Halloween Fun

-- Rebecca Haven

October is upon us. The leaves are beginning to fall and the air is getting brisk. It’s dark earlier and chimneys often have a slow swirl of smoke coming from them. To me this means one thing: Halloween is near!

Whether or not you choose to celebrate Halloween, there are a lot of fun fall activities going on in the Twin Cities. The apple orchards are in full swing (check out Aamodt’s Apple Farm in Stillwater) and favorite summer outdoor activities are having their “last hurrah” events before they shut down for the winter—sometimes at a discount.

For many outdoor venues, the last big event is Halloween. Here are a few Halloween activities to attend (scary and not), even if it is just for the free candy:

“Zoo Boo” at Como Zoo and Conservatory
“Zoo Boo” is a fundraising event for the Como Zoo, which survives only on donations. This is a great event for kids; the zoo grounds are transformed into a “non-scary” land of fairytales, which is perfect for your young ones who want to dress up as princesses or pirates. It’s also a great safe way to trick-or-treat. “Zoo Boo” is Oct. 18, 19, 24, 25, and 26 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Como Zoo: 1964 Como Ave., St. Paul. Tickets are $6 in advance or $7 at the gate. Advance tickets can be purchased online or at Cub Foods.

Trick-or-Treat at the Mall of America
Each Oct. 31 the Mall of America in Bloomington holds the “world’s largest trick-o-treat” event. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. kids and parents alike can go from store to store and all over the amusement park to trick or treat. Typically the amusement park is all dressed up for Halloween and occasionally discounts are offered that night on rides and other Mall of America fun. This is another great way to both safely trick-or-treat and to stay out of the potential cold.

Halloween Haunt at Valley Scare
Each year after Valley Fair closes for the season, they re-open for weekends in October transformed into “Valley Scare.” The park is open every Fri. 7 p.m.-12 a.m., Sat. 1 p.m.-12 a.m. and Sun 1-7 p.m. Admission is a bit steep, $37.99 for adults, but there is so much to do, it is worth it. Some rides are still open and there are several fun Halloween attractions to take in. Mazes entitled “Carnage at Crimson Isle” and “Hellside Farm,” Scare Zones like “Bloodcreek Cemetary” and many other events take place while the park is open. There are also family fun zones that are more appropriate for children. Kids can get in with costumes on when they are going to trick-or-treat; the park does not allow adults in with costumes. You can get much more information on the event, as well as additional days that the park is open, on their Web site: www.valleyscare.com

Hallzooween at the MN Zoo
If you do want to dress up, you can head over to the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley for some Halloween fun. Open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Oct. 18, 19, 25, and 26, the zoo has many fun activities happening throughout the day. There is a bit of a focus on education and, of course, the animals are involved. There are special bird shows andaaaa “Creepy Crawley” encounters that children and adults can have throughout the day. The rest of the zoo is also open for those that just want to go see the animals. And of course, trick-or-treating takes place throughout the day. For more information, check the MN zoo Web site: www.mnzoo.com

Severs Corn Maze, Screamtown
If you don’t want to be scared out of your mind, a corn maze during the day might be great, but don’t stay until after sunset… After dark, Severs Corn Maze in Shakopee (with a new location in Chaska) transforms itself into “Screamtown.” Some of the attractions are “Klown House” (if you weren’t scared of clowns before, you will be), “Terror in the Corn” (imagine being trapped in a corn maze with a lot of people out to get you) and “Dark Blood Forest.” “Dark Blood Forest” sounds terrifying—dark woods, axe murderers and no tour guides or staff to save you. If you like to be scared, Screamtown is for you. Admission is $13 or $12 with a canned food donation and the box office is open from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. The park closes once the last person has left for the evening. For more information and directions: www.screamtown.com