Hoover is combining two of its favorite fall traditions into one free night out. HalloweenFest: Heroes & Haunts will take place Thursday, October 29, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Finley Center, merging the city's popular Halloween celebration with the Hoover police and fire departments' Public Safety Night Out.
A Free Night of Costumes, Candy and Cop Cars
As reported by HooverSun.com, the City of Hoover is hosting the event with the Hoover Police Department and the Hoover Fire Department, and the Hoover Met Complex is co-hosting. Admission is free, and families can trick-or-treat with 50 to 60 local vendors while getting a close-up look at police and fire vehicles and equipment. Guests are encouraged to wear costumes, and activities will spread across the inside and outside of the Finley Center, including the parking lot.
The merged event also includes photo opportunities with police cars and fire trucks, plus a Kids Zone with face painting, inflatables, games, prize giveaways and a costume contest, per the same report. Families can grab free popcorn and settle in for a Halloween movie, with music playing throughout the evening.
From 1,200 Attendees to an Expected 4,000-Plus
This marks the fourth year of HalloweenFest, which drew about 1,200 people in its first year and is now projected to top 4,000 attendees, the outlet reports. Hoover Met Complex general manager Shannon James Ealy said HalloweenFest has become a night Hoover families look forward to, and that this year it is even bigger. Ealy added that combining HalloweenFest with Public Safety Night Out lets kids trick-or-treat, play and meet police officers and firefighters all in one evening.
Hoover Police Chief Clay Morris said pairing Public Safety Night Out with HalloweenFest means more families can meet officers and firefighters in a fun, relaxed setting. Public Safety Night Out has traditionally given residents a chance to meet Hoover police officers and firefighters and see their equipment up close, a tradition the department highlighted after last year's edition. At the 2025 Public Safety Night Out, held at the Riverchase Galleria, families got to check out HPD Harley Davidson motorcycles, pet K9 Crash, inspect a bomb robot and an HPD Porsche, and look over SWAT gear, a drone, a car show, inflatables and fire trucks. The Hoover Police Department thanked the Hoover Fire Department for assisting with that event, along with state and federal partners, and said at the time it hoped to do it again in 2026.
Parking, Payment and Where to Park
The Hoover Met Complex is a cashless venue, so guests should plan to pay by card or mobile payment for concessions, which will be available both inside the Finley Center and in the parking lot. Parking is free throughout the Hoover Met Complex, though the Finley Center lot itself is reserved for event activities, meaning guests should use the surrounding lots instead.
The format echoes Hoover's annual National Night Out programming, which the Hoover Police Department describes as a free opportunity for fun, food and education for the whole family, featuring displays from the Hoover Police Department, Hoover Fire Department, the Alabama National Guard, the DEA, U.S. Marshals and ATF, along with chances to meet officers up close and tour specialized equipment like the HPD Mobile Command Center and SWAT team gear.
How Businesses Can Get Involved
Vendor registration for local businesses remains open until 5 p.m. on October 26, and the Hoover Met Complex is accepting donations of giveaway and raffle prizes through October 27. Interested donors can contact event coordinator Chrissy Smith at 205-739-7358 or [email protected].
