Get ready for creepy, crawly Halloween fun

Here's a list of Halloween happenings in the Will County area.

Starting Oct. 1

Community center haunted house: Walk through the scariest haunted house on the East Side of Joliet while helping to scare up funds for the Spanish Community Center. The center will host a haunted house filled with ghouls and goblins to raise funds for its food pantry and social services. The price of admission is $10 per person and the haunted house will run 5-10 p.m. Thursdays and 5-11 p.m. Friday through Sunday through the end of the month at the center, 309 N. Eastern Ave, Joliet; 815-727-3683. 

Oct. 2, 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, 25-31

Statesville haunted prison and city of the dead: Oct. 2, 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, 25-31, Statesville, 17250 S. Weber Road in Crest Hill. Cost $30 general admission, $40 VIP fast pass, $5 off coupon online. For more information call 877-SCARED2 or visit http://www.statesville.org.

Oct. 7

Halloween campfire: 7 p.m. Oct. 7 at Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E. 135th St. (Romeo Road) in Romeoville. Free all-age family program. Registration is required for this Forest Preserve District of Will County program. Wear your favorite holiday costume and mask and appropriate clothing for the weather. To register call 815-886-1467.

Oct. 8

Scarecrow and pumpkin party: 1-3 p.m. Oct. 8, Sponsored by Channahon Park District at Central Park located on Route 6, east of Bluff Road in Channahon. All the pumpkins and hay will be supplied. All you have to do is bring scarecrow clothes and accessories and be ready to create some new memories. To register call 815-467-7275 or visit www.channahonpark.org.

Oct. 12 deadline

Halloween craft night: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 19 at Four Seasons Park maintenance building located on Lockport Street, just west of the Interstate 55 overpass. Make some “spook-tacular” crafts at the Plainfield Park District’s 12th annual Halloween Craft Night. Kids ages 3-10 with a parent are invited to create some crafts and paint a pumpkin and leave the mess for the Plainfield Park District to clean up. Pre-registration is required by Oct. 12. The cost is $5 per person for residents and $7.50 per person for non-residents, and the fee includes a pumpkin for painting. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 815-436-8812 or visit www.plainfieldparkdistrict.com. 

Oct. 15

Halloween’s happenin’: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 15, offered by Lockport Township Park District at Dellwood Park, Route 171 and Woods Drive in Lockport. Bring the whole family for spooktacular fun and be sure to come in costume. Activities include bonfires, hayrides through the park and much more. Lunch includes a hot dog, chips, hot chocolate and s’mores. Pre-registration is required. Fees $8 resident/$10 non-resident. To register visit www.lockportpark.org or call 815-838-1183, ext. 208.

Oct. 17 deadline

Ghost and ghouly family night: Hayrack rides at Fore Seasons Park located on Lockport Street just west of the Interstate overpass, take place in 15-minute intervals between 4-5:45 p.m. and 7-8:45 p.m. Oct. 22. Families are invited to sign up for a hayrack ride time, find their way through the corn maze, and enjoy a campfire with a storyteller and snacks. Pre-registration is required by Oct. 17. The cost is $5 per person for residents and $7.50 per person for non-residents. Children must be accompanied by a paid adult. Event will take place rain or shine. For more information, call 815-436-8812 or visit www.plainfieldparkdistrict.com.

Oct. 21

Halloween spook house: 5-9 p.m. Oct. 231, The Timbers of Shorewood, 1100 N. River Road, Shorewood. All children in the community are invited to come in costume. Admission is $4. Funds raised will be donated to the Kiwanis Club and Leeza’s Place. For more information call 815-609-0669 or visit http://www.timbersofshorewood.com.

Frankenstein’s kiddie carnival: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 21, Heritage Grove Middle School, 12425 S. Van Dyke Road in Plainfield. Looking for an alternative to traditional Halloween trick-or-treating? Enter the costume contest, play games, and win prizes indoors at the Plainfield Park District’s Frankenstein’s Kiddie Carnival. Registration is not required. However, game tickets are 50 cents each or three for $1 and each game requires one ticket to play. The costume contest will be judged at 7 p.m. and there will be prizes for the best costumes in two age groups: 2-5 year-olds and 6-10 year-olds. Children must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 815-436-8812 or visit www.plainfieldparkdistrict.com. 

Oct. 21 deadline

Halloween decorating contest: Register now for the fifth annual Plainfield Park District ‘Spook-tacular’ Haunted Houses Halloween outdoor decorating contest. Prizes will be given in two categories: most family-friendly house and scariest house. The contest is open to all Plainfield Park District residents and the cost is $10 per house. The registration deadline is Oct. 21. All decorations must be visible from the sidewalk as judging will take place from the sidewalk only. A contest committee will judge all entries on Oct. 26 and 27 from 6-10 p.m. Winners will be contacted on Friday, Oct. 28. All contest committee decisions will be final. In addition, a map of addresses will be available on the Plainfield Park District website for the public to view by Oct. 26. For more information, call 815-436-8812 or visit www.plainfieldparkdistrict.com.

Oct. 21-22

Spook house: 5-9 p.m. Oct. 21-22, all children in the community are invited to come in costume to the Timbers’ fifth annual Halloween Spook House located in the lower level at The Timbers of Shorewood, 1100 N. River Road, Shorewood. With the assistance of the Kiwanis Club of Shorewood, the staff at The Timbers will transform its ballroom into a spooky maze filled with ghastly creatures including skeletons, mummies, bleeding zombies, and reapers. A less scary alternative is the first floor Elms Community Room which will convert to a Halloween Game Room for children, toddler to age 10. Games, crafts and fun will take place, and refreshments will be served. Game Room hours are 5-8 p.m. both days. Admission to the Spook House is $4; $2 to the Halloween Game Room. Funds raised will be donated to the Kiwanis Club and Leeza’s Place. For more information call Shelly Goggins at 815-609-0669 or visit http://www.timbersofshorewood.com.

Oct. 22

Halloween game room: 5-8 p.m. Oct. 21, first floor Elms Community Room at The Timbers of Shorewood located at 1100 N. River Road in Shorewood. For toddlers to age 10. Games, crafts and fun will take place and refreshments will be served. Cost is $2. Funds raised will be donated to the Kiwanis Club and Leeza’s Place. For more information call 815-609-0669 or visit http://www.timbersofshorewood.com

Oct. 28

A Halloween ballroom dance: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at The Timbers of Shorewood retirement community located at 1100 N. River Road, Shorewood. Chicagoland seniors invited to come in costume. In addition to dancing, there will be a costume contest with fun prizes. The Jay Mau Orchestra will provide the music of the Big Band era. This 10-piece band has been tempting couples onto the dance floor at 35-40 gigs a year, The Timbers being a favorite. The dance is open to the public and admission is free, but space is limited. 

Reservations are required. For more information or to register, call Shelly Goggins at 815-609-0669 or visit http://www.timbersofshorewood.com

Little witch’s brew: 6-8:15 p.m. Oct. 28 offered by Mokena Park District at the Cady Preschool Room located at 10925 LaPorte Road in Mokena. A very special Halloween treat. For dinner they’ll have cheese pizza, a special witches brew (punch) and delicious spiders for dessert. Games, a special witchcraft and fun stories will make this a magical night. For ages 4-6. Fee is $20. Nonresidents of the park district will pay an additional fee. To register online visit www.mokenapark.com or call 708-390-2401.

Halloween late skate: Oct. 28, sponsored by Channahon Park District at Skateland Recreation Center, 25334 W. Eames St., Channahon. Kids 10 years and older skate from 9:30-11:30 p.m. for $5 with skate rental costing extra. Regular Friday skate session is available from 6-9:30 p.m. Skate both sessions for $8. To register call 815-467-7275 or visit www.channahonpark.org. 

Oct. 29

Children’s Halloween party: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 29, William E. Young School, 16240 S. Cedar Road, Homer Glen. Featuring some ghostly games, bone chilling fun, frightful food will be available for purchase. For ages 0-10. Admission is $1. For more information call 708-301-0522.

Oct. 30

Ride a Halloween-costumed pony: 2-3:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Plainfield Park District’s Normantown Trails Equestrian Center located at 12151 S. Normantown Road, just south of 119th St. in Plainfield. Pony rides in the indoor arena last 10 minutes and cost $10 each. There will also be candy for the participants. Please note that pony rides are appropriate for children ages 5-10 years. All riders must have a signed release form and helmets will be provided. Long pants and covered shoes are recommended. It is also recommended to call ahead of time to book a pony ride as those with reservations will be served first. For more information, call the Normantown Trails Equestrian Center at 815-254-1950 or visit www.plainfieldparkdistrict.com.