Compiled by Amanda Lubinski & Kellie Houx
CLAY COUNTY — Community Halloween events in the Courier-Tribune and sister publication Gladstone Dispatch coverage areas start this weekend and there’s plenty of fun to explore.
In addition to the following community events, the Liberty Corn Maze and Carolyn’s Pumpkin Patch, located at 17607 NE 52nd St., Liberty; Fun Farm’s pumpkin patch, 650 N. Jefferson St., Kearney; and Worlds of Fun’s scary Halloween Haunt and non-scary events for little kids in Kansas City, are all open for the season. Visit the business’ websites to learn more, including admission prices and hours of operation.
Oct. 17
The 39th Annual Fairy Tale Forest at Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary will be 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 17 to Oct. 20, at 407 N. LaFrenz Road, Liberty.
The Halloween event includes a walk of 100 jack-o’-lanterns. Costumes are welcome, but the walk is outside so attendees should also dress for the weather. Tickets must be purchased online at naturesanctuary.com. Call 781-8598 for other details.
Oct. 18
From Oct. 18 to 31, Liberty Parks Department offers its spooky ghosts trail in Ruth Moore Park, 205 W. Mississippi St.
Ghosts will be hidden throughout the park. Each of the 10 ghosts will be holding part of the creature they saw. Use these clues to piece together a drawing of the creature that frightened the ghosts. Find the activity sheet at libertymissouri.gov/2726/Spooky-Trail-Hunt.
Completed activity sheets can be turned into the Liberty Community Center, 1600 S. Withers Road, for a treat. Prizes are available to the first 500 children who complete the activity sheet and return it. Limit one prize per child.
Gladstone’s Friday Fright Night will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, in Happy Rock Park East, 7600 NE Antioch Road. Kids should wear costumes and can trick-or-treat from a variety of vendors. The cost is $2 per child or donation of an unopened toilet paper package or box of tissues. Proceeds benefit the Northland Christmas Store.
Oct. 19
Metropolitan Community College’s Maple Woods campus’ Honk & Howl, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, is a free trunk-or-treat event with inflatables and activities for children and dogs.
The campus food pantry is also collecting nonperishable food donations for the campus food pantry. The event is at 2601 NE Barry Road in parking lot four.
Oct. 20
FastKick Martial Arts Center’s trunk-or-treat is 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, in the parking lot of 106 S. Forrest Ave. in Liberty. There will be free nachos, hot chocolate, Halloween games and board-breaking for everyone who attends. Email info@FastKickTKD.com with questions or to become a sponsor.
Oct. 25
Kearney Enrichment Council will host the annual Halloween Blast from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, in Lions Park, 106 S. Jefferson St. in Kearney.
There will be trick-or-treating at businesses throughout downtown as well as a trunk-or-treat in the park. To learn more or become a sponsor, visit kearneyenrichmentcouncil.org/halloween-blast.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is holding a trunk-or-treat event from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 25 in the parking lot of Pleasant Valley Baptist Church, 1600 Missouri Highway 291.
The sheriff’s office is also collecting unopened donations of candy at the detention center lobby, 14 S. Water St., Liberty; at the Gladstone Walmart, 7201 N. Missouri Highway 1; the Liberty Hy-Vee, 109 Blue Jay Drive in Liberty; at Liberty Price Chopper South, 896 Missouri Highway 291; the Liberty Walmart, 8301 N. Church Road; and Pleasant Valley Baptist Church.
Oct. 26
Smithville’s Haunted Campground starts at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, in Smith’s Fork Park’s campground, 1601 Missouri Highway DD. Guests can walk through the campground for festive trick-or-treating while viewing decorated campsites and visiting vendor booths, playing free games and competing in a costume contest with prizes. The event ends at 6:30 p.m.
Starting at 10 a.m. Oct. 26, Shoal Creek Living History Museum, 7000 NE Barry Road, in Kansas City-North, offers a Kids Safe trick-or-treat event. The event runs until 2 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase at the entrance. Those 3 and younger are free.
From 2 to 4 p.m., guests can join Liberty Parks & Recreation for its Howl-O-Ween in Stocksdale Park’s Dog Park, 901 S. LaFrenz Road. There will be a dog costume contest. There will also be chances for dog photos, a food truck and raffle prizes. Raffle ticket sales benefit park improvements.
From 2 to 6 p.m. Oct. 26, there will be a Dia de los Muertos community outreach event at White Chapel Cemetery, 6600 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone. There will be local craft and food vendors, games, raffles and trunk-or-treating.
From 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26, there will be trunk-or-treat car show at Gary Crossley Ford, 8050 N. Church Road, Liberty. There will be a car contests where people can vote for creepiest, coolest and most creative car; crafts and face painting; treats; music; and more. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes.
Starting at 5 p.m. Oct. 26, there will be a small business, downtown trunk-or-treat event along Main Street in Holt. The Holt Park Board will also provide hot dogs.
To learn more, email Lshaw@jshawhc.com.
Oct. 27
From 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, there will be a trunk-or-treat in the Kearney West Shopping Center, located at 607 W. Missouri Highway 92 in Kearney.
Also going from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 27, is a second trunk-or-treat located at Limitless Martial Arts of Kearney, 919 W. Missouri Highway 92.
Oct. 30
The monthly Wednesday Wheels vehicle show at White Iron Ridge features a trunk-or-treat from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, at the event space venue, 815 Missouri Highway 92 in Smithville. The show includes contest entries for best decorated trunk, most creative theme, scariest theme and best owner costume.
Oct. 31
A chance to trick-or- treat at businesses around the downtown Liberty square runs from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. Participating businesses will be handing out candy.
