All things Halloween

LITTLE ROCK — From hayrides to haunted houses, there are lots of activities planned in the River Valley area this month.

A sampling of activities: MAYFLOWER Haunted hayride

The Conway Junior Chamber (Jaycees) will host the third annual "Haunted Hayride: The Field of the Forsaken," from Wednesday until Halloween at Schaefers Farm Corn Maze, 863 Lollie Road.

The event will start nightly at 7 and end after all riders have gone through. The Jaycees' Haunted Hayride is a 30-45 minute long trip on a tractor pulled hay trailer that travels through the Schaefers farm and along the Arkansas River. Its eerie atmosphere combined with several haunted "scenes" provides an exciting and frightful experience that is mature enough for adults, yet friendly to all ages. The Jaycees are trying a few new things for this year's hayride. The hayride will take the riders through the haunted hayride, as it has in years past, but the hayride will stop and riders will venture on foot through a "haunted house" before reboarding the trailer and completing the hayride. Tickets are $7 foradults and $5 for children under 12. Proceeds will be used to purchase Thanksgiving meals for 40 families in the Faulkner County area. For more information, contact Bradley Phillips at (501) 269-2723 or bradley@ phillipsmanagement.net or visit www.conwayjaycees.org.

RUSSELLVILLE Fall festival

Main Street Russellville's 16th Annual Downtown Fall Festival and Chili Cook-off will be held in the historic downtown district on Saturday. Entertainment will be held on the stage in front of the caboose at Depot Park. A variety of activities will be held throughout the day including arts and crafts, a dog show, car, truck and motorcycle show; a chili cookoff, duck-calling contest, a silent auction, Tour De Pumpkin bike ride, a 1K and 5K run, concessions and vendors. For more information, call (479) 967-1437.

DARDANELLE

Halloween storytelling trail

Scarecrows, pumpkins, and delectable beastly meals await curious visitors wandering through Lake Dardanelle State Park's Sixth Annual Halloween Storytelling Trail. Autumn-themed storybook characters come to life at the park 7-10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Wednesday. There will be no ghosts or goblins, only friendly storytellers in costume ready to share their autumn experiences with the crowd. Park at the visitor center and enjoy holiday games and activities while waiting to hop on the harvest hayride to the trail. After the storytelling the hayride returns to the visitor center. Admission to the event is free, but donations will be accepted. For more information, call the park at (479) 967-5516. The park is located off Marina Road in Russellville. Turn at the new park entrance and park at the visitor center.

OVERCUP Haunted house

The Hubbard Family Relayfor Life Team will have its 3rd annual haunted house at the Overcup Community Building, three miles north of town on Arkansas 9 from 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Advance tickets are $3 and $5 at the door. There will be an inflatable bounce house for younger children. All proceed will benefit the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life. To get advance tickets and more information you can contact any member of the Hubbard team and ticket are available at Hubbard's Cupboard at 207 E. Broadway St. in Morrilton or by calling (501) 354-2261 or (501) 208-1394 or (501) 215-7589.

MORRILTON

Monsters on Main Street

Monsters on Main Street will be held from 4-6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Children, ages 2-10, are invited to dress up in their costumes and visit downtown merchants for treats. Other activities include a fortune teller, ghost dart board, goblin walk, bean-bag toss, costume contest and more. Concessions will be available. Trick-or-treat bags, sponsored by the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton, will be available at the Depot on Railroad Avenue and participating businesses.

CONWAY Fall Harvest Festival

◊Fellowship Bible Church, 1051 Hogan Lane, will hold a Fall Harvest Festival from 1-3 p.m. Saturday. There will be a moonwalk, games, carnival booth, candle-making, popcorn and candy. Children are invited to dress up (no scary costumes). More information is available at (501) 327-3444.

Trunk-or-treat

◊Grace United Methodist Church, 1075 Hogan Lane, will host its annual children's trunk-or-treat 4-5:30 p.m., Sunday. The event will be canceled if it rains. For more information, call Grace Church at (501) 329-6056.

Pumpkin-decorating contest

◊First State Bank, 2690Donaghey Ave., is having a pumpkin-decorating contest on Wednesday for children ages 12 and under. Contestants can pick up a free pumpkin at the bank on Monday. Decorated pumpkins will be judged at 6 p.m. with first, second and third place in three categories.

Second Baptist Church trunk-or-treat

◊Second Baptist Church is hosting a trunk-or-treat from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, in the Best Buy Parking lot in Conway Commons Shopping Center. No scary costumes. There will be hot dogs, popcorn and candy. If it rains, it will be held at Second Baptist Church, 701 Polk St. For more information call (501) 327-6565.

Fall festival

◊Antioch Baptist Church, 150 Amity Road, is having a fall festival from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday. There will be hot dogs, a hayride, games and crafts.

CLINTON Trunk-or-treat The Ozark Health Medical Center is sponsoring a Halloween Fall Festival trunk or treat event from 3-8 p.m. Wednesday in the old Volex parking lot behind the Wal-Mart Supercenter. There will be a pie-throwing contest, cake walk, cotton candy, duck pond, ball-throwing contest, pumpkin bag toss, pumpkincarving contest, face painting, hay rides, a haunted house, rock-climbing wall, costume contest, free hot dogs and chili cook-off. Proceeds from the chili cook-off will go to the Van Buren County Special School near Clinton. For more information contact Ozark Health Medical Center at (501) 745-7004, extension 100.

GUM LOG Hallelujah Festival

Happy Valley Assembly of God Church, 4060 Arkansas 326 in the Gum Log community, is having a Hallelujah Festival from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday. There will be a costume contest (no scary costumes), games fishing booth, cake walk and a bonfire for students age 12 and older. There will be a chili cook-off. Chili will be served over hot dogs, nachos and corn chips. Admission, food and games are all free. There will be a small fee for the cake walk. Children 6 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For more information (479) 641-7895.