Several Halloween Events Planned For the St. Cloud Area

(KNSI) – Central Minnesota will be more treat than trick this Halloween season with a number of area organizations planning family-friendly events.

Hemker Park and Zoo is open every Saturday through October from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for Boo at the Zoo. Children are encouraged to dress in costume. The animals will get to chow down on their favorite snacks while delighting in the bright colors of princess, comic book hero, and fairy outfits, along with the fiendishness of Dracula or the mummy. Admission is $16 per person.

Things really ramp up the last week of October. The Bikers Against Child Abuse Granite City Chapter is holding its 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat on the 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Viking Land Harley-Davidson. Taking place during the day, it is an opportunity to score some candy in a safe manner. The dealership is even planning to whip up lunch for those attending.

The Pearl Lake Lodge will host a Halloween Trick or Treat Parade. Creatively decorated vehicles from far and wide will roll down County Road 8 on Sunday, October 26th, at 2:00 p.m. Around the lodge, expect trick-or-treating stations to be set up along with music and food. There will be a costume contest for kids and adults.

Carhop of St. Cloud is giving away a free pumpkin to the first 15 people at its trunk or treat event on Thursday, October 30th. The fun runs from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at its location on Roosevelt Road. Carhop promises to have tricked-out trunks, done up with a Halloween theme on top of the precious candy cargo.

Later that day, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Green Acres Animal Rescue at the Crossroads Center mall will hold a Halloween Pet Costume Contest. Each animal has its outfit photographed. They will be judged in several categories, including Best Costume, Funniest Costume, and Most Creative Costume. To register, email sheri@greenacresanimalrescue.org. Green Acres is located between J.C. Penney and AT&T.

The last chance at a Trunk or Treat is on Halloween proper. Sacred Heart Parish will hold one in the parking lot from 5:30 to 7:00. Members of the One in Christ Young Adult Team will ladle out hot chocolate and cider, and the Sauk Rapids Police Department is getting in on the act with two squad cars on patrol, making sure the ghosts keep their distance.

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