Storytime on hayrides (with face masks) in Palatine next week

Children ages 5 and under next week can enjoy storytime from the Palatine Public Library during family-friendly hayrides courtesy of the Salt Creek Park Rural District.

The event costs $5 and takes place Oct. 9 and 10, at Twin Lakes Recreation Area, 1200 E. Twin Lakes Drive, Palatine.

Registration is mandatory for children ages 1 and older and face masks are required, Superintendent of Recreation Kelly Sisco said.

"Obviously we are taking safety precautions, including extra hand sanitizer," she said.

The event will include tattoos, cutting and coloring for kids in a tent, and hay rides on a trailer pulled by a pickup truck around Doughnut Lake every half-hour, from 5:10 to 8:10 p.m. both days. Parents also can get on the hay rides, Sisco said.

After the ride, families are dropped off at a s'more firepit where they can enjoy hot chocolate and apple cider.

The event will happen rain or shine "unless it's a monsoon coming through," Sisco said.

You can register online at saltcreekpd.com or by calling (847) 259-6890.