Something delightfully spooky is returning to Monroe—and this year, the skeleton crew has an extra reason to celebrate!

Skeletons on Tower is marking its fifth year of bringing laughter, creativity, and family-friendly Halloween fun to our community. Beginning October 1, families can discover cleverly decorated skeletons along Tower Drive and throughout Pavilion Circle (between CC's Coffee House & Newk's Eatery Monroe). Local businesses, families, and organizations bring each “skellie” to life with imaginative displays that range from silly and sweet to wonderfully weird.

This is the kind of Halloween fun we love: creative, community-centered, and just spooky enough to make the kids giggle.

The month-long event is presented through a partnership between the Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum and ARCO, A Community Resource. Each decorated skeleton helps turn an ordinary drive through Monroe into a festive fall adventure—and there is no admission required to enjoy the displays.

We’ve gathered some fun ideas to make your family outing even more memorable! Don’t miss the special read-along story below, brought to you by the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana. The story brings their skeleton exhibit to life while introducing families to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, funded locally by the Children’s Coalition through the Louisiana Workforce Child Care Tax Credit.

A Toy-Sized Adventure at the Gazebo

One of this year’s can’t-miss stops will be the gazebo in Pavilion Circle, which is being transformed with a Toy Story theme!

Families can step into a playful world inspired by beloved toys, colorful adventures, and the kind of friendship that can travel to infinity—and possibly a little farther. The themed gazebo will provide a fun setting for family photos, so gather your little cowboys, cowgirls, space rangers, and favorite toy-loving sidekicks.

Consider dressing the kids in coordinating costumes, bringing along a favorite toy or striking your most dramatic action-figure pose. Just be prepared: the skeletons may try to sneak into the family Christmas card.

Drive Through or Make It a Skeleton Stroll

There is no single “right” way to experience Skeletons on Tower. Families can make the outing fit their children’s ages, schedules, and energy levels.

Take a Skeleton Safari by Car

Load everyone into the car, turn on a Halloween playlist, and cruise slowly along Tower Drive to see how many skeleton scenes you can spot.

Give each child a special assignment:

• Count the skeletons.
• Find the funniest display.
• Look for a skeleton wearing a hat.
• Choose the most creative scene.
• Spot one that looks ready for work.
• Find the skeleton you would most like to invite to dinner.

Remember to keep moving with traffic and have a grown-up passenger handle any pictures. Skeletons are terrible drivers, and distracted humans are not much better.

Enjoy a Family Skeleton Stroll

Park in an appropriate public parking space and explore Pavilion Circle on foot. Walking gives families more time to notice the tiny details, read display signs, and take pictures at the gazebo.

Bring comfortable shoes, stay together, remain on public walkways, and remind children to admire the displays without touching or climbing on them.

Visit Once in the Daytime—and Again After Dark

A daytime visit is perfect for younger children who may feel nervous about Halloween decorations. The displays are easier to see, and families can take their time examining all the funny details.

Older children may enjoy returning after sunset when the lights and shadows add a little extra Halloween magic. Parents should use their judgment and choose the experience that feels best for their children.

Turn Your Visit Into a Family Tradition

Five years is worth celebrating, so make this year’s trip more than a quick drive-by.

Pick up dinner or a special treat from a nearby local business. Let everyone wear pajamas or Halloween costumes. Take the same family picture at the gazebo each year and watch how your little pumpkins grow. Ask each child to name their favorite skeleton and explain why it won.

You could even award your own completely unofficial family honors:

• Best Dressed Bones
• Silliest Skeleton
• Best Skeleton Job
• Most Creative Display
• Best Use of a Bony Hand
• Skeleton Most Likely to Become Famous

Before you leave home, gather everyone together and read this little story aloud.

Read-Along: The Night the Skeletons Came Out to Play

Every October, when the moon grew round, and the Louisiana air finally felt cooler, something magical happened on Tower Drive.

The grown-ups never noticed. They were too busy making dinner, folding laundry, and asking, “Who left one shoe in the middle of the floor?”

But the children knew.

Just after midnight on October 1, a tiny sound echoed through Pavilion Circle.

Click-clack. Click-clack.

One by one, the skeletons stretched their bony arms and climbed into place.

This year was extra special. For five Octobers, they had helped families laugh, explore, and make memories. Their fifth celebration had to be the best yet!

All night, the skeletons filled the gazebo with colorful toys, stars, clouds, books, and playful surprises.

Just before sunrise, Captain Rattlebones placed one final book inside the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Exhibit.

“Perfect,” he whispered.

Later that morning, a little girl and her brother arrived with their family.

“Look at all the skeletons!” her brother shouted.

The little girl walked toward the Imagination Library Exhibit. Suddenly, tiny sparkles danced across the open book and floated toward a special QR code.

“Did you see that?” she whispered.

Her grown-up scanned the code and discovered that children from birth through age five could sign up to receive free books in the mail.

“Books delivered just for me?” her little brother asked.

The girl smiled. “It must be skeleton magic.”

As they posed for a family picture, they heard something behind them.

Click-clack.

Every skeleton stood perfectly still.

Almost.

Captain Rattlebones gave them a tiny wink.

So when you visit Tower Drive, look closely, listen carefully, and be sure to find the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Exhibit.

If you see a few magical sparkles, don’t worry.

It is probably just the skeletons celebrating five years of family fun, big imaginations, and wonderful stories.

Probably.

Know Before You Go

What: 2026 Skeletons on Tower
When: Beginning October 1 and continuing throughout the month
Where: Tower Drive and Pavilion Circle in Monroe
Admission: Free to view
Ages: Family-friendly and open to all ages
Special feature: A Toy Story-themed gazebo with family photo opportunities
Contact: Northeast Louisiana Children’s Museum, (318) 361-9611

Whether you drive through, take a skeleton stroll, or visit more than once, do not miss the fifth year of this delightfully bony Monroe tradition. Charge your phone, gather your crew, and get ready to make some spook-tacular family memories—no bones about it!