Small town Bucoda puts itself on the map with its annual month-long Halloween celebration, the Boo-Coda Spook-Tacular.
“Bucoda may be tiny, but its reputation as a Halloween headquarters is larger than life,” stated the tourism website Experience Olympia and Beyond.
According to the event site, Bucoda, three miles outside Tenino, has been hailed as “The world’s tiniest town with the biggest Halloween spirit.”
Boo-Coda revitalizes each October with one of the best Haunted Houses in the state, a hearse parade, a haunted market, and various contests.
This year, the award-winning Boo-Coda Haunted House runs from 7 to 11 p.m. on September 27, 28, October 4, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, 29, 30, and 31. On October 29 through 31, the haunted house runs from 7 to 10 p.m.
On October 25 and 26, the Family Friendly Haunted House will take place in conjunction with the Charity Drive in Boo-Coda from 6 to 9 p.m. The event is for children 12 and under and other interested individuals. There will be two levels of fun: pumpkins (no scares) or ghouls (scares) dressed in costume.
The event costs $5 per person or a selection from other items: 4 non-perishable food items except ramen, or 4 children’s new or used books in good condition. The cost for a family is $20 per family of two adults and four kids or a clean, usable blanket, coat, or bike.
This charity event raises funds and items for local nonprofit groups. There will be a limited number of free tickets available at Bucoda Town Hall. The haunted house benefits Tenino Food Bank, South Sound Reading Foundation, Alaffia G.A.C.E. bike program, Mixx 96.1, wrapping up the holidays, and local shelter programs.
The Halloween special also features family-friendly events throughout the month. On September 27 and 28, the Boo-Coda Dark Market will open from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Bucoda Community Center.
The market features acrylic resin art, Halloween collectibles and decor, potions, bottles, and crystal spiders. Fortune reading may also be available.
There will also be a Weekly Haunted Market with food and arts, crafts, and commercial vendors every Saturday in October at 11 a.m. at the Bucoda Town Square.
The Family Fun Day Harvest Festival takes place on October 12, from 12 to 7 p.m. The free event taking place at the Main Street Bucoda Town Square features a pumpkin decorating contest (pumpkins provided), face painting, and spooky games and activities.
Every Saturday, a no-entry costume contest is available to various age brackets at the Bucoda Town Square.
The age groups are 0-5, 6-12, 12-18, and 18+. Five contenders in each age group will receive certificates, and the top three judges' favorites will receive a trophy.
On October 5, contestants should dress in their best historical, villain, and gothic-themed costumes. There will be a certificate for best prop use.
On October 12, participants will dress up the whole family. There are certificates for the best family/ group costume, best fairytale or superhero, and best animated costumes (think Nightmare Before Christmas, Coco, or the Simpsons). There will also be a certificate for DIY (Do-It-Yourself) costumes.
On October 19, contenders dress in their best undead and classic monster costumes. The most satiric costumes have a shot at the Best Ensemble award.
In conjunction with the Thrill the World Dance Flash Mob, contestants will dress in their 80s best, Michael Jackson, and Zombie/ Dance costumes. There will be a Most Detailed Costume award.
October 5 will open with a donation-based Pancake Breakfast from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed by a free Hearse Procession and Viewing on Main Street in front of Joe’s Place.
Pacific Northwest Hearses will participate in the procession and viewing. The procession starting at 1 p.m. will be conducted in a parade format, while the viewing from 1 to 5 p.m. will be treated like a car show. Various hearses have unique displays to view.
The town’s famous casket races start at 1 p.m. on October 19 on Main Street in front of Joe’s Place and the Bucoda Community Center. The award ceremony will take place between 3 and 5 p.m.
The Racecourse is around 175 feet long. Each team consists of five people— four pallbearers and one corpse (teams of two or more pallbearers and one corpse will be allowed to compete). Teams build their own caskets or borrow one from the Town of Bucoda.
Interested contestants may view the official rules and entry form by visiting this link.
The cost to enter is $150 if registered and paid on or before October 16, and $175 if registered thereafter. The fee includes five shirts, one for each participant. To receive a shirt on Race Day, the deadline is October 10.
The awards are for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd overall fastest times, as well as Dead Last, Scariest Casket, Funniest Casket, Most Original Casket, and Best Costumed Team & Cortege.
The Mayor’s Cup will allow cities in Thurston and Lewis Counties to compete against each other.
There will also be Casket Races for other categories such as the First Responders, Media, Middle Schools, Families (two adults, three youth), and others. View the site for more details.
“Each category will have a trophy for the fastest time and the Best Costume Team & Cortege. If you don’t have a team but want to compete, we can place you with others to form a team. Each team will race a minimum of two races,” the event’s site stated.
The Forest Grove Cemetery Historic Tour takes place on October 19 from 4 to 8 p.m. at 18011 Northcraft Rd SE, Tenino. The tour costs $15 per person or $35 for families (parents and minor children). The Forest Grove Cemetery of Tenino coordinates the cemetery tour. All proceeds support the Cemetery.
Join a worldwide mass dance as Boo-Coda Spook-tacular holds the annual Thrill the World Dance on October 26 at 3 p.m. at the Bucoda Town Square.
The dance happens every year simultaneously around the world in October, making it a global event synchronized with GMT.
“Thrill the World has been represented in 32 countries on six continents by over 23,000 dancers,” the site stated.
Awards for Best Overall, Best Dancer, and Best Costume will be given.
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