Pasadena Police Open Their Trunks for Halloween Candy Thursday

The free Trunk-or-Treat Halloween Extravaganza runs 5 to 8 p.m. at Centennial Square, an hour later than last year's.

On Thursday night, kids in costumes will go trunk to trunk in front of Pasadena City Hall, and some of those trunks belong to decorated police cars.

The Pasadena Police Department and the nonprofit Day One are hosting the Trunk-or-Treat Halloween Extravaganza from 5 to 8 p.m. at Centennial Square, 100 N. Garfield Ave., the city said in a release Tuesday. It's free and open to anyone.

The trunks come from police divisions, other city departments and community partners, and there'll be candy, music and officers to meet. The city's event listing adds games and a costume contest, and its flyer runs in English and Spanish. The city encourages costumes for all ages, so grown-ups don't get a pass.

Check the clock before you leave. Last year's edition, on Oct. 30, 2025, ran from 4 to 7 p.m., according to the city manager's weekly newsletter. This year's starts and ends an hour later. The department pitched last year's party as a safe, healthy Halloween for kids and young adults.

That's in Day One's lane. The Pasadena nonprofit says its mission is advancing public health and empowering youth, and it runs youth advocacy and substance-abuse prevention programs with Pasadena Unified students. City departments and local groups will also have tables with information on programs and services, and questions go to Community Service Officer Hilda Jurado at (626) 744-7659, according to the listing.

Then there are the cruisers. The city says kids will get to explore the decorated police vehicles, which makes it one of the few nights a year a kid can walk up to a squad car and leave with candy.

Source: cityofpasadena.net, retrieved October 27, 2026. Other sources: cityofpasadena.net (2), cityofpasadena.net (3), godayone.org.