Plenty of opportunities in region to don those Halloween costumes

IRON MOUNTAIN -- Get those costumes ready -- the Halloween holiday is near.

Many local churches, schools, organizations and businesses are offering a variety of family-friendly trick-or-treat events and activities starting today through the actual holiday Tuesday. They include:

-- Northwoods Sports Recreations and Community Center of Pembine, Wis. has planned a Halloween Carnival at 5 p.m. today at the center, N17112 U.S. 141. Admission is $3 per child, with a $10 maximum per family. Children ages 2 and younger and adults are free. Entrance fee gives access to the bounce houses, games, prizes and Halloween treats for the entire event. Costumes will be judged throughout the event and winners will be announced at 7 p.m. Other food items will be available for purchase through concessions.

-- Area residents have been summoned to the annual Halloween Lightshow and Haunted House at 5003 U.S. 2 in Florence, Wis. The show runs from 7 to 10 p.m. today through Monday. Vehicles can tune to 95.5 FM for music to the light show as they drive through the display.

-- The Niagara Community Trunk or Treat is slated for 4 to 6 p.m. Friday in the front parking lot of Maryhill Manor. Participants must hand out candy. They are also asked to arrive by 3 p.m., with all vehicles using non-scary decorations and costumes and manned by 3:45 p.m. Vehicles must remain parked for the duration of the event. All candy and monetary donations can be dropped off at Maryhill before Friday. Those interested in taking part in the event are asked to call 715-251-3172 or email dnovak@maryhillmanor.org.

-- Iron County Medical Care Facility in Crystal Falls will have its first Trunk or Treat from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday in the facility's upper-level parking lot. Staff and residents will be set up outside handing out candy to all the children who show up in their costumes. They also invited other community members to participate in the fun. Those interested in decorating their trunk and handing out candy can call Karanda Smith at 906-874-1441 or Jessica Schultz at 906-874-1130 for more details. Those who plan to take part are asked to arrive no later than 3:30 p.m., so there is no traffic in the parking lot when the trick or treaters arrive.

-- The Haunted Barn at the Dickinson County fairgrounds in Norway will be open for its family-friendly event from noon to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Nighttime spooky fun, with live props, runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $6 for adults and $5 for students, which includes hayride, outdoor maze, picture area and bonfire. Concessions will be available.

-- The 18th annual Howling Halloween Party for Kids, a free event for ages 11 and younger, will be 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Ever After Event Center on East Boulevard in Kingsford. All children must be accompanied by an adult. The event will have treat bags, lunch and carnival games. Everyone is encouraged to come in costume. Mischief & Magic will again join the good time, with balloon animals and face painting. The Howling Halloween Party for Kids is a "Make A Difference Day" project sponsored by RSVP of the Dickinson-Iron Community Services Agency. For further information, call Kathy Arnold at DICSA at 906-774-2256, ext. 223, or Kendra Trulock at 906-774-2256, ext 224.

-- The Iron Mountain Downtown Development Authority's Pumpkin Walk will be noon to 3 p.m. Saturday in the downtown. The event is sponsored by the First National Bank & Trust and Marshfield Medical Center-Dickinson. While walking the downtown, children can collect goodies at the Trunk or Treat in front of the downtown stage on Iron Mountain Street, as well as businesses. The DDA will conduct a costume contest at 3 p.m. at the stage, with prizes awarded. The Dickinson County Library will also feature some fun Halloween-themed activities during the day, including Ghoulie Glowing Golfing and crafts.

-- Kids are invited to the fourth-annual Halloween Business Bash from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday in downtown Crystal Falls. In addition to local businesses dishing out treats, the Friends of the Crystal Falls District Community Library will pass out Halloween-themed books.

-- Area youth can take part in the Halloween Costume Walk from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in downtown Iron River. Participating businesses will be posted with a flier.

-- Bellin Health in Iron Mountain has its annual Trunk or Treat event set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Kids can collect candy from the creatively decorated car trunks of Bellin Health team members. Various community partners also will be present, including the Iron Mountain Police Department, Norway Fire Department and Falcon the K-9, who will be delighted to meet and greet the children.

-- The Kingsford High School Choir presents another year of a haunted house, Asylum in Wonderland, from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Maxx Entertainment Center in Iron Mountain. The haunted house features all kinds of characters, from a Mad Hatter to a cannibal. Ticket prices are $5, but ages 10 and younger will be able to go through three times. Toddlers are free. All the proceeds go to benefit KHS Concert Choral members.

-- Calvary Lutheran Church in Quinnesec will offer family-friendly fun from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday. Along with a trunk or treat, they will have games, food and other activities for the kids. The church is on Lincoln Avenue next to the Quinnesec Park.

-- Take a trip to the Station 282 in Goodman, Wis., for its free children's Halloween party Saturday. The festivities, which include trunk or treating, music, activities, apple cider and hot chocolate bar, runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Costumes are encouraged. The station is at W15148 U.S. 8.

-- Amberg Parks and Recreation will host its first Trunk or Treat event from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Amberg Ball Diamond. They will have candy, a costume contest, pumpkin painting, food and prizes. The festivities are free to area children.

-- Evergreen Campground in Wausaukee, Wis., will be the site for the Wausaukee Business Association's Trunk or Treat event from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Participants are asked to enter from Cedar Street. Prizes will be awarded for the best trunk.

-- Swanson's Big Red Barn in Niagara, Wis., has opened for the annual Pumpkin Fest. The public is invited from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday to enjoy games, pumpkin patch, kid's rides, corn maze, jumping pillow and pedal cars. They also have a food, bakery and coffee shop. The barn is at 7484 Valerio Road in Niagara.

-- Loud Acres Farm will present its Field of Screams and Haunted Farm from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday at 178 Fisher Road in Crystal Falls. The event will feature a variety of food vendors and fire pits for warming.

-- A Halloween party is slated from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Beechwood Hall. Children as well as adults are welcome to come enjoy the free festivities inside the hall at 178 Beechwood Store Road in Iron River. The Halloween costume contest will start at 3 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Beechwood Historical Society.

-- Menominee County area kids can enjoy a Halloween Carnival from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday in the elementary school gym in Hermansville. There will spooky fun and games. Food and beverage will also be available.

-- The Crossroads Alliance in Norway will greet trick or treaters Sunday in the parking lot. Children will be able to visit candy stations from 1 to 3 p.m. Costumes are encouraged. Crossroads, consisting of Bethany Lutheran Church and Grace United Methodist Church, is at 130 Odill Drive.

-- The Longbranch in Faithorn will host its annual Trunk or Treat from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. They encourage local residents to decorate their trunks and come hand out candy to the youngsters. This year, The Longbranch will give a People's Choice Award and prize to the best trunk. They will also have hot dogs, brats, chips, baked goods by Rosie and hot chocolate for all who attend.

-- Florence Elementary School will host its third-annual Trunk-or-Treat event from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Kids from the community can also enjoy a Halloween Hallway, games, temporary tattoos, cookie decorating and snacks. Admission is free. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

-- A holiday family-fun day is set for Sunday at the Circle in Alpha. Halloween Trunk or Treating will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Slagle's Family Farm food trunk and Brothers Grill will be on site as well.

-- All little Norway Knights are invited to attend the annual Trunk or Treat from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at the upper parking lot of the Norway-Vulcan Area School. The event is sponsored by the Norway-Vulcan PTO.

-- Breitung Township Fire Department will again host an open house during trick or treat hours from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the fire station in Quinnesec. They will have kid's games, candy, hot dogs, chili and warm drinks. They also will conduct a food drive for the Salvation Army, so attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item. Those unable to attend can drop off food items in the box at the township hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

-- Norway Elementary early kindergarten through fifth-grade students will show off their costumes to the community starting at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The parade will leave the school, head down Main Street, then back over to Section Street to return to the school.

-- Trick-or-treaters can stop by the Beecher-Dunbar-Pembine High School parking lot for its Halloween activities from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. They will have candy, lawn games and music.

-- Grace Covenant Church of Iron River will host a Trunk or Treat event from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday in the parking lot of the church at 316 Jasper St. Decorated cars and trucks will distribute candy. There will be lots of fun, popcorn, coffee, hot cocoa and, of course, candy.

-- Sagola Township Community Enrichment will present a Halloween evening starting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the township pavilion. They will serve cocoa and juice. Everyone is encouraged to decorate their trunks/hatchbacks in a kid-friendly manner and park along each side of the parking lot before the start. A $25 BP/Amoco card will be given out to the best decorated trunk.

-- The Niagara Public Library in Niagara, Wis., will greet trick or treaters from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday.