Need a fresh costume for Halloween? Johnson County library offers them for free

To Angela Parks, Halloween costumes is the next logical step.

The Olathe Library has had success with free community swaps of holiday decorations, puzzles and board games, crafts, and even plants and seeds.

So why not Halloween costumes?

“We thought we’d give it a try and see,” said Parks, teen services manager at the library.

The Johnson County community can score costumes for all ages from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, at Olathe’s Indian Creek Library, 16100 W. 135th St.

Parks said the swaps began with holiday decorations about four years ago after the idea was suggested by adult programming specialist Holly Patton.

“She said ‘let’s try this,’” Parks said. “She’s very creative.

“Holiday decorations swap grew into a craft swap and then went into puzzles and board games swap and then a plant and seed swap. All are very successful.”

Parks said the swaps make a lot of sense considering the location.

“Libraries are community places, so why not exchange things?” she said.

The library takes donations before each event. Those who donate are given the opportunity to “early bird shop” before the swap is open to the public.

Parks said a lot of people are either looking to declutter their homes, looking to change their holiday decorations, or, in the case of puzzles, looking for something new to them.

“Most people don’t do puzzles again,” she said.

The library uses its community space, which is usually so packed with offerings that some items have to be placed on the floor.

The swaps are carefully timed so that the holiday swap is right after Thanksgiving, the puzzles and board games in winter, plants and seeds are in early spring, and crafts in late spring.

Here are the upcoming swaps:

• Holiday decorations on Dec. 7: People who donate items can shop early from noon to 1 p.m. It’s open to public 1 to 4 p.m.
• Puzzles and board games on Jan. 17: 9 to 10 a.m. early bird shopping for donors and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. open to the public.
• Seeds and plants on March 7: 9 to 10 a.m. early bird shopping for donors and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. open to the public.
• Crafts on May 9: 9 to 10 a.m. early bird shopping for donors and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. open to the public.

Parks said the success of the swaps was unexpected.

“I was kind of surprised at first,” she said. “I think people like the idea of giving to others.”

There have been some valuable holiday decorations offered at the swap, and the crafts swap includes all hobbies, including stamping and glass cutting.

“You never know what is doing to be donated,” Parks said.

For the Halloween Costume Swap there will be nearby gender-neutral restrooms for people to use to try on items.

Anything left over from the swaps are either donated to nonprofit organizations or used in library programming.

“For example, we will be having a Monster Mash for teens,” Parks said. “If we find anything left over for that we will keep it.”

“It has another life if it isn’t taken.”

This story was originally published October 1, 2025 at 5:00 AM.