25 things to do for Halloween in the Twin Cities

There's way too much to do for Halloween and Day of the Dead in the Twin Cities, but this list is a good place to start.

1. Halloween Lights on York Ave/ Schultz Family Lights
WHEN: Oct. 1 - Nov. 1; dusk to 10 p.m.
WHERE: 1526 York Ave, St. Paul, MN
ADMISSION: Free, accepting donations for the Merrick Food Shelf
Come admire the work of five neighbors who strung 15,000 twinkling Halloween-themed lights, blowups and wire frames displayed on both sides of their street.

2. Pumpkin Fest
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 25; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Trick-or-Treating starts at 10 a.m.
WHERE: West 50th Street and France Avenue , Edina
ADMISSION: Free
Edina's family-orientated day supplements the standard October's end trick-or-treating and face painting with a parade let by Edina High School Band and horse drawn trolley rides.

3. Como-Harriet Streetcar Line Trolleys
WHAT: Ghost Trolley
WHEN: Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, 25; 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
ADMISSION: $4 per passenger
WHAT: Transylvania Trolley
WHEN: Saturday, 25th; 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
ADMISSION: $2 per person, 3 and under free
WHAT: Trick 'r Trolley
WHEN: Sunday Oct. 26; 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.
ADMISSION: $5
WHERE: Linden Hills Station, Queen Avenue South at West 42nd Street or Lake Calhoun platform on Richfield Road just south of West 36th Street. The three Halloween-themed trolley rides offer a family-friendly, 15- to 20-minute trick-or-trip.

4. Halloween Fearless 5K
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 25; 9 a.m. start
WHERE: Como Lake, St Paul, MN
1360 Lexington Parkway North, St Paul, MN 55103
ADMISSION: $34 pre-registration (ends Thursday); $45 on race day

5. The Great Pumpkin Carve at Wolfe Park
WHEN: Pumpkin drop off: Friday, Oct. 24, 12:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Displayed: Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25, 6 - 10 p.m.
WHERE: Wolfe Park, 3700 Monterey Drive, St. Louis Park
ADMISSION: Free
St. Louis Park wants to light up its Wolfe Park amphitheater with hundred of lit carved pumpkins. To that end it is extending an invitation to carve pumpkins and bring them to the park, before they're all displayed for a two-night stint.

6. ZooBoo
WHEN: Oct. 24 - 26; 4:30-7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Drive, Saint Paul, MN
ADMISSION: Advance tickets $6, $7 at the gate

7. Black Out: Glow Crazy
WHEN: Oct. 24, 25 and 31; 5- 10 p.m.
WHERE: Mall of America, Nickelodeon Universe
ADMISSION: Unlimited ride wristbands, $21.99
MOA amusement park adds unlit rides, black lighting and costume parties -- as well as throwing in a free treat bag for the first 1,000 ride ticket purchases on event nights.

8. Boo-ology
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 25; noon to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Science Museum of Minnesota,120 W. Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul
ADMISSION: Free for kids 12 and under in costume
Science Museum adds hands-on science activities "with a Halloween spin" to regular permanent exhibits.

9. HowlZooWeen
WHEN: Month of October
WHERE: Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo boulevard, Apple Valley
Animals will be fed Halloween-themed treats and participants will be treated to scavenger hunts, hay mazes and the chance to meet creatures like reptiles, lynx kittens and bats.

10. Halloween Skate at the Burnsville Ice Center
WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 26; noon to 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Burnsville Ice Center, 251 Civic Center Parkway, Burnsville
ADMISSION: Free
Trick-or Treat around the rink before you hit up your neighborhood with discounted $2 skate rental and free admission, plus free private lessons for new skaters.

11. Gluten-Free Trick or Treating
WHEN: Monday Oct. 27, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Celiac Center of Minnesota, 8400 France Avenue S., Bloomington
For those gluten-free children and their parents who carefully pick out off-limits candy out of pillow cases and buckets each Halloween, this fourth annual event will provide worriless trick-or-treating.

12. Twin Cities Horror Festival
WHEN: Oct. 23 - Nov. 2
WHERE: Southern Theater, 1420 S Washington Ave, Minneapolis
ADMISSION: Tickets $14- $15
A film-full series of horrific and murderous shows, like an adaptation of Frankenstein by RawRedMeat Productions that warns, "Do not bring children. Do not come alone."

13. Valley Scare
WHEN: Weekends, Sept. 20 - Nov 2; times vary between 11:00 a.m. and midnight
WHERE: 1 Valleyfair Dr, Shakopee
ADMISSION: Tickets range from $30.99- $73.99
Choose between daytime family-focused Planet Spooky, or its older, nighttime cousin: Halloween Haunt.

14. Wabasha Street Caves
WHEN: See Calendar
WHERE: 215 Wabasha St S, St Paul
ADMISSION: Between $10 and $25, depending on show
Ghosts & Graves, Caves & Graves and Lost Souls Tour take visitors on cave tours.

15. Unhinged: Haunted Basement
WHEN: Gallery hours: 1-5 p.m. on Oct. 23- 24; 12 - 6 p.m. Oct. 26
Basement Hours: Oct. 23- 26; times range between 6 - 11: 10 p.m.
WHERE: Soap Factory, 514 2nd St SE, Minneapolis
ADMISSION: Tickets range $25 - $27, $10 tickets for 'Fraidy Cat tours Oct. 26
Get set loose in a house of horrors tailored for maximum fear.

16. FrightFarm Haunted House
WHEN: 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. Oct. 24 -25, Oct. 30- 31; noon - 4 p.m. Oct. 26
WHERE: 2020 White Bear Ave, Maplewood
ADMISSION: $10

17. First Ave Halloween Part (18+)
WHEN: 8 p.m. Oct. 31
WHERE: 701 1st Ave N, Minneapolis
ADMISSION: $5 advance or $10 day of

18. Dia de los Muertos and Halloween at Midtown Global Market
WHAT: Dia de los Muertos
WHEN: Saturday, October 25 from 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Live music, a traditional Aztec dance performance and more are planned for the market's annual Day of the Dead celebration. The following weekend, kids can stock up on internationally-sourced treats.
WHAT: Trick of Treating
WHEN: Friday October 31, 4 - 6 p.m.
WHERE: 920 E Lake St #G10, Minneapolis

19. West Side of Saint Paul, Dia de los Muertos
WHEN: Saturday Oct. 25; 1-9 p.m.
WHERE: El Rio Vista Recreation Center, 179 Robie St. E, Saint Paul
ADMISSION: Free
All are invited to build ofrendas -- alters honoring or remembering lost loved ones -- make masks, follow a neighborhood procession and see an Aztec dance ceremony.

20. Minnesota Historical Center Day of the Dead
WHEN: Sunday Oct. 26; noon- 4 p.m.
WHERE: 345 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul
ADMISSION: $11 adults; $9 college and senior; $6 children; free for children five and under
The Historical Center's Day of the Dead celebration includes a puppet show by Teatro del Pueblo, community-made ofrendas, Mexican folk song and dance and an exhibit featuring Mexican printmaking.

21. Minnetonka Orchards
WHEN: Saturday Oct. 25 - Sunday Oct. 26; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
WHERE: Minnetonka Orchards, 6530 County Road 26 , Mound
ADMISSION: $7, free for ages 3 and under
Minnetonka orchards offering trick-or-treaters the best in Halloween harvest: hay, pumpkins and, of course, apples.
Come dressed for trick or treats.

22. Anoka, Halloween Capital of the World
WHEN: Events run through Oct. 31
WHERE: Various, in Anoka
Come to the self-proclaimed Halloween mecca of the world for a slew of spooky events -- from a 5k run (and 1-mile fitness walk) to its 94th annual Grand Day Parade, Halloween Bingo and a 21+ Monster Mash costume and dance contest.

23. Victorian Ghost Stories
WHEN: Every Saturday and Sunday until Oct. 26; 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: James J. Hill House, 240 Summit Ave. St Paul
ADMISSION: $12
In the dimply lit parlor of the former home of a local railroad magnate, the Historical Society is putting together readings by costumed actors of 19th-century spooky-themed stories, as well as "true" ghost stories. Then visitors will tour the Hill House.

24. Trail of Terror
WHEN: Oct. 24-26, 31 and Nov. 1
Open from 7.m. to 12:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Sundays
WHERE: 3525 145th Street West, Shakopee
ADMISSION: $16.95 advanced, $19.95 general admission
It's all about walking -- or running -- through a house full of bugs and creepy crawlies, a night in jail gone wrong, a pub crawl and zombie paintball.

25. Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board
Minneapolis' many parks are also hosting Halloween- themed events this month.