Halloween activities
Turners Haunted House: The Elgin Turners will hold its annual haunted house Fridays through Sunday, through Oct. 28 and on Halloween, at Elgin Turner Hall, 112 Villa St., Elgin. The haunted house will be open to "those who dare to enter!" from 7 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturday and 7 to 10:30 p.m. Sundays. On Oct. 31, the hours will be 7 to 10:30 p.m. Admission is $9. For details and updated hours, call (847) 697-4431 or visit www.elginturners.org. Every old building has its dark secrets, skeletons in the closet and resident ghosts that refuse to leave. The Elgin Turner Hall, which dates back to the 1870s, is no exception.
Pumpkin Trolley: The Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin will hold its annual Pumpkin Trolley at the museum, 361 S. LaFox St. (Route 31). Pumpkin Trolley hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, through Oct. 21. Kids of all ages ride the trolley to the "Pumpkin Patch" to pick up their pumpkins and enjoy other activities. Fares are $3.50 for adults, $2 for senior citizens and for children ages 3 to 11. Children younger than 3 ride free. Pumpkins are $1 a piece. For details, call (847) 697-4676.
Historic Haunted Seance: Clouds, darkness and a nighttime chill surround the McHenry County Historical Society Museum, 6422 Main Street, Union, from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 17. Just the right atmosphere for the historical society's annual Historic Haunted Seance.
The year is 1925. The scene is the old courthouse on Woodstock Square where Mrs. Anna Kunsch, operator of the old Louis Cernocky Place in Fox River Grove, is being charged with violating the Prohibition Law. If the seance seer is at her peak, she'll draw the entire audience back in time with her. Those who "cross over" may find themselves part of the jury. There will be two seatings for the seance, one at 7 p.m. and one at 8 p.m.
Admission for adults is $5; seniors 60 and older and school-age students, $3. Bring a nonperishable item and get a $1 off. For details, call (815) 923-2267 or e-mail info@mchsonline.org.
Haunted Hike: The Three Fires Council Boys Scouts of America will host its 17th annual Haunted Hike at Camp Big Timber, 37W955 Big Timber Road in Elgin.
The haunted hikes will be from 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 19 and 26, and 6:30 to 11 p.m. Oct. 20 and 27. The event is open to the public, and admission is $9. Admission is $7 for Scouts (boys and girls) wearing their uniforms. A kiddie hike will be from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Oct. 27 with a $6 admission.
Spooky Scout crews, posts, troops and units from the Three Fires Council, Boy Scouts of America, are inviting the public to come and see the Gitch Monster lurking throughout the three-quarter-mile haunted trail. The event will offer attractions for young and old alike and parking is free. For details, visit the Web site at Haunted-hike.tripod.com.
Halloween Family Fun Fair: On Oct. 20, the Elgin Parks and Recreation Department and Sherman Health will present the 21st annual Halloween Family Fun Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Heritage Ballroom at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way. Admission is free. The Halloween Fun Fair is one of the largest family attended events. This year's event will include pediatric development screenings, child car seat safety checks, book sale, fun fair games and prizes, safe toys booth, and more. Sherman will sponsor a costume contest for children age 12 and younger from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For details, call (847) 931-6123.
Gilberts bonfire: The village of Gilberts invites residents to its 11th annual bonfire from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 26 in Memorial Park on Tyrrell Road. The festival features an evening of family activities from hayrides, games for the kids, pumpkin pie and a cup of hot apple cider. For details, call village hall at (847) 428-2861.
Haunted hayride: On Oct. 26, the Dundee Township Park District will have a Spooky Trail for ages 3 and older from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and a Haunted Hayride for all ages from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The events will be at the Randall Oaks Park and Zoo, off Randall Road and Route 72 in West Dundee. Spooky Trail will provide an enjoyable hayride for everyone with a Halloween flavor. This is an alternative for young children and people who don't like to get frightened. Attendees also can visit Creepy Hollow and other scary scenes on the hayride. Ghosts, goblins and all their spooky little cousins will greet you along the way.
Refreshments and entertainment will amuse you while you wait your turn to take the haunted hayride. Entertainment will be from 6 to 6:45 p.m. and 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Tickets will be sold from 5 to 9 p.m. Cost is $5 per person or $4 per person with one canned food item (no glass or boxed items). All food items go to the FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville. Those age 2 and younger get in free. In case of inclement weather, call (847) 428-7131 after 3 p.m.
Halloween in the Hallow: The Sleepy Hollow Service Club is sponsoring "Halloween in the Hollow" at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Sabatino Park.
Children can show off their costumes by parading by age group to receive candy with prizes awarded for the best costumes, followed by games and activities. Everyone is invited to participate in and/or sample the entries in the chili cook-off. At twilight, a bonfire is set ablaze, followed by a visit from the village's most famous citizen, the Headless Horseman. The contests start at 4:30 p.m., with the parade at 5 p.m. and the bonfire starting at dark (about 6:15 p.m.) The rain date is Oct. 28. For details, call (847) 426-6700.
Hiawatha Ghost Train: On Oct. 27-28, the Halloween Hiawatha Ghost Train will travel through the Fox River Trolley Museum, 361 S. LaFox St., (Route 31) in South Elgin. This is a reserved-seating, after-hours train ride for children and their families. At the end of the line, there will be a campfire and ghost stories. Fares are $8 for adults, $7 for children 11 and younger. Advance registration is necessary. Visit www.foxtrolley.org. The museum also hosts the Haunted Trolley rides from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 27-28. It's a spooky good time for children of all ages.
Halloween party for special kids: All children with special needs are invited to the Dundee Township Rotary Club's eighth annual Halloween party for disabled and terminally ill children from 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, 495 Airport Road, Elgin. Children from area organizations, such as Little Angels, Easter Seals Jayne Shover Center, Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Bartlett Learning Center and others, have been invited to participate in this free room-to-room trick-or-treating event. For information or to reserve a room for participation, call Alan Scimeca at (847) 781-8020.
Creatures of the Night Hike: The Dundee Township Park District will offer a "Creatures of the Night Hike" from 7 to 8 p.m. Oct. 29 at Raceway Woods on Route 31, south of Gentle Breeze Road in Carpentersville. Parking is off Huntley Road. This program is for adults and families with children, 5 and older. Prowl the forest for coyotes and hoot for owls in this pre-Halloween moonlit hike. Participants should dress for the weather. Cost is $9 per person or $12 per family. To sign up, call (847) 428-7131 or visit www.dtpd.org.
Costume contests for kids and pets: Spring Hill Mall will hold its Pet Costume Contest on Oct. 29 and trick-or-treating and costume contests Oct. 31. Get your kids, pets and creative costumes ready for Halloween fun. The free Pet Costume Contest will take place on stage in Center Court at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29 for leashed and secured pets, including dogs, cats, gerbils and more.
The free Kids Costume Contest, for kids 12 and younger, will be from 7 to 9 p.m. in Center Court. Registration begins at 6 p.m. Free trick-or-treating for kids age 12 and younger will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 31 throughout the mall. For information, call (847) 428-2200 or visit www.springhillmall.com.
Enjoy the rites of fall and fun of Halloween events scheduled in the Fox Valley. To submit your Halloween event, e-mail a press release to foxvalley@dailyherald.com, fax to (847) 608-0849 or mail to Daily Herald, 385 Airport Road, Suite A, Elgin IL 60123.