Tuesday, October 26, 2010

12 Days of Halloween: Where to Boogie with the Friendly Ghouls


There are LOTS of Halloween Celebrations happening in and around Charm City this weekend. Here are "young kid" friendly ones (no frights or screams here!) that are simply not to be missed:

Spooky Science at the Maryland Science Center
Saturday, October 30 from 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Singing pirates, spooky experiments, haunted mystery items, and much more will be available for you to explore at the second annual Spooky Science. Witness live presentations on the Demonstration Stage at 1:20pm and 3:20pm about the experimental history of the famous Dr. Frankenstein which began with testing on pumpkins. Is it an eyeball, a finger, or a brain? Let your hands do the exploring at our Mystery Boxes and try to figure out what item is in each box. Decorate your very own spooky pumpkin and create your own Raven or Parrot puppet to take home with you. Save room for more spooky fun as Pirates for Sail take the stage in our harbor lobby with live shows on the hour at Noon, 1:00pm, 2:00pm and 3:00pm. Wear your costume to make this a truly spooky day! NOTE: We're GIVING AWAY 4 tix! Here's how to win them...

Family FALLoween Festival at Port Discovery
Saturday, October 30 from 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Port Discovery's Family FALLoween Festival combines the fun of Halloween with engaging visual arts programs and musical performances designed to rouse your imagination and inspire your inner creative spirit! Dress in your favorite costume and enjoy fun activities like: Dance performances by Commotion Mania, Make your own Fuzzy Skeleton, Sing along songs with Mr. Norman, drum along in Monster Mash Drum Jam and more!

Hallowings and Things at The National Aquarium
October 25th - October 31st at 12:00 noon
Animal Encounters are becoming spooktacular this season! During October, Wings and Things mysteriously transforms into a haunting new program with some of the Aquarium's creepiest and crawliest creatures—from warty toads to hissing cockroaches and slithering snakes. Special Halloween animal encounters are at 12 p.m. on weekends in October and weekdays October 25 through Friday, October 29. Dare to enter what was formerly known as the Harbor Overlook… now known as the Harbor Spooky Nook!

The Great Halloween Lantern Festival and Parade in Patterson Park
Saturday, October 30th from 3 PM - 9 PM; Parade Line-up begins at 7:00 PM
A Baltimore tradition! A pre-Parade party-fest, the Haunted Hamlet, features hay rides, hot cider, last minute lantern making, spooky storytelling, food, and live music. The Parade rises, glows, and grows on a new route, powered by over 1,200 paper lanterns, spangled stilt walkers, constellation stars, ribbon rockets, whimsical floats, the Bone Band, and lots more community-made magic.

ZooBOOOO at The Maryland Zoo
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore hosts ZooBoooo! on October 29, 30 and 31 from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. ZooBOOO! takes place in the Wicked Waterfowl Lake Pavilion and features special themed areas such as Cricket Wireless's Farmville, CFG Community Bank's Pirate's Cove with a free bounce house, the Stifel Nicolaus Not-So-Spooky Hay Maze, as well as costume contests at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm each day, games, crafts, and, of course, FREE trick-or-treating!

Elephant Giant Pumpkin Smash at The Maryland Zoo
Friday, October 29 at 10:00 AM
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore's African elephants, Felix, Samson, Anna and Dolly will kick-off the ZooBOOO! weekend by taking part in the Annual Giant Pumpkin smash. Pumpkins are a special treat, available only at this time of year. The elephants love them, but first must break them open in order to enjoy. Can Samson smash open his own pumpkin this year? Come find out!

Gilda Joyce - Psychic Investigator at Boordy Vineyard
Sunday, October 31st from 12:00 - 5:00 PM
Kids get in free to Boordy's Autumn Festival on Sunday, October 31st if they are under 21 and in costume! They will have The Crawdaddies playing zydeco, pumpkin painting, hayrides and a book signing by Jennifer Allison, author of Gilda Joyce- Psychic Investigator. $12 for Adults, $10 for teens 13-20, $5 for Children 2-12, under 2 free (unless the kids are in costume!).

Creepy Crawly Hunt at Irvine Nature Center
Saturday, October 30th, 10 AM - 11:30 AM
Millipedes, spiders, and salamanders... oh my! Explore different creepy crawly habitats and learn about the fascinating animals that live there. For ages 5 and up, with adult. Free for members, $10 for non-members.

Toddler Time Halloween Celebration & Costume Parade at the B&O Railroad Museum
Wednesday, October 27 at 10:30 a.m.

Join the B&O Railroad Museum for the year's last Toddler Time, featuring a classic railroad story and Halloween celebration. Children will parade in costume around the Museum campus to collect special treats. Kiddie train ride too! All included with paid admission. Recommended for ages 2-5.



B&O Railroad Museum's Halloween Bash
Saturday, October 30 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Come celebrate Halloween with the B&O Railroad Museum with a costume party beneath the pavilion. Join them for a spooktacular afternoon of fun that includes Halloween games, crafts, music, and refreshments. Party cost is $5.00 per child (2-12) with paid admission. All aboard for a monster of a good time! Recommended for ages 4-12.

Halloween Spooktacular! Lemony Snickett's The Composer is Dead at the Meyerhoff
Saturday, October 30th at 11:00 AM
Experience the BSO's premiere of Lemony Snicket's The Composer Is Dead. Kids can dress up in their favorite costumes and may even win a special prize. The BSO Family Fun Zone starts at 10am and features the World Rhythm Drum Circus, the ZOOmobile, face painting, and more. Order tickets in advance ($12 - $20).

Spooky Forest Fact Frolic at Oregon Ridge Nature Center
Saturday, October 30th and Sunday, October 31st from 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Kids search for clues and win prizes as they explore the park on their own. To begin the quest, pick up a clue booklet at the Center. Return to the Center to collect a prize. Advance registration is required.

Halloween in Baker Park!
Wednesday, October 27th through Friday, October 29th, 6:30 - 8:30pm.
The City of Frederick's Parks and Recreation Department presents evenings filled with Halloween surprises and performances! Baker Park comes alive with ghosts, goblins and creatures of the night as you make your way along the dark, and the ever so eerie, paths of Baker Park. Free nightly performances in the Baker Park Bandshell. DON’T WAIT – REGISTER EARLY – time slots sold out last year! Registration for the guided Halloween tours through Baker Park is open now. Tours are scheduled for 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00 pm plus an 8:30 pm tour on Friday night only, all tours last about 45 to 50 minutes. Register for your guided tour by calling the William Talley Recreation Center at 301-600-1492. The cost is $6.00 for all city residents and $8.00 for all non-city residents

Lantern Night at The Fire Museum of Maryland

Saturday, October 30th from 6-8pm
See forty antique fire apparatus in a new light: etched glass signal lamps and kerosene lanterns. Visit with staff in period attire. Wear your Halloween costume & get in for Half-Price.

Wilde Halloween Monster Revue Puppet Show
Friday, October 29th at 4:30 PM
Wilde Lake Community Association at Slayton House, Columbia will hold their annual “Wilde Halloween” on Friday! Join Carousel Puppets for a special Halloween puppet show entitled “Monster Revue”. This event is for children ages 3 through 10. The performance begins at 4:30pm followed by trick-or-treating in the village center – be sure to wear your costume! Each child will be given a bag for trick or treating. Tickets are $5 for children and adults to see the show. Purchase tickets in advance or on show day at Slayton House.

Special Halloween Performance of Captain Louie at The Children's Playhouse of Maryland
Saturday, October 30th at 1:00 PM
Captain Louie, written by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell, Pippin), tells the story of a young boy who moves to a new neighborhood just before Halloween and is missing his old friends. With the help of his magic red toy plane, Louie discovers the joys of both old and new friendships in this trick-or-treat fantasy. It is a story for all ages. Guests are encouraged to come in costume, enjoy the performance and then parade over to the “B” Building for a party with games, prizes, food and treats. Tickets are $15.

PreSchool Halloween Party at Eden Mill

Friday, October 29th from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Wear your favorite costume! Meet some critters from the nature center, listen to a story, enjoy a snack, make a craft, and have fun at the Eden Mill Nature Center! For ages 1-6, reservations required by 10/29.

Photo Credits: Associated Press, IAPP, Baltimore-Etsy Blog and Port Discovery

0 comments: