THE SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN Brings Oregon’s Real-Life Halloweentown to the Screen

Filmmakers Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb explore the real Oregon town keeping Halloweentown’s magic alive.

What kind of people live in a town that revolves around Halloween? In Oregon, the answer might surprise you.

During last year’s festival run, we got a chance to see the delightful and surprisingly heartfelt documentary The Spirit of Halloweentown from Bradford Thomason and Brett Whitcomb — the same filmmaking duo behind Jasper Mall and Butterfly in the Sky. The film pulls back the curtain on the small town of St. Helens, Oregon, the very place where Disney Channel’s cult classic Halloweentown was shot in the late 1990s.

What started as a one-time movie location has since transformed into a living, breathing celebration of all things spooky. Each year, St. Helens embraces its cinematic legacy, transforming itself into an authentic Halloweentown that draws fans from all over the country. But as Thomason and Whitcomb’s camera reveals, not all is pumpkin spice and broomsticks beneath the orange lights.

Through a mix of nostalgia, humor, and humanity, The Spirit of Halloweentown explores the colorful residents who make up this Halloween-obsessed town—the people who keep the spooky flame alive year after year. From diehard fans to skeptical locals, everyone has a story about how the film—and the spirit of Halloween itself—shaped their community.

It’s a charming, offbeat documentary that manages to capture both the wonder and the weirdness of small-town America, where a shared obsession turns into a yearly tradition that blurs the line between reality and movie magic. Whether you’re a lifelong Halloweentown fan or just love watching passionate people collide over pumpkins, this film is the perfect way to kick off spooky season.

The Spirit of Halloweentown arrives October 24th on Amazon, Apple TV, and YouTube. Check out the trailer and get ready for the perfect dose of Halloween spirit—alive, well, and maybe just a little undead.