Ghostbusters Halloween Garage Party – DIY Decor, Games & Trick-or-Treat Setup!
Published by
Laura Iyampillai
on
If there’s something strange in your neighborhood… it might just be our house on Halloween night! Last year, we transformed our garage into a full-blown Ghostbusters-themed haunt, complete with interactive games, eerie lighting, themed drinks, and of course—lots of slime. Whether you’re planning a Halloween party, Trunk or Treat station, or Ghostbusters birthday, here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we pulled it all together.
It Started With a Slime Bomb at Midnight…
We love a dramatic Halloween reveal. So as soon as the clock struck midnight on October 31st, we “slimed” our entire house as a surprise to the neighbors—just a hint of what was to come. • I pre-cut giant slime shapes from neon green plastic tablecloths to fit each front window. • Green LEDs lit the house from within, replacing our usual Halloween purple and orange lighting. • Yellow Caution tape was strung across windows and our front porch.
The result? A glowing, gooey, unmistakably Ghostbusters house reveal just in time for trick-or-treat day.
Our house before it was slimed at midnight. (P.S. We’re missing a shutter upstairs because a hurricane blew it off a couple weeks before Halloween. Just adding to the haunted vibes, right?)After getting “slimed”! We swapped out the purple lights for eerie green lighting and added window silhouettes and caution tape.Close-up of the green “slimed” windows with ghostly silhouettes and caution tape for that haunted Ghostbusters containment zone vibe.A spooky pumpkin skeleton and a wide-eyed bat inflatable greeted visitors below our Ghostbusters-style slimed windows.
Garage Transformation: Ghostbusters Headquarters
Every year, we convert our garage into a fully decorated party space by covering all the clutter with black plastic tablecloths. But this time, we took it to another level: • Green LEDs and “slime” strips lined the garage ceiling and entry. • A projector was mounted on top of the garage opener and plugged into the ceiling outlet to show looping Ghostbusters clips and a fabric projector screen was hung across the back wall. • Stay Puft Marshmallow Man inflatable stood tall near the center. • To the right, we staged a Ghostbuster skeleton with a proton pack, “blasting” Stay Puft with a custom LED proton stream made from flashing red rope light and blue EL wire.
It looked incredible in person. A camera never quite captures the full ghostly glow, but it wowed every guest.
The ultimate Ghostbusters garage moment—Stay Puft faces off with a glowing-eyed skeleton in full gear, proton stream in action and Ecto-1 in the background.This DIY skeleton Ghostbuster stood ready for action, proton wand in hand and custom jumpsuit.Another view of the full Ghostbusters showdown scene in our immersive Halloween garage.
The Ghostbusters Party Table & Adult Plinko Game
On one side of the garage, we set up a Ghostbusters-themed display table with: • A large Ghostbusters logo backdrop • Collectibles and props like Ecto-1, a firehouse, and ghost traps
For the grown-ups, we introduced the Plinko Prize Game (a huge hit!): • Drop a disk, win a prize based on the number: 1 – Ghostbusters Sticker, 2 – Small Candy, 3 – Slimer Green Jello Shot, 5 – Full-Sized Candy • Adults in costume got 2 turns, non-costumed got 1.
The Ghostbusters display table featured toys, props, and a plinko game beneath a glowing green slime backdrop.Our Jack-O’-Lantern Plinko game gave adults a chance to win candy, stickers—or even a jello shot!These Slimer-green apple cinnamon jello shots (made with Fireball whiskey) were an adult favorite!
Kids Game: “Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Ghostbuster?”
This was our most popular game of the night, and there were lines in the driveway all evening. • I built a Ghost Trap using a black storage bin, foam board flaps with yellow stripes, a paper control panel (made from cardboard and tinfoil), and a ghost projector light inside. • Kids tossed 8 “ghosts” (ping pong balls wrapped in tissues) into the trap from behind a table.
Depending on how many ghosts landed in the trap, they earned a special Ghostbuster ranking: • 👻 1 Ghost – Amateur Apparitionist • 👻👻 2–3 Ghosts – Telekinetic Trainee • 👻👻👻 4–5 Ghosts – Clairvoyant Cadet • 👻👻👻👻 6–7 Ghosts – Paranormal Prodigy • 👻👻👻👻👻 8 Ghosts – Metaphysical Master
Kids came back again and again trying to level up. It was so much fun to watch.
Overhead view of the Ghost Trap Toss game setup, including scorecard, sign, and DIY tissue ghosts.DIY ghost trap prop glowing at night with swirling lights and yellow caution stripes.Trick-or-treaters dressed in costumes take turns tossing tissue ghosts into the trap.
Ecto-1 Punch & Candy Galore
In front of the garage, we set up our main candy and snack station: • A huge variety of candy, snacks, and prizes • A hand-painted real pumpkin and battery-powered candles • A drink dispenser filled with cold Ecto-1 Punch
Trick-or-treaters loved the cold drink option—and parents appreciated it too!
A spooky spread of candy, toys, and snacks—complete with a ice cold pitcher of Slimer’s Ecto-1 Punch.Every Halloween, we offer a wide variety of snacks, toys, and candy—including a teal bucket of prizes—so there’s something for every kid. The hand-painted Ghostbusters pumpkin watches over it all!Slimer’s Ecto-1 Punch was a refreshing treat on a hot Florida evening! This glowing green drink was made with Hawaiian Punch, lemon-lime soda, and pineapple juice.
Vigo the Carpathian, Zuul, and the Firehouse Sign
We added a few extra Ghostbusters touches to bring the whole theme together: • A large portrait of Vigo the Carpathian hung on the garage wall, lit in ominous red. • We turned Bubba from Spirit Halloween into Zuul, and his jumpscare moment never failed to get a scream or two. • I made a DIY Ghostbusters Firehouse sign from white foam board, a broomstick, black electrical tape, and cheap plastic Ghostbuster signs we had in storage
A creepy tapestry of Vigo the Carpathian, lit dramatically inside the Ghostbusters-themed garage haunt.Bubba the Halloween prop gets repurposed into a snarling Terror Dog named Zuul, complete with glowing eyes and a “Beware of Terror Dog!” sign.A handmade 3D Ghostbusters firehouse sign hangs from the garage entrance, welcoming trick-or-treaters to the haunted attraction.
Dressed for the Part • My husband and son both dressed as Ghostbusters, proton packs and all. • All our candy passers wore Ghostbuster shirts. • Between the costumes, the games, and the glowing green lights, the garage and driveway stayed packed all night long.
My husband James and son Noah suited up as Ghostbusters to run our Halloween haunt.Noah was ready to bust some ghosts with his inflatable proton pack.James brought the Ghostbusters energy with his full costume and custom built, working proton pack.James battling the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man with the glowing proton stream!My son Dylan and his girlfriend were our official candy station volunteers—armed with a Stay Puft plushy and PKE meter!
Whether you’re doing a full-scale garage takeover or just need Ghostbusters-themed Halloween party ideas, I hope this post gave you some inspiration!
Around here, birthdays aren’t just parties — they’re adventures. You’ll find DIY décor, crafty tutorials, and imaginative ideas to help you transform any room into a storybook setting.
Want to know the heart behind the parties? More About Me
Once Upon a Theme 
Leave a comment