Cities, Groups Set Halloween Events

Communities and organizations have scheduled activities in celebration of Halloween.

BELLFLOWER--The Parks and Recreation Department will present its annual Halloween Carnivals, complete with magic show, games and activities for children and adults, on Tuesday. The carnivals will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at: Ruth R. Caruthers Park, 10500 Flora Vista St.; John S. Simms Park, 16614 S. Clark Ave., and T. Mayne Thompson Park, 14001 S. Bellflower Blvd.

The First Southern Baptist Church of Bellflower will have a Funfest from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Carnival games will be offered for children from kindergarten through sixth grade. Admission and games are free. The church is at 10010 E. Compton Blvd.

CERRITOS--The city is sponsoring the following free events:

Boys and girls 12 and younger may have their faces painted free from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Cerritos Park East, 13234 E. 166th St.

Costume contests, entertainment, game and carnival booths will be featured in the Halloween Festival at Heritage Park from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. There will be two haunted houses at the park. Boys and girls 6 to 12 can make their way through the island haunted house from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday or from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Children 3 to 5 can tour a friendly haunted house from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Heritage Park is at 18600 Bloomfield Ave.

Entry forms for the Goblin Grab will be available at Cerritos Park East, Heritage and Liberty parks. On Halloween, the Goblin will randomly draw entries that were submitted by Sunday and telephone winners between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to those who are at home to speak with the Goblin. The Goblin Grab is for children in the sixth grade or younger. Prizes can be picked up at Liberty Park, 19211 Studebaker Road, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday.

COMPTON--The Compton branch of the Los Angeles YWCA will sponsor its fourth annual Halloween family carnival from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Highlighting the carnival will be a “Just Say No to Drugs” haunted house which will include a “rock house” and show the effects of drugs on family structures and lives. There will be games, food and costume and dance contests. Admission is free. The Compton YWCA is at 509 E. Compton Blvd.

DOWNEY--The Downey Community Services Department is sponsoring a Halloween Happening on Saturday. Activities will include costume contests, a pumpkin weight guess, candy jar guess and jack-o’-lantern contest. The festival begins at 10 a.m. with costume check-in for children up to 5 years old. The Halloween Happening will be at Stonewood Shopping Center, 9066 Stonewood St.

On Tuesday, the Optimist and Soroptimist clubs are co-sponsoring with the Community Services Department the annual Pumpkin Patch at Apollo Park Neighborhood Center, 12458 Rives Ave. The Pumpkin Patch will be open from 4:30 to 9 p.m. and include games, contests, prizes and hot dogs. Both events are free.

LAKEWOOD--The Lakewood Department of Recreation and Community Services will sponsor Halloween carnivals from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Admission is free. The carnivals will include game and contest booths, a costume parade and food stands. The following parks in Lakewood will have carnivals:

Biscailuz Park, 2601 Dollar St.; Bloomfield Park, 21420 S. Pioneer Blvd.; Bolivar Park, 3300 E. Del Amo Blvd.; Boyar Park, 6701 E. Del Amo Blvd.; Del Valle Park, 5939 Henrilee St.; Mayfair Park, 5720 N. Clark Ave.; Palms Park, 12305 E. 207th St., and San Martin Park, 5231 N. Ocana Ave.

LONG BEACH--”The Crypt of Nightmares,” a haunted house created by special effects makeup artist Michael Burnett, is part of Harvestfest sponsored by Downtown Long Beach Associates. The crypt is at 243 Pine Ave. and is open from 6:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, Monday and Tuesday, and from 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, $3.50 for children under 13 and half-price for the second trip. For more information call, 436-4259.

St. Bart’s young adults group is sponsoring a haunted house with a special area for kindergarten and preschool children. The house will be at the Young Adult Center at 4th and Tremont streets, Long Beach. Admission is $3.50 for the haunted house and $1 for the kindergarten area. Candy will be distributed to children.

El Dorado Park West will present a Halloween carnival with games, prizes, pony rides, a costume parade and dance. The carnival will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. All events are free or cost from 25 cents to $2. El Dorado Park West is at 2800 Studebaker Road. For more information, call 429-6310.

WHITTIER--Steve Patino’s Special Effects Studios will present a “Gallery of Apparitions,” which will include art and props used in “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Predator” and “Friday the 13th.” The gallery is at 6736 Bright Ave. and will be open from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. today and Monday, from 4:30 p.m. to midnight Friday, and from noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. It will be closed Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for students and $3 for children. For more information, call 696-2441.