There are all sorts of Halloween happenings in and around the lakecity this Halloween, which has become more of a season than one specific evening of haunting.
• Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24: NOOPA Youth Centre’s ninth annual Haunted House opens with the theme Horror Movies. The haunted house will be open by donation from 7 to 10 p.m. both nights at the youth centre located at 17 Fourth Avenue South across from Safeway. Admission is by monetary donation or a donation of a non-perishable food item. These kids intend to scare so the advice is to leave the little ones at home.
• Saturday, Oct. 24: the Miocene community Halloween party takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the community hall located at 3511 Horsefly Road in 150 Mile House.
There will be fun, games and prizes for the younger trick or treaters in the main hall plus witches, ghosts and more to see in the haunted barn for the folks brave enough to come and find secret passages, have their fortunes told and help solve a double murder.
• Thursday, Oct. 29: Xat’sull Heritage Village at Soda Creek is haunted from 5 to 8 p.m. There will be haunted trail activities for all ages that will continue after the dinner and bonfire starting at 5 p.m. and fireworks at 6:30 p.m. Admission is by donation. Organizers ask that participants wear their costumes and to reduce waste, to bring their own plate, bowl, travel mug, and water bottle.
• Friday, Oct. 30: StrongStart activities for little ones take place in Boitanio Park from 10 to 11:30 a.m. These events include a pumpkin (plastic) toss, a book walk, picking out a real pumpkin to take home, and a photo scavenger hunt where children and parents walk through the park finding the stuffies in the photos. There will also be hot chocolate and cookies.
• Friday, Oct. 30: The Lake City Secondary leadership class is presenting their first ever Halloween Carnival at the Williams Lake Campus on Carson Drive. For a donation going to the Child Development Centre there will be games such as Pie or Die, Dead Ringer, Pumpkin Pong, Darts of Doom and more. The fun for all ages will also include face painting, a concession, photo booth and more thrilling activities the organizers say.
• Friday, Oct. 30: the Ooey-Gooey Science Lab returns at the Exploring the Puddle Day Care from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Last year the day care had all sorts of interesting and colourful, but not too scary things for little ones.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Pumpkins and Bubbles Family Halloween Photo Shoot with Laureen Carruthers from noon to 2 p.m. at the Potato House.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Third Annual Zombie Walk, starting at 5:30 p.m. from City Hall to the Haunted Potato House sponsored with prizes by Kit and Kaboodle.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Zombies versus Boys and Girls Club food fight at 5:40 p.m. Bring spaghetti and red jello to the streets.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Second Annual Haunted Potato House from 5 to 7 p.m. with admission by donation of a non-perishable food item for the Williams Lake Food Bank. The house will be filled with characters from the Williams Lake Studio Theatre and is sponsored by Realm of Toys.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: Fireworks in the Stampede Grounds with a warming bonfire starting as soon as it is dark. The Lions Club will be serving hot dogs and hot chocolate by donation. The event is sponsored by the city in partnership with Community Policing, the city fire department and Tolko.
• Saturday, Oct. 31: If the weather remains clear the Lucier family will hold their annual Nightmare on Ninth Halloween fundraising haunted house and yard at 717 Ninth Avenue. Volunteers and help from the Cariboo Chilcotin Metis Association create ghostly scenes in the garage and yard with admission being the donation of a food item for the Metis food bank, says Wayne Lucier. Last year food donations filled the box on his pickup truck.