Editor’s Note: Halloween is just around the corner. Time to bust out the decor and get spooky. If you missed this morning’s post, check out our crafty version of Dia de los Muertos skulls HERE. Now, on to the important stuff, where’s the candy and costume parades. Here’s what’s happening this Halloween weekend in the Comox Valley:

Oh the spooktacularness of Halloween. If there is ever a holiday that celebrates creativity, kookiness and the joys of sugar, this has got to be it.

I totally dig seeing what kids (and parents) come up with every year in the costume universe and love nothing more than the annual trade in of candy that the allergy-prone kiddo can’t eat for an awesome “prize” in the form of something cool of her choosing.

It’s time to hit the kid Halloween party scene.

Here is the scoop on some of the funkiest fun in the Comox Valley this weekend.

Courtenay:

- The annual Downtown Halloween Parade will be at 4 p.m. Saturday with Fifth Street merchants handing out treats for costumed cuties.

- The Zombie Walk – recommended for youth ages 10 and up – will begin at 5 p.m. and head down to party at Joe’s Garage. It starts on the corner of 5th and Fitzgerald. The route for the walk will take us down Fifth Avenue until we reach Joe’s Garage at around 6:00.  There you will have a chance to enjoy some live music, excellent food, and win some great prizes

- The LINC Youth Centre is hosting its annual haunted house from Oct. 28-30, created and manned by LINC Youth. It’s awesome and runs from 6 to 8 p.m. with a $2 admission.

- The Comox Valley Sports Centre is hosting a great night of skating, swimming and movies on Saturday, Oct. 31. The evening begins with a public skate from 7:45 to 9:15 p.m. Swimming and movies run from 9:15 to 11:15 p.m. on the big screen. Popcorn too! Admission is $5 including skate rentals.

Comox:

- Downtown Comox and the Comox Centre Mall hosts its annual spooktacular celebration, inviting young and old to cruise the mall in costume and head out along Comox Avenue to visit with merchants who will be passing out treats. Everything starts at 4 p.m. Saturday

Black Creek:

- There will be a community gathering starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Miracle Mini Golf and Ice Cream Parlor, 8667 N. Island Highway, Black Creek. Bonfire, Fireworks display, trunk or treat, costume contest, live music provided by “Switchback”.

This event is FREE and organizers ask attendees bring a small donation of food for the local food banks if able.
Trick or treaters will go to your trunk to collect candies and treats.The Mini Golf and Ice Cream Parlor will remain open and have Coffee, Hot Chocolate, Hot Dogs and Ice Cream available. Fireworks will be set off by Oyster River Volunteer Fire Department

My personal recommendations are:

- For the sensitive, preschool and generally spooked easily crowd, the Comox event is much more chill, cute and young family-friendly. There’s always warm drinks and the merchants are super sweet.

- For the adventurous middle-grade, scary loving and more adult crowd, the Courtenay event is a serious sight that is fun and a bit of a rumble. The costumes there are spectacular and if the weather is good you can expect to see hundreds of them. Adults and kids alike tend to dress up for this fun – so you get some more gruesome themes. But, oh is it fun.

- The LINC haunted house and CV Sports Centre events are a great way to keep the middle school and high school crowd plugged in to good, healthy fun.

- This is the first year for the Zombie Walk. Organizers recommend it for older kids, teens and adults as the costumes are expected to be a bit gory. Sounds like 28 Days worth of fun.