Halloween falls on a Wednesday this year, so fans of the holiday have a number of opportunities to attend events over the next few days. There are numerous events for adults at the area bars and restaurants, but here is a list of some family friendly activities for participants of all ages:
A listing of some pet friendly Halloween activities can be found in a previous article.
At least three events are planned in Arlington for those who want to celebrate Halloween with their favorite four-legged friend.
On Saturday, Oct. 27, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, Arlington-based Doorways for Women and Families will hold its 2nd annual Howl-O-Ween Dog Walk for the Homeless. The event is being held at Big Walnut Park (1915 N. Harrison Street).
Some Arlington residents went all-out when it came to dressing up their homes for Halloween. Just before the kids started trick-or-treating last night, we stopped by two local streets that were said to have some of the best decorations around.
On the 700 block of N. Illinois Street in Bluemont, two homeowners were duking it out for the title of scariest house. One home was not only spook-ified on the outside, but the creepy decorations and frightful lighting continued well inside the front door as well.
Students from Abingdon, Arlington Science Focus, Campbell, Barrett, Barcroft and Key elementary schools went trick-or-treating at the White House on Saturday night. Students — including the two Key Elementary students pictured — were handed Halloween treats from none other than the President and Mrs. Obama themselves.
Photo courtesy Arlington Public Schools
Last week, the county’s WalkArlington program published a series of safety tips for trick-or-treaters, parents and drivers alike.
For instance, drivers should anticipate children darting out from between parked cars, while kids should make sure their costume is visible to drivers.
SoberRide Active for Halloween — The regional SoberRide program will be offered Saturday night/early Sunday morning. Halloween partiers can call 1-800-200-TAXI (8294) between 10:00 p.m. on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. on Sunday to get a free, safe ride home — up to a $30 fare — in Arlington, Alexandria, D.C., Fairfax and most other surrounding jurisdictions. Arlington’s Red Top Cab is not only one of the participating cab companies, but one of the main sponsors of the program. [Washington Regional Alcohol Program]
Candidate Forum on Sunday — The League of Women Voters of Arlington will be sponsoring a candidate forum on Sunday. From 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., the local candidates for state Senator, state Delegate and County Board will discuss their stances on the issues. The forum is being held at the Arlington Central Library auditorium (1015 N. Quincy Street). [League of Women Voters]
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington encourages you to dress up your dog in a costume and attend a trick or treat event at Dogma Bakery (2445 N. Harrison St.) in the Lee-Harrison shopping center. With a $10 donation, you can fill your dog’s treat bag at various stores in the center. There will be treats for humans as well.
There will be games and prizes for best costumes–both pet and handler. The whole family is welcome at the event, which starts at 6:00 p.m.
Elliot Hosts Halloween Event in Clarendon — DC101’s Elliot in the Morning is hosting a Halloween Bash at Clarendon Ballroom on Friday night. [Clarendon Nights]
Arlington Seeks More Notable Trees — Arlington County is asking residents to help it identify more unusual, historic or special trees for its Notable Tree registry. [Sun Gazette]
Tomorrow (Oct. 22), from noon to 2:00 p.m., the Whole Food Market in Clarendon (2700 Wilson Blvd) will be hosting AppleFest — a “harvest tasting event” devoted entirely to apples.
“From juicy and aromatic apples to those that are fine textured, families and apple-enthusiasts can welcome the new fall season while sampling a variety of tasty apples and enjoying its culinary and crafty delight,” Whole Foods said in a press release. Planned activities include cooking demonstrations, crafts, tastings and an apple scavenger hunt.
With Halloween just around the corner, Arlington Public Library is hosting a Star Wars costume event this coming weekend. Representatives from the Rebel Legion and the 501st Legion — international costuming enthusiast organizations for the Star Wars good guys and bad guys, respectively — will be on hand at Arlington Central Library (1015 N. Quincy Street) on Saturday to discuss how they make their elaborate Star Wars costumes.
Star Wars geeks and casual fans alike are invited to come take photos with fully-costumed members of the local Rebel Legion and 501st Legion (slogan: “Bringing order to the galaxy since 1997”). For those who want to follow in the footsteps of legion members, be prepared for intricate instructions on how to become an authentic storm trooper, Jedi knight or bounty hunter.
De Vol (television legend Dick Dyszel) will be hosting “Spooky Shorts,” a three-hour screening of “thirteen of the wildest short films from around the world,” at Artisphere on Saturday.
The screening starts at 8:00 p.m. in the Artisphere’s Dome Theater. Tickets are $10.
In addition to candy bars and other treats, the tike, dressed as Cookie Monster, managed to score an expensive gold wedding band. Mom and dad found the ring while rummaging through the contents Jack’s Halloween candy bucket.
“I immediately picked it up and knew that it had to be someone’s wedding ring and knew it must have fallen off when she was putting candy into Cookie Monster’s pumpkin bucket,” says mom Michaela Sims. “Knowing how awful it feels to lose something that important, I put the ring in a safe place and went to the computer to post something about it on the Alcova Heights neighborhood listserve.”
