Spook the Lake puts a lake-side spin on trick-or-treating: kids, their friends, and parents cruise by boat to decorated docks around Smith Lake, where hosts hand out candy and treats along the way. It's grown into the largest single gathering Alabama Lakewide Charities puts on each year, and every dollar it raises goes straight back into supporting the charity's work on the lake.
Spook the Lake is completely free for Spookers to join, made possible by the generosity of host docks and business partners who volunteer their time, their docks, and their treats every year. Since it began, it's grown into a genuine fall tradition on Smith Lake — bringing families back out on the water during the off-season and giving the local economy a nice boost along the way.
Hosting Tips
Every dock is run entirely by volunteers, and the event only works because so many people show up to help. If you're hosting for the first time, a few things past hosts recommend: bring a couple of extra hands to help guide boats in and out, keep a long-handled net nearby in case anything drifts, pack a few treats for the dogs (they come by boat too), and make sure life vests are on anyone near the water.
Our Sponsorship Program
We're always working to match docks with local business sponsors, so the cost of hosting doesn't fall entirely on our volunteers. Every dock puts real money into candy, treats, and decorations year after year — sponsorship helps lighten that load, and gives local businesses a fun way to get involved with the community.
When a business sponsors a dock, the donation is split 50/50: half goes straight to the host to help cover their costs (and for larger tiers, to put together a more elaborate dock setup for the kids), and half goes to Alabama Lakewide Charities to support the charity's ongoing mission, including the AfterSpook Party. Prefer not to tie your support to a specific dock? You can also donate straight to event expenses or the charity's broader mission instead. See the Partner With Us page for current sponsorship opportunities and donation options.
Who's Behind It: Alabama Lakewide Charities
Spook the Lake is put on by Alabama Lakewide Charities (ALC), a Smith Lake area-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by David Dempsey, Brian Czup, and Jason West. ALC was established to acquire, maintain, and train first responders on search and recovery equipment that stays on Smith Lake for emergency drowning incidents, and to support other local non-profits that share that mission.
Spook the Lake and the Poor Man Poker Run are ALC's two largest annual fundraisers — community members look forward to both every year, since they're as much about fun as they are about giving back and boosting the local economy.
Beyond Spook the Lake
Donations to ALC have also helped fund:
- 🚒 Local fire and rescue departments
- 🌊 Wake the World Smith Lake, supporting the children of Big Oak Ranch
- 🎣 Cast for Kids Smith Lake Park, a boating and fishing day for children with disabilities
- ❤️ Kids Loving Kids
