Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween - Everything you need to know about the October event

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween is finally here! It's October 31st, which means it's time to meet Jack at last. Technically the Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween event has been running for the entirety of October, but tonight's the night. Below, you'll find everything you need to know about Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween, from the event itself and Jack, to decorating, costumes, and even special new emotes.

Halloween event

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween event

From 5PM local time to midnight on October 31, your island will be hosting a Halloween spooktacular, in a similar fashion to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons fireworks events that ran every Sunday through August. All your villagers will gather in the plaza, which will be decked out with pumpkins and twinkling lights. Exchange candy, and even be honored with a visit from Jack, the "Czar of Halloween". 

Jack

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween Jack NPC

Now the pumpkin-headed Jack (assumed surname of O'Lantern) is the self-proclaimed Czar of Halloween. A regular in the Animal Crossing series, what usually happens is that he'll trade you spooky furniture for candy. If you don't give him candy, he'll pull a trick on you, which used to including turning your offered trade into a Jack-in-the-Box, or replacing your hat / accessory with a Pumpkin Head Helmet. Both of which I kind of want to be honest. It'll be interesting to see if he does the same in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. 

On October 1 - or whenever you check your mailbox after that - he'll send you a message along with a portrait of himself, suggesting you should start stockpiling candy. 

Candy

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween candy

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween candy will be on sale in the cabinet in Nook's Cranny for the entirety of October. You can buy one (yes one) piece per day, and either eat it, or gift it to your villagers. There's some suggestion that you should be gathering it up ahead of Halloween though, which is interesting. Maybe keep a little stock for yourself just in case you need to trade with Jack, as per previous Animal Crossing entries. 

Don't forget, you can travel to other islands and buy candy there too.

Costumes

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween costumes

Of course, a huge part of any Halloween celebration - in Animal Crossing or otherwise - is the costume. Getting dressed up in your spookiest gear is al part of the fun, and thankfully there are some fresh options for doing the very same thing in New Horizons. 

From October 1, there are new skin tone and eye colour options available to switch between by interacting with any mirror. In terms of skin tones, you'll now have ghost white, zombie green, monster blue, and potion purple, and over in the new eye colours we're getting pink, orange, yellow, neon pink, a light grey, and teal - taking the new total to 12. To unlock these you'll need to buy the Body-Paint Costume Tips and Exploring New Eye Colors options from Redeem Nook Miles option at the kiosk in Resident's Services for 2,400 Nook Miles each. 

Although the announcement trailer focused on some of the clothing items already in the game like the Mage's dress, it seems there will be some new items available for purchase. Check out the screengrab below from the launch trailer, which shows off a different cat outfit for example. I'm going to need that hat, ASAP. From October 1 you'll notice a selection of costumes rotates through the Tailor's offerings.

There is clearly also going to be some devil horn boppers, which Isabelle may gift you on October 31 itself - but as there are a few colour varieties, it may be a Tailor purchase later in the month.

Reactions

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween reactions

There are two new reactions arriving in New Horizons this October, and they're suitably spooky in theme - Scare and Haunt. The latter is very zombie-esque, while Haunt is more off the BOO variety.

Pumpkins

Animal Crossing: New Horizons Halloween decorations

For the entire month of October, you'll notice that the Nook's Cranny shop has had a little decor tweak. The autumnal pumpkins outside have been carved with spoopy faces, and inside the seasonal offerings area will now include Halloween-themed items, from pumpkin-headed scarecrows to spooky seats. Be sure to check out the daily offering to ensure you're getting all the Halloween-themed treats on offer. 

But, of course, a big part of the new update is the ability to grow your own Animal Crossing: New Horizons pumpkins. From October 1, Nook's Cranny and Lief will stock pumpkin starts that you can buy and plant on your island. Taking four days to grow - with more yield per start if you remember to water them every day - you can then use your pumpkins as decorations, or use them to make a variety of pumpkin-themed DIY recipes.