Halloween is a scary time of year, but it can and should be fun! We go trick-or-treating but, it seems, most people forget the trick. The real trick is to have fun.

Raising money for your charity is a necessity, but you can have fun at the same time. There’s a really neat way to combine the Halloween holiday with a fundraising activity that you can host year after year without really ever repeating yourself. Your guests and supporters will be happy to pay an entrance fee to your (1) House of Hilarity for a chance to have a good time and share the fun with their families. Instead of creating a haunted house, celebrate the holiday and raise the needed funds for your charity with a house full of laughter. Think of the fun everyone will have seeing their favorite Halloween characters in caricature and, otherwise, out of character. For example, perhaps your Count Dracula wants nothing to eat but chocolate; Frankenstein might do a song-and-dance routine like in the movie “Young Frankenstein”; and Dr. Jekyll’s Mr. Hyde might turn out to be a clown. There’s no end to the possibilities for this Halloween fundraising idea.

You could include a (2) joke contest in which contestants would donate a dollar to submit a joke. At the end of the evening, the jokes could be read out loud. The winner would be decided by the audience’s applause. After all, it’s all in good fun, and that’s what it’s supposed to be about. You could have different age or type categories. Just remember to make an announcement to keep the jokes clean if it’s going to be a family affair.

Another Halloween fundraising idea is the (3) traditional costume contest. You might have different categories including silliest, funniest, prettiest, and most creative costumes. Contestants could be encouraged to get creative with materials as well as characters. Again, the audience could vote on the winner by expressing their appreciation with their applause.

Any number of activities could be available, including (4) bobbing for apples, (5) playing musical chairs, (6) different kinds of races, and other activities. Blocks of tickets can be sold, so people won’t have to carry coins to pay for all the different things to do, each of which is another Halloween fundraising idea.

Another way to raise money during the holiday carnival is to suggest that people bring (7) treats and drinks to be sold. Someone could make cupcakes and wrap them individually. Someone else might bring some candy bars. No one has to feel obligated to bring a lot. Whatever the donation, it’s an easy way to add to your organization’s coffers. A little bit here, and a little bit there can really add up.

At the end of the evening, make sure there is a well-marked suggestion box that people can use to submit Halloween fundraising ideas for the next year. After all, a hundred heads are better than one or two. It will make a perfect way to end the perfect Halloween evening.