20 vintage photos of people celebrating Halloween

Talia LakritzOct 5, 2020, 19:55 IST

1978.Reed Saxon/AP

Some Halloween traditions come and go, but others, like trick-or-treating and spooky costumes, are timeless.
Looking back at vintage photos of Halloween celebrations shows just how much the holiday has changed over the years.

If you went to a Halloween party in the 1940s, chances are you'd be bobbing for apples. In the 1970s, you'd probably be covered in glitter paint.

Some Halloween traditions come and go, but others, like jack-o'-lanterns and trick-or-treating, remain.

Here are 20 vintage photos of people picking pumpkins, marching in costume parades, and enjoying other Halloween traditions.

Bobbing for apples on a string was a popular Halloween party game in the 1930s.

1939. AP

Adults enjoyed it, too.

1943. AP

Costume parades gave kids the opportunity to show off their creativity.

1962. AP

Every parade featured princesses in their finest gowns.

1962. AP

Superheroes like Spider-Man have been popular costume choices for decades.

1966. Jacob Harris/AP

Jack-o'-lanterns are a hallowed Halloween tradition.

1965. AP

Halloween wasn't all parties and costumes — there were also bike rides for charity.

1971. AP

"The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" filmed a Halloween episode in 1973.

1973. David F. Smith/AP

Children in costume went trick-or-treating at the White House, a tradition that is still around today.

1974. Henry Griffin/AP

Pumpkin picking was a popular fall activity.

1976. AP

Some costumes were head-to-toe getups.

1977. Richard Drew/AP

Spooky magic tricks were the life of A-list events.

1978. Reed Saxon/AP

Celebrities like Jane Fonda and The Village People threw massive Halloween parties.

1979. George Brich/AP

Even police officers got in on the fun.

1980. Luongo/AP Photo

Baseball players wore hilarious masks on the field.

1986. AP

Raggedy Ann was a favorite in the '80s.

1986. Walt Zeboski/AP

Political costumes were also all the rage.

1988. Mark Lennihan/AP Photo

First Lady Barbara Bush used Halloween as an opportunity to teach literacy by reading Halloween stories.

1990. Mark Elias/AP

The characters from the Wizard of Oz are still a classic group costume, just as they were in the '90s.

1999. Ted S. Warren/AP Photo

No matter what the costume or candy du jour was, Halloween has always been about having fun.

1997. Jennifer S. Altman/AP Photo

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