Chippewa Outreach Center Director Drew Shick, right, sets up a clown on display for the Psycho Circus themed haunted house at the 13976 Ironwood Ave., Lakeview, center. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
A chill is in the air and a plethora of spooky Halloween activities take place during the next week to send shivers up the spine in memorable and fun family atmospheres.
Returning a nearly 20-year tradition to the Chippewa Outreach Center is a free haunted house offered on two different nights — a not scary “Empty Circus” night from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, (prior to the county-wide Beggar’s Night that evening) and a scary “Psycho Circus” offered from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, at 13976 Ironwood Ave., Lakeview.
Clowns in costume and other psycho circus elements are planned for the themed nights, said Director Drew Shick, who has been staging the free haunted houses for the past two decades, with the help of a number of adult volunteers and high school youths.
The Chippewa center has been closed for the past week while Shick has been busy building the sets indoors and prepping all of the ghoulish surprises.
“It started out small the first few years, and has grown to be quite a bit more elaborate since then,” Shick said. “Each year, we pick a new theme and we get to be creative and build all of the sets around that.
“For a few years, we even hosted the haunted house in a tent outside, but the October weather has wrecked havoc on that before. So now it’s all staged indoors.”
For children who enjoy participating in center activities year round and other community members, it’s a fall activity they look forward to each year.
“It’s neat to see their anticipation build as they look forward to the haunted house,” the director said. “For the high school kids who are still involved at the center, it’s a lot of fun for them to come and help out at our haunted house nights.”
Last year on the scary and not-so-scary nights, the center saw close to 200 people come through each evening, and Shick invites area youths and adults alike to come out for the Halloween festivities again this year.
The not-so-scary “Empty Circus” will offer the younger crowd the chance to get their first taste of a haunted house without anyone jumping out after them. They’re invited to take flashlights with them, too.
Then during Friday’s “Psycho Circus” night, costumed characters will be on hand to offer plenty of scares, but won’t be grabbing or touching anyone, the center director noted.
Throughout the year, the outreach centers partner with residents to provide programming to keep children safe as well as strengthen families and encourage a positive community spirit. For more information, visit the Logan County website at https://www.co.logan.oh.us/.
Other Halloween activities staged around Logan County include:
• Trick-or-treat at LCSO — Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Logan County Sheriff’s Office, 284 S. County Road 32, Bellefontaine.
• Halloween KidFest — 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Logan County History Center, 521 E. Columbus Ave., participants will enter through the Logan County Transportation Museum doors and trick-or-treat through the museum bays, make their way up to the Logan County Museum and trick-or-treat through the spooky hallways and decorated rooms before exiting the museum, walking around the Orr Mansion; no admission fee, but a suggested donation of canned goods or non-perishable food items for local food pantry; children must be accompanied by an adult, children will receive a pumpkin from Wenger’s Produce and a craft kit to take home with them to decorate their pumpkin.
• Indian Lake community kiddie party, trunk or treat — Today, Saturday, Oct. 21, LuLu’s at the Lake, 156 E. Main St., Russells Point, 3 to 5 p.m. kiddie party, with games, crafts, faceprinting, prizes, followed by trunk-or-treat from 5 to 7 p.m., hosted by LuLu’s and the Indian Lake Chamber.
• Ring of Lights Halloween Walk — 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Blue Jacket Park; open to all children currently in grades pre-K through second-grade and allows them, in costume, to receive candy and literature from local businesses; participants are asked to park at Bellefontaine High School, 555 E Lake Ave., and enter Blue Jacket Park near the baseball field.
• Lakeview Fourth Thursday’s Pumpkin Walk/Food Truck Rally — 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, businesses host trick-or-treat pumpkin walk, dress in your best costume, grab a shopping passport, free music, food and games, take lawn chairs.
• West Liberty’s Halloween Spooktacular — 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26; pumpkin painting and carving, face painting, inflatables, spooky tunes by DJ Skelly, a toddler area, food trucks, 200 free hot dogs, cotton candy, games and more.
• Logan County Beggar’s Night — 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, countywide, except for Belle Center, where trick-or-treat is slated for 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28.