Glen Echo costume parade

A costume parade through Glen Echo Park will conclude the Fall Frolic festivities.

A Host of Halloween 2019 Events and Programs Haunt Montgomery County

Whether you opt for dressing up as cartoon or storybook characters, witches, scary spooks and black cats or have a taste for something a bit darker, Montgomery County venues have scheduled events and programs that…

Whether you opt for dressing up as cartoon or storybook characters, witches, scary spooks and black cats or have a taste for something a bit darker, Montgomery County venues have scheduled events and programs that celebrate Halloween with trick or treating, costume parties and parades, hiking, dancing, pumpkin carving and crafts, scary stories and films, a murder mystery production, haunted attractions – even a drag show and a flash mob!

Here’s what’s going on this season.

For Families

City of Gaithersburg’s Arts on the Green

Information: www.gaithersburgmd.gov/aotg

Okto-BOO-Fest at Arts Barn
Time/Date: 12 – 5 PM Sunday, Oct. 13
Location: Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road
Admission: Free
Description: Monster paper bag puppet making and autumn design coloring in a spooky haunted studio, scavenger hunt with prizes plus 2 p.m. costume parade at the outdoor stage on the Kentlands Mansion lawn.

Halloween Spooktacular Olde Towne Costume Parade & Festivities
Time/Date: 2-4 PM Saturday, Oct. 26
Admission: Free
Location: Olde Towne Plaza, 1 South Summit Ave
Description: Halloween costume parade in the Plaza and other festivities in and around the Gaithersburg Community Museum & History Park

Trick or Treat at the Museum
Time/Date: 10 AM – 3 PM Saturday, Oct. 26
Location: Gaithersburg Community Museum, 9 South Summit Ave.
Admission: Free
Description: New event will feature trick or treating and a Halloween craft. Kids who come in costume get a special prize.

Halloween Boo Bash at Casey
Time/Date: 12 – 1:30 PM Saturday, Oct. 26
Location: Casey Community Center, 810 South Frederick Ave.
Admission: $2
Description: Come in costume for trick or treating, crafts, costume parade and Monster Mash dance party


Theater

Murder at the Mansion
Time/Date: PM Friday, Oct. 25 & Saturday, Oct. 26, 2 PM Sunday, Oct. 27
Location: Kentlands Mansion, 320 Kent Square Road
Admission: $35 single, $60 pair, ages 15-plus
Description: “Deadline” by Dean Fiala performance, buffet of sweet treats, cash bar for 21-plus with ID. Dress up in Victorian/Steampunk attire for a chance to win a prize.

[media-credit name=”Illustration courtesy of Arts on the Green” align=”aligncenter” width=”1200″][/media-credit]


Film

Matinee Saturday
Time/Date: 2-4 PM Saturday, Nov. 9
Location: Arts Barn, 311 Kent Square Road
Admission: $5 for ages 10-plus
Description: “The Vampire Bat” is a 1933 film is about a police detective’s investigation of numerous deaths that the town elders attribute to vampires. Stars include Oscar winner Melvyn Douglas, Fay Wray (of “King Kong. The matinee also will feature news reels of the day, previews of upcoming films and a cartoon featurette, plus popcorn, snacks and drinks.


Glen Echo Park

Information: https://glenechopark.org

Fall Frolic
Time/Date: 1-4 PM Saturday, Oct. 26
Admission: Free
Description: Glen Echo Park Partnership’s annual Halloween-themed family event. Hands-on crafts, pumpkin decorating ($2 per pumpkin), face painting and a costume contest (3:15 p.m.) in the Spanish Ballroom; trick-or-treating – or visiting –studios, galleries and theaters. A costume parade through the park at 3:30 p.m. (weather-permitting) will conclude the festivities.

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Halloween Contra Dance
Time/Date: 7:30 – 11:30 PM Friday, Oct. 25
Location: Spanish Ballroom
Admission: $10, $5 age 17 and younger
Information: www.fridaynightdance.org
Description: Friday Night Dancers Contra dance lesson, 7:30 to 8:15 p.m., followed by the dance called to Tea and Honey’s live music. Beginners welcome; no partner necessary.

Swing Dance
Time/Date: 8 PM – 12 AM Saturday, Oct. 26
Location: Spanish Ballroom
Admission: $20, $15 ages 11-17
Information: www.americanswing.org
Description: American Swing presents Halloween Hop with King Teddy with decorations, costumes, contests and treats. Beginner swing lesson with Sue and Gary, 8 to 9 p.m. Beginners welcome; no partner necessary.


Germantown

Tula’s Halloween Cabaret & Disco
Time/Date: 7 PM – 1 AM Saturday, Nov. 2
Location: BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown
Admission: $25-$45, 301-528-2260, www.blackrockcenter.org
Description: A spook-tacular drag cabaret plus a 10 p.m. disco, 50-50 raffle, best costume competition.

[/media-credit] BlackRock Center for the Arts will present Tula’s Halloween Cabaret/Disco on Nov. 2.

Rockville

A Thriller of a Halloween Dance Tutorial & Flash Mob
Time/Date: 1:30 – 3 PM Saturday, Oct. 19 tutorial; 2 PM Saturday, Oct. 26 FlashMob
Location: Rockville Town Square, 152 Gibbs St., Rockville
Admission: $9 (tutorial), all ages
Description: Ola’s RhythmFit Dance & Fitness will give a tutorial on Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance Oct. 19, followed be an Oct. 26 FlashMob — in costume. Details: www.eventbrite.com


Silver Spring

Halloween Art Spooktacular
Time/Date: 12 – 2 PM Saturday, Oct. 19
Location: CREATE Arts Center, 914 Silver Spring Ave., Silver Spring, 301-588-2787
Admission: $20 family (includes two pumpkins); $8 individual adult (1 pumpkin)
Description: Family activities design for Halloween lovers include pumpkin painting, Halloween crafts & games, haunted studio, face painting and spooky treats.

Halloween on Screen
Time/Date: 7:30 PM Saturday, Oct. 26
Location: AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring
Admission: $13, $11 Seniors (65+), 301-495-6700, http://afi.com/silver
Description: Screening of “The Exorcist”-Extended Director’s Cut (1973) presented by local TV legend Count Gore De Vol, plus interactive games and prizes. Film only at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. Rated R.


Montgomery Parks
www.montgomeryparks.org

Halloween Eye Spy Trains
Time/Date: 4 – 6 PM Fridays, 10 AM – 6 PM Sundays through October
Location: Cabin John Miniature Train & Wheaton Miniature Train Cabin John Regional Park, 7400 Tuckerman Lane, Bethesda; and Wheaton Regional Park, 2000 Shorefield Road
Admission: $6
Description: Riders get a list of Halloween-themed items to spy along the ride through the woods:

Halloween Moonlit Hike
Time/Date: 7-8:30 PM Friday, Oct. 11
Location: Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville
Admission: $9, adults (21-plus)
Description: The hike will explore trails by moonlight while hearing eerie local tales. Post-hike, sit around the campfire, enjoy a seasonal beer and hear more chilling tales; bring your best scary story to tell.

Hide and Seek: Haunted Forest
Time/Date: 2-5 PM Sunday, Oct. 20
Location: Locust Grove Nature Center, 7777 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda
Admission: $2
Description: Families may check-in any time between 2 and 5 p.m. for the clues to finding hidden objects along the park’s trails. Register by Friday, Oct. 18 to receive a prize for completing the hunt. Natural surface trails may not be stroller-accessible. Severe weather cancels the program.

Spooky Skates
Time/Date: 8:30-10 PM Friday, Oct. 25
Location: Wheaton Ice Arena, 11717 Orebaugh Ave., Wheaton
Time/Date: 8-10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25
Location: Cabin John Ice Rink, 10610 Westlake Drive, Rockville
Admission: Fees apply
Description: Celebrate Halloween with a haunted rink and Halloween music. During the public skate, skaters should come in costume so they can trick or treat at the rink, participate in the costume contest with prizes and giveaways.

Not-So-Spooky Skates
Time/Date: 4:40-6:30 PM Friday, Oct. 25
Location: Wheaton Ice Arena, 11717 Orebaugh Ave., Wheaton
Time/Date: 4:15-6:15 P.M. Friday, Oct. 25
Location: Cabin John Ice Rink, 10610 Westlake Drive, Rockville
Admission: $20 ages 3-14, parents free
Description: Free instructional time for beginners followed by public skating. Skaters should come in costume, so they can trick or treat at the rink, participate in the costume contest and do Halloween crafts. Skaters younger than 6 should have a parent participate in the public skating and crafts, but register the child only.

BOOtanica
Time/Date: 5:30-8:30 PM Friday, Oct. 25
Location: Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton
Admission: $18 ages 3-12, parents free
Description: Children can dress in their favorite costume, participate in a garden costume parade, paint a pumpkin, try a pumpkin treat and hear storyteller Gary Loyld present “Pumpkin Tales for the Young.”

Farm Park After Dark
Time/Date: 7-9 PM Friday, Oct. 25
Location: Agricultural History Farm Park, 18400 Muncaster Road, Derwood
Admission: $10, all ages
Description: Program about the creatures of the night, intended to make them less scary, followed by a campfire, s’mores and hot chocolate.

Costume Campfires
Time/Date: 3:30-4:40 PM Saturday, Oct. 26 & Sunday, Oct. 27
Location: Locust Grove Nature Center, 7777 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda
Admission: $7, ages 5-9
Description: Campfire storytime, marshmallow treat. Costumes encouraged.

Make It and Take It: Halloween Masks
Time/Date: 10 AM – 12 PM Sunday, Oct. 27
Location: Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds
Admission: $2 per craft (exact change appreciated), all ages
Description: Make creature masks for Halloween night or on Black Hill’s Not Too Scary Pontoon ride. Drop in, no registration required.

Storytime on the Lake: A Not to Scary Halloween
Time/Date: 1-2 PM Sunday, Oct. 27
Location: Meet at pontoon boat dock near boat rental area, Black Hill Visitor Center, 20926 Lake Ridge Drive, Boyds
Admission: $6, ages 1-plus
Description: Wear a costume and board the pontoon boat. The naturalist will read Halloween stories aloud and all will be on the lookout for mysterious lake creatures.

Spooky Skull Hike
Time/Date: 2-4 PM Sunday, Oct. 27
Location: Brookside Nature Center, 1400 Glenallan Ave, Wheaton
Admission: Free, ages 3-plus
Description: Self-guided hike, a short loop in search of skulls, using clues to identify them. Get a Halloween treat after identifying all the skulls (or for wearing a costume).

Pumpkin Birdfeeders
Time/Date: 1:30-2:30 PM Sunday, Oct. 27
Location: Maydale Conservation Park, 1638 Maydale Drive, Colesville
Admission: $7, ages 6-9
Description: Help birds traveling south by making a pumpkin birdfeeder to take home. Pumpkins are supplied.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Time/Date: 10:30 AM – 12 PM Wednesday, Oct. 30
Location: Meadowside Nature Center, 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville
Admission: Free, ages 6 and younger
Description See Disney’s 1949 short film, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and paint jack o’lanterns in a creative attempt to recreate a not-so-scary Headless Horseman. Bring your own pumpkins; art materials will be supplied.


Fright Fests

Field of Screams Maryland
Time/Date: Opens at dusk on Fridays and Saturdays and most Thursdays and Sundays through Nov. 2
Location: 4501 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Olney
Admission: Varies by trail and package, not recommended for children younger than 13, www.screams.org
Description: Two newly routed haunted trails ($23.56 plus tax), new stations in slaughter house ($21.69 plus tax), carnival town games, axe throwing, hayride.

Markhoff’s Haunted Forest
Time/Date: Opens at dusk Friday and Saturday, Oct. 11-12 & Nov. 1-2  Friday through Sunday, Oct. 18-20 & 25-27, Thursday, Oct. 31 through Nov. 2
Location: Calleva Farm, 19120 Martinsburg Road, Dickerson
Admission: Passes $25 to $35 per activity, www.markoffshauntedforest.com, 301-216-1248
Description: Two Haunted Trails, the Town, , free performances in Front Circle,