Halloween events

TODAY

The 11th annual Safe Night Out will feature an Everyday Hero Costume Contest. An everyday hero might be a doctor, teacher or construction worker — someone who helps people as part of his or her job. The party is free and open to the public from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 30th and Taylor Streets, outside the northeast police precinct. There will be face-painting, candy, a SWAT truck, a firetruck, Campus Crime Stoppers and more.

Thriller Dance Party, 2819 S. 125th Ave., in the lower level of Westwood Plaza, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thriller dance sessions at 6:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Admission: $8 at the door. Information: www.motion41dance.com and 884-4142.

Trick or Treat With the Animals, Gifford Farm, 700 Camp Gifford Road, Bellevue, noon to 4 p.m. Children can wear their costumes and visit farm animals. Plus hayrack rides, hay slides and games. For children up to age 12. Admission: $5 per child and free for accompanying adults. Information: www.esu3.org and 597-4920.

Three Dog Bakery at Village Pointe shopping center will have its annual Growl-O-Ween from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the store, 17151 Davenport St., Suite 105. Costumed canines and their owners can join in games, including a costume contest. The Nebraska Humane Society PAW Mobile will be on hand. Participants should RSVP by calling the bakery at 614-3647. A $10 donation per dog will benefit the Humane Society. Growl-O-Ween will kick off a food drive to fill the Nebraska Humane Society's Pet Food Pantry. The bakery is providing a big storage container in the Village Pointe parking lot through Nov. 20. Donated dog and cat food, treats and cat litter will be taken to the shelter and made available to anyone requesting a little extra help.

Families are invited to the Papillion-La Vista High School DECA Club's Spook-O-Rama. Take a haunted walk through Tara Hills Park from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Each area of the park will be decorated as a childhood fear (spiders, monsters under the bed, etc.). Admission: $5. All proceeds benefit Heartland Family Services.

Rolling Hills Ranch retirement community, 4324 N. 132nd St., will have a Halloween pet costume contest at 10 a.m. Animals will strut their stuff on the “catwalk” in their best Halloween costume. To enter your pet, call Rolling Hills Ranch, 391-1055. Attendees not entering a pet are encouraged to participate as judges. This event, which is free and open to the public, will include refreshments.

TODAY AND FRIDAY

Haunted Safari, Simmons Safari Park, Exit 426 off Interstate 80. Haunted hike, fireside supper, spooky ride. Wear costumes, but dress warmly. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Children must be accompanied by an adult. $15 a person. Reservations required. 402-738-2092.

TODAY AND NEXT THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

The Atlantic (Iowa) Fraternal Order of Eagles and Junior Order of the Eagles No. 3763 with the Atlantic Jaycees will present their “Nights of the Unknown” Haunted House from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Cass County (Iowa) Fairgrounds in Atlantic. Hours on Oct. 31 will be 6 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $5 per person. A special spookless matinee for children is 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 31 for $3 per person. Proceeds will benefit the Atlantic Eagles and Jaycees charities — the Holiday Adopt-A-Family program, the local 4-H and Special Olympics.

TODAY THROUGH OCT. 31

Camp Fontanelle has a family friendly pumpkin patch and 10-acre maze. There are two acres of freewill donation pumpkins, laser tag, a petting barn, a 10-ton sandbox, an inflatable castle, tricycles, lawn games and campfire rings for cooking s'mores. Admission: $6 for adults and $4 for children ages 3 through 11. Coupons for $1 off are available under the “corn maze” link at www.campfontanelle.com. Cash or check only for admission, concessions and laser tag. Regular hours are 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays until Nov. 1. Hours today and next Friday and Saturday will be 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Movies will be shown on these nights, too. Kids can trick-or-treat in the maze from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Camp Fontanelle is at 9677 County Road 3 in Fontanelle, Neb.

SUNDAY

There will be no tricks — only treats — when Pug Partners of Nebraska presents its annual Pug-O-Ween Festival from noon to 4 p.m. Vendors, prizes, family fun and a pug costume contest will spice up the event at the National Guard Armory, 6929 Mercy Road. Other activities include a rescue parade and short video, a silent auction, a collar-making booth and pug races. Admission: $7, or $3 for children 12 and younger. Proceeds will benefit Pug Partners' rescue efforts.

The Boston Boo Halloween Party will run from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Seymour Smith Park, 72nd and Washington Streets. Events will include dogs bobbing for hot dogs, a costume contest, a bake sale, free nail trimming and microchipping ($25 per pet). Free admission. MidAmerican Boston Terrier Rescue is host. More information: www.adoptaboston.com.

Trick-or-Treat in the Old Market will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. More than 40 businesses will participate and hand out treats. Maps will be available at the Old Market tent at 11th and Howard Streets. Look for costumed mascots near parking areas. Check out www.oldmarket.com for more details.

Spooktacular, Henry Doorly Zoo, 3701 S. 10th St., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trick-or-treating, spooky train ride on the Terror Train, costume parade at 1 p.m. Free with zoo admission. Information: www.omahazoo.com.

Festival de Halloween will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bancroft Street Market, 2701 S. 10th St. Wear your costume and bring your goodie bag. Admission: $1.

A Children's Ministry “Not-so-scary Halloween” open house is planned from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at St. Luke United Methodist Church, southeast of 120th Street and West Dodge Road. Games, prizes and food are planned.

Hitchcock Nature Center's annual Enchanted Forest will run from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Wear your costumes and meet some of your favorite “Alice in Wonderland” characters. After the hike, visitors can enjoy pumpkin painting and carving (while supplies last), apple bobbing and refreshments. All ages welcome. Meet at the Trailhead, near the Loess Hills Lodge. Admission: $5 per family. Hitchcock Nature Center is at 27792 Ski Hill Loop in Honey Creek, Iowa. For more information, call Tina Popson at 712-545-3283.

Halloween Fun Day will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Village Pointe, 168th Street and West Dodge Road. Appropriate costumes, please. There will be trick-or-treating, face-painting, games and more. Admission: a can of food for the Omaha Food Bank or at least one clean, gently used winter coat. Millard South High School's DECA is sponsoring the event.

Halloween Mayor-a-Thon — an exercise in safety, health and wellness — will begin at 2 p.m. at Bellevue Berry and Pumpkin Ranch, 11001 S. 48th St., in Bellevue. Join the mayors of Bellevue, Omaha, La Vista, Papillion and Ralston for a free walk on the haunted trail. Costumes are encouraged. After the 2:30 p.m. walk, stay for Halloween safety tips and free hot chocolate, popcorn balls and bottled water.

MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

Boo at the Zoo, Lincoln Children's Zoo, 1222 S. 27th St., Lincoln, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Trick-or-treating at the zoo is a merry, not scary, fundraiser for the zoo. Admission: $6 (free for children under 2); plus $3 if you wish to collect treats and $2 if you want to ride the train. Information and advance tickets: www.lincolnzoo.org and 402-475-6741.

THURSDAY

Halloween Boo Bounce runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at BounceU. Put on that costume and celebrate. BounceU will provide decorations, bouncing, games and surprises. Socks must be worn. Admission: $7 per bouncer; adults are free. Order pizza and drinks in advance at $3.50 per person. Call 884-9093 to reserve space. BounceU is at 13211 Chandler Road.

Papillion's 2009 Halloween Safe Night and Fall Festival is happening at Papillion-La Vista South High School from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event is sponsored by local organizations. Children and families can participate in games, bounce houses, a costume contest and classroom-to-classroom trick-or-treating. Kids can win prizes, refreshments and candy. The event is open to the public and free with a canned or nonperishable food donation. Preregistration is not required except for the costume contest. That registration will begin at 6 p.m.

Mystery Manor is back again this year at 716 N. 18th St. Hours are dusk to 10 p.m., except dusk to midnight Fridays and Saturdays. Admission: $10. Information: www.mysterymanoromaha.org and 346-2666.

Redefine boo this year by attending the KidZone BOOseum at the Kearney Area Children's Museum. The Halloween party, set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., will include pumpkin painting, bobbing for apples, Halloween tattoos and more. The costume contest is at 6 p.m. Admission: $1 for members, $2 for nonmembers. Kids younger than 2 are admitted free. For more information, call 308-698-2228 or visit www.kearneykidzone.com.

The Elkhorn Valley Museum will be hosting Creepers in the Cave from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. When you arrive at the museum, go to the park and enter the cave. See how prisoners once escaped from the cave and you will be rewarded with candy. For more information, call 371-3886.

NEXT THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

Three Spooky Nights, Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S Plaza. Indoor Halloween activities and costume contests for children and families. Information: 829-1777.

FRIDAY

Scooter's Coffeehouse at 120th and Blondo Streets will host a Halloween event for families at 7:30 p.m. There will be a costume contest, live music and other treats.

Spooky Stories at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center will feature seven local storytellers for a good 90 minutes of spine-tingling and funny tales. Nebraska StoryArts will celebrate the season at 7 p.m. at the nature center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. North, in Bellevue. Recommended for ages 12 and older. Admission: $7 for adults, $5 for students, senior citizens and members of Nebraska StoryArts. This performance will be signed in American Sign Language. Call 551-4532 for more information.

The Great Plains Paralyzed Veterans of America is holding its Trick-or-Treat Spooktacular from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at its building on the corner of 76th and Maple Streets. Admission: $3 per child; adults admitted free. A photo booth will charge $2 for a child's picture taken and printed that evening. There will be a live disc jockey, face painting, carnival games, lots of candy, Witch's Brew and cookies. For more information, go to www.greatplainspva.org.

Both Trick or Treat the Depot and Spooky Lantern Tours will be at the RailsWest Railroad Museum, 16th Avenue and South Main Street in Council Bluffs. Trick or Treat the Depot, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., will be done railroad-style from car to locomotive in the historic RailsWest Railroad Museum's outside rail yard. Then head inside to see the model train display and the Rock Island Depot. Admission is $2 and includes the model train layout and the Rock Island Depot. Spooky Lantern Tours will run from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. You can tour the rail yard by lantern light. This tour is for older children and adults who want something just a little spookier than trick-or-treating. Tours are $5 and will begin every half-hour. For more information call 712-323-5182 or go online at www.thehistoricalsociety.org.

OneWorld Community Health Centers will host the third annual 'Twas the Night Before Halloween, a free trick-or-treating event for children through age 12. They will trick-or-treat through the halls of the Livestock Exchange Building from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. One World Community Health Centers is inside the Livestock Exchange Building at 30th and L Streets.

NEXT SATURDAY

Monster Dash, Chalco Hills, 154th Street and Giles Road, 9 a.m. Little goblins' five-kilometer run and costume contest. Registration at www.teamnebraska.com/monsterdash. Entry fees: $25, adults; $10, children. Information: 895-1081.

Hallowine, Slattery Vintage Estates, 8925 Adams St., Nehawka, Neb., 7 p.m. to midnight. Wear your costume and join in the Monster Mash dance contest. $10 admission includes refreshments. Information: www.svevineyards.com and 402-267-5267.

Halloween Hoopla, Shadow Lake Towne Center, 7775 Olson Drive, Papillion, noon to 2 p.m. Trick-or-treating, hayrides, children's activities and free hot chocolate. Information: www.shadowlakeshopping.com.

“Phantoms at the Frank House” might arise at 1:30 p.m. at the historic house on the University of Nebraska at Kearney West Campus. The Victorian-style Halloween gathering will feature spooky stories, fun activities and treats. All ages are welcome, as are costumes. The UNK Service Learners will present this event, which is free and open to the public.

Halloween Trick or Trot, a kids one-mile fun run sponsored by the Nebraska Sports Council, will be at Pioneers Park, 3201 S. Coddington Ave., in Lincoln. Between 1,000 and 2,000 children in kindergarten through fifth grade are expected to participate. The start times are staggered by grade, with the earlier runners — fifth-graders — beginning at 8:30 a.m. Entry fee: $10. For more information or to register, go to www.nscracing.com/trickortrot.

From noon to 4 p.m. at Lauritzen Gardens, First and Bancroft Streets, find a trick-or-treating hike plus educational presentations about pumpkins, birds, creepy crawlies and trees. Visitors can listen to Halloween stories, visit a specialist from Raptor Recovery and make a craft. Costumes are encouraged. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Admission: Free with garden membership or paid garden admission ($3 for children ages 6 to 12 and free for children younger than 6). For more information, visit www.lauritzengardens.org or call 346-4002.

Benson BOO BASH & Trick-or-Treat on Maple Street will feature activities at the Benson Community Center, 6008 Maple St., and trick-or-treating in costume at merchants in historic Benson on Maple Street from 58th to 63rd Streets. Features will include a pumpkin patch, games and prizes, treats and popcorn, pumpkin painting and photos of people and pets in costume. Hours will be 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. rain or shine. Admission is free, but bring your own treat bag. Benson Business Association, Benson Neighborhood Association and the City of Omaha Parks & Recreation Department are sponsors. For more information, call the community center at 444-5184 or Troy Arthur at 918-5433.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha Campus Recreation will host a free family-friendly Halloween Party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Health, Physical Education and Recreation building, just north of Elmwood Park. The party is open to all ages. There will be a haunted house, carnival games, candy, prizes and more. The hosts will also collect canned food for local food banks as well as blankets and towels for the Town & Country Humane Society. For more information, go to www.unomaha.edu/wwwocr/youth.

Students in the Strengths Explorer program at the Mid-Plains Center for Enterprise will have a Downtown Halloween Dog Contest from 1 to 3 p.m. in North Platte, Neb. Dogs will be judged in these categories: Smartest/tricks, Best Costume, Ugliest, Best Couple and Spookiest Howl. Entry fee: $3.

Compiled by staff writers Jane Palmer, Carol Bicak and Sue Story Truax

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