It's a time to dress up in character, collect and eat enormous amounts of candy and walk on the spooky side of life.
With more than 25 differenct activities, Halloween at Lake of the Ozarks is abundant with something for the whole family, including costume contest parties, concerts and activities for adults at Lake Area resorts, restaurants and nightclubs, and family-friendly haunted hayrides, trick-or-treat "spooktaculars" and even an appearance from Vlad Dracula.
On Thursday, the Camdenton Library and the Lake Today newspaper present the return of a live "Castle Vlad" show, which had near standing-room only attendance in its first year.
Filled with hilarious and family-friendly antics of Vlad Dracula and his spooky friends, the show will also showcase live performances of the two first place winners in the Lake Today's "Choose Your Own Doom" Ghost Story Contest. The show is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Camdenton Little Theatre in the Camdenton Middle School. All children, who pre-register, will receive a "not-so-goodie" bag, compliments of "Castle Vlad" and numerous local business sponsors. Kids and adults are encouraged to come dressed in costume to help kick off the Halloween season.
For more information or to pre-register, call the Camdenton Library at 573-346-5954.
Presented by STAFF Animal Shelter and Thrift Store, the 17th annual Haunted Hayride will spook guests as they ride through the Laurie Fairgrounds awaiting goblins, witches and other ghoulish creatures Friday and Saturday. Rides start at dusk, approximately 7:15 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children 11 and younger. Groups of 10 or more can receive a special rate. For more information, call 573-374-2629.
From Friday through Sunday, the Lodge of Four Seasons asks guests to indulge in its fifth annual Murder Mystery Weekend ... if they dare! Participants will receive main Lodge accommodations with a Friday evening reception, Saturday breakfast and lunch, Saturday dinner and Sunday breakfast. Additional activities for participants include a free round of golf each day, free fitness room usage, swimming pool access and a movie in the Lodge's Cordoba Theatre. Cost is $279 per person, based on double occupancy. Call 573-365-3000 or 1-888-265-5500 for reservations.
For the next two weekends, the Tunnel Dam Gardens Haunted Maze and Hayride is back, now allowing families to be a part of the show. From 7-11 p.m. this Friday and Saturday and Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, Mother Nature's Riverfront Retreat is hosting its Haunted Maze and Hayride and giving cash prizes to the best displays in its "Spookiest Family Plots" contest.
Families are asked to set up along the hayride route and visitors will vote on their displays. Prizes are awarded to audience favorites. Outside of the family plots, many ghouls, goblins, zombies and monsters of all types will spook visitors to this popular Halloween event along the hayride route and maze.
Admission is $5 per carload. For more information, call 573-363-5408 or 573-836-2009.
On Saturday, families and their furry friends are invited to its Howl-O-Ween Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Dogwood Animal Shelter, which is located at 1075 Runabout Drive in Osage Beach.
Activities include a pet parade and pet Halloween costume contests with prizes, police dog demonstrations and appearances by Sparky the Clown, Shawn C and Lake Area Pirate Captain Scallywag. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be served and vendors, games and activities for the children will also be available. For more information, call 573-348-4411 or visit www.dasoftheozarks.com.
Families can walk the Bagnell Dam Strip area from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday and collect candy from participating businesses during the annual Halloween on the Strip free event.
Children are also encouraged to dress in costume, participate in a variety of games, a costume contest and much more. For more information, call 573-365-7132.
Adults can indulge in a Halloween-inspired pub shuffle called the Westside Spooky Shuffle Saturday on the Lake's west side, which includes nine participating restaurants and begins at 6 p.m. Specials and live entertainment at will be featured at each location. Wristbands are $5 and transportation is provided between locations, which include Bear Bottom Resort, Boomers Bar and Grill, Branding Iron, Cannon Smoked Saloon, Captain Ron's, Chances "R', Hurricane Dolly's, Indian Rock Golf Course's Clubhouse Pub and Vinny's. For more information, call Dolly at 573-374-2895.
Also starting at 6 p.m. Saturday, the community is invited to the Eldon Elementary PTO's Trunk or Treat, which is held at the Eldon Air Park large pavilion. Children are encouraged to dress in costume and explore a variety of spooky, decorated vehicles on the hunt for loads of candy. For more information, visit EldonPTO.org.
Presented by Atlantis Dive and Dock Salvage, this returning event invites divers to carve a pumpkin underwater at Public Beach No. 2 in Lake of the Ozarks State Park with guests voting on their favorite. Held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, families can also enjoy apple bobbing, face painting, clowns, costume contest for ages 1 to 6 and 7 to 12, hot dogs and hot cocoa.
Prizes will be given to winning pumpkins, and a 50/50 raffle is also part of the activities. A $10 donation is encouraged for the whole family to join in the fun. All proceeds benefit the Tri-County YMCA at the Lake. For more information, call the YMCA at 573-348-9230 or Tim McNitt at 573-480-2700.
There are also numerous events coming up on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, and the whole Halloween weekend at Lake of the Ozarks, including the annual Walk on the Rocks at Hy-Vee, the Witching Hour Site's Interactive Trick-or-Treat in Roach, Lake of the Ozarks Writers' Guild Halloween reading and children's festival at Casa De Loco Winery, Captain Ron's Kids Spooktacular, Ha Ha Haunt at Ha Ha Tonka State Park and many local church or organization-sponsored trunk or treats and harvest carnivals. For more information, visit www.funlake.com or check again with the Oct. 22 issue of the Lake Today newspaper.