Unusual pumpkins
     The deadline for Okanogan’s first unusual pumpkin contest is 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
     Pumpkins must be made of non-perishable materials such as papier mache, wire, old lampshades, buckets and so on. They must not exceed 20 inches in diameter.
     People can enter individually or as a family. Each entry must have names visible.
     “The sooner the pumpkin is entered, the sooner its votes will add up,” organizers said.
     Other categories include most creative and festive.
     Pumpkins should be taken to Derina’s Flower Basket, 203 N. Second Ave., for placement in a downtown Okanogan merchant’s window, organizers said.

Haunted house
     A haunted house with the theme “Come on in and meet the family” is planned nightly through Oct. 31 in the old Okanogan Lumber store, 201 S. First Ave.
     The event, staged by the Okanogan High School Dawg Stars drama club, runs from 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Adviser Trisha Bradley said. It began Oct. 28.
     Admission is $3 per person, with the opportunity to go a second time the same night for $2 more.
     The event features a “choose your door” adventure, Bradley said.

Trunk or treat
     Curlew Schools will host a trunk or treat event and October festival from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30.
     Each class from grades seven to 12 will have a booth in the multi-purpose room, with the senior class planning a traditional haunted house, a school spokeswoman said.
     Tickets for the booths will cost 25 cents each, although some booths may require multiple tickets depending on the value of prizes, she said.
     Parents are invited to decorate their vehicle trunks and give out treats in the school parking lot during the event, she said.

Costume party
     The Community Cultural Center in Tonasket will hold a teen costume party and dance Friday evening.

Trick or treat, and more
     Tonasket, Oroville and Republic all plan Halloween trick or treating at local businesses Saturday.
     All three towns also will have costume contests.
     In Republic, there will be pumpkin painting and judging of outside decorations by the chamber of commerce.
     Republic’s Halloween festivities kick off with bingo at The Tamarack at 6 p.m. Friday. Participants are asked to bring a can of food for the food bank.
     Republic royalty will begin judging businesses’ outside Halloween decorations at 11 a.m. Saturday, according to organizers.
     Stew poker runs at participating businesses are scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with pumpkin painting in Patterson Park from 2-3:30 p.m., organizers say.
     Those wishing to paint pumpkins should bring their own pumpkins; paint will be supplied by the Republic Chamber of Commerce, organizers said.
     Costume and pumpkin judging will begin at 3:45 p.m. with free apple cider for all participants, organizers say.

Tricks and treats
     Youngsters can trick or treat the merchants in Omak and Okanogan from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.
     Participating businesses are the Cariboo Inn, Rusty Shovel, As a Child Grows, Okanogan Chevron and On the Avenue Fashion, all Okanogan; II sisters Video, Tonasket, and Magoo’s, T’s Hair and Nail Salon, Trail of Dreams, Omak Feed and Supply, Gene’s Harvest Foods, The Mustard Seed, Sunrise Chevrolet, Harrison Jewelers, The Breadline Cafe, Corner Bistro, Corner Shelf, Mickey’s, North Country Pub, Ulrich Drug and Consumer Auto Liquidators, all Omak.

Brewster offers candy
     Businesses will break out the candy for trick-or-treaters in Brewster on Halloween.
     The annual event will begin at 3 p.m. at the airplane at the north end of Main Street, chamber member J.D. Smith said. A costume contest will then be held, with prizes for different age categories.
     Children can then drop by a majority of the Main Street businesses for goodies.
     The event is sponsored by the Brewster Chamber of Commerce.

Potluck and party
     Wauconda Hall will host a Halloween potluck and party at the hall.
     The potluck is scheduled for 5 p.m. Saturday with the party at 6:30 p.m., organizers said.

Hallelujah Carnival
     The Hallelujah Carnival will offer games, prizes, a bouncy castle, live music, food and more.
     It runs from 5-8 p.m. Oct. 31 in the Okanogan County fairgrounds Agriplex near Okanogan.
     The event is free and families are encouraged to attend, organizer Karen James said.
     There will be about a dozen booth games, a cake walk, puppet show, free hot dogs and popcorn, bingo for all ages, emergency services vehicles for show, live music, a blow-up obstacle course for all ages and a bouncy castle.
     James said the night also will feature a pumpkin painting or carving contest, where children can bring a completed pumpkin for judging based on age groups.
     While everything is free, James said folks can bring food bank donations. Last year, carnival participants filled about 15 boxes with food.
     The event drew more than 1,600 people last year and has been running for more than 15 years.
     Multiple churches, civic organizations and businesses support the event every year, with Cornerstone Christian Fellowship Church, Omak, taking the head, James said.

Horsemen will dance
     There will be a Back Country Horsemen dance and potluck at the Community Cultural Center in Tonasket starting at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Brazilian jazz
     Jovino Santo Neto Quinteto will perform danceable Brazilian jazz for a Halloween concert and dance at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Methow Valley Community Center, Twisp.
     Santo Neto is a master pianist, composer, arranger and flutist who also dabbles in the melodica and accordion, according to Cascadia.
     Admission is $15.