KINGSTON, R.I. – Oct. 9, 2026 – There’s no telling what the hot costumes will be for local trick-or-treaters this Halloween, but the University of Rhode Island will have a decidedly fun, not fearsome, atmosphere this year, as URI’s Division of Student Affairs and Greek Life presents its 8th annual Not So Spooky Halloween on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Fraternity Circle off Quarry Road, home to 13 of URI’s fraternity and sorority chapters. The University’s Greek Life leaders will once again provide a fun afternoon of trick-or-treating for area children and their families.

Greek Life Assistant Director Alison Burke helped launch the event when she arrived at URI in 2018 and it has grown over the years. More than 200 children and family members attended last year. 

Burke says the event helps URI students develop important leadership and event skills and also connect with the larger Rhode Island community off campus, including URI community members with young children. URI’s Greek program has a large service component, including supporting this month’s annual Be 5K as well as University research into microplastics and other subjects of study.

Free and open to the public, this year’s Not So Spooky event is a chance for local families to dress up for an early, pre-Halloween trick-or-treating extravaganza that includes a haunted house, face painting, and costume contests for both big and little kids. Guests can park at the Keaney Parking Lot, just a short walk from Fraternity Circle.

“This year is definitely going to be the biggest our event has been,” said Panhellenic Campus Involvement Chair Maya Efraim, a junior business major from New Jersey and a member of Sigma Delta Tau. “There’s a lot more involvement from the community and organizations on campus than ever before. Families in the area with connections to URI or our Greek Life community are usually ones to attend, but this year we’re hoping to attract more families from outside of URI as well. This event lets us give back to the community and do something that’s not only fun for kids and families but fun for us as students, too.”

Efraim says that chapters enjoy switching up their costume choices every year, keeping the little ones’ favorites in mind.

“A popular one that the kids love is Minions or anything Disney-related,” she said. “That usually gets a good reaction. This event is so much more than trick or treating. It’s our opportunity to show the community a positive side of Greek Life. The joy we get from doing activities with the kids and handing out free candy is priceless.”

Michael Parente ’01, director of marketing and communications in URI Student Affairs, attended last year’s event—not in an administrative capacity but with his dad hat on.

“URI’s Greek Life community does a terrific job with this event,” he said. “My kids were 2, 8, and 9 when we attended last year and the students were super engaged and spent a lot of time talking to all the kids and participating in various activities. You could tell they enjoyed it as much as our kids did.”

The annual event also features cider and donuts for parents, pumpkin-painting stations, and other family-friendly competitions such as a werewolf howling contest, a candy counting competition and, as promised, “plenty of candy!” Allergy-friendly candy will also be available.

Contact uripanhel.orgsandhousing@gmail.com for more information and follow the Not So Spooky Trick or Treat page on Facebook for updates.