If you’re someone who likes to fill their October with all manner of Halloween events, it’s likely your calendar’s getting pretty packed at this point, because they’re coming thick and fast.
The offerings tend to tilt either toward grown-up scares or family-friendly activities, the latter of which is coming to Downer Avenue on Oct. 19 in the form of Haunted Halloween.
From the description, the annual event’s degree of hauntedness seems to be fairly nominal, so don’t hesitate bringing the kiddies to the two-block stretch of avenue between Park and Webster. On that Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m., you and your little monster (or just you, no judgment) can engage in a variety of approachable Halloween activities set up by businesses in the area. Among them are:
- Face painting outside Nehring’s Sendik’s and inside Bel Air Cantina
- Balloon creations by Just 4 Fun
- Free chocolate-chip cookies at Breadsmith
- A pumpkin-carving contest at more than a dozen Downer Avenue businesses
For that last one, you’ll have a chance to pick the winner by voting at the Downer Business Improvement District tent in front of Sendik’s, where you’ll also be entered to win gifts from Downer Avenue merchants. The participating locations also invite visitors to come in costume and trick or treat while they check out the not-so-spooky seasonal touches.
If you happen to be looking for some slightly more advanced Halloween activities, Boswell Books will host a pair of guests:
- 2 p.m. — Silvia Acevedo, contributor to The Haunted States of America (register to attend)
- 3 p.m. — Geo Rutherford, featuring Spooky Lakes: 25 Strange and Mysterious Lakes That Dot Our Planet (register to attend)
For more information on everything happening around Haunted Halloween, including the participating businesses, visit the Historic Downer Avenue BID website.
