Fantasy comes to life at Riverwalk event

If you're wondering just where you are when you get to the Naperville Park District's Halloween Happening, the signposts may help uncloak some of the mystery.

Visitors who come to the Grand Pavilion at the Riverwalk on Sunday afternoon can wander down Fairy Tale Lane, amble through Adventure Alley or cruise along King Arthur's Court or Halloween Way.

Along each temporary byway, little trick-or-treaters will find games, whimsy, fanciful displays and costumed characters designed to spark the imagination.

"We're trying to change some of the games this year so they're more in theme with the areas," said Michelle La Scola, park district program manager. "We've got 20 games in four areas."

Children can search for gold coins buried in hay stacks when they play King Miser's Gold Hunt. They can also test their skill at throwing hoops over Frankenstein monster's hands, or knocking a giant egg from his precarious perch on a wall.

In the Lollipop Guild game, all players will win a lollipop La Scola said. But some of the candies will be specially marked.

"If a child picks that particular sucker, they'll get a prize in addition to the sucker," she said.

The four-way intersection also will play host to variety of fairies, witches and other costumed characters, on hand courtesy of Naperville's School of Performing Arts.

And wooden cutouts of characters from children's stories such as "The Three Little Pigs," "Alice in Wonderland," "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and "Hansel and Gretel" will add ambience.

"There are a lot of pieces of scenery, just to make it more appealing," La Scola said.

Comcast, the event sponsor, will have a tent at the event with a costumed Jimmy Neutron character.

"There will also be a hay maze. And we will also do hayrides," she said.

Children can bounce inside an inflatable pirate ship, castle and pumpkin.

And the best part for parents may be the admission charge.

"The whole thing is free," La Scola said.

When Halloween Happening began 24 years ago, it was held near the Riverwalk. For a few years, the location was moved to Naper Settlement. Last year, La Scola said, Halloween Happening returned to the Riverwalk.

"Naper Settlement does their own event for Halloween," she said. "People were getting confused between the two events."

The date and time also have changed.

"For years, we had it on Halloween night from 4 to 7, as an alternative to trick-or-treating," La Scola said.

Now the event, designed for ages 10 and younger, is scheduled for the Sunday afternoon prior to Halloween.

The event goes off rain or shine, La Scola said. Attendance is somewhat dependent on the weather.

"Last year, we had a really, really beautiful day," she said. "We had over 3,000 people in less than three hours."

If you go

What: Naperville Park District's Halloween Happening

When: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday Where: Grand Pavilion on the west end of the Naperville Riverwalk

Cost: Free

Info: (630) 848-5000 or napervilleparks.org

Trick-or-treat hours

Aurora: 4-7:30 p.m.

Lisle: 2-5 p.m. Wednesday at downtown businesses; 3-8 p.m. at residences

Naperville: No official hours; city recommends younger children finish by dusk and older children by 8 p.m.