Somebody has to book the lot, do the candy math, and know which cars park where. If that person is you, this is your checklist. If you are just decorating one trunk, you want the 75 trunk or treat ideas instead; this page is for the organizer.
The checklist covers how many trunks to recruit, how much candy to collect, how to separate the walking route from moving cars, and what to finish each week.
Estimate how many trunks to recruit
Use one trunk for every 10 to 15 children as a planning range. Recruit more if you expect long stops for games or elaborate activities at each trunk.
- 50 kids: 6 to 8 trunks
- 100 kids: 10 to 14 trunks
- 200 kids: 16 to 22 trunks
- 300 or more: 25 plus trunks, split into two walking lanes
To estimate attendance, start with last year's check-in count if you have one. If you do not, use registrations or RSVPs and state clearly whether walk-ins are welcome. A guess based on the size of an email list is not a headcount.
Recruit about 20 percent more trunks than the minimum so a few cancellations do not leave a visible gap. Post the trunk slots early and let people claim a spot by name, then confirm every host during event week.
Calculate candy for each trunk
If every child visits every trunk, each trunk needs one piece per expected child, plus a buffer. For 100 children, start above 100 pieces per trunk. Check the piece count printed on each bag rather than using bag size as a shortcut, since assortments vary.
Do not make trunk hosts carry that cost alone. Run a candy drive for the three weeks before the event: a bin in the lobby or front office, plus donation slots on the sign up sheet so you can watch the count grow instead of praying over a barrel. Assign two floaters to hold backup bags in a cooler and restock whichever trunks get popular.
Map a walking route with no moving cars
Children should follow one route through the trunks without crossing a live traffic lane. Mark that route on a lot map before assigning spaces.
- Use one entrance, with the check-in table right at it
- Arrange trunks in a U or a horseshoe so the route has a clear start and end
- Leave a walking gap every 6 to 8 cars so strollers can cut across
- Cone off any lane where a car could still move
- Have trunk hosts park 45 to 60 minutes early, and lock the layout once kids arrive: no cars move until the lot is clear
- Put your two brightest trunks in the far corners, because corners go dark first after sunset
If the lot slopes, point the trunk openings uphill so candy bowls and folding tables do not migrate.
Secure site approval before announcing the event
Whoever owns the lot decides if this happens: church office, school district, or city parks department. Ask 6 to 8 weeks out, and bring answers to the questions they will ask: date and time, expected crowd, insurance coverage, restroom access, and who handles cleanup.
Get the yes in writing, even if it is just an email. Then book the practical pieces the same week: restrooms unlocked, lights on a timer, custodian or key holder on call, and a check of the community calendar so you are not up against the homecoming game or a rival event two blocks over.
Assign check-in, traffic, restocking, and cleanup roles
Trunks are the show, but the event runs on the people who are not handing out candy. Per 100 children, plan on eight core helpers, plus a photographer if one is available:
- 2 at check-in, greeting and counting heads
- 1 directing traffic in a bright vest, from first arrival to last exit
- 2 floaters restocking candy and covering trunk hosts who need a break
- 3 on cleanup, starting the final sweep while families say goodbyes
- 1 optional photographer, with the site's photo and consent rules in hand
Put every one of those roles on the Trunk or Treat Sign Up Sheet as its own slot. A job listed by name gets claimed; a job announced from the front gets assumed to be someone else's.
Set a weather trigger and indoor backup plan
Choose a weather trigger with the site owner and put the decision time on every flyer. For example, the event moves indoors if the organizer makes that call at noon, and the notice goes out by 2 pm. A percentage alone does not account for lightning, wind, or site conditions.
The indoor version is easier than people think: the same trunks become decorated tables in the gym or fellowship hall, the same route becomes a loop of tables, and the same sign up list tells you who is bringing what. Collect an email from every volunteer when they sign up, so one message reaches the whole crew the moment you make the call.
Follow an eight-week trunk or treat timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks out | Pick the date, get lot approval in writing, book restrooms and lights |
| 6 weeks out | Post the sign up sheet with trunk, helper, and candy donation slots |
| 4 weeks out | Start the candy drive, order cones and a traffic vest, publicize the date |
| 3 weeks out | Nudge sign ups, recruit for the empty slots by name |
| 2 weeks out | Assign parking spots, print the lot map, confirm the rain trigger |
| 1 week out | Confirm candy counts, charge lanterns, send volunteers their roles |
| Day before | Cone the lot, stage the check-in table, watch the forecast |
| Event day | Hosts park early, check-in opens 30 minutes before start, sweep the lot after |
Print the final three rows and keep them with the lot map. By event week, every role should have a name, every trunk should have a space, and every volunteer should know the weather plan.