If your ideal Halloween celebration includes trick-or-treating, dancing witches, food trucks, costumed chaos, and people racing full-size decorated caskets down the middle of the street, then Fall Downtown Fest & Casket Races in Beaver Dam belongs on your October bucket list. Held over two days in historic downtown Beaver Dam, this one-of-a-kind Wisconsin Halloween festival blends family-friendly fall traditions with delightfully bizarre entertainment. Friday night kicks off with the Boo, Scoot & Boogie Night Parade, a Glow Dance Party, and the adults-only Monster Bar Crawl before Saturday transforms downtown into a Halloween playground packed with costumes, live entertainment, games, shopping, and seasonal fun.
The festival’s biggest draw is the Casket Races, where teams push wildly decorated coffins down South Spring Street in a fast-paced race for cash prizes, bragging rights, and the coveted Spirit & Creativity Award. Before the races begin, the Grand Procession fills downtown with witches, costumed racers, and Halloween characters, followed by the always-popular Witches Dance performance. Throughout the day you’ll also find inflatable costume races featuring wobbling dinosaurs and unicorns, trick-or-treating at downtown businesses, costume contests, pumpkin games, scarecrow displays, craft vendors, food trucks, and plenty of opportunities to embrace the spooky season. Whether you’re visiting with kids, looking for unforgettable Halloween photos, or simply want to experience one of Wisconsin’s weirdest fall festivals, Beaver Dam delivers a celebration unlike anything else in the state.
