Halloween

Vampire Ball

If you’re thinking the Vampire Ball in Old Sacramento is full of shirtless sparkly dudes and teenage girls with too much angst, think again. The party has everything your inner Dracula could ever desire: True Blood impersonators, tarot readings, batty go-go dancers and, yes, even a blood fountain. This shindig isn’t just about fun and games, though. The event is also serving as a charity benefit with proceeds going to the Romanian League in Defense of Animals. Vampires: bringing fangs and philanthropy together at last.

October 23 8 p.m. $10 advance, $12 at the door. The Crescent Club, 1023 Front Street; www.shannonmccabe.com.

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Lantern Tours

What could possibly be creepier than wandering around a 19th-century cemetery in the middle of the night? Answer: not much. Get into the Halloween spirit as docents clad in elaborate costumes and gruesome makeup guide you through the headstones at the Old City Cemetery by lantern. The historic tour is filled with theatrical re-enactments and tales of the cemetery’s most notable residents. Bring a flashlight and maybe some adult diapers in case you pee yourself when you see a ghost.

October 22-23, 29-30 Tours at 6, 8 and 10 p.m. $30. Sacramento Old City Cemetery, 1000 Broadway; (916) 448-0811; www.oldcitycemetery.com.

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Also

GIANT PUMPKIN FESTIVAL: No, this harvest fest doesn’t infringe on Charles Schultz’s intellectual property. The Cosumnes Service District-sponsored event hosts around 30,000 families each year. Sa, 10/2 & Su, 10/3, 10am-5pm. Free admission, $10 parking. Elk Grove Regional Park, 9950 Elk Grove Florin Rd. in Elk Grove; (916) 405-5600; www.yourcsd.com.

FALL FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!: The first Halloween Haunt in 1992 was created to offer a safe environment for the entire family to participate in Halloween activities. Today, Safetyville takes on a harvest-festival theme and provides activities and fun for the whole family. There is live entertainment, games, food, a magician, face painters, straw-bale maze, raffles, costume characters, a costume parade and much, much more! Children and adults are encouraged to dress in costume and take part in the costume parade. While enjoying a safe and fun environment, participants are also receiving Halloween safety messages throughout the day. Proceeds from Halloween Haunt benefit Safetyville USA’s youth safety education programs, which provide safety education and health and fitness tours to elementary school children from Placer, Yolo, El Dorado and Sacramento counties. Sa, 10/23, 11am-4pm. Tickets are $6 (includes $2 food/game tickets). Children 2 and under are free. Safetyville USA, 3909 Bradshaw Rd.; (916) 438-3352; www.safetycenter.org/sv_events.html.

SAFE & SUPER HALLOWEEN: MONSTER MASH: Three nights of fang-tastic fun at Fairytale Town! Featuring 17 candy stations and your favorite classic monsters. Frankenstein, Dracula, witches and werewolves fill the park along with puppet shows, hands-on activities and much more! Join us as we transform some of your favorite sets into classic storybook spooks. Enjoy the Crooked Mile trip through Sleepy Hollow and venture to King Arthur’s Castle to find Dracula has taken up residence inside! Plenty of spiders, ghouls and goblins fill the air for this year’s family-friendly Halloween destination. Puppet Art Theater will be performing in the Children’s Theater. F-Su, 10/22-10/24. $7-$10. Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Dr.

SPOOKTACULAR AND MINIATURE HORSE EXPO: Sixth annual Spooktacular and Miniature Horse Expo & Sale at the Placer County Fairgrounds (rain or shine—undercover). Parade of stallions: 10am, parade of sale horses: 10:30am. Clinics, vendors, food concessions, raffle, Halloween games, prizes, kids’ activities, costume contest for equines and kids! 10/23-10/24, 8am. Free admission and parking. Placer County Fairgrounds, 800 All America City Blvd. in Roseville; (916) 275-0875; www.petiteequine.com.

FAMILY FUN NIGHT: Downtown Roseville night out will feature face painting, clowns and a magic show. Th, 10/29, 4pm-8pm. Free. (877) 848-1273, www.downtownroseville.com.

TRICK-OR-TREATING IN OLD SACRAMENTO: Merchants will pass out goodies in this safe, family-friendly event. Wear your costume! Sa, 10/30, noon-4pm. Free. (916) 442-8575, www.oldsacramento.com.

HALLOWEEN BLACKOUT SKATE: October is National Roller Skating Month, and to celebrate, Roller King is hosting a canned-food drive to benefit the Placer County Food Bank. Skaters will receive free admission with any canned-food donation (skate rental is extra). Costumes are welcome as long as you can skate in them! Sa, 10/30, 7-10pm. Free-$3. Roller King, 889 Riverside Ave. in Roseville; (916) 783-0918; www.rollerkingroseville.com.

LARRY SCHOLL’S FOLSOM GHOST TRAIN: Animator Larry Scholl brings his family-friendly Halloween ghost train back to Folsom for its sixth year. The ride features only audio-animatronics, similar to what you’d see at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. 10/22-31, 7pm-9pm. $8; children 2 and under free. (916) 965-1217, www.larryscholl.net.

HALLOWEEN 2010 AT BREW-IT-UP: Sacramento’s brew-it-yourself spot will celebrate Halloween with a live band, drink specials and a costume contest. Sa, 10/31, 8pm. Call for cover. Brew-It-Up Brewery and Grill, 801 14th St.; (916) 441-3000; www.brewitup.com.

HAUNTED HAGAN SCREAMPARK: Following on the success of the Scary U Haunted House in Hagan Park, this year features two haunted houses and the Haunted Hagan Express, a steam-powered train ride into the Old West. 10/8-10/31, 7-10:30pm. $5-$25. See website for daily hours. Hagan Community Park, 2197 Chase Dr. in Rancho Cordova; (916) 572-2733; www.hauntedhagan.com.

CALLSON MANOR: This scare house features Miner’s Revenge, the Callson Funeral Home and the Vampire’s Crypt. 10/8-10/10, 10/14-10/17, 10/21-10/31. $10-$30. Placer County Fair Grounds, 800 All America City Blvd. in Roseville; www.sacramentohauntedhouse.com.

GOBLIN GARDENS: Bastiao Farms offers fun for the whole family this year with this year’s Goblin Gardens. Come check out the corn maze, the 1,356-hay-bale pyramid, kids’ mini-racetrack, hourly hay rides and tons of cut-outs for photo opportunities. 10am-7pm, seven days a week. Bastiao Farms, 3845 El Centro Rd.; (916) 925-2947; www.bastiaofarmsgoblingardens.com.

FRIGHT PLANET, WORLD OF FEAR: Sacramento’s only indoor scream park features six different attractions, including the Scream Max Theater in 3-D, the Death Row maze and the Mystery Shack, where gravity itself is not what it seems. See website or call for dates and hours. $16.95-$28. Fright Planet, 6130 Birdcage Center Ln. in Citrus Heights; (866) 666-1313; www.frightplanet.com.

WORLD’S LARGEST CORN MAZE: Brothers Mark and Matt Cooley have expanded last year’s record-breaking corn maze to an incredible 45 acres. Bring your GPS or be prepared to spend the day lost in the corn. Pumpkin patch, hay rides and refreshments available. Through 11/7. 9am-9pm. $10 for adults, $6 for children. Cool Patch Pumpkins, 6585 Milk Farm Rd. in Dixon; (530) 304-0163; www.coolpatchpumpkins.com.