Turquoise Trail: An Inclusive Halloween Celebration for All at Creative Discovery Museum
This October, Creative Discovery Museum (CDM) proudly hosted the first-ever Turquoise Trail, an accessible and sensory-friendly trick-or-treating event that brought Halloween magic to children who often face unique challenges in experiencing this holiday’s traditional festivities. Inspired by the Teal Pumpkin Project's focus on allergy awareness, the Turquoise Trail aimed to break down barriers, creating a festive, welcoming experience tailored to children with mobility, developmental, and sensory differences.
The journey along the Turquoise Trail wasn’t just about candy - plenty of allergy-safe treats and non-candy treasures allowed everychild to fully take part in the joy of trick-or-treating. Halloween often poses challenges for children with differing abilities, and we wanted to change that. Our mission to “inspire all children” guides each accessible event and programat CDM, and Turquoise Trail is our latest step in continuing to make that mission a reality.
Meet Our Guests: Stories from the Trail
Many families shared how meaningful the experience was, including Liberty and her children, Zoey and Finn. For 8-year-old Zoey, who has triumphed over three heart surgeries and relies on a feeding tube and medical equipment to get around, Turquoise Trail was her first-ever trick-or-treating experience. She was thrilled to navigate the well-lit, flat path independently,collecting a bag full of fun trinkets. Her mom, Liberty, was deeply moved,noting, “It was just amazing for her to attend an event where she wasn’t just included—she was wanted.”
Liberty’s son, Finn, who has autism, often finds large events overwhelming. But at Turquoise Trail, he felt safe and supported.Liberty shared that the volunteers’ patience and enthusiasm helped Finn relax and enjoy himself, a rare feeling at similar events. Liberty said with a smile, “As a special needs family, we often feel like we’re a burden on others, but for one night, we felt valued and welcomed. That was priceless.”
Another family who attended was the Lorenzos, who joined us with their daughter, Este. Due to her dietary limitations, Este usually finds Halloween a challenge. But this year, her mom Brianna was thrilled to find non-candy treats at each station. She shared, “Even other Halloween events for special needs families don’t think about kids who can’t have candy. I left with tears in my eyes over getting to see her enjoy Halloween for once.”
Building a Tradition of Inclusion and Community
The smiles, joy, and grateful messages from families like Zoey and Finn’s, Este’s, and others reminded us how vital inclusive events are for our community. This event would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship from Chattanooga Allergy Clinic and our amazing team of over 50 volunteers who came together to make the night special for our guests. In addition,community partners like Siskin Children’s Institute, Chattanooga Autism Center, Orange Grove Center, and WTCI PBS provided support through sharing resources and information with the families they serve. Together, we’re building a space where children of all abilities can come together, celebrate, and feel the joy of belonging.
As we look forward, CDM is committed to making Turquoise Trail an annual tradition, so all children can share in the magic of Halloween. Thank you to our volunteers, partners, and every guest who joined us this year.You made this celebration possible, and we can’t wait to see what next year holds!
