Halloween Daze and Spooky Knights return to Renaissance festival

HUNTERSVILLE – Visitors to the Carolina Renaissance Festival, 16445 Poplar Tent Road, can enjoy extra spooks Oct. 29 and 30. Children younger than 12 are admitted free and encouraged to show off their costumes in the Halloween Costume Contest. Children can trick-or-treat in the Festival Village and hunt for Halloween treasures.

Pumpkin Patch to benefit St. Jude

HUNTERSVILLE – Fox & Hound restaurant is hosting a pumpkin sale outside the Birkdale eatery to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The sales take place outside of the restaurant at 8711 Lindholm Drive Thursday and Friday, 5 until 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon until 9 p.m.

All of the proceeds go to the hospital. Along with the sale, cash donations will also be accepted for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Great DUMC Youth Pumpkin Patch

Davidson United Methodist Youth Ministries will be selling pumpkins through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit the youth ministries. The patch is open weekdays from noon until 8 p.m. and weekends from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

To schedule a children’s group for story time at The Pumpkin Patch, call Kristen Twitchell at 704-892-8277.

Birkdale Village hosts evening of Halloween Fun

Birkdale Village will offer games, arts and crafts, hay rides, a moon bounce and more for Halloween Fun Oct. 31 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Carve pumpkins at Ben & Jerry’s

DAVIDSON – Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, 202 S. Main St., will hold a pumpkin carving contest Thursday, Oct. 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. The evening will feature haunted tunes, story time and a screening of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.”

Guests should bring their own pumpkins and tools. Ben & Jerry’s will award prizes to the creators of the most Ben & Jerry-like pumpkin, the most Davidson-like pumpkin, funniest and best of show. Pumpkins will be displayed outside the shop for the trick-or-treat parade the next night. Call 704-892-0604 for more information.

Mooresville Pumpkin Run

The Mooresville Recreation Department’s Pumpkin Run 8K road race and 2K costume Fun Run are Oct. 29. Runners will take off from the War Memorial Building at 9 a.m. Registration for the 8k run costs $25 and the Fun Run costs $15 before Oct. 10. Pre-registration includes a T-shirt. The top three male and female runners will win awards and gift certificates. For more information visit www.mooresvillerecreation.org or call 704-663-7026.

Downtown Trick-or-Treat March

Costumed characters of all ages will march down Davidson’s Main Street Oct. 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. and receive treats from Davidson merchants. Trick-or-treaters should line up in front of town hall, 216 S. Main St.

Triple Cross hosts costume party and haunted trail

MOORESVILLE – Triple Cross Ranch, 187 Shinnville Road, encourages children and adults to wear costumes to its Halloween Party and Spooky Trails Saturday, Oct. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. The evening will include games, dancing, a costume contest and guided spooky trails for a $5 admission. Triple Cross Ranch prohibits demonic, provocative or gory costumes. For more information visit www.TripleCross
RanchNC.com, call 704-660-9526 or e-mail tripplecrossranch@live.com.

YMCA hosts ‘Run for Your Life’ half marathon

CHARLOTTE – Run For Your Life and the Dowd YMCA present Rocktoberfest Half Marathon and 5K and a best-dressed rocker contest Saturday, Oct. 22. The half marathon begins at 7:40 a.m. and the 5K begins at 8 a.m at the 400 E. Morehead St. YMCA. Anyone who attends the 10:15 a.m. awards ceremony dressed as their favorite rocker can enter the costume contest for prizes. The best-dressed rocker and the best-dressed family, friend or runner groupie will win a pair of tickets to the NC Music Factory’s Music Monsters & Mayhem bash and tickets to upcoming concerts from radio stations 106.5 “The End” and 99.7 “The Fox.”

Mortimer’s Café & Pub will host the post-race party with food and drink specials and music from the Caleb Davis Band. Mortimer’s will donate $1 to the Dowd YMCA for every ‘better turkey pita’ it sells through Oct. 21. Registration for the half-marathon costs $45 by Friday, Oct. 21 and $55 on race day. The 5K costs $25 in advance or $35 on race day. For more information, visit www.RunForYourLife.com/race/rocktoberfest, or call Tim Rhodes at 704-358-0171 or Jenni Walker at 704-649-6751.