The countdown to Halloween begin.
Halloween is the day for candy, costumes and carved pumpkins, but the weeks leading up to Oct. 31 can be just as frightening. Davis and Sacramento offer a variety of Halloween events to help get you in the spooky spirit. From blood chilling scares to family-friendly frights, these events offer something for everyone.
- Take a trip to the past with Old Sacramento Ghost Tours. The tour explore the lives of people who used to live in the historic Old Town Sacramento and the ghosts who haunt the streets. Tours will be running every half hour from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 23 and 24. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children.
- Davis Farmers Market will hold its annual Fall Festival on Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Come to Central Park to enjoy crafts, animals and a silent auction to benefit Davis Farm to School Connection.
- Pick out the perfect pumpkin and get lost in the world’s largest corn maze at Dixon’s Cool Patch Pumpkins. Find the perfect Halloween decorations among the numerous varieties of pumpkins that Cool Patch has to offer. For the more ambitious visitors, try conquering the 60 acre corn maze in the dark! Cool Patch Pumpkins is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and admission to the corn maze is $12.
- Float down the Sacramento River aboard the Sacramento Spooky Halloween Cruise. The hour-long boat tour features a scenic view of the city with Halloween music and crafts for kids. Cruises will be running the weekend of Oct. 24 and 31 and are $18 per person.
- If you’re looking for a more relaxed way to spend your devilish day, celebrate Halloween at Varsity Theatre with a free showing of It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. This is the perfect family friendly activity, and with showings at 2:00, 2:35 and 3:10 p.m., there’s still time for evening trick-or-treating after.
- Searching for a deathly fright? Check out Corbett’s House of Horror located at 905 Leidesdorff in Folsom. Corbett’s offers a traditional haunted house in addition to a zombie shootout and carn-evil halloween carnival. The attraction will be opened on Fridays and Saturdays leading up to Halloween and Thursday through Saturday Halloween weekend. General admission is $20 for adults and $15 for children under 12 years old.
- See some creepy critters the Sacramento Zoo’s Halloween Boo at the Zoo event on Oct. 30 and 31 from 5 to 8 p.m. The zoo will have train and carousel rides as well as trick-or-treating around the lake. There will also be a magic show and Halloween-themed games. Early bird tickets are available for $10 and will increase to $12 after Oct. 29.
- Experience Davis’s El Dia de los Muertos celebration on Oct. 31 to honor those who have passed. The event will include live music, dancing and a procession down 2nd St. Participants are encouraged to wear traditional Dia de los Muertos costumes. The celebration will take place in the Davis Downtown E St. Plaza from 2 p.m. through sunset.
- Looking for a new way to pick out the perfect pumpkin? Visit the Floating Pumpkin Patch at the Mike Shellito Indoor Pool, located at 10210 Fairway Dr. in Roseville. In addition to swimming for a pumpkin, the Floating Pumpkin Patch will also have a pumpkin decorating station, bounce houses and games. The pumpkin patch will be open on Oct. 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. and admission is $5 for swimming and $10 to swim and pick out a pumpkin.
- Too lazy to leave the house? Stay in bed on Halloween evening with a giant bag of assorted candy and watch a Halloween classic. We recommend The Nightmare Before Christmas, Casper or Halloween.
By KAYLA ZOLA