For Portlanders craving a classic scavenger hunt, the PDX Hunt has devised a way to satisfy you.
This month, PDX Hunt is throwing its annual Halloween Scavenger Hunt. The event will lead costumed Portlanders across the city on an expedition to win a cash prize.
PDX Hunt is a group that organizes and hosts scavenger hunts across the city. Participants must follow clues and hints that lead them from location to location.
The group hosts three kinds of hunts.
The first is called an “urban race,” in which competitors travel throughout the city on foot and take photos of themselves in various situations and at specific locations. Participants may also be asked to complete strange tasks.
The second kind is the scavenger hunt, and this is a more in-depth experience. Groups can travel by foot, car, public transit or bicycle.
“The PDX Hunt scavenger hunt is a bit more challenging to create,” said PDX Hunt organizer Joe Carson. “We have to take into consideration that, to be fair, some tasks should favor players on foot over those on bike or traveling by car.”
The final hunt involves an idol hidden somewhere in the city. The objective is to be the first to discover its secret location, and then victory is yours.
For this Halloween hunt, participants are encouraged to dress in costume. The hunt is a “car hunt,” meaning groups must have at least one vehicle. Boundaries are set in place, and participants must solve the clues sent to them via smartphone.
PDX Hunt guarantees to be “good, clean adult fun,” according to Carson. However, some groups can get a little too involved, he said.
“During a recent treasure hunt, teams were asked to locate and get a picture out in front of a specific water fountain, and one team took it a bit far,” Carson recalled. “They actually got into the fountain and proceeded to get a photo of their entire team snorkeling around, complete with a rubber ducky floating in the background.”
But PDX Hunt is about more than just having fun. It also helps to benefit the community.
“One of our most recent changes includes adding a community benefit to our hunts,” Carson said. “Our goal for 2012 is to include more charities into our events.”
One of the group’s recent events in Seattle was a benefit for Child Haven, an organization that assists abused and neglected children.
“Child Haven did benefit financially from the event, but more importantly, we were able to work with them in educating each player about Child Haven and what it is they do to serve their community,” Carson said. “Moving forward, PDX Hunt is committed to partnering with select local charities in an effort to both raise funds and raise the awareness for their cause.”
While it may seem simple, hundreds of hours of planning go into these events. Their larger hunts, such as the Halloween and Easter events, can take even longer to organize. The events are also self-sustaining, as they are entirely funded by registration fees.
After each event, a celebration and awards ceremony is held at a local pub. This portion of the event is for participants 21 and older, but children are still encouraged to get involved in other aspects. Additional prizes will be given out at the Halloween hunt for teams sporting the best costumes.
For those looking to start celebrating Halloween early, log onto PDXHunt.com to register and get involved. Teams must contain two to six participants. At least one participant must be over the age of 18, and participants must be 21+ in order to attend the award ceremony.
“In the end, it’s all about making sure everyone laughed and had a lot of fun,” Carson said.