9 frightfully fun festivities to get you in the Halloween spirit

Ghosts and ghouls will come to life in Gurnee and Naperville. Digital technology will lead participants on a festive scavenger hunt in Palatine. A new Halloween experience - with thousands of jack-o'-lanterns - will be photo-ready in Lisle. And various other activities, both family-friendly and for more mature audiences, will set the mood for Halloween in the suburbs.

Check out nine spooky festivals, thrilling events and frightfully fun experiences that aim to get residents in the Halloween spirit.

1. Jack's Pumpkin Glow

Hand-carved pumpkins and glowing foliage will light up a Lisle park, with master carvers showing off their skills and life-size sculptures ranging from Halloween characters to superheroes to princesses staged along a trail. Jack's Pumpkin Glow offers a Halloween-themed experience at the Sensory Garden Playground. The new fall event is being put on by Thirteenth Floor Entertainment Group, which has partnered with Don't Be A Monster, a nonprofit that does anti-bullying programs in local schools. The festivities include a pumpkin patch, seasonal food and beverages, and thousands of photo-worthy, hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns. Tickets cost $16.99 to $22.99 for kids and $22.99 to $28.99 for adults, plus tax.

Info: Opens at twilight Thursday through Sunday in October; an early evening sensory-friendly show takes place Oct. 6. Sensory Garden Playground is at 2751 Navistar Drive, Lisle. Recommended for all ages. glowpumpkin.com/

2. Fright Fest

After sunset on select days this fall, Six Flags Great America in Gurnee will transform into a festival suited for thrill-seekers. Haunted houses, roaming zombies, ghastly ghouls and spooky shows can be found throughout the grounds, and some roller coasters will offer the added twist of operating entirely in the dark. Family-friendly entertainment and activities, including a trick-or-treat trail and Halloween crafts, will be available during daylight hours. Special wristbands are required for entrance to the haunted houses.

Info: 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27 through Oct. 25; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, Oct. 5-26; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6-27; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14; 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. 1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee. See website for prices. sixflags.com/greatamerica/special-events/fright-fest.

3. Halloween Techno Zombie Geo Cache Hunt

A family-friendly, Halloween-themed scavenger hunt sends players into local businesses and other parts of Palatine for interactive activities.

Various forms of digital technology - GPS coordinates, texts, video snippets and song samples - will lead participants to new locations during the game, which is organized by Emerald City Music Productions, Inc. The event wraps up with a celebration, including food, live music and prizes. Players must have a smartphone and a mode of transportation.

Tickets cost $20 for adults and $10 for children 10-17. Military personnel, veterans, first responders and kids younger than 10 admitted free.

Info: Game is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. An awards ceremony follows at 7:30 p.m. Starting and check-in location is 330 W. Colfax, Suite 101, Palatine. halloweentechnozombiegeocache.com/.

4. All Hallows Eve, Naperville

Scary creatures from the past, present and future will come to life to haunt the Naper Settlement grounds for two nights. The 13-acre campus in the heart of Naperville will be converted into a large haunted house, complete with eerie entertainment and spooky sets centered around the site's historic buildings. Tickets cost $20. Free for Naper Settlement members and kids younger than 4. All proceeds go to the Naperville Heritage Society.

Info: 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19. Naper Settlement is at 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. (630) 420-6010 or napersettlement.org/285/All-Hallows-Eve.

5. Nightmare on Chicago Street

Chicago Street will be the only safe zone when zombies take over downtown Elgin for one night in October. As the apocalypse descends around them, visitors can enjoy entertainment, food,

drinks, a zombie homecoming parade, cage matches, graffiti artists, costume contests and special guests. Overturned vehicles, burning tires and other waste will make the rest of the city appear to be under attack. The event is for ages 17 and older. Tickets cost $19.99 through Oct. 18 and $25 on the day of the event.

Info: 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, on Chicago Street between Douglas Avenue and Villa Street, Elgin. nightmareonchicagostreet.com/.

6. Wheaton Haunted Flea Market

Bargain shoppers at the DuPage County Fairgrounds on Oct. 19 are encouraged to browse the booths while dressed in costume or carrying props. A late-night Halloween-themed flea market will feature a costume contest, food options, various special guests - including artists and actors - and spooky decorations. The event costs $7. Free for kids 12 and younger.

Info: 3 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, Oct. 19. DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton. Parking is free. (715) 526-9769 or zurkopromotions.com/wheaton-illinois-haunted-halloween-flea-market/.

7. Primrose Farm festivities

Thirty-minute wagon rides through the fields, a marshmallow roast and hot chocolate, a crime scene investigation and an escape room are among the nighttime activities at Primrose Farm in St. Charles through October. While the Moonlight Hayrides offer old-fashioned farm fun, an “Escape the Barn” event - held only one weekend - allows teams to work together to find the culprit of a string of mysterious crimes. The Moonlight Hayrides cost $8 for residents and $12 for nonresidents. Escape the Barn, which is for ages 11 and older, costs $20 for residents and $30 for nonresidents.

Info: Moonlight Hayrides take place at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 4-19. Advance registration is recommended. Escape the Barn is held at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 11-12. Advance registration is required. Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road, St. Charles. primrosefarmpark.com/special-events/.

8. All Hallows Eve, Arlington Heights

Historic games, spooky campfire stories, Halloween-themed crafts and concessions will be included in a family-friendly event at the Arlington Heights Historical Museum. The festivities also will entail the Museum of Wonder and Awe, a 19th-century Dime Museum featuring human curiosities, oddities and artifacts from across the world. Admission is $6 in advance and $10 at the door. Free for children 3 and younger.

Info: 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the museum, 110 W. Fremont St., Arlington Heights. (847) 255-1225 or ahmuseum.org/events/all-hallows-eve/.

9. Ghost Story Train

Passengers departing from the Fox Valley Trolley Museum in South Elgin can wear costumes and hear scary stories on a haunted, hourlong ride to the John Duerr Forest Preserve and back. A bonfire with campfire songs, stories and s'mores will be held afterward. Train rides cost $16.50 per person, with proceeds going to the museum.

Info: 5, 6:15 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 and 27. Rides begin at the Fox Valley Trolley Museum, 365 S. La Fox St., South Elgin. foxtrolleytickets@foxtrolley.org or foxtrolley.org/Ghost-Story-Train/.