5 Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Area Costume Contests for Halloween 2022

Bust out that costume! It's time to have a competition.

Halloween is just a few weeks away and, hopefully, you've already picked out or planned your costume. Or, maybe you're like me and wait until the last minute forcing yourself to create something out of what you already have at home. Like the year I went as a "tourist" simply because I had a tropical-themed shirt in my closet:

However, if you're hoping to enter and then win a costume contest, you might want to put a bit more planning into your chosen outfit.

In Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, there are a few upcoming events that feature costume contests. Some of which are handing out cash as the winning prize. Here are at least 5:

1. The 5th Annual Halloween Bar Crawl - Kalamazoo 

This bar crawl is hosted by Crawl With Us, a company established in 2018 that hosts all kinds of crawls across the nation. The Kalamazoo crawl takes place on Saturday, October 29th from 4 pm to midnight and will make multiple stops in downtown Kalamazoo including Harvey's On The Mall, LFG, Old Dog Tavern, and more. They are advertising a $1,000 prize for their costume contest. However, I believe that's nationwide and not limited to Kalamazoo. You can find ticket information and more here. Or see the Facebook event page here.

2. Halloween Costume Contest at Bell's Brewery - Kalamazoo 

Since this is Bell's Brewery, you better believe that they're having live music to go along with their costume contest. On Saturday, October 29th doors will open at 8 pm to see Amaranth, Pajaro Negro, and The Sexy Toxins perform live on Bell's Brewery's stage. The costume contest will come with prizes for first, second, and third place although, the prizes haven't been specified as of this moment. You must be 21 years or older to attend and tickets are required. Find more information on the Facebook event page.

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3. Halloween Forest - Portage

Halloween Forest, taking place at Milham Park in Portage, is a free, family-friendly event good for all ages. On Saturday, October 29th, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm you can enjoy pumpkin racing, a magic show, Halloween-themed games, an inflatable corn maze, and a costume contest. Apple cider, donuts, and candy will be on-site, of course, along with dance performances from Moment of Magic Princesses, Spider-Man, Black Panther, and more, according to their website. Find even more information here.

4. Halloween Costume Party at The Music Factory - Battle Creek

Now, The Music Factory in Battle Creek is hosting two different Halloween events. Both of which feature costume contests. The first is the Halloween Costume Party on Friday, October 28th. Doors will open at 8 pm, according to their Facebook event page. The event will feature comedian Rob Bagley and the Classic/Southern Rock cover band, DMT. There is no admission fee and the grand prize for the costume contest is $200. Read more here.

5. Halloween Bash at The Music Factory - Battle Creek 

The second Halloween event at The Music Factory is happening on Saturday, October 29th. Doors will open at 6 pm, bands will start at 8 pm, and the costume contest will start at 11 pm. This event sounds a bit crazier. Literally. From their Facebook event page, it reads,

Dirtbag Clothing has teamed up with us again to bring you this CRAZY ASS PARTY with CRAZY ASS BANDS and a CRAZY ASS $200 CASH PRIZE for the COSTUME CONTEST!!!! Don't be bashful. Wear the CRAZIEST costume you can find!!!! We will vote based on how loud the crowd gets!!!!

There is a cover charge for this event set to the price of $10. Those attending must be 18 years or older. Find more information here.

Good luck to all of those entering the contests! Get that money!

If you're a parent looking for local trick-or-treating information, we've got you covered!

And, if you love pets in costumes, we've got that for you too!