Trick-or-treaters in Hartford won't need to hit the sidewalks this year — the Yard Goats are bringing the candy straight to Dunkin' Park. The team is hosting a free Halloween Trick or Treat community event at the ballpark, with more than 50 local businesses and sponsors on hand to hand out candy to kids 12 and under, no tickets or registration needed.
The Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Club, the Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, announced the event will run from noon to 3 p.m. at Dunkin' Park, according to a release carried by Our Sports Central. The team describes it as Connecticut's largest Halloween Trick or Treat community event, with trick-or-treating spread throughout the ballpark's open concourse. Families can enter through the main gate at the corner of Main and Trumbull streets, and the event is free, open to the public, and will go on rain or shine.
The 2026 event is scheduled for Sunday, October 25. A Finding Connecticut report lists Sunday, October 26, 2025, for the prior year's event, which also ran from noon to 3 p.m. That event was presented by Southern Connecticut State University, with Dunkin' team members expected to be on-site handing out free swag, gift cards and product samples.
Mascots and Candy Fill the Concourse
Yard Goats mascots are set to make appearances throughout the afternoon, giving kids in costume plenty of photo opportunities between candy stops. The scene echoes what families experienced at the team's prior Halloween gathering, when, per WTNH, kids and families explored the concourse, showed off their costumes and picked up candy at the ballpark.
This year's lineup of more than 50 participating businesses and sponsors marks a jump from the 2024 event, when the Hartford Courant reported more than 40 local businesses took part. The Yard Goats previously hosted what was described as the state's largest Halloween Trick or Treat community event on Sunday, October 27, 2024, also at Dunkin' Park, as the Hartford Courant reported.
A Second Year Running for the Ballpark Tradition
The event has quickly become something of a fixture for the club. A team announcement for a previous installment described it as returning for a second consecutive year, suggesting the Halloween gathering is becoming an annual tradition at the Hartford ballpark rather than a one-off promotion.
Whether families show up on the 25th or the 26th, the formula stays the same: free candy, costumes, mascots and a crowd of local businesses lining the concourse. With no registration required and the event happening rain or shine, organizers are betting Dunkin' Park will once again fill up with trick-or-treaters looking for an easy, car-free way to celebrate Halloween this year.
