Halloween Events this Weekend, both Spooky 💀 and Sweet 🎃

Halloween events abound! Check out the highlights here, and visit northcoastjournal.com for more of what’s going on.

Thanks for reading and have a great Halloweekend.

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The season of scares and dares is here! Griffin Loch’s Scaregrounds is back to raise the dead (and your heart rate) at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds, Fridays through Sundays, Oct. 16-18, 23-25 and Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 29-31, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. ($22-$50). Pick your poison from three haunted mazes: Alien Autopsy, where the specimen wants revenge; Ghost Ship, a cursed pirate vessel with treasure you really shouldn’t touch; and Toxic Zombie, where a chemical disaster has the dearly departed looking for fresh company. Still standing? Try Dead Air, an ASMR encounter with voices from beyond, or take on the interactive ride. Between screams, catch live shows, dodge roaming haunters, browse the pumpkin patch, grab some food truck fare and fortify your nerves at Marie Laveau’s Voodoo Bar. VIPs can retreat to Phantom Tides Tiki Lounge. Booze and boos. What could go wrong?

For the young (and fainter of heart), there’s the family-friendly Spootackular Family Festival at the fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 24, Sunday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 31, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. ($12, $6 under 12). It’s put on by the same folks, but with the terror toned down to 0 (OK, maybe 1 or 2). There, the kids can romp in the inflatable maze, enjoy non-jump scare spooky mazes, fun live music, tasty food vendor treats and wander the pumpkin patch like Linus and Sally. 

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Rather keep your BPM on the relaxed side this weekend? Take a deep breath of that wonderful fall air and head to one of these harvest celebrations for some old-fashioned autumn fun.

The Falloween Fair at Organic Matters Ranch Pumpkin Patch, on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., has more than 30 local vendors on hand with food, drinks, treats and arts and crafts, plus petting zoos and face painting for the kids. Roll up your sleeves for pumpkin carving or roam the U-pick patch for the perfect gourd destined for greatness on your front porch. (free entry). In Rio Dell, the Wild Moon Harvest Party on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. offers pumpkin picking, food, local artisans and live music from Luke Lancaster, Layla Dias, DJ Just One and Groovadelics (free entry). And on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Blue Lake Community Harvest Festival at Mad River Grange features live bluegrass music from A Banjo Makes 3, apple pressing (bring your own jar or container to take home your cider), a pumpkin-growing contest, community bounty table for sharing homegrown produce, recipe swap, a free mini pumpkin patch for kids and a seasonal pumpkin-themed meal (free entry, apple donations appreciated). Pick your pleasure. And your pumpkin.

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