Grab your ghoulfriends, boos, sparkly vampire love interests, or leash up Frankenweenie, and register for the most fun run ever: The Haunted 5k benefiting All Kids Win! Happening on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Woodland Creek Community Park in Lacey, the Haunted 5K will have tons of treats for the whole family.
“This is truly a family-friendly event for all ages!” shares Stephanie Hemphill, event coordinator. “We encourage all running or walking abilities because as much as it is about running a 5K, it is also about coming together as a community to support hungry kids.”
All Kids Win is a Thurston County nonprofit that provides weekend backpacks full of food and other essentials to youth in our area. Supporting them keeps your donation dollars local and helps local youth thrive. It takes a village to raise kids, and we can all be that village!
Thurston County’s Halloween Run: Virtual In-Person 5K
Necessity is the mother of invention, so when COVID shut everything down, nonprofits got creative with fundraising. For All Kids Win, that meant going virtual with a run/walk. And, because everyone needed their spirits lifted, a costumed Halloween run just made sense. “During the pandemic, the number of students we served skyrocketed and we were looking for unique ways to raise funds while also staying quarantined,” shares Stephanie. “So, our first Haunted 5K was actually a virtual run/walk. We asked folks to get in a costume, go outside for a walk or run, and post pictures on social media. The next year we were able to do an in-person, socially distanced event and then eventually were able to do a full event. We still allow virtual participation so anyone around the world can join in the fun! This is our 7th Haunted 5K and it is one of my favorite events of the year!”
The in-person Haunted 5K is not to be missed, with spooky fun for everyone! The 5K run/walk is timed, but you are invited to do it at your pace, whether that is walking, jogging or running…or even skipping to your own beat! Fido is welcome, especially in costume!
But the fun doesn’t stop there! Kids can participate in their own Kids K and there will be costume contests for all ages – so get your creative juices going and start planning! In the past, Stephanie says one of her favorites was a mom and dad dressed as ketchup and mustard and a baby dressed as a hot dog. “I thought it was very clever and cute,” she adds.
“We had a family of Minions and Gru last year that I loved,” adds Matthew Klifman, co-chair for All Kids Win. “Themed family or group costumes are always awesome to see.” As for their own costumes, Matthew and Stephanie are still working on theirs for this year.
There will also be family-friendly activities and raffles. Warm up with some dance moves to music provided by KAYO. Dutch Bros will be on hand serving coffee and hot chocolate.
Need a bit of sugar to kick-start your run? Trick-or-treating will be happening at the sponsor booths!
Enjoy a Family-Friendly Halloween Event in Lacey, Support All Kids Win
Last year, the Haunted 5K raised $20,000 for All Kids Win. “We would love to surpass that amount this year, but our goal remains $20,000,” shares Matthew. “We have plenty of room to grow and hope to keep building on this success in the years ahead.”
With the needs of our local youth continuing to grow, every dollar counts! “All funds raised go directly toward purchasing food and covering the costs of distributing hundreds of food bags each week to food-insecure students at 47 schools across Thurston County,” adds Stephanie.
For 2026, the event is sponsored by Kiley Juergens Wealth Management, LLC. But they still have room for other sponsors! Bib, champion and t-shirt sponsorships are still available for your business or organization. Starting at just $250, sponsorships come with lots of perks, including increasing your visibility within the community!
And of course, registering for the Haunted 5K supports All Kids Win too! You can register online for both the in-person and virtual runs now.
Whether you want to prance through the race as a My Little Pony, run as if your life depends on it from Ghostface, or get your creep on as a zombie from Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” the whole family will have fun for a good cause on October 24!
Haunted 5K 2026
October 24, 2026
9 a.m., registration
10 a.m., run begins
Woodland Creek Community Park
6729 Pacific Avenue SE, Lacey
Sponsored
