The Naperville Park District invites the community to attend a variety of Halloween-themed events throughout October and into early November. Each event is designed to build enthusiasm for the fall season with educational activities about the local environment, fun yet frightening performances under the moonlight and entertaining celebrations with friends and family.
Visit the Knoch Knolls Nature Center all October and celebrate the many crawly critters that are found in nature with Creepy Critters Month. Families can drop in to enjoy free seasonally-themed, self-guided activities featuring Halloween creatures such as spiders and bats and complete an indoor Creepy Critters Scavenger Hunt to win a Halloween-themed prize.
Kick off the Halloween season with spine-shivering stories at Ghost Stories in the Park…in the Dark from Friday, Oct. 4 to Sunday, Oct. 6. The community is invited to join the Park District and the ghastly storytellers from Summer Place Theatre outdoors at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion as they share an evening of scary stories. Tickets for the performances are $7 and may be purchased over the phone, online at naperparks.org or during regular business hours at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center or Fort Hill Activity Center. Stories are recommended for adults and children ages 5 and up.
Begin the Halloween festivities early Sunday, Oct. 27 from p.m. to 4 p.m. at Halloween Happening, presented by Woody Buick GMC. This free event is designed for children ages 10 and under, and features fun, Halloween-themed games and activities where kids can collect candy and win prizes; food trucks and Tot Town-an area for toddlers ages 5 and under also are part of the celebration. Everyone is welcome to wear family-friendly costumes to the event, which will take place west of Centennial Beach at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion, 912 Sindt Court.
Post-Halloween, the Park District encourages families to save their jack-o-lanterns and pumpkins for the annual Pumpkin Smash, scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon. All are welcome to bring their pumpkins to the Ron Ory Community Garden Plots, 811 S. West Street, to be smashed and composted into the soil. Attendees are asked to remove candles, metal and any additional decorations before dropping off.
—Naperville Park District