Events for the mini-monsters

While there’s plenty of spooky scary things that go bump in the night around Halloween, don’t think you have to lock the wee ones away to safeguard their precious psyches. Richmond is replete with family-appropriate events that will steep children into the holiday spirit without scaring the bejesus out of them.

October 16, 2011; 9:03 PM • by RVANews staff

While there’s plenty of spooky scary things that go bump in the night around Halloween, don’t think you have to lock the wee ones away to safeguard their precious psyches. Richmond is replete with family-appropriate events that will steep children into the holiday spirit without scaring the bejesus out of them.

Delegate Jennifer McClellan’s 6th Annual Harvest Festival

Kids are encouraged to dress up for this event that will feature a moon bounce, face painting, shaolin dragons kung-fu, Nutzy from the flying squirrels, soccer kick, hula hooping, crafts – making wands and masks, games, Rosie the clown, Peanuts characters from Kings Dominion, Henna tattoos and the entire event is free including food and candy.

• Date: October 31st
• Time: 6pm – 8pm
• Location: Siegel Center, 1200 W. Broad Street
• Cost: Free!

Fall Festival

Bring out the family to celebrate fall at the Museum’s Green Acre urban farm. Enjoy music, seasonal and garden activities and a farm animal petting zoo in this fall harvest-style event

• Date: October 22nd
• Time: noon – 5pm
• Location: Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad Street
• Cost: Free for members; $11 for non-members

Goblins and Gourds

Enjoy a concert from Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra, pick out and paint a pumpkin, stuff a scarecrow, and more!

• Date: October 23rd
• Time: 1pm –4pm
• Location: Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, 1800 Lakeside Avenue
• Cost:Regular garden admission ($10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $6 for kids ages 3 to 12, kids under $3 are free)

Go Green Halloween

Celebrate Halloween with Radio Disney and the Science Museum of Virginia with an afternoon of hands-on activities for the entire family.

• Date: October 29th
• Time: 11am – 3pm
• Location: Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad Street
• Cost: Free for members; $11 for non-members

Haunted Henricus: Things That Go Bump in the Night

Sit by the fire and listen to European stories early Colonists told as they recounted tales from their homeland. Be sure to bring a blanket!

• Date: October 21st and 22nd
• Time: 6:00pm – 8:30pm (Haunted tours from 7:30pm – 10:30pm)
• Location: Henricus Historical Park, Henricus Park Road (Chester)
• Cost:$8 for adults and $6 for children

Howl-a-Woof

Puppies! In costume! Yay!!!

• Date: October 22rd
• Time: 11am – 2pm
• Location: Rockwood Park, 3401 Courthouse Road
• Cost:Free!

Poe’s Pumpkin Patch

Make sure your kids grow up weird. Bring them to this day of Poe-inspired fun and games that will will introduce kids to Poe’s stories and poems in new and unexpected ways. There will be face painting, pumpkin decorating, a “Pit and the Pendulum” swing game, a Free Fortunato bean bag toss, a “Black Cat” pinata, a mummy-wrapping contest (Poe wrote a story about a mummy), and many more Poe-themed activities.

• Date: October 29th
• Time: 12pm
• Location: Poe Museum, 1914 E. Main Street
• Cost: Free!

Scarytown

Halloween in Carytown, get it? Safe trick-or-treating, costume contests, and cash prizes — fun for the whole fam!

• Date:October 29th
• Time: Sales and specials all day; costume contest starts at 3pm; trick-or-treating from 4pm to 6pm
• Location: Carytown
• Cost:Free!

Waggle’s Tricks for Treats Halloween Party

Please join Waggles, our humane education spokesdog, and all of his friends for a special Halloween Party! There are no frightful sights when you enjoy Halloween at the Richmond SPCA, just Tricks for Treats! Bring “treats” for the great pets awaiting homes at the Richmond SPCA, and our special K-9 guests will perform their fanciest tricks. Costumes are optional.

• Date:October 27th
• Time: 4pm – 5:30pm
• Location: Robins-Starr Humane Center
• Cost:Free!, but donations are accepted.

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Know of any other events that should be added to this list? Email them to our editor Nathan Cushing at nathan@rvanews.com. For more fun spooky festivities going on in and around Richmond, be sure to check out the RVANews Halloween Guide.

photo by juhansonin

October 16, 2011 9:03 PM 0