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By Kirk Boxleitner<\/p>\n
The remaining days of October offer no shortage of seasonally appropriate events and activities for a wide range of ages who want to celebrate the Halloween spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n From Wednesday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Nov. 2, the Jefferson County Historical Society (JCHS) is offering 90-minute \u201cStrange Shadows: Uncanny Tales of Port Townsend\u201d walking tours, covering \u201cghostly encounters, unexplained disappearances, historical oddities, UFO sightings and strange tales from the sea,\u201d before visiting the historic jail spaces inside the 1892 City Hall building.<\/span><\/p>\n The JCHS Museum of Art and History is also offering \u201cHidden Haunts\u201d scavenger hunts, to uncover \u201ceerie and mysterious\u201d stories throughout the museum, and its \u201cHaunted Jail\u201d coincides with Halloween trick-or-treating in downtown Port Townsend.<\/span><\/p>\n From 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30, the Chimacum School District will conduct its fourth-annual \u201cTrunk-or-Treat\u201d at the main Chimacum Junior\/Senior High School campus along Rhody Drive, which the Chimacum Schools PTA explained aims to bring together neighbors from across not only Chimacum itself, but also Port Hadlock and Irondale.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFor many of our rural families, where neighborhoods aren\u2019t always walkable, this event provides a rare opportunity for kids to trick-or-treat safely, and experience the excitement of Halloween in their community,\u201d said Maggie Chumbley, speaking for the Chimacum Schools PTA. \u201cParticipation continues to grow, with support from East Jefferson Fire Rescue, the Rakers Car Club, Carl\u2019s Building Supply, the Jefferson County Sheriff\u2019s Office and many local shops and service providers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n From noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center museum exhibit at Fort Worden State Park will offer Halloween-themed crafts, a boneyard scavenger hunt and \u201cspooky\u201d marine facts, at 502 Harbor Defense Way, across from the beach and pier.<\/span><\/p>\n The afternoon of Oct. 31 will see the Port Townsend Main Street Program celebrate its 29th annual Downtown Trick or Treat and costume parade, which encourages people to dress up in their \u201cultimate themed\u201d costumes, as their favorite superheroes, or as the scariest creatures they can come up with.<\/span><\/p>\n Children from preschool through sixth grade are encouraged to show up in costume, but must be accompanied by adults.<\/span><\/p>\n Parade participants are asked to assemble at 3:45 p.m. at the 1st Security Bank plaza, at the intersection of Adams and Water streets, before the friendly Main Street witches lead off the parade at 4 p.m., marching from Water to Polk streets.<\/span><\/p>\n Trick-or-treating immediately follows the parade, at participating businesses throughout downtown Port Townsend, on Water and Washington streets, and in between Water Street, and some side streets from Madison to Polk streets, will be closed to traffic from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for public safety at this event, which typically draws between 1,500, and 2,000 attendees.<\/span><\/p>\n The later afternoon and evening of Oct. 31 offer their own haunted happenings and spooky shows, as the Starrett House, at 744 Clay St. in Port Townsend, hosts a Victorian-style s\u00e9ance from 6-8 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n To mark the birthday of George Starrett, builder of the house that bears his name, Matthew Bell plans to conduct a s\u00e9ance \u201cin true 19th century Victorian fashion,\u201d followed by a pause to share tea and cake, and concluding with a presentation on the history and cultural fascination with s\u00e9ances during the Victorian era.<\/span><\/p>\n And from 8 p.m. on Oct. 31 to 3 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, the Manresa Castle Hotel at 651 Cleveland St. in Port Townsend will host \u201cMemento Mori 3,\u201d presented by As Above, So Below. Manresa Castle opens its doors for a night of \u201chaunting music, immersive art and spirited revelry,\u201d with three stages of \u201ctop-tier sound and performance,\u201d and 40 rooms \u201cof history and mystery,\u201d for which attendees can come \u201cdressed to impress,\u201d or borrow an outfit from the castle\u2019s costume bin.<\/span><\/p>\n Check the rest of The Leader for other opportunities to trick-or-treat and\/or close out the spooky season in style.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n