Compiled by Sarah Nigbor

Whether you’re looking for spooky experiences or just a whole lot of candy and places to show off your costumes, Pierce County is full of Halloween events this season for little (and big) ghosts, goblins, princesses and more.

Sunday, Oct 24 Fall Family Fun Day: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Butternut Park (101 W. May Ave., Elmwood). The Elmwood Area Community Club will host its inaugural Fall Family Fun Day for an afternoon filled with pumpkin carving or painting, hay rides, scarecrow building competitions and more free Halloween activities. Crafts and raffle tickets will be available, as well as chili, s’mores, caramel apples, and hot chocolate for a free-will donation.

Wednesday, Oct. 27 Trick or Can: Plum City DECA members will drop off orange collection bags at homes around Plum City. The canned goods collected with be distributed to local food pantries. Members will the bags up on Friday, Oct. 29 after school. If you wish to participate, please set the orange bags of canned goods on your driveway or porch where they are easily visible.

Third Annual Trunk or Treat: 5:30-7 p.m., Hope Lutheran Church (3337 Kingsbarn Ave., River Falls). All are invited to join us for a safe, family friendly night of costumed fun before Halloween! Trunks will be lined up and decorated outside with special treats waiting for you! Please be mindful of physical distancing, especially around our little ones! ALL ARE WELCOME!

Community Trunk or Treat: 6-7:30 p.m., C3 Church (W7562 U.S. Highway 10, Ellsworth). Calling all pumpkins, princesses, and superheroes! Dress up the kiddos and join us for treats, games, and refreshments in a safe, fun, family-friendly environment. Visit all the individual Halloween candy displays! Plus, come see the boom and fire trucks, enjoy free hot dogs and popcorn, and take a photo at the Fall Photo Booth. Refreshments and a good time for parents, too. The entire community is welcome to attend, so invite your friends and neighbors.

Thursday, Oct. 28 Dress Up Storytime: 10:30 a.m., River Falls Public Library (140 Main St.) Wear a costume to storytime and enjoy a trick from the library staff! Register at riverfallspubliclibrary.org

Halloween Storytime: 10:30 a.m., Prescott Public Library (800 Borner St.) Wear your costume and join us outside under the tree for stories, songs, activities and crafts!

Elmwood Library Contest: While supplies last, pick up a pumpkin at the library (111 N. Main St.), take it home to decorate or carve, then send the library a picture on Facebook or by email ([email protected]) by Oct. 28 to be entered into a Halloween basket drawing.

Friday, Oct. 29 Drive Thru Trick or Treat: 4:30-6 p.m., Pierce County Fairgrounds (364 N. Maple St., Ellsworth). Join the Ellsworth Public Library for a drive-thru trick-or-treat experience. Costumes and decorated vehicles are encouraged. Bring items for the Pierce County Food Pantry and be entered into a drawing for a prize! Enjoy spy sheets, treats and fun!

River Falls Trick or Treat on Main, 1-5 p.m., downtown River Falls.

The River Falls Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau is excited to once again facilitate the Trick or Treat on Main event where participating downtown businesses will be open to trick or treaters. Businesses will indicate their participation by hanging the official Trick or Treat on Main 2021 poster at their location prior to and during the event. This is a great opportunity for families to enjoy fun and safe trick-or-treating, and kick off Halloweekend!

*Interested businesses: email [email protected] for more information_

Saturday, Oct. 30 Trunk or Treat! 10-11:30 a.m., Spring Valley Senior Living & Health Care (S830 Westland Drive, Spring Valley). Get in the spooky spirit and celebrate Halloween with us! We are looking for people to come in costume and/or decorate their trunks, park in our front parking lot and hand out candy to the residents. Children can come as well for the trunk or treat. Please contact Shannon if you are interested in attending.

Halloween Spooktacular Trick or Treat, 12-5 p.m., Family Fresh (303 S. Main St., River Falls). Enjoy our Trick or Treating throughout the store, costume or no costume. Everyone is welcome.

Sunday, Oct. 31 Kids Costume Contest: 2 p.m., Mooney’s Rusty Horse Bar & Grill (S211 S. McKay Ave., Spring Valley). All little ghosts, witches and ghouls are welcome to attend. There will be prizes, candy, games and pizza specials. Get pictures with Bucky the Tarantula!

St. Francis Trunk or Treat: 4-7 p.m., St. Francis School (244 W. Woodworth St., Ellsworth). Put on your favorite costume and stop by to enjoy trunk-or-treating with friends and neighbors at this safe, family-friendly event in the St. Francis parking lot. Trunks will be lined up and decorated outside with special treats waiting for you! All are invited! Would you like to register a trunk? Please contact Cheryl Kaufer, youth ministry leader, at [email protected]

Deadman’s Haunted Grave

The Herme family of Prescott hosts a spooky haunted house experience at Deadman’s Haunted Grave, located at the corner of Lawrence and Jefferson streets in Prescott. The experience begins at dark and is free to the public. The family will accept nonperishable food donations for the Prescott Area Food Pantry. For more information, join the “Deadmans Haunted Grave” group on Facebook.

Prescott Trunk or Treat: 1-3 p.m., Prescott High School (1010 Dexter St.) Hosted by Prescott Community Education. Be on the lookout for themed trunks, including (but not limited to) the Weiss Family (Haunted Blood Bank), Hanken Contracting LLC (Frightfully Fun Fishing), Stephy Jo’s (Witch), Girl Scout Troop 53762 (Space), Prescott Chamber of Commerce (Silly Monster Maze) and more. To sign up, go to https://forms.gle/qXEtBgmDkxwe-Qhii8

Halloween safety

The River Falls Police Department would like to emphasize safety this Halloween. Halloween and the trick or treating that occurs can be a fun tradition. However, in order to help ensure the safety of Halloween activities, the following tips are recommended: Wear a comfortable costume that you can see well out of, that is fire retardant and is not a trip hazard. Bright costumes are more visible than dark costumes. Props should also be safe without sharp or dangerous ends. Consider face makeup as masks can obstruct vision.

Children should be supervised by a parent or responsible adult. However, if older children are allowed to go trick or treating without adult supervision (not recommended), there should be a preplanned route and a set return time.

Stay outside of houses. There is no good reason to enter a residence for treats. Let the resident bring the treat to you.

Trick or treat early to avoid being out when it gets too dark. 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. is recommended.

Bring a flashlight with you so you can see and be seen. Consider wearing reflectorized clothing.

Stay in your neighborhood where you feel comfortable.

Watch for traffic as motorists can be distracted by children and decorations. Use crosswalks when crossing the street. Never cross a street from between parked cars, mid-block or run into the street.

Only accept wrapped or packaged candy or treats and do not eat any until it is thoroughly checked by your parent or other responsible party.

Use caution around pets and other animals to avoid being bitten or other injury.

Avoid cutting through yards as there may be multiple hazards.

Residents who wish to welcome trick-or-treaters should leave an outside or porch light on. Children should be advised to only visit homes with outside lights on.

Motorists should be extra cautious on Halloween night. Be aware of children darting out from between parked cars or walking on roadways. Please be careful exiting and entering driveways.

Parents should take special precautions to avoid children getting separated from a group.

If you are going to have a jack o’ lantern, consider a batteryoperated light or something similar rather than a real flame.

There are many odd behaviors exhibited on Halloween. Please don’t confuse them with behavior that may harm someone such as going somewhere with a stranger. Don’t approach a car if directed or asked to by an unknown occupant.

We encourage everyone to please remind children of these important safety rules to help ensure our community has a safe and fun Halloween! Please report any illegal or suspicious activity to the Police Department.