Howl on the Green in Duluth: 2026 recap, 2027 date to come

Last checked Oct. 24, 2026. Facts come from the City of Duluth’s Howl on the Green page and the Downtown Duluth parking map. This page is updated for each year’s event at the same address.

This year’s Howl on the Green has passed: it ran Friday, Oct. 23, 6 to 9:30 p.m. in downtown Duluth, free. The city has not announced a 2027 date; this page will carry it. The details below are from the 2026 event.

Updated Oct. 24: the 2026 event has passed; Halloween week events are on our Halloween events page.

It is the city’s Halloween night out, and in 2026 downtown became what the city calls “a colorful and chaotic zombie research lab” under the theme Mad Science: Project Zombie. Full details are on the city’s Howl on the Green page.

Know before you go

• 2026 event: Friday, Oct. 23, 6 to 9:30 p.m. (past)
• 2027 event: date not yet announced
• Where: downtown Duluth, around the Town Green
• Cost: free
• Trunk-or-treat: 6 to 7:30 p.m., while supplies last
• Costume contest: register 6 to 7 p.m.; contest 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Organizer: City of Duluth

The schedule

From the city’s event page:

Get there at 6 p.m. if the candy is the point: the city says the trunk-or-treat runs only while supplies last.

The trunk-or-treat contest

Businesses, groups and families can decorate a car trunk for the trunk-or-treat contest. The best trunk wins $200 in Downtown Duluth gift certificates, plus prizes the city says it will announce. Approved entries pay a $25 participation fee to hold their space, and the city returns it as a Downtown Duluth gift certificate when you arrive on the night. Trunks should follow the Mad Science: Project Zombie theme.

The 2026 event is sponsored by Piedmont Eastside and Renewal by Andersen, the city says.

Parking

The city’s event page does not list special parking for Howl on the Green, so the everyday downtown rules apply. From the Downtown Duluth parking map:

• Public parking deck below the Courtyard Marriott: street-level entrance off Hill Street, lower level from Ridgeway Road. No parking 2 to 5 a.m.
• Public lots around downtown are open 24/7; some spaces carry a three-hour limit on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. only, so they are open on a Friday evening.
• Main Street garage: open weekdays after 5 p.m. and weekends; enter from the rear of the building.
• The District at Duluth: paid, with the first two hours free.
• Alcohol is not allowed in any lot or deck.

What to know

• Costumes: welcome for all ages; you need to register by 7 p.m. to enter the contest.
• Weather: the city has not posted a rain date or a bad-weather plan. Check its event page on the day.
• Pets and strollers: the city’s page does not set rules for either.
• Trick-or-treat night: Halloween itself is Saturday, Oct. 31. See our trick-or-treat hours page for that night and the railway museum’s trunk-or-treat on Oct. 17.

More October plans are on our things to do this month page and the Halloween events page.

Frequently asked questions

When is Howl on the Green in Duluth?

The 2026 event was Friday, Oct. 23, 6 to 9:30 p.m. downtown, themed Mad Science: Project Zombie. The city has not announced the 2027 date; it is held in October each year.

Is Howl on the Green free?

Yes. The city of Duluth calls it a free, family-friendly celebration. Only businesses or groups entering the trunk-or-treat contest pay a $25 entry fee, returned as a Downtown Duluth gift certificate.

What time is the trunk-or-treat at Howl on the Green?

6 to 7:30 p.m., while supplies last.

When is the Howl on the Green costume contest?

Registration is 6 to 7 p.m. and the contest runs 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where do I park for Howl on the Green?

Downtown Duluth’s public lots, the public parking deck below the Courtyard Marriott on Hill Street and the street spaces shown on the Downtown Duluth parking map.