Halloween Weekly Update: Hot Topic, John Carpenter & an Early Halloween Surprise (Aug 03–09, 2026)

Halloween season continues to pick up steam as Lyle and Meghan cover some of the biggest stories from the worlds of Halloween, horror, and the paranormal. This week, Spencer Spirit Holdings announces plans to acquire Hot Topic, John Carpenter talks about possibly returning to the Halloween franchise, and 83 neighbors come together to give an 11-year-old boy an unforgettable early Halloween celebration.

We also head Around the Crypt for Disney’s newest Halloween popcorn bucket, a look at how one city is considering making Halloween night safer, research into whether infrasound could help explain some paranormal experiences, and Dan Aykroyd’s stories from his reportedly haunted family farmhouse. Plus, Meghan brings us Code Orange and This Week in Halloween History, and we read four brand-new Apple Podcasts reviews.

Story Links

Spencer Spirit Holdings to Acquire Hot Topic:
https://www.retaildive.com/news/spencer-spirit-holdings-acquire-hot-topic-halloween/827283/

John Carpenter Wants to Return to Halloween:
https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/584193/john-carpenter-wants-to-return-to-halloween-id-love-to-contribute/

83 Neighbors Create an Early Halloween Celebration:
https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/amp/family/story/83-neighbors-surprise-11-year-early-halloween-birthday-135350232

Disney World Halloween Popcorn Bucket:
https://allears.net/2026/08/07/new-halloween-popcorn-bucket-hits-disney-world/

Tucson Considers Halloween Safety Measures:
https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/article_e93df279-8fea-46a7-a38f-8711235cca4d.html

Infrasound and Paranormal Experiences:
https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2026/04/27/vibrating-pipes-restless-spirits-increased-stress-irritability-infrasound-exposure-paranormal-experiences-frontiers-behavioral-neuroscience

Dan Aykroyd’s Haunted Ontario Farmhouse:
https://ghostbustersnews.com/2026/08/05/dan-aykroyd-offers-a-peek-inside-his-haunted-ontario-farmhouse/

The Halloween Podcast

Website: https://www.TheHalloweenPodcast.com

Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/TheHalloweenPod

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/TheHalloweenPodcast