Supernatural feeling
With events taking place around town, a kid in Ashland could be pretty busy on Halloween. The fun starts Friday afternoon with festivites at the elementary schools, followed by the annual children's parade, trick-or-treating, a haunted house and Halloween parties.
Willow Wind Community Learning Center kicks off the celebration a day early with the Pumpkin Festival for students and their families from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday.
The afternoon will feature games, crafts, pumpkin carving, face painting and costumes.
Friday at Walker Elementary, students will participate in a "Ghost Walk" costume parade starting at 1:40 p.m., followed by Halloween parties in individual classrooms.
Students are asked to bring their costumes to school but wait to put them on until before the parade and to avoid gory costumes, masks that cover their entire face or costumes with weapons.
Helman Elementary will hold a samba band-led parade starting at 1:45 on Halloween. Students are asked to bring their costumes to school and wait to dress up until just before the parade begins.
Bellview Elementary, temporarily located at Ashland Middle School, will not be holding its traditional carnival this year.
For Bellview families, there will be a dinner and cakewalk from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday at the middle school cafeteria. The cost is $5 per person.
Ashland's annual children's Halloween parade, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, begins at 3:15 p.m. at the library.
Kids in costume make their way downtown to the Plaza and then come back up the street, trick-or-treating at businesses.
"It's a really nice way for the kids to feel important," said Katharine Flanagan, Visitor and Convention Bureau and marketing director. "It's intended for children, but there's always some big kids that slip in there."
Flanagan said she always sees lots of fairies, princesses, goblins and witches.
"It's lively and colorful," she said. "Ashland as a whole is a very creative community and I think that's showcased in the costumes."
After the parade, kids can brave "Camp Shock" at the Ashland Elks Lodge.
The haunted house will feature a "crypt keeper" escort to accompany children through a giant spider's lair, a horde of vampires and a mad scientist's laboratory.
The haunted house, for kids 14 and younger, will be held at the lodge, 255 E. Main St., from 3:30 to 6 p.m. on Halloween and will also be open from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
A donation of $2 is suggested.
After touring the haunted house, families have a choice of Halloween parties to attend.
The Ashland Family YMCA will feature carnival games, costumes, face painting, a monster maze and more from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Admission is $1 for each child accompanied by an adult.
Across town, the Rogue Valley Metaphysical Library will host its fourth annual "Come As You Are" Halloween dance party from 6 to 10 p.m. upstairs at 258 A St.
Admission is free and costumes are optional at this family-friendly, no-alcohol event, which features refreshments, door prizes and vintage vinyl music.
Back in downtown Ashland, Salsa Brava! will host a Halloween Ball from 8 to 11:30 p.m. at the Ashland Elks Lodge, 255 E. Main St.
A free dance lesson will start at 7 p.m. with live music starting at 8 p.m. A full bar and food will be available for purchase, and children are welcome if accompanied by an adult. Costumes are optional, but there will be a costume contest with prizes. Admission to the dance is $12.
For those still looking for fun the next day, an event will celebrate Dia de Los Muertos Saturday at the Briscoe ArtWing, 265 N. Main St.
The afternoon will start with a community potluck from 4 to 6 p.m. and a display of altars created to remember people who have passed away who have inspired, taught and changed the lives of others.
Around dark, a procession will travel through downtown Ashland to the cemetery on East Main Street. People are encouraged to wear costumes and bring percussion instruments for the procession.
Staff writer Kira Rubenthaler can be reached at 482-3456 ext. 226 or krubenthaler@dailytidings.com.
