Halloween festivities stretch across five days
Jade Greenberg, 9, of Whitefish, uses a pair of 3-D glasses to view the Day of the Dead art by Flathead High School students on Tuesday at the Stumptown Art Studio. The studio has been decorated with art by students from around the Flathead Valley in honor of the Mexican holiday Dia de Los Muertos which honors departed ancestors. The studio will also be taking part in the Whitefish Street Treet on Friday.
Jessica Gutierrez of Whiteifsh created a shadowbox titiled "Kahlil Girbran" for the Day of the Dead display at the Stumptown Art Studio in Whitefish.
Shelbi Paulus and other students from Columbia Falls High School created a series of works called Reduction Prints and Skeletons which is on display at the Stumptown Art Studio in Whitefish.
From pumpkin decorating to harvest celebrations and Halloween hoopla, families can pick their pleasure this week from a hodgepodge of fun festivities:
Wednesday
The Salvation Army invites everyone to its harvest-fest carnival from 6 to 8 p.m. at 110 Bountiful Dr. in Kalispell.
Games will range from basketball, football and softball throws to a cupcake walk, fishing and duck ponds and a bean-bag toss. Plenty of prizes will be awarded.
The snack bar will sell hot dogs and pop for 50 cents each, with proceeds going to youth programs.
Lock up your friends in “jail” for 25 cents. They have to raise 50 cents to be released or spend 10 minutes behind bars — a fundraiser for Youth World Service.
For more details, call 257-4357.
First Presbyterian Church in Kalispell is hosting an indoor Halloween carnival and haunted house from 6 to 8 p.m.
There will be pizza and lots of candy, games and prizes. It’s free and everyone is welcome.
The church is located at 540 S. Main St.
Thursday
The Flathead Valley Community College Student Government hosts a free Halloween Carnival from 5 to 7 p.m. for kids ages 4 to 8, in the Arts and Technology Building.
A variety of fun activities will be featured — face painting, a skeleton ring toss, fishing pond, golf, bouncing eyeballs game, and drop-the-spider-in-the-pumpkin, to name a few.
There also will be a Halloween craft table and other festive activities.
Children are encouraged to dress in costumes and must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call 756-3668.
Friday
Downtown Whitefish hosts trick-or-treaters from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.; then head for the Halloween Kids Carnival from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Whitefish Mountain Mall.
Stillwater Christian School is offering a “Safe Place for Halloween” for youths up through the eighth grade from 5 to 8 p.m. in the school gym.
This year’s harvest party, put on by the junior class, is based around the theme of “Alice In Wonderland.” There will be a bounce house and plenty of fun activities. Tickets will be available at the door for $6 per child, or $20 for a family of four.
The class will sell a hot-dog meals for $2, including a hot dog, chips, and drink.
For more information, call the front office at 752-4400.
Cayuse Prairie’s carnival and haunted house take place today. Dinner is 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the carnival is from 6 to 9 p.m. For information, call Michelle Tu at 257-5038.
Olney-Bissell’s Fall Festival is from 7 to 9 p.m.
In Columbia Falls, the Boys & Girls Club and Glacier Gateway and Ruder PTOs are sponsoring a “Lights On” Halloween carnival from 6 to 8 p.m. at Discovery Square across from Smith’s Foods.
A fun evening is planned filled with food, candy, music and more.
There will be adult and children’s costume contests and games geared for fifth graders and younger. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
The carnival is part of the nationwide celebration of the Lights On Afterschool program. The event is free, however the food is not included.
For more information, call Amber Long or Jenny van Westrop at 249-6335 (Glacier Gateway and Ruder PTOs); or Leslie Allen, 249-4575 (Boys & Girls Club).
Saturday
The Kalispell Elks Lodge No. 725 invites parents and grandparents to bring their children and grandchildren to their annual pumpkin carving event from 1 to 3 p.m. The lodge is located at 1820 U. S. 93 S. in Kalispell.
The Lakeside/Somers PTA is featuring a Fall Spooktacular from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Lakeside Elementary School. Admission for children is $5 (kids 4 and under get in free).
There will be gourd decorating, games, a cakewalk, costume contest and much more. Delicious foods will also be for sale. Bring your camera and take a photo of your child in the photo booth that features a fall scene.
Bring a canned good or non-perishable food item for the Westshore Food Bank and get entered into a basket raffle. Children who wear their Red Ribbon Week ribbons also will have their names entered in the raffle.
For more information, call 261-0150.
Marion School’s annual Halloween carnival is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring candy donations to the main office.
Seniors can join in seasonal fun at the Kalispell Senior Citizen Center’s Halloween party from 2 to 4 p.m.
There will be prizes for best costumes, activities and entertainment. A pie and ice cream social will follow for $3.
The Stumptown Ice Den is offering free skating during the public skate time from 7 to 9:30 p.m., if you are wearing a costume.
Sunday
Kalispell Center Mall invites trick-or-treaters to come from 3 to 5 p.m. A costume contest will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Herberger’s Court.
All children are invited to bring their families for free treats at the 2010 Trunk or Treat from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Christian Center parking lot, 255 Summit Ridge Drive, Kalispell.
For more information, call the Christian Center at 752-6426 or log on to www.kalispellchristiancenter.org.
Bigfork invites children to trick or treat in the Village from 4 to 6 p.m. For more details, call 837-5888.
The Bigfork Children’s Theater also hosts a haunted house at the Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts. Come from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. if you dare. Admission is $3.
Trinity Lutheran School hosts a family fun night from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. There will be carnival booths, prizes, costumes, concessions, a cakewalk and more. Punch cards for games are 20 for $5 or 40 for $8. For further information, call 756-8754.
Canyon Elementary School hosts a Halloween party from 6 to 8 p.m. Each family is asked to bring a bag of individually wrapped candy for prizes. Dinner is free for students and their families.
The third annual Halloween Hoot is happening in the Trade Center at the Flathead County Fairgrounds, Kalispell.
Family activities get under way from 5 to 9 p.m., including a pie eating contest and walks, prizes, candy, and photo booth. Food will be available. The costume contest starts at 8:30 p.m.
The event will be open until midnight.
Those attending are asked to bring canned goods for the Flathead Food Bank.
For more information, call Nuggett Carmalt at 758-5810.
The traditional pub crawl and adult costume contest is 6 to 10 p.m. involving 11 venues in Whitefish.
Entry fee is $5 with proceeds going to the food bank.
Prizes will be awarded at the VFW. Categories are individual, couple and group. For more details, call Rachel Burke at 862-4766.