Oct 7, Fri, Farmington Hills, MI: Halloween fun kicks off at mansion, zoo, park

From Hometown Life: Halloween fun kicks off at mansion, zoo, park
Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan (GHOSM) will talk about ghostly findings from locations they've investigated around the state at a presentation at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 at Longacre House, in Farmington Hills.

The program will include a tour and search for paranormal activity at the Longacre House, a Georgian mansion that is owned by the City of Farmington Hills, at 24705 Farmington Road. Coffee and doughnuts also will be served.

Members of Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan share an interest in searching out spirits and abnormal occurrences. The group has conducted tours of The Whitney in Detroit, as well as cemeteries and houses in Flat Rock, Rockwood, Westland, Plymouth, West Bloomfield, Wayne, Redford, Monroe, and Freeland. They record and document ghostly sounds and other evidence as well as “true ghost stories” told by their patrons.

Admission to the tour and presentation is $20 for residents and $25 for non-residents. Participants must be age 18 or older.

Reservations are required. Visit https://recreg.fhgov.com or register in person at the Costick Center, 28600 W. 11 Mile, Farmington Hills.

For more information, call the Cultural Arts Division at (248) 473-1856.

Zoo Boo
The Detroit Zoo's annual “merry-not-scary” Zoo Boo celebration returns this Halloween season, featuring a festively decorated half-mile trick-or-treat trail through the front of the Zoo, 6-8 p.m. Oct. 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30.

Elaborate pumpkin displays will line the treat trail, where greeters will pass out goodies to children along the route. A trail of eerie fog will lead through a spooky graveyard to the Haunted Reptile House, where friendly witches, vampires and other monsters will take up residence for the Halloween season.

The live mini-musical “Zoo Boo Revue” will be performed in the Events Pavilion. The Ghouly Games Tent will feature Halloween-themed games, prizes, arts and crafts and a hay maze and The Zombie Zone will offer games, spooky activities and pumpkin-carving demonstrations.

Also returning for Zoo Boo is the limited-release pirate adventure “The Curse of Skull Rock” at the Wild Adventure 3-D/4-D Theater in the Ford Education Center. Tickets are an additional $4 per person; children under 2 are free.

Advance tickets for Zoo Boo are available at Booth One at the front of the Detroit Zoo or online at www.detroitzoo.org/zooboo. Tickets are $7 per person ages 2 and up. Time slots for Zoo Boo are 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. If a date and time slot is not sold out, a limited number of tickets may be available at the gate that day after 5 p.m. for $10.

The Detroit Zoo is located at Woodward Ave., and the I-696 service drive, in Royal Oak.

At Hines Park
Wayne County Parks' Halloween Festival 2011 will run 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at Nankin Mills Picnic Area, located on Hines Drive, east of Ann arbor Trail in Westland and offer free games, hayrides, inflatables, trick-or-treating, and entertainment. Youngsters may dress in “spook-free” costumes and participate in a costume parade.

Check out the first annual Howl-O-Ween from 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Wayne County Dog Park, located at Hawthorne Ridge Park, located on Hines Drive east of Merriman, in Westland. There will be costume contests, pet related vendors, games and give-aways at this free event.

A spook-free Halloween Hike, with starting times of 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., will include a walk and nature-inspired costumed characters on Friday, Oct. 21 at Nankin Mills Interpretive Center. Cost is $5 and preregistration is required. Call (734) 261-1990.