Celebrate Halloween with film classics
Gorton Community Center hosts Gorton Ghoulish Feature Fest, including the family-friendly Haunted Grotto and well-loved film classics centered on the Halloween theme.
The festival runs Oct. 29-31 at the center, 400 East Illinois Road, Lake Forest.
The festival begins Saturday, Oct. 29, with the grand opening of Gorton's first Haunted Grotto. The space will be a child and family-friendly Halloween experience, and is being decorated by Gorton board member and community volunteer Lynne Kennedy.
Kennedy is working with several Lake Forest High School students to decorate the space and to man its operation. The Haunted Grotto will be open from noon to 6 p.m.
The festival continues at 2 p.m. with a screening of the 1995 film "Casper," which stars the lovable ghost Casper, along with his spooky pals and humans Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci and Cathy Moriarty.
Moviegoers can check out the Haunted Grotto before or after the film with free admission with their movie ticket. The cost for the Haunted Grotto is $2 per person with a movie ticket.
On Sunday, Oct. 30, the festival features Alfred Hitchcock's thriller "Psycho" in the John & Nancy Hughes Theater at 7 p.m.
The festival's final day is Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31, when Gorton offers a fun alternative for those families with children who are not as into trick-or-treating as they used to be, but are looking for some family-friendly Halloween merriment.
There is plenty of time to make a swing through the neighborhood, then head to Gorton for a screening of the 1984 original "Ghostbusters" at 7 p.m.
All tickets to the movies that are part of the film series at Gorton and the Gorton Ghoulish Feature Fest are $5, and community members are encouraged to purchase in advance at www.gortoncenter.org/film.
Beer, wine, water, popcorn and candy are available for purchase. Costumes are encouraged but not required.