Winnekenni Castle’s Halloween attraction, the “Castle of Fear” is open tomorrow through Sunday beginning at 7 p.m.
The last tickets will be sold at 10:15 p.m. Admission is $18 and $10 for children 12 and younger. The Castle of Fear attraction is not recommended for children under the age of 8. Discount coupons are available online at winnekenni.com. Sunday night is family night, with $40 admission for two adults and two children 12 and younger. This year’s event features a Maze of Mystery, an expanded Haunted Castle tour and Howling Hayride of Horror through the Forbidden Forest of Fright.
The nonprofit Winnekenni Foundation Inc. maintains and operates Winnekenni Castle as a cultural center for public and private events. The castle is on Castle Road at 347 Kenoza Ave. For more information, email the castle winnekenni@yahoo.com, call 978-521-1686 or visit online at winnekenni.com.
Italian culture celebrated
The Sons of Italy Victor Emanuel Lodge will celebrate Italian Heritage Month on Saturday when it hosts its Miss Italy Pageant and Pasta Fagioli Cook-off.
The pageant, sponsored by Haverhill and Pentucket banks, is for women of Italian descent in the Greater Haverhill area who are between the ages of 16 and 25. The public is invited to help select the best pasta fagioli in the Merrimack Valley. The competition is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. “Pasta fagioli is to the Italian community as clam chowder is to New Englanders,” said Rick Picone, president of the Sons of Italy Lodge. Pasta fagioli, also known as pasta fazool, is a traditional Italian soup made of pasta and beans, but each cook brings his or her own flair to the dish.
The Miss Italy Pageant is at 2 p.m. In addition, there will also be a Little Miss Italy Pageant with participants ages 6 to 12. Haverhill and Pentucket banks will donate money for college scholarships. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door. More information is available from Carmine LoConte, 978-373-1447 or Jen Picone at 603-560-0915 or jenpicone@gmail.com.
‘Dining with the Crossed Over’ is Friday
Members of the Essex County Ghost Project will hold “Dining with the Crossed Over,” a paranormal event on Friday at the “haunted” Eggies Family Restaurant, 6 Main St., Atkinson.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 per person and include food and a lecture titled “Is Your House Haunted,” followed by a paranormal investigation. Halloween costumes are optional. Proceeds support Hilldale Cemetery maintenance and restoration. More information is available from Thomas Spitalere at 978-376-2807.
Halloween ghost walk Saturday
The Hilldale Cemetery Association and members of the Essex County Ghost Project will lead a Halloween paranormal walk through Hilldale Cemetery on Saturday.
Gates open at 8 p.m. the ghost hunt will start at 8:30 p.m. Participants are asked to dress in their Halloween costume. Cost is $10 per person. Proceeds support Hilldale Cemetery maintenance and restoration. More information is available from Thomas Spitalere at 978-376-2807.
Bloomfest plantings Saturday at DPW
Haverhill’s Brightside will celebrate Bloomfest 2012 on Saturday by planting 2,500 daffodil bulbs at the DPW, 500 Primrose St.
Volunteers are invited to help plant bulbs between 9 a.m. and noon as part of this Make a Difference Day beautification project. Free coffee, cider and doughnuts will be served. Participants are asked to bring work gloves and a shovel, if possible.
Haverhill’s Brightside has planted bulbs every year since 2002. Some of the plantings in the past have been along the boardwalk behind the Tap, in GAR Park, in front of Haverhill District Court, along Ginty and Bailey boulevards, at Trinity Stadium and at various Adopt-a-Park sites. More information is available from Elaine Barker at 978-372-3861.
Church to host clothing sale
Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 471 Main St., will hold a sale of gently used clothing Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Reasonably priced items for the whole family will be featured. All proceeds benefit Ruth’s House. Donations of clean fall and winter clothing will be welcomed at the church Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon. More information is available by calling 603-329-6047.
Library volunteers needed
The public library circulates nearly 500,000 items each year and needs help getting materials back onto the shelves.
Volunteers 14 and older are needed all hours that the library is open to empty bins, sort and organize and shelve items. Additionally, the library is looking for someone who loves music and movies, to create replacement covers for CDs and DVDs, and someone who loves comic books, to shelve graphic novels. There is a 2-hour training session and a 20-hour time commitment. More information is available by contacting Beth Gallaway at 978-373-1586, ext. 641.
Council on Aging to host Halloween party, dance
The Council on Aging will hold its annual Halloween party and dance Oct. 31 at 12:30 p.m. at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St.
The party will include a horribles parade, prizes and goodies. Costumes are optional. Lunch includes pizza, salad, cookies and coffee. Tickets are $5 per person. For more information or to buy tickets, call 978-374-2390 and speak to Kathy Bresnahan (ext. 11) or Rita LaBella (ext 16).
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