It’s that time of year for pumpkin carving and too much chocolate, and across the Columbia Valley there will be a variety of activities to keep the whole family entertained this spooky Halloween (mwahahaha).
In the Village of Radium Hot Springs, the popular Halloween Howler returns on Saturday (October 27) after a highly successful debut in 2011. Taking place at the historic Eaton House on Highway 93/95 and hosted by the Radium Events Committee (REC), the event will offer a full complement of Halloween activities for kids and adults. Kids’ Halloween crafts, hot dogs and drinks, campfires, pumpkin patch hunting and hay wagon rides to name just a few, but what’s likely to grab the most attention is the massive haunted house inside the Eaton House. Students from the David Thompson Secondary School leadership class will be inside to take small groups on a tour of the now-haunted establishment, and while REC member Karen Sharp said this year there would be a wedding theme, she didn’t want to give away too many of the surprises. The Halloween Howler is a family event, and runs from 5 to 8 p.m. Admission and parking is $5.
Continuing north, the Edgewater Recreation Society (ERS) will be holding a Halloween dance also on Saturday from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
DJ Slickmick (Michael Pecora) from Golden will be on hand to entertain guests for what is an adults-only event. Edgewater hasn’t held a Halloween dance for a few years, but with the baseball diamond in desperate need of an upgrade, ERS president Tammy Tutte said it felt like a great time to bring the fundraising dance back. Tickets are $10 in advance and may be purchased at Invermere One-Hour Photo Source, Home Hardware, Husky gas station in Radium, Pip’s in Edgewater or from any of the ERS directors. Tickets are $13 at the door, but if they sell out prior to the event, there will be no tickets available the night of the event. Everyone is invited to dress up in costume for their chance to win prizes, and a bus to and from Invermere and Radium will be provided.
The bus leaves the CIBC parking lot in Invermere at 7:30 p.m. and the parking lot beside the Prestige in Radium at 7:50 p.m., and returns to each location at midnight. The cost is $2 each way. For more information, visit the ERS Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ERSevents.
Finally, in Canal Flats there are at least two Halloween events for families. On Friday (October 26), the Canal Flats Civic Centre will hold its annual family Halloween Party at 7 p.m. There will be prizes for costumes with judging taking place at 7:30 p.m., a cake walk and a pumpkin carving-contest, and admission is just $2 to help with the costs of hosting the event. Anyone looking for more information can contact Karen Flowers at 250-349-5447.
Also in Canal Flats, there will be a costume Zumba night on Tuesday (October 30) where kids and parents are encouraged to come dressed in their best costumes for a bit of a workout. The event is admission by donation. No experience required and there will be prizes for the best kids and adult costumes. Happy Halloween!