With Halloween just days away, some costumes have emerged as clear favorites across Michigan this year.

According to Google search data, Michiganders are looking up everything from classic spooky characters to animated favorites, with certain costumes topping the list in different regions of the state.

So, whether you’re looking for some last-minute costume inspiration or just want to know what’s trending this year, today we’re taking a look at the most popular Halloween costumes around Michigan.

Then, as soon as Halloween wraps up, we know that cold weather is fast approaching. To get into the spirit, we’re bringing you 16 of Michigan’s most magical winter festivals.

P.S. Trying to make plans this weekend? Don’t forget to check out my map of must-see Halloween events across Michigan this weekend.

Michigan prisons using AI to address inmate violence (Freep): The Michigan Department of Corrections is piloting an AI-assisted tool in December to assess inmates’ security risks as prison violence rises. The department says the system could improve predictions of future violence by about 30%, but corrections officers’ union leaders argue that chronic staffing shortages and a lack of high-security beds are bigger problems.

Bay City man charged after bringing loaded rifle to grandson’s school (MLive): A 74-year-old Bay City man faces eight charges after allegedly arriving at a Hampton Township elementary school with a loaded rifle and threatening staff while demanding to take his grandson. Officers arrested Daniel W. Kelly before he entered the building, and police later seized several firearms from his home. Kelly is scheduled for a preliminary examination Nov. 10.

Daylight saving time ends this weekend (The Detroit News): Michigan clocks will fall back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, marking the end of daylight saving time and bringing earlier sunsets. In Detroit, the sun is expected to set at 5:25 p.m. Sunday, with sunsets arriving about a minute earlier each day for the next month until around Dec. 13.

A Spirit Halloween store is shown in this photo from Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (USA Today Network)

By USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

Halloween is just around the corner, and if you’re looking for costume ideas, many Michiganders are drawing inspiration from spooky films and television series, Google search data shows.

Google Frightgeist, a Halloween-themed analysis of Google Trends data, found that the most-searched for Halloween costume in the US was Buddy the Unicorn, from the comedy-horror film “Buddy.”

Here’s what to know about Michigan’s most popular Halloween costumes.

A snowy view of Frankenmuth, Mich., during the winter Zehnder’s Snowfest. (Frankenmuth Convention & Visitors Bureau)

By Chaunie Brusie

Sure, we may have all been enjoying 80-degree days here in Michigan, but let’s not forget the truth: winter is coming for us.

It may be hard to imagine in the midst of beautiful weather days, but winter in Michigan is inevitable, and it comes with its own kind of beauty.  The peaceful quiet of the first snowfall, the promise of joy in the air, and the satisfying crackle of a cup of hot chocolate around the fire—it’s the stuff that makes winter as a Michigander survivable.

As a lifelong Michigander, I can admit that I’m in that sweet spot of feeling wistful and hopeful for the winter, a feeling I know will not last much past the New Year. (Seriously, ask me what I was thinking when I wrote this around early March.) 

Still, it’s fun to feel excited about the promise of the months ahead, ushering in a slower pace of life. And celebrating the magic of the winter months in Michigan with festivals is not just a way of making it through the cold nights, but a tradition in many small towns that kicks off the holiday season (and sometimes, beyond). 

From the west to the tippity top of the state, here are magical winter festivals in Michigan that will leave you embracing the beauty of the season. 

Want deeper coverage of Michigan politics? Our free Thursday newsletter, This Week in Michigan Politics, breaks down what’s happening in Lansing and Washington—clearly and without the jargon.

With the midterms approaching, we’ll keep you informed on what could affect your day-to-day life.

Interested?

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Karel Vega with stories from Chaunie Brusie and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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