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Plenty of fun, safe ways to celebrate Halloween in Lansing

Your guide to trunk-or-treating and more

by Jennifer Yos

LANSING, Ill. (October 1, 2019) – A Haunted Hallway? Costume Breakfast? Halloween Parade? Trunk-or-Treat Church Event? When it comes to Halloween, it’s almost scary just how many choices Lansing has to offer! Halloween enthusiasts will appreciate all the community and church events scheduled this year. Published below are details from the organizations that responded to our request for information.
The festivities begin already on Friday, October 25:

FRIDAY, October 25—

Family-friendly Frights

The Lan-Oak Park District is filling the Eisenhower Fitness Center with family-friendly frights—“Haunted Hallway” for ages 9 and up, and “Ghostly Games” for ages 2-8. Both events are 6:30-9:00pm. Ticket sales begin at noon and stop at 8:30pm on event day. Families can also enjoy a snack in the “Creepy Café.” The Eisenhower Center is located at 2550 178th Street in Lansing.

SATURDAY, October 26—

Pancakes and parade

The day begins with the Copper Muggers Halloween Pancake Breakfast, served from 8:00–11:00am at TF South. Tickets available at the door are $5 (kids under 5 can eat for $3). This come-as-you-are-costumed Halloween breakfast includes a bake sale and raffle prizes.

After breakfast, costumed attendees can head over to Kilroy’s parking lot at 3502 Ridge Road to join in Lansing’s Annual Halloween Parade. Lineup begins at 9:30am, and the parade travels down Ridge Road to Roy Street, ending at Winterhoff Park. Costume prizes are awarded, and each participating child receives a candy bag. The Lansing Halloween Parade is free.

SUNDAY, October 27—

Two Trunk-or-Treat options

Living Word Church
2248 186th Street, 2:00–4:00pm
Details: Living Word Church members may sign up on Sunday mornings to enter a trunk. Parking spots will be assigned immediately after the church service on the day of the event. Participants are asked to keep decorations appropriate for children (not too scary). As attendees make their rounds collecting candy from each trunk, they vote for their favorite decorated car. A cash prize goes to the car with the most votes. Carnival-style games inside the church are suitable for ages 2–10. Though church members are providing the trunks, the event is open to the public. “All are welcome!” says Living Word.

St. Ann Catholic Church
3014 Ridge Road, 2:00–4:00pm
Details: Games, refreshments, music, and prizes for “Best Trunk” and “Best Dressed.” New this year will be a Chili Cook-off—$10.00 to enter your chili; $5.00 for tasters/voters. (To enter as a chili contestant, call 708-895-1661. There will be a limit of 12 entrants total.) Anyone interested in trunk decorating should visit the sign-up link (https://signup.com/go/NSiFXqO) and register by Friday, October 25. Participants should arrive for setup by 1:00pm and plan on bringing enough candy for 100. For more information, contact Max Navia at 773-619-1251.

MONDAY, October 28—

Trunk-or-Treat, plus dinner

Trinity Lutheran Church
2505 Indiana Avenue, 5:00–6:00pm
Details: Trinity Lutheran Church will host a Trunk-or-Treat event in conjunction with the free community meal they offer each month. (The free Community Dinner is served at 5:30pm.) Church members will be onsite distributing candy. All are welcome.

THURSDAY, October 31—

Four Halloween Options

Bethel Church, east parking lot
3500 Glenwood-Lansing Road,
4:00–6:00pm
Details: This is the second year Bethel is hosting a trunk-or-treat event. Bethel members are invited to participate in decorating their trunks, and all Lansing residents are invited to attend as trick-or-treaters. The church will also be serving hot chocolate. More information can be found by visiting Bethel’s facebook page: facebook.com/BethelChurchLansing

First Christian Church of Lansing
2921 Ridge Road, 4:30–6:30pm
Details: First Christian Church of Lansing has been hosting trunk-or-treat events for the last 12 years. Their event includes free hot dogs, popcorn, and hot chocolate.

First Church (PCA)
3134 Ridge Road, 4:00–7:00pm
Details: Church members decorate tables for indoor trunk-or-treating (to avoid possible inclement weather) and will pass out candy in the fellowship area.

Grace Reformed Church parking lot
2740 Indiana Avenue, 6:00–8:00pm
Details: Trunk-or-treating, free hot dogs, lemonade, and hot chocolate served outdoors; three performances of a Halloween-themed black light puppet show with gospel messages presented indoors in the darkened church sanctuary; trivia questions follow with candy prizes; games in the Fellowship Hall with candy prizes.

Anyone interested in trunk decorating should contact Bill VanRamshorst: 708-822-9865. Please keep decorations appropriate for children (no gore). “Best Trunk” will be awarded a bag of candy.

Jennifer Yos
Jennifer Yos
Jennifer Yos grew up on Walter Street in Lansing with nine siblings. She attended St. Ann’s School and T.F. South, and she earned a BA in the Teaching of English from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and a MS in Education: Curriculum and Instruction from the University of St. Francis, Joliet. For 34 years she taught English, as well as Creative Writing and Drama, at Lincoln-Way High School. She dabbled in freelance journalism for the Joliet Herald News Living section. Now retired, Jennifer appreciates the opportunity to write for The Lansing Journal and is uplifted by the variety of positive people she has already met who are making a difference in Lansing.