HERMITAGE -- Children ages 3-12 can come in costume to take part in "Halloween at the Y" from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27 in Shenango Valley YMCA, 925 N. Hermitage Road.

Games, treats and hay rides will be available. Reservations are needed by Oct. 23.

Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay and Hollywood Video Stores are sponsors of the nationwide program.

Information or registration: 981-6950.

Jennings seeks to dispel Halloween mysteries

SLIPPERY ROCK -- Some of Halloween's mysteries will be revealed at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 in Jennings Environmental Education Center, near Slippery Rock.

Through the ages, fear of the dark has caused the "scary" reputation of Halloween's ghosts and goblins to be given to owls, bats and other night creatures.

Origins of Halloween customs and facts and folklore of night time animals associated with the holiday will be covered.

The evening will end with a night hike into the forest haunts of the nocturnal animals.

Information: 794-6011.

Hubbard Kiwanis opening haunted mansion

HUBBARD -- Hubbard Kiwanis Haunted Mansion will be open from 7 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, beginning this Friday; 7 to 10 p.m. on Sundays and Oct. 23-26 and Oct. 30 and 31. The Mansion is located on Main Street.

Greenville hosting scarecrow contest, parade

GREENVILLE -- The Greenville area will host Halloween events.

"Scarecrows in the Park" is set for Oct. 24 through 28 in Central Park. Individuals, groups, organizations and businesses can take part in the community event.

This year's divisions are business and family/non-profit. Cash Prizes of $100, $50 and $25 will be awarded in each category.

A Halloween parade will form at noon and begin at 1 p.m. Oct. 28. Registration will be in Greenville Medical Center Clinic on Shenango Street.

This year's route has changed due to the parade's size. It will begin on Louisa Avenue and travel down Main Street to North Race Street. It then will travel down Shenango Street, on to Water Street, back to Main Street and to the final destination of Central Park.

Refreshments, Greenville Medical Center Clinic tours and raffles will be available before the parade.

UPMC Horizon, Greenville, is sponsoring the events. Information: Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce, 588-7150.

Tree farm will be the place for haunted hayrides

BURGHILL -- Hartford (Ohio) Optimist Club will present a haunted hayride Oct. 13, 14, 20, 21, 27 and 28 in Storyland Christmas Tree Farm in Burghill.

Haunted hayrides will be given 7 to 10 p.m. Cost is $2 for each person. Non-haunted hayrides will be given 5:30 to 7 p.m. Cost is $1 for each person.

The farm is located on state Route 7, 14 miles north of Interstate 80, or two miles south of state Route 88.

Hot dogs will be sold for 75 cents each; drinks, 50 cents.

Information: (330) 772-3237 or (330) 772-3341.

Trumbull County groups sponsor ghost walks

WARREN, Ohio -- A ghost walk is set for 6:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20, 21, 27 and 28 in downtown Warren.

Tour groups leave about every 10 minutes from First Presbyterian Church, 256 Mahoning Avenue, Warren.

Participants will be guided to mansions and the pioneer cemetery along Mahoning Avenue, where costumed actors re-enact true stories about Trumbull County's past.

Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for children 16 and younger. They have been available since Oct. 1 in Ianazone's Pizza, Howland; and B & K Farm Market, Elm Road; and Hippodrome in downtown, both Warren.

On the day of the event, tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children. Warren-Trumbull County Public Library cardholders can present their library cards Oct. 20 at the ticket window to receive the lower cost.

An American Sign Language interpreter will be on hand, beginning at 6:30 p.m., for the Oct. 27 tour. Advanced reservations must be made. For TTY/TDD use, call (800) 750-0750.

Tickets also can be ordered by mail by calling for a form.

Fine Arts Council of Trumbull County, Trumbull County Historical Society and Trumbull New Theatre are event sponsors.

Information and ticket forms: (330) 399-1212; e-mail, bbrown@trumbullarts.org

Kids can trick or treat at Cafaro Field

NILES, Ohio -- The second annual Trick-or-Treat at Cafaro Field, Niles, Ohio, will be from 4 to 6 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 30.

The event is a fun and safe alternative for children ages 14 and younger. The field concourse will be decorated for Halloween with 20 different prize stations for children to visit as they walk through.

Tickets are free, but are limited to the first 2,500 children. Tickets will be available beginning Oct. 8 during the grand opening of Target at the Eastwood Mall, Niles.

Information: (330) 505-0000.

Yellow Duck Park will be haunted by 'Ghost Lights'

CANFIELD, Ohio -- "Ghost Lights of Halloween," a drive-through show for families at Yellow Duck Park is open Thursdays through Sundays until Halloween and every night from Oct. 19 to Oct. 31. Show hours are 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays and 7 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Admission is $6.50 for each person. Children younger than age 3 are free. Free driver admission passes are available at participating show sponsor locations of Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut and McDonald's restaurants.

The park is located on Route 46 between Canfield and Columbiana, Ohio, three miles north of the Route 11 intersection.

Zelienople hosts 2 days of autumn festival events

ZELIENOPLE -- Country Fall Festival activities will combine Hall's Countryside's 16th annual Pumpkin-Apple Festival and Northgate Plaza's Fall Festival.

The event will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 14 and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 15 one-quarter mile north of historic Zelienople on Route 19.

Food, pumpkins, cornstalks, Indian corn, gourds, fall flowers, crafters, magic shows, live entertainment, cow pattie bingo, games, contests, pony and train rides, "Spook House," surrey rides, antiques and collectibles and buggy display are some of the event's attractions.

Visitors can see an old-time cider press in operation. Applebutter also will be made over an open fire. Butter churning, sauerkraut making and chain saw wood sculpture carving will be among other displays.

Crafters tables will be found in and around Hall's Countryside and along the roadside parking lot area of Northgate Plaza.

The plaza will take part in contests and games; cow pattie bingo; pet costume parade; and scarecrow making, pumpkin carving, bake-off, pie eating and Dairy Queen sundae contests.

Live country musical entertainment is planned for both days at Hall's Countryside. There also will be performers on stage at Northgate Plaza. A car cruise is set for Oct. 15 at the plaza.

Parking will be available at Northgate plaza and nearby marked areas.

Information: 452-5571.

University of Pittsburgh group tells ghost story

PITTSBURGH -- University of Pittsburgh Repertory Theatre stages the Henry James ghost story "The Turn of the Screw" through Oct. 8 in the new Henry Heymann Theatre in the lower level of the Stephen Foster Memorial Theatre. Tickets: (412) 624-7529.

CLEVELAND -- Creepy critters, spooky animals and a giant pumpkin patch will be part of SeaWorld Cleveland's all new "Shamu's Halloween Spooktacular," Saturday and Oct. 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Information: (800) 637-4268