MANITOULIN—As fall’s cooler weather begins to herald the onset of winter’s icy grasp, minds young and old begin to dwell on the spooky pursuits of ghosts, witches and goblins—with a little Spongebob thrown in for good measure. Luckily, October’s wane brings with it plenty of Hallowe’en and harvest diversions to enchant and entertain.
The Great Spirit Circle Trail’s Woodland Haunted Trail Season 2 at 5905 Highway 540 in M’Chigeeng will be taking place on October 23, 24, 29 and 30. With admission set at $5 per person and starting at 6:45 pm, there will be 10 tours per night where participants are invited to “come be afraid of the dark” and to “Take a walk through the woodland—the last walk you will ever take.”
On Saturday, October 24 the annual NEMI Hallowe’en Party starts at 1 pm at the Centennial Museum of Sheguiandah.
Saturday, October 24 will also see the Hallowe’en Haunted Walk sponsored by the Gore Bay West Manitoulin Lions Club take place at 9 Douglas Road, Ice Lake from 2 pm to 6 pm. All children must be accompanied by an adult for this event, but visitors are invited to come with or without a costume. Silver donations collected will be used to assist in the training a service dog—a hallowed Lions campaign.
The Gwen Young Memorial Dinner and Dance taking place on Saturday, October 24 at the Sheguiandah Seniors Hall will honour the memory of the late Gwen Young, helping to raise funds for both a memorial bursary in her name and to top up the Green Bay Hall maintenance fund. Cocktails will begin at 5 pm and the dinner itself, a feast featuring Italian cuisine, will start at 5:30 pm. Tickets for the adult dinner and dance are $20, dinner only $16 (child dinner $10) and $7 for the dance only. The dance, which is adult only, will begin at 9 pm, winding up at 1 am under the ministrations of DJs Master Mark and CC Deville. There will be door prizes, basket raffles, spot dances and costume prizes. Contact Leigh Cranston at 705-368-1652 or Lois Keller at 705-348-0123 for tickets or further details.
A Hallowe’en dance is scheduled for the Assiginack Curling Club on Saturday, October 24, starting at 9 pm until 1 am. Admission is $10 and music will be provided by DJ Lunch and prize categories will include best dressed and comic lady, man and couple as well as the best original costume. Judging starts at 10:30 pm sharp, so be there in ghoulish style for this 19-plus event.
Mindemoya’s Hallowe’en dance at the community centre will take place on Saturday, October 24 from 9 pm to 1 am, legal age only. Tickets can be secured at Rylan’s Clothing, Jake’s Home Centre or by contacting the Lion nearest you.
Assiginack will once again be celebrating its annual Pumpkin Festival on Sunday, October 25, with a full day of great events starting with the craft vendors at 11 am to 3 pm, the horse and wagon rides at 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, the cupcakes for kids event starts at 12 pm, followed by games for the kids between 12 pm and 1 pm. The seed spitting contest will see who can go the distance at 1 pm with the highly anticipated pumpkin catapult starting at 1:30 pm. There will be contests including the best decorated business and home ($100 up for grabs in each of the scarecrow themed events), a best centrepiece made with a pumpkin contest, a baking contest and a best decorated/carved pumpkin, with categories for kids seven and under and eight to 13. Check the advertisement in this week’s The Expositor for catapult contest details.
The Manitoulin Expositor is getting in on the fun too, with a Trick or Treat candy hunt in our October 28 edition of the paper. Search the pages of the paper to find the candies secreted within the advertisements to win great prizes. Check next week’s paper for details.
It may not be all that Hallowe’enish, but the Gordon’s Community Hall pot luck supper, put on by the Gordon’s Women’s Institute starts at 6 pm on Friday, October 30 and is a bargain way to fuel up for the day at $5 per person, $2 for those six to 12 and while the under five set are free.
Debajehmujig Storytellers will be presenting an evening of Scary Stories at the Holy Cross Mission Ruins in Wikwemikong, with the planned schedule of creepy tales to begin as darkness falls around 7 pm on October 29 and 30.
Gore Bay’s Hallowe’en Dance takes place on Friday, October 30 from 9 pm to 1 am and admission is $10 with costume and $15 without costume.
On Friday, October 30, the NEMI Hallowe’en Skate Party will start at 4:30 pm and run to 6 pm at the recreation centre in Little Current.
On Friday, October 30 between 7 pm and 10 pm the Manitoulin Community Church at 506 Smeltzer’s Road in Tehkummah is hosting a Dress for the Mess kids’ game party for youth from eight to 18, with pizza to follow. Dress to get messy. The following day, on Saturday, October 31, Manitoulin Community Church in Tehkummah is hosting a Harvest Drop-in kids’ party with games, candy and treats for both kids and parents. Folks are invited to drop in anytime between 6 pm and 8 pm. Admission to all events is free.
The Little Current Branch 177 Royal Canadian Legion Dance is hosting Hallowe’en events on Friday, October 30. The first, for kids aged 4 to 12, is between 6 pm and 8 pm and the second is for youth aged 13 to 18, taking place from 8 pm to 10 pm. Admission is $5 per person.
On the following day, Saturday, October 31, the adults get to go out and play at the Legion, with a licenced dance from 9 pm to 1 am. DJ Caitlyn Young will provide the upstairs entertainment, but you can start your Hallowe’en evening even earlier, however, as live music will be offered downstairs from six to 9 pm.
On Saturday, October 31 from 11 am to 2 pm the Kagawong pumpkin carving contest will take place fueled by hot chocolate and other goodies, hosted by the Billings Recreational Committee. Don’t forget to bring your carving tools to the Kagawong Market Pavilion.
