Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

Las Vegas notables offering up tasty Halloween treats

From politicians to Strip entertainers, sugar is the theme of the evening

Halloween safety tips:

  • Costumes shouldn't restrict a child’s ability to see, hear, speak, move or breathe, and should be short enough for children to walk or run in.
  • Costumes should have bright reflective material on the back and should allow the trick-or-treater to be visible. Carry a flashlight.
  • Parents should plan their trick-or-treat route ahead of time.
  • Children shouldn't consume candy until it is checked by a parent.
  • Homeowners shouldn't have anything in view of the front door that could entice someone to come back later and steal what they saw.
  • Leave the candy bowl out of reach of cats and dogs. Chocolate candy can hurt some pets. Pets should be kept inside in a secure area.
  • Source: Bill Cassel, of Metro Police, and Karen Layne, of the Las Vegas Valley Humane Society. Compiled by Mytae Carrasco.

In a city where costumes are standard attire and weird isn't so out of the ordinary, Halloween still stands out as a night for fun and frights in the entertainment capital of the world.

Children aren't the only ones taking part in the holiday; local celebrities are participating in a variety of ways. From Halloween celebrations to traditional doorbell-ringing, the Las Vegas Sun found out how prominent locals are spending their night -- and how they're contributing to your bag of Halloween sweets.

Penn Jillette, of comedy/magic team Penn & Teller

Never one to be outdone, Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller will make full-size candy bars magically appear in the pillowcases of young trick-or-treaters. "I've always given out the big jumbo king-sized candy bars. You know, the ones that are the size of a subway tile?" he said. "The mini ones are such a ripoff. If someone had given me a foot-long Hershey bar on Halloween when I was a kid, I'd have thought that was the coolest thing. Ever."

Siegfried and Roy

Siegfried and Roy won't be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters, but they are supporting the Safe Street Halloween event and encourage fans to do the same. The festival at Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Boulevard S., will feature trick-or-treating, pumpkin decorating, costume contests and "scary-oke."

UFC president Dana White

Sticking to true, over-the-top UFC style, White is going big this Halloween.

"We give out real candy bars, not the little ones from the bag," he said.

Celebrity writer and TV host Robin Leach

There will be no champagne wishes or caviar dreams for trick-or-treaters visiting Robin Leach's home, but don't leave him off the candy route. "I will be at the Luxor all day for the Criss Angel premiere of 'Believe,' so I will have to leave a big bag of chocolate goodies on the front doorstep," he said. "Hopefully the first group of trick-or-treaters won't take everything and will leave some for the next groups. It will be miniature chocolate bars -- M&M's, Kit-Kat bars, Crunch bars ..."

Illusionist Criss Angel

Angel has a few other things on his mind than Halloween. He has been prepping for months for the opening of his new Cirque show, "Believe." The Luxor will be rolling out the black carpet for two star-studded premieres tonight.

Lon Kruger

Lon Kruger

Lon Kruger, UNLV basketball coach

Kruger will be sending little Rebels on their way with chocolates tonight. "Typically we give out a variety of little candy bars. I haven't talked to (wife) Barb to see what the plan is this year, but that's what she's done in the past. Snickers, Nestle's Crunch, nutty, caramel-type candy bars, they usually get my attention," he said.

Mike Sanford, UNLV football coach

Sanford's choice on what candy to hand out could be a gametime decision, but he had a good guess. "I would say Reese’s Pieces. I need to know more what my wife has going on, but I know it’ll be good."

He said he hopes she buys Reese’s Pieces or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups so he can snag a few himself, but as a kid he had a different favorite: "I liked caramel corn. Big caramel corn guy."

Click to enlarge photo

Gov. Jim Gibbons

Gov. Jim Gibbons

Gibbons will be on the steps of the governor’s mansion handing out Halloween candy, but his estranged wife won't join him.

Gibbons’ communication director Ben Kieckhefer said Dawn Gibbons won't be present Friday night for the annual Halloween celebration in which the governor gives out treats to visiting children. Kieckhefer said it was the governor’s decision that his wife not participate.

What candy will the governor have on hand? Only a road trip to Carson City will tell.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

Reid is taking a break from his Senate and election season duties to hand out candy -- but you'll have to drive 60 miles south of Las Vegas for the mini Snickers and Milky Way candy bars he's handing out with his family in Searchlight.

Rep. Jon Porter

Porter said he will be taking a break from his re-election campaign in the 3rd Congressional District to hand out some type of candy at home with his family.

State Sen. Dina Titus, 3rd Congressional District candidate

Titus will be taking a brief hiatus from campaigning to attend Halloween parties in the area and pass out her favorite treats: Snickers, Milky Ways and 3 Musketeers.

Click to enlarge photo

Mayor Oscar Goodman

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman

Goodman and his wife, Carolyn, won't be skimping this Halloween. They're handing out personalized treats to everyone who rings the doorbell. A trip to the Goodman home will get you "Good Luck Mayor Chips," "Mayor Oscar Goodman" pencils, "Oscar and Carolyn" flashlights and city pins. In addition, Carolyn Goodman also purchased two large bags of assorted candy at Costco containing Tootsie Rolls, Mounds, Mars and Good & Plenty.

"We have to give (the candy) all out. Otherwise, I'll be eating it all on Saturday," the mayor said, joking that he'd gain 40 pounds. "Most people gain weight after Thanksgiving. I gain weight after Halloween."

Henderson Mayor James Gibson

Gibson will be handing out Twix, Baby Ruth's and Dots to trick-or-treaters.

North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon

Montandon won't be handing out candy from his home, but instead will be taking part in a yearly tradition with his family at the Church of Latter-day Saints at Goldfield Street and Hammer Lane.

"We do a thing at our church where everyone comes and decorates their cars and kids go from car to car trick-or-treating. We decorate our car and put on scary music," Montandon said. "My wife and I work the car and my kids work the parking lot."

As for what he'll be giving out, "Of course, the greatest candy in the world: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups."

The mayor said he'll be dressing up, but he hasn't decided on a costume just yet.

Roger Tobler

Roger Tobler

Boulder City Mayor Roger Tobler

Boulder City Mayor Roger Tobler will be at home with his family this Halloween night, passing out goodies to all the goblins and ghouls, and their parents, too.

"I own a hardware store and we've handed out flashlights in the past and sometimes I've given parents True Value cards, but this year we're just handing out lots and lots of chocolate," he said. "I love chocolate."

Clark County commissioners

County Commissioners Rory Reid, Chip Maxfield, Susan Brager, Tom Collins and Chris Giunchigliani will be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters at their homes.

Commissioner Bruce Woodbury will be participating in a trunk-or-treat event at the Church of Latter-day Saints on Buchanan Boulevard in Boulder City.

Commissioner Lawrence Weekly will be celebrating the holiday at a Halloween Safe Night at the Pearson Community Center, 1625 W. Carey Ave‎.

Carol Linnea Johnson

Carol Linnea Johnson

Carol Linnea Johnson, Donna in "Mamma Mia!"

Johnson, who plays the mother role of Donna in "Mamma Mia!" at Mandalay Bay, has her own Halloween tradition.

"When I lived in the Midwest, the kids would start trick-or-treating on their way home from school. But none of them would be in costume yet and I just refused to give candy to anybody not dressed up," she said. "So if they came to my door and they weren't in a costume, I would make them do a trick for me ... I decided to make it a tradition and to this day if they're not in costume, I make them earn it."

Linnea joked that if trick-or-treaters see a glow from Summerlin, it's her home.

"Our house is one of the few decorated on our block. We have it decked out with graves, spider webs and so much more," she said.

Frank Marino, celebrity impersonator

Marino is one of the best female celebrity impersonators in town, but he's also passing out candy to every kid who rings his bell. "I'm giving out all the candies I don't like, but all the kids love, because I'm on a diet and don't want to be tempted," he said. "The children love coming to my house because I always give them so much."

Danny Gans

Danny Gans

Comedian Danny Gans

Taking a break from his show at The Mirage, Gans will be channeling a Las Vegas favorite from the past as he hands out candy at his home.

"I am dressing up as Sammy Davis Jr. and giving out only the finest imitation dark chocolate," Gans said.

Frank Scinta, The Scintas

Scinta of the Vegas singing and comedy group The Scintas said Halloween takes him back to when he was a kid, dressing up and going door to door in search of candy.

"I just love seeing the smiles on kids' faces and the crooked masks. It reminds me of when I was a kid, trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. You know the best treat was from the poorest house on the block -- it was homemade popcorn and it was so good."

Scinta said he and his family will be handing out whole candy bars: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Butterfingers, Almond Joys, Kit-Kats and Milk Duds, although he joked he might give out baggies of meatballs and rigatonis.

Gregory Popovich, comedian

The pet comedian will be handing out candy with his 15 cats and 10 dogs at his Planet Hollywood show.

Dr. Maryam Sina, pediatric dentist

Sina is giving out treats that no parents should fear. Whether younger trick-or-treaters will seek out the treat is up for debate.

"Every year we hand out toothbrushes and this year we are handing out xylitol gum and mints," she said.

Xylitol is a natural sugar found in fruits that kills bacteria. And in contrast to what others are handing out this Halloween, it's known as being "tooth-friendly."

Sun reporters Cy Ryan, Ryan Greene and Rob Miech contributed to this report.