Redlands families looking for a different way to celebrate Halloween will have an opportunity to exchange traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating for an afternoon surrounded by airplanes, costumes, entertainment and community activities.
The City of Redlands is preparing to host Plane-or-Treat on Sunday, October 25, 2026, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Redlands Municipal Airport, 1755 Sessums Drive. The event is being promoted as the city's official Halloween celebration for 2026, introducing a new setting for one of the year's most popular family traditions.
Rather than centering the celebration on residential streets, the city is bringing families together at the airport for an afternoon designed to combine Halloween entertainment with aviation displays and educational experiences.
According to the city's official event announcement, Plane-or-Treat will feature trick-or-treating, aircraft displays, Halloween attractions, live entertainment, video game trucks, food vendors and community activities. Admission is $5 per person for all ages. Food, merchandise and separately priced vendor purchases are not included in the admission fee.
The showcase is planned to feature as many as 10 Halloween-decorated electric vehicles, along with trick-or-treating opportunities and information about clean transportation and available incentives.
By including electric vehicles alongside aircraft displays, the celebration will introduce families to different transportation technologies in a setting where learning can be combined with recreation.
The choice of Redlands Municipal Airport gives the event a distinctive local identity.
Airports are often familiar to residents as places where aircraft take off and land, but they can also serve as centers for aviation education, community engagement and economic activity.
Redlands Municipal Airport is part of the city's transportation infrastructure and provides a setting where children can see aircraft at close range while participating in a community celebration.
For younger visitors, the opportunity to view airplanes may become one of the most memorable parts of the afternoon. For parents, the organized event offers a central location where families can participate in several activities without traveling between multiple destinations.
The city has also developed parking and pedestrian access arrangements for the event.
Public parking will be available at the Redlands Sports Park Complex. Visitors will follow a designated pedestrian route to the airport's west entrance, a walk of approximately 0.44 mile each way.
The city estimates the walk may take 10 to 15 minutes, depending on individual pace. Families are encouraged to allow additional time for parking and arrival.
Wagons, including stroller-style wagons, will be permitted, and the city identifies Plane-or-Treat as a dog-friendly event.
Online preregistration is strongly encouraged to help simplify entry. The city has indicated that additional information about advance wristband pickup and event-day registration procedures will be provided as arrangements are finalized.
The transition to an airport-based celebration also comes with a change involving one of Redlands' established Halloween traditions.
West Olive Avenue has historically attracted significant pedestrian activity on Halloween evening. This year, the city will continue to close West Olive Avenue between Center Street and Cajon Street to vehicle traffic on Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 9 p.m.
However, the city emphasizes that this closure is solely a public safety measure intended to accommodate anticipated neighborhood pedestrian activity. It is not a city-sponsored Halloween celebration, and Plane-or-Treat is the official municipal event.
That distinction is important for families planning their holiday activities.
The airport celebration takes place October 25, while the Olive Avenue street closure occurs six days later on Halloween night.
The two arrangements serve different purposes. One provides organized entertainment and attractions, while the other addresses pedestrian safety in a neighborhood where large numbers of people have traditionally gathered.
For Redlands, the event illustrates how community traditions can evolve while continuing to bring residents together.
Halloween celebrations offer more than candy and costumes. They provide opportunities for families to spend time together, children to interact with neighbors and community organizations to connect with residents.
The airport setting also creates opportunities for local vendors and participating organizations to introduce their services to families who might not otherwise encounter them.
As Redlands continues to balance community events with traffic management and public safety considerations, Plane-or-Treat represents a new approach to a familiar celebration.
The city notes that some attraction schedules and entertainment details remain subject to change as final preparations continue. Residents are encouraged to consult the official event website before attending.
For children, the afternoon may be remembered for airplanes, costumes and candy. For families, it offers an opportunity to create new memories together.
And for Redlands, Plane-or-Treat demonstrates that a community tradition can find new wings without losing the sense of togetherness that makes it meaningful.
Event Information: Sunday, October 25, 2026, 2 to 5 p.m., Redlands Municipal Airport, 1755 Sessums Drive. Admission is $5 per person. Public parking at Redlands Sports Park Complex.
Official event website: City of Redlands Plane-or-Treat 2026.