Wednesday/Oct. 26
<cal2>Stories Around the Campfire. Ages 6 and up at Claude Moore Park, 21544 Old Vestals Gap Road, Sterling. Enjoy storytellers' scary and historic tales from 6-7:30 p.m. Enter a pumpkin carving contest and vie for prizes for smallest, scariest and most creative. Cap off the evening with marshmallows toasted over an open fire. Rain date Oct. 27. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Preregistration required, call 703-444-1275.
Mask Making. The Sterling Library staff will host a program of mask making for children ages 5 and up, at 4 p.m., at the library, 120 Enterprise St. materials provided. Registration by Oct. 25 required, call 703-430-9500.
<cal1>Thursday/Oct. 27
<cal2>Batty for Bats. Ages 3-5. Be a bat for a day. Visit a pretend bat cave, feel what it is like to have wings and find your way around with sound. Discover these nocturnal creatures through play, stories, art, singing and exploring outdoors. These are drop-off classes. 9:30-11 a.m. and 12:30-2 p.m. The cost for this program is $10.25 per child. Claude Moore Park, 21544 Old Vestals Gap Road, Sterling. 703-444-1275.
Flashlight Candy Search. Ages 6-10. Loudoun Valley Community Center, 320 W. School St., Purcellville. Must register in advance, but payment will be taken at the door. Call 540-338-4122. Admission $3. 7-7:30 p.m.
Halloween Cookies. Ages 8 and up. Bake and decorate Halloween cookies to take home. Sterling Annex, 22084 Shaw Road, 4-5 p.m. Cost $7 plus $4 supply fee. Call 703-430-6673.
<cal1>Friday/Oct. 28
<cal2>Hauntings of Leesburg. The Loudoun Museum will host the 14th year of spirited walking tours of haunted sites in Leesburg, 6-10 p.m. Call 703-777-7427 or e-mail administrator@loudounmuseum.org.
Flashlight Candy Hunt. Ages 4-10. Sterling Annex Community Center, 22084 Shaw Road, Sterling. Call 703-430-6673 for registration information. Bring flashlight, costumes welcome. Admission: $5. 7-7:30 p.m. Preregistration required, call 703-430-6673.
Flashlight Candy Hunt. Ages 2-10. Sterling Community Center, 120 Enterprise St., Sterling. Children will have fun gathering goodies in the dark. Bring a flashlight and don't forget a trick-or-treat bag. Call 703-430-9480 for registration information and schedule for age groups. Admission $5. 6:30-8 p.m.
Preschool Halloween Party. Ages 2-6. Loudoun Valley Community Center, 320 W. School St., Purcellville. Dress up your little ghosts and goblins for a fun and safe time. Advance registration is required, but payment will be taken at the door. Call 540-338-4122. Admission: $5. 6-7 p.m.
<cal1>Saturday/Oct. 29
<cal2>Hauntings of Leesburg. The Loudoun Museum will host the 14th year of spirited walking tours of haunted sites in Leesburg, 6-10 p.m. Call 703-777-7427 or e-mail administrator@loudounmuseum.org.
Halloween Hay Ride. All ages. Philomont Community Center, 36592 Jeb Stuart Road, Philomont. The town's one and only hay ride, trick-or-treat event. Call 540-338-5882 for registration information. Admission $8 over 2 years old, free 2 and under. 6-9 p.m.
Pumpkins & Pancakes. All ages. Franklin Park, 17501 Franklin Park Drive, Purcellville. Celebrate Halloween with all-you-can-eat pancakes, a Halloween candy hunt, carnival games, crafts, a pumpkin-carving contest and more. Call 540-338-7603 for registration information. Admission $5. 9-11 a.m.
Family Pumpkin Carving. All ages. Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market St., Leesburg. Pumpkins, carving tools, and candles will be provided. Pizza dinner available for additional $5. Prizes awarded. Register by Oct. 22. Call 703-771-5913 or e-mail dcc@loudoun.gov. Admission $10 per pumpkin. 4-6 p.m.
Spooktacular Trick or Treat Hunt. Ages 1-6. Lucketts Community Center, 42361 Lucketts Road, Leesburg. There will be spooky crafts, gnomish games, yummy snacks and a trick-or-treat hunt. Register by Oct. 22. Call 703-771-5281. Admission $7. 11 a.m.-noon.
Pumpkin Carving Contest. Children in grades 6-12 are invited to Douglass Community Center, 407 E. Market St., Leesburg, to participate in a pumpkin carving contest, from 1-3 p.m. Everything needed to carve a jack-o'-lantern will be provided. An optional pizza dinner is also available. Prizes will be awarded. The cost is $10 per pumpkin, and $5 per pizza dinner. Advance registration is required by Oct. 22. contact Douglass Community Center at 703-771-5913 or e-mail at dcc@loudoun.gov.
Pumpkin Light Up. Great Country Farms hosts its first Pumpkin Light Up Night, from 6-9 p.m. Activities include twilight hay rides to pick pumpkins, a pumpkin-carving contest and the light-up moment at 8:15 p.m. Professional storyteller, Mary Voskian, will be spinning tales for the whole family by a bonfire and master carver, James Gretzinger, will be carving pumpkins and giving out tips and techniques for relief carving as well as traditional jack-o-lantern carving. Those wishing to carve pumpkins on site will receive a free carving knife while supplies last. Light up admission is $6 per person. Visitors are welcome to come for daytime activities at Great Country Farms for Fall Pumpkin Harvest, admission $6, which include the Oinkintucky Derby Pig Races and P-Rex, the Pumpkin Munchin Dinosaur and stay into the evening for the Light Up without repaying admission. This is a family event so all those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or chaperone 18 or older. Visit www.greatcountryfarms.com or contact the farm at 540-554-2073.
Halloween Homecoming. At the Loudoun County Animal Shelter on Route 9 at the intersection of Route 704 in Waterford, from noon-4 p.m. Bring the children for trick or treating and to decorate a pumpkin of their very own. Includes a costume contest for dogs, with a special category for cats, the best way to enter your cat is with a photo, no cats will be allowed unless they are in a carrier or on a leash; dogs' Tricks for Treats Talent Show; Pampered Pet Cooking Class, learn to make homemade dog and kitty treats; and an introductory Pet First Aid class. Learn some basic skills that can help your pet in an emergency. Call 703-777-0406 or 540-882-3211.
Feast of Souls. 1st annual Feast of Souls, being held at the Sterling Community Center, 120 Enterprise St., Sterling. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The $10 admission, $7 with costume, provides access to all areas of the party. All ages are welcome for drug and alcohol free entertainment. Includes live music, extreme sports, stand-up comedy, community revival and a fully interactive haunted house. Contact Sean Gotkin at 703-509-9945, or visit www.ffp.s5.com.
<cal1>Monday/Oct. 31
<cal2>Hot Dog, It's Halloween. All ages. Middleburg Community Center, 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg. Enjoy a hot-dog dinner for adults and children. Call 540-687-6375. Admission $2 for children, $3 for adults. 6-8 p.m.
Halloween Celebration. Ages 3-15. Lovettsville Community Center, 57 E. Broad Way, Lovettsville. Make the night special with a Halloween carnival after trick-or-treating. Enjoy games, story telling and a costume parade. A children's meal and refreshments are available for purchase. Call 540-822-5284 for information. Admission $5 per child. 6-7:30 p.m.
Halloween Parade. At 6 p.m., the Kiwanis Club of Leesburg holds its 48th annual Halloween parade in Leesburg. Children, and the young at heart, are invited to line King Street between Ida Lee Park and Safeway and have candy come to
them as they watch colorful floats and groups pass by. Grand
Marshals will be members of the Virginia Army National Guard. Spectators and participants, are asked to bring a canned good or paper product to the parade. Loudoun InterFaith will collect and distribute the donations to those in need in the county. Manned collection boxes will be placed along the parade route for your convenience. Parade entries being accepted, registration required by Oct. 21. Contact the Kiwanis club through Suzanne Wright at 703-737-2175 or
suzannewright_va@adelphia.net or Annie Hulen at 703-771-1484 for complete details and to register.
Costume Party. The Senior Center at Cascades Marketplace, 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling, will hold its 6th Annual Halloween Costume Contest Dance, from 2-4 p.m. Call 703-430-2397.