliest recorded U.S. example dates to 1928.
  64. Anoka, Minnesota, has staged its community Halloween celebration every year since 1920 except for two. Which two years were canceled?1942 and 1943Anoka held its first community-wide Halloween celebration on October 31, 1920, and the tradition ran unbroken until World War II. With many of the organizers called into service, the committee suspended the festivities in 1942 and again in 1943, turning instead to home-front efforts, before reinstating the celebration in 1944.
  65. Which species is usually recognized as the "true pumpkin," as opposed to the squash-type giants such as Atlantic Giant grown for weigh-offs?Cucurbita pepoUniversity of Illinois Extension identifies Cucurbita pepo as the true pumpkin; contest giants such as Atlantic Giant and Big Max are Cucurbita maxima.
  66. Candy corn was created in the 1880s by George Renninger, who worked for which candy company?Wunderle Candy CompanySmithsonian Magazine credits candy corn to George Renninger of the Wunderle Candy Company; Goelitz bought the recipe only in 1898.
  67. Ben Cooper, Inc., for decades one of the largest U.S. Halloween costume makers, was founded in 1937 in which New York City borough?BrooklynThe Smithsonian's National Museum of American History records Ben Cooper, Inc. as founded in Brooklyn in 1937, where it became one of the largest U.S. costume manufacturers, famous for thin plastic masks paired with vinyl smocks.
  68. Giles Corey was crushed to death in September 1692 after refusing to enter a plea at Salem. What was that legal practice called?Peine forte et dureUnder English common law a defendant who stood mute could not be tried, so the court applied peine forte et dure — 'strong and hard punishment' — piling stones on the accused until he pleaded or died. Corey never pleaded, and remains the only person pressed to death by order of a court in American history.
  69. Which Massachusetts governor shut down the special court trying witchcraft cases in October 1692?William PhipsThe Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive records that Governor William Phips ended the special witchcraft court in October 1692; no one was convicted of witchcraft in New England again.
  70. In what year did researchers finally confirm Proctor's Ledge as the spot where the nineteen Salem witch trial victims were hanged?2016The Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive notes the Gallows Hill Project, formed in 2010, confirmed Proctor's Ledge as the execution site in 2016.
  71. Of the roughly 1,200 bat species known to science, how many are true vampire bats that feed entirely on blood?ThreeThe Smithsonian counts just three true vampire bat species, all in the New World tropics; only the common vampire bat lives on the blood of mammals.
  72. At most, how many different types of silk can a single spider produce, though most species make only four or five?SevenThe Smithsonian notes an individual spider can produce up to seven types of silk, which for its weight is stronger and tougher than steel.
  73. After the blue moon that fell on October 31, 2020, in what year is the next Halloween blue moon due?2039NASA says a full moon lands on Halloween roughly once every 19 years, and the next Halloween blue moon comes in 2039.
  74. Who wrote the preface to the 1818 first edition of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus?Percy Bysshe ShelleyThe National Library of Medicine records that Percy Bysshe Shelley, whom Mary Godwin married in 1816, wrote the preface to the first edition of Frankenstein.
  75. Which other enduring horror work came out of the 1816 ghost-story competition at the Villa Diodati that produced Frankenstein?The VampyreThe National Library of Medicine notes that Lord Byron's competition at the Villa Diodati also produced John Polidori's The Vampyre.
  76. Which classic horror film was named to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry in 2000?Dracula (1931)The Librarian of Congress named Bela Lugosi's Dracula to the National Film Registry in 2000, calling it one of the all-time horror greats. Night of the Living Dead had been chosen in 1999, Halloween followed in 2006 and The Exorcist in 2010.
  77. Ray Parker Jr.'s 1984 No. 1 hit "Ghostbusters" drew a plagiarism suit from which artist over similarities to an earlier song?Huey LewisBillboard reports Huey Lewis sued over similarities between "Ghostbusters" and "I Want a New Drug."
  78. As of September 2026, which U.S. city holds the Guinness record for the most lit jack-o'-lanterns displayed, at 30,581?Keene, New HampshireGuinness World Records credits the City of Keene, New Hampshire, with 30,581 lit jack-o'-lanterns on October 19, 2013; Keene set the original record and has broken it eight times.
  79. Illinois grew far more pumpkins than any other state in 2024, but which state led the country in the value of its pumpkin crop that year, at $41 million?IndianaTotal U.S. pumpkin production was worth $274 million in 2024, and Indiana — the second-largest producer by weight, at roughly 160 million pounds — was the top state by value, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. Illinois sends most of its crop to processing, which fetches a far lower farm price.
  80. Asteroid 2015 TB145, nicknamed the "Great Pumpkin," was discovered on October 10, 2015, three weeks before its Halloween flyby of Earth. Which telescope found it?Pan-STARRS-1, on Haleakala, HawaiiNASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory credits the University of Hawaii's Pan-STARRS-1 telescope on Haleakala, Maui, with the discovery; Arecibo, Green Bank and Goldstone later imaged the object by radar during the flyby.
  81. George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead (1968), bankrolled by roughly thirty independent investors, was shot for a reported budget of how much?$125,000The AFI Catalog lists production costs of $125,000 for the black-and-white feature, shot in Evans City, Pennsylvania; by late 1969 it had taken in an estimated $2.5 million.
  82. The 1692 Salem execution warrants, signed by Chief Magistrate William Stoughton, referred only to "the place of execution." Historians believe the spot where the nineteen were hanged was picked by which official?George Corwin, the county high sheriffBecause the warrants never named a site, its location had to be reconstructed centuries later; the Gallows Hill Project at the University of Virginia placed the hangings at Proctor's Ledge and concluded the spot was chosen by the 26-year-old high sheriff of Essex County, George Corwin, the officer who escorted the condemned from the Salem jail.
  83. Vampire bats range from Mexico to South America, and only one specimen has ever been recorded within the United States, in an extreme southwestern corner of which state?TexasThe U.S. Geological Survey reports that of the three vampire bat species found in North America, a single specimen has ever been recorded in the United States, in extreme southwest Texas.
  84. Brach's candy corn lists sugar, corn syrup, honey, salt and gelatin among its ingredients, along with which oil?Sesame oilSmithsonian Magazine lists sesame oil among the ingredients of Brach's candy corn, whose recipe is essentially unchanged since the late 19th century.
  85. According to the National Retail Federation, which shopping destination did the largest share of Americans, 42%, plan to use for Halloween purchases in 2025?Discount storesThe National Retail Federation's 2025 survey put discount stores first at 42%, ahead of specialty Halloween and costume stores and online, each at 31%.
  86. Of the 133.2 million occupied housing units in the United States in 2023, how many had steps for trick-or-treaters to climb?56.6 millionThe U.S. Census Bureau counted 133.2 million occupied housing units in 2023, of which 56.6 million had steps.
  87. Nationally about 85% of U.S. pumpkin acreage serves the fresh and ornamental market, but as of the 2022 Census of Agriculture what share of Illinois pumpkin acreage was devoted to processing instead?About 70%The 2022 Census of Agriculture found roughly 85% of U.S. pumpkin acreage grown for the fresh and ornamental market — the jack-o'-lantern trade. Illinois runs the other way: nearly 70% of its pumpkin acreage was devoted to processing, feeding the canned pumpkin and pie filling industry concentrated around Morton and the central part of the state.
  88. In the original screenplay for the 1978 film Halloween, the masked killer played by Nick Castle is credited under what name?The ShapeThe AFI Catalog notes Nick Castle is credited as "The Shape," the character's name in the original screenplay, though several cast and crew wore the mask during filming.
  89. Night of the Living Dead (1968) fell into the public domain because its distributor changed the film's title but then failed to do what?Carry the copyright notice onto the new title cardsThe film was first registered as Night of the Flesh Eaters, and those prints carried a copyright notice on the title frames. When distributor Walter Reade retitled it Night of the Living Dead, the notice was left off the new title cards. The 1909 Copyright Act then in force required a proper notice on every published copy, so the film lost its protection the moment it reached theaters, and Image Ten did not secure a new copyright until 1986.
  90. In his own lifetime, Bram Stoker was known less for writing Dracula than for serving as business manager of which London theater?The LyceumThe Folger Shakespeare Library notes Stoker was best known as business manager of the Lyceum Theatre and secretary to its owner, the actor Henry Irving.

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About the Halloween trivia quiz

Halloween traces back to Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest, when people believed the veil between the living and the dead grew thin and lit bonfires to mark the night. The name itself is a contraction of "All Hallows' Even," shortened to "Hallowe'en" by the 16th century. Even the jack-o'-lantern has older roots than most Halloween decorations suggest: Irish carvers first used turnips, not pumpkins.

The 9 quizzes here move from candy aisle to archive, each with 90 questions split across three levels. Easier rounds ask about costume favorites and trick-or-treating basics — witches, Spider-Man, pumpkin-shaped pet outfits. Middle rounds dig into candy corn's 1880s origin and the numbers behind the 1692 Salem witch trials. The hardest rounds pull from USDA pumpkin-acreage data, NASA's Halloween asteroid flyby and behind-the-scenes details from horror films like the 1978 Halloween.

Frequently asked questions

What are 20 interesting facts about Halloween?

There's no official list, but the sourced history supplies strong material: Halloween began as Samhain, a Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest, and the name comes from "All Hallows' Even," shortened over centuries into "Halloween." Christian missionaries later folded in All Saints' and All Souls' Day, and the two traditions blended. Halloween is also not a federal U.S. holiday.

What are 100 interesting facts about Halloween?

There's no official "100 facts" list, but the sourced material for Halloween runs deep. Just on pumpkins alone: U.S. growers produced 1.44 billion pounds in 2024 across 68,900 acres, and Illinois alone grew about 485 million pounds of that total. A real 100-fact list would need to draw on agriculture, folklore, film history and more to fill it out.

What are 10 haunting facts about Halloween?

Real "haunting" material starts with Salem: more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft in the 1692-1693 trials, and 20 were executed — 19 of them hanged on Gallows Hill. Giles Corey, 71, was pressed to death with stones after refusing to enter a plea. That's a lot of documented horror without needing any invented ghost stories.

What are some interesting trivia questions about October?

October 31 has been marked as a cross-quarter day — roughly halfway between an equinox and a solstice — since the fifth century BC. Because the modern calendar doesn't line up exactly with Earth's orbit, the true astronomical cross-quarter day actually falls in the first week of November, not on October 31. Groundhog Day is the other well-known cross-quarter day on the American calendar, which makes for a solid trivia pairing.

What are some funny Halloween trivia questions?

Here's one: what did Halloween pranksters do to a Minnesota county jail in 1919? Answer: they put a cow inside it. Anoka, Minnesota woke on November 1, 1919, to tipped outhouses, wagons hauled onto rooftops and cows wandering both downtown and into the jail — mischief serious enough that the town organized the first community Halloween celebration in 1920 to channel the energy elsewhere.

What are some spooky facts about October?

The moon was full on Halloween in 2020 for the first time since 2001 — and because it was that October's second full moon, it also counted as a "blue moon." Halloween falls on a full moon only about once every 19 years on average, so trick-or-treaters won't see that pairing again until the next Halloween blue moon, expected in 2039.

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Every question here was written from a named source and reviewed before it went live.