Melloween

Halloween week, a time during which it's socially acceptable to eat 19 fun-size Snickers bars per day, has its perks, sure. But what about the folks for whom the holiday is just an endless series of moments in which some yahoo dressed like the girl from The Ring is waiting to pop out at you? What about the sensitive types who had endless nightmares after watching The Sixth Sense back in 1999 and have been checking for ghosts under their bed ever since? (Asking for a friend.)

Luckily there are a whole bunch of docile yet festive Halloween activities spread out over the city this week. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, the Midtown Halloween Festival and Pooch Parade will be taking place at Marshall Park (915 27th Street). Attendees can get their faces painted, participate in squash bowling and arts and crafts, and trick or treat. But the best part is obviously going to be the pooch parade and doggie costume contest: hot dog dachshunds! Ewok shih tzus! Harry Potter corgies! The possibilities are endless and admission is free.

If you're looking for something a little more grown up but not, like, Jason-Voorhees-slicing-up-humans-with-a-chainsaw grown up, there's the Old Sacramento Halloween Bar Hop starting at 8 p.m. Eleven participating bars will be offering karaoke, dancing and comedy. Actually, we can't guarantee some jerk won't be dressed up as Jason Voorhees, but drinking really helps with that whole scaredy-cat getup. (According to my friend.) Visit www.facebook.com/events/190561517944365 for more details.

For something extra-sedate rather than scary, Capital Public Radio (7055 Folsom Boulevard) is hosting the Sacramento Death Cafe on Sunday, November 1, wherein individuals of various spiritual and cultural backgrounds lead a group discussion around the end of life in an effort to inspire new ways of thinking about it. Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided and the gathering will last from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, but registration at www.eventbrite.com/e/death-cafe-in-sacramento-on-all-saints-day-tickets-18784423717 is required.