Ways to Celebrate Halloween - Locally!

With All Hollow’s Eve right around the corner, we’re all looking for some neat fall activities to do with our families and friends.  We all know how much fun Cedar Point’s Halloweekends is, but between gas costing an arm and a leg, hotel costs, food costs, and everything else, it might be hard for some of us to justify opening our pocket books quite so wide.

There are lots of local, community based events you can attend to celebrate the Holiday, including a few that our clinics are hosting or planning to attend.  Don’t hesitate to swing on by one of the following events and celebrate the most beautiful time of year to be a Michigan Resident!

Oakland County

Royal Oak/Clawson/Troy

• October 12-14, 19-21, and 26-28 – The Detroit Zoo’s annual Zoo Boo.  This event features a half-mile trick-or-treat trail, friendly entertainment, and games.  For the kids a bit older, check out the Haunted Reptile House or the Zombie Zone.  Tickers are $7 per person, ages 2 and up.
• October 13, 4:00 P.M. – The Fifth Annual Zombie Walk Detroit will be crawling the streets in downtown Royal Oak in an effort to raise food and money for Gleaners Food Bank.
• Zombie Walk Detroit, Oct. 13, 4 p.m. – For the fifth year, creepy zombies will be walking around downtown Royal Oak, raising food and funds for Gleaners Food Bank to help needy families in Metro Detroit.  Participants are simply asked to bring five non-perishable food items or $5.  Please visit zombiewalkdetroit.com for more details.
• October 28, 2:00-4:00 PM – Royal Oak invites parents to bring their children, in costume attire, for a fun and friendly trick-or-treating event throughout the city’s downtown area.  Local business will be offering candy and other treats to trick-or-treaters, along with lots of kids activities and special sales.  This event is free and a great opportunity to check out what a neat area Royal Oak really is.  For more information please visit www.downtownroyaloak.org.

Rochester

• October 13, 10:00A.M.-4:00P.M. & 7:00-9:00P.M. – The Stonewall Pumpkin Festival comes to Rochester Hills at the Van Hoosen Farm.  Attendees carve their own pumpkins during a festival during the day and then return at night to see the Jack-O-Lantern’s illuminated on the museums wall. This event is $7 a person.
• October 20, 4:00-5:30P.M. – Downtown Rochester is hosting their annual Trick-or-Treat and Costume Parade through the downtown Rochester business.  This event is free; Trick-or-Treating begins at 4:00P.M., and the parade begins at 5:15P.M.
• October 19 & 20, 6:20-8:30 & October 21, 6:00-7:20P.M.  The Dinosaur Hill Nature Preserve is hosting their annual Halloween Hoot.  Trails full of performers wait in the woods, as hikers watch the skits and finish off their evening with cider and donuts. Attendees must make reservations – groups leave every 10 minutes and it costs $7 per person. 

Lake Orion

• October 6, 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M. – Oakland County Parks and Rec and the Village of Lake Orion are hosting their annual Pumpkin Launch.  Those participating in the event launch pumpkins using home-made trebuchets. There are two divisions, Open and High School (for participants ages 18 and under), and prizes awarded to the teams with the furthest launch and the most accurate launch.  Free pumpkins are provided to participants and spectators, while supplies last.  Entry is $25 per team.  For more details, please call Mike Toth at 248-961-3362.

Macomb County

Shelby

• October 13, 12:00-4:00 P.M., 4:00-7:00 P.M., & 8:30P.M. – The Utica Zombie Crawl features a community blood drive in the afternoon, followed by the opening of Zombifying Booths, where a $5 donation will get you fully prepared to be undead with a zombie make-up application.  This donation also entitles participants to food and drink discounts and participating restaurants in the downtown Utica area.  Later that night, Zombie Wranglers will escort the Zombies to the Sinister Haunted House (located at the water treatment area).
• October 27, 10:00 A.M. – Stony Creek Metro Park will be hosting a Halloween Hustle 5K Run/Walk & 10K.  Our Shelby Clinic plans to participate in this event, so keep an eye out for them at Eastwood Beach for Registration.  Entry is $20 for the 5K or $25 for the 10K.

There are lots of local events to celebrate Halloween.  These are just a few.  Check your local papers for more ideas to get active in your community!