Here Comes Halloween...

By Erica Jackson

This weekend, there are numerous events around town to spook and thrill children and adults alike.

For the Kiddies:

• The Nesconset Library will be hosting a costume parade on Friday, October 29.  Children can strut their stuff in their costumes from 11:00 a.m. to 11:45 on the grounds of the library. The free event, called the Ooogie Boogie Halloween Parade, is for children ages 2-5.  Aside from the parade, there were be various trick or treat stations.

• Sweetbriar Nature Center is celebrating this halloween with its 10th annual Spooktacular event on Friday night from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 

According to Nancy Adornett, program coordinator, families can learn about spooky, nocturnal animals and take a walk through one of Sweetbriar’s two spooky trails.

The first of the trails was created with young children, ages 4-7, in mind.  Along the trail, children will meet characters dressed as nocturnal animals.  A second trail, is led by a storyteller, who will tell the children a scary legend.  

The fee for the program is $5 per person and families are asked to bring flashlights for the trail walks.

• A halloween parade along Lake Avenue will take place on Sunday at 12:30. The St. James Chamber of Commerce is hosting the costume parade that will start at the Capital one Bank at the corner of Woodlawn and Lake Avenues.  

• Deepwells Farm County Park is featuring a “Not Too Scary” haunted house all weekend long. The haunted house is open Saturday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Sunday, October 31 following the St. James costume parade. 

• Wicks Farm will be open all weekend with lots to do for families, according to Cathy Wicks, co-owner of the farm.

Aside from pick-your-own pumpkins, Wicks Farm offers hay rides, pony rides and halloween displays, including its 30-foot witch, which has become a local landmark.

The farm is also featuring two spooky, haunted mazes that are open during the day as well as in the evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00p.m.

“You have to know your child,” said Wicks, in talking about which maze children should enter.  While actors will not touch participates, she said the scarier of the two mazes does feature some “surprises” that may not be appropriate for some children.

Wicks’ pumpkin patch is free, but there are fees to participate in the other events. Prices start at $10 per person.

• A Safe Halloween event will take place at both Smithtown High School East and Smithtown High School West on Friday between 3:30 and 7:00 p.m. The event for students in Kindergarten through fifth grade. 

The program, called Spooky Hallways, will feature, halloween-themed crafts, spooky storytelling, an obstacle course and an Art Honor Society haunted house. 

Students are asked to come in costume and bring a donation of a nonperishable food items.

For Adults 

• This is not your typical haunted house: The Smithtown Arts Council is featuring two, upscale spooky productions this halloween weekend at the Mills Pond House in St. James. On October 29, productions of Qualla: Origins of the Undead can be seen at 6:00p.m., 7:45p.m., and 9:00p.m. The production, written by Greg Cioffi, a Long Island native, takes viewers back to victorian era England to chronicle the birth of zombies. The second production, which will be shown on Saturday, October 30 at 6:00p.m., 7:45p.m. and 9:30p.m. is a blend of comedy and horror.  It takes viewers on an entertaining journey into purgatory where Salvatore Rizzo &ldquothe Deadfather&rdquo is trying to rebuild his mafia.

Also at the Mills Pond House is a Midnight Oils Art Exhibition, featuring fine art of frightening subject matters.

Krista Biedenbach, program coordinator, says both productions are must-see thrills.

• To tour Smithtown’s most haunted spot on halloween stop in at Katie’s Bar on Main Street.  The bar, which will host a host a halloween party on Sunday night, has been featured on A&E channel’s Paranormal State.  The ghostbusters from the show deemed Katie’s a haunted location and found paranormal phenomena at the site.  The ghost, who is said to haunt the bar, is named, “Charlie.”  

“I will be at the bar giving tours and showing videos and answering questions about the ghost,” said Brian Karppinen, owner of Katie’s.  “People should come down and say hello to Charlie the Ghost.  He loves the attention.”