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Where can you take your children of the night for free trick-or-treating, costume contests, parades and old-fashioned carnival fun? We dug up a fun-sized sampling of local Halloween haps.

The McKinleyville Shopping Center is having its annual Halloween Costume Parade on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 11 a.m. (free). This one's for all ages and features lots of free candy.

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• Photo by Mark Larson

Costumed children 12 and under who are accompanied by an adult can swing their pumpkin buckets and pillow cases as they race around Old Town for its Trick-or-Treat fun on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. (free). Participating stores will have signs in their windows.

Sequoia Park is all dressed up for the Enchanted Forest Halloween Carnival, Saturday, Oct. 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. with classic carnival games, face painting, candy, prizes and more for kids accompanied by an adult (free for kids 12 and under).

They did the mash. The pumpkin mash! Watch the animals stomp and chomp their treats at Boo at the Zoo, Sunday, Oct. 28 from noon to 4 p.m. at Sequoia Park Zoo (regular zoo admission). There are also fun crafts and games, creepy snacks and apple cider, a costume parade and contest.

On Halloween, Wednesday, Oct. 31, families can head to the Arcata Plaza for Trick-or-Treat festivities from 4 to 6 p.m. (free). Downtown streets will be closed to traffic for trick-or-treating and a parade at 4 p.m., plus pictures with the Halloween Fairy, hay bale rides, carnival games and other spooky fun.

Later, Faith Center's annual Kids' Karnival from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds is a safe and fun option for children in fifth grade and under and their families. Load up on carnival games, candy, prizes, food and more.