Several events are still being scheduled this year for those who are looking to scare up a happy and healthy Halloween. Here are a few of the local ones:
Movies in the Parks will present Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller The Birds (rated PG-13) at dusk on Saturday, October 17, in Mears Park, and The Blair Witch Project (rated R) at dusk on Saturday, October 24, in Hidden Falls Park. Ten-foot circles will be painted in the grass for each registered household of up to five people. The cost is $10 per household. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs for seating. For reservations, visit tinyurl.com/pobhegj.
The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society will get into the Halloween spirit with the online event “Frankenstein: Two Centuries,” at 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 19. Two original stories will be presented to mark Mary Shelley’s 1818 horror classic. Each story will be performed in the style of a radio series, including commercials, music and sound effects. They include “Long Live Frankenstein” by Tim Uren and “Inglorious Monsters” by Joshua English Scrimshaw. The cost is $15. Visit parksquaretheatre.org.
Halloween in Highland will be celebrated from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, October 24. The Highland Business Association and new partners are reworking the annual event to feature a one-way, staggered scavenger hunt for kids. Trick-or-treating will take place along a route that begins with check-in at Langford & Karls Chiropractic, 730 S. Cleveland Ave., and ends at the Highland Park Community Center, 1978 Ford Pkwy. There will be gift bags for completing the hunt and a prize drawing. Facemasks and other safety precautions will be mandatory, and participants will have to sign up for time slots. Visit highlandba.com.
Murder at the 19th Hole, a whodunit teeming with foul play, will be held on Saturday, October 24, at the Highland Park Disc Golf Course. Teams of up to eight people age 18 and older will hike the course, talk with actors and decipher clues to solve the unsavory mystery. “Tee times” start between 1 and 4:50 p.m., with the hikes lasting roughly two hours. Participants are being encouraged to dress in golf attire or costumes. Facemasks are required. Visit tinyurl.com/y2xwzlo7.
The Ordway Center will present a moderated discussion with actress Kathy Najimy, who played one of the three witches in the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus, at 7 p.m. Saturday, October 24, via Zoon. Najimy will share behind-the-scenes stories and clips from the movie and will answer questions live. Tickets start at $21. Visit ordway.org.
The Great Pumpkin Halloween Celebration will be held from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, October 25, at Landmark Center. Times are reserved for the free festival so kids can travel to trick-or-treat stations, get a photo taken in their costumes and exit safely. Call 651-292-3063 or visit landmarkcenter.org.
Family Day Out: Halloween Edition will be hosted by SteppingStone Theatre in collaboration with Park Square Theatre from noon-4 p.m. Sunday, October 25, on the West Seventh Place Plaza in downtown Saint Paul. There will be socially distanced trick-or-treating, a pumpkin contest, costume parade and outdoor art making, along with two performances of Mixed Precipitation’s Pickup Truck Opera in the center of the plaza. The suggested cost is $25 per family. Admission is limited for safety. Visit steppingstonetheatre.org.
Theatre of the Macabre, a three-chapter online variety series, will be hosted by Twin Cities actor and director Craig Johnson at 7:30 p.m. from Thursday through Saturday, October 29-31, to benefit Park Square Theatre. The recorded performances will be filled with tales of terror, true ghost stories, and monologues and scenes created by writers from Edgar Allan Poe to William Shakespeare. The cost is $15 per evening or $30 for all three. Visit parksquaretheatre.org.
Gangster Ghost Tales will feature characters playing Saint Paul’s most infamous criminals and famous lawmen telling their stories with a humorous musical twist before a seated audience on Friday, October 30, at Landmark Center. Showtimes are at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10, with parties of one to four only (ages 12 and older), and include a reserved table and dessert. Beverages can be purchased at the Spookeasy Bar. Call 651-292-3063 or visit landmarkcenter.org.
The Monster Dash Halloween races will be split in two on Saturday, October 31, to safely accommodate as many runners as possible. The 5K and 10K events will begin at Harriet Island Park, while the half-marathon and 10-mile run will begin at Upper Landing Park. There will be costume contests at both locations, while virtual runners will compete online for the best outfit. Visit monsterraceseries.com/events/monster-dash.
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