Halloween in Hyde Park, 2025: Plinko Board

October 31, 2025

After a few years in storage, this Halloween we decided to bring out the Plinko board again. By our tests, things were still working ok, despite being in storage for a while.

One thing we wanted to fix this year – the pucks sometimes get stuck along the edge of the board. So I wanted to create a few “bumpers” to keep the pucks moving, and to prevent them from getting stuck.

To that end, I cut a few triangles with the idea that these would serve as guides/bumpers. I was pretty happy with my makeshift jig, as I got into a decent rhythm prepping these guys,

After installing the triangles (I used our brad nailer)… I tried to set up the Plinko Board. Only to find that the kickstand was a bit stuck.

To my shame, I realized that the settings I had for the brad nailer were not right. And the placement of the bumpers coincided with where the kickstand was. So in the process of affixing these bumpers/guides to the board… I more or less stapled the kickstand in place.

I was able to pry these guys loose. But it took a bit of time (and a bit of pride).

Early afternoon, and our neighbors were already getting visitors.

As the crowds and kids arrive, our neighbor Mark stopped over with some complimentary brisket sliders. Delicious!

We were pretty busy all night, with a constant stream of kids. This was one of the few moments where I stopped to take out my camera, and record one of the interactions.

We’ve updated a lot of our interior lights with smart bulbs – which allowed us to tweak the colors for most of our rooms. We definitely got into the spirit of things.

While Mark brought over sliders, Anna brought over some jello shots. We are incredibly lucky to be on this block, and have some of the best neighbors ever!

Of note: while I purchased a lot of candy, the “Glow in the Dark Oreos” were tops on my list. I think these things have been around for a while, but I only just noticed them this year.

Oreo Marketing Department: I tip my hat to you.

All told, we went through pretty much all of the candy I purchased. We ended up calling it around 9:15 PM… but I think our estimates this year were right on point.

The aftermath (with a few bits of candy we kept for ourselves).

Halloween in Hyde Park is quite the experience. Once it gets going, it’s a non-stop affair. While I wish we had a bit more time to pause and visit with our neighbors, I’m glad to be part of a big night were so many kids come by… and I’m glad we add a bit more fun to their night out.