Thursday, Oct. 08, 2009

October is brimming with activities

Don’t say there’s nothing to do around here.

October is brimming with activities — covering the cute, the spooky and everything in between.

Farm animals? Check. Hay mazes? Check.

A crazy ghost named Jasper? Yep, he’s there too.

Grab your calendar and peruse these standout fall activities:

Tonight: Linwood Cemetery, 721 Linwood Blvd., hosts its Fall Ramble. Guides take guests to stops where presenters share stories. You’ll learn about the Irish stone carvers from the 1800s.

Tours start at 5:15 p.m. and leave every 15-20 minutes. Last tour is 6:15 p.m. Cost is $20 members, $25 non-members. 706-321-8285.

Ongoing: Marengo Creek Farms near Crawford, Ala. is open Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT through Oct. 31. Pumpkins, farm animals, hay maze, hayride. $7, free for kids 2 and younger. It’s at 151 Huguley Road. 334-448-6050.

Pumpkin patch: Best Nursery and Outdoor Equipment, 9616 Fortson Road in Fortson, has a free pumpkin maze. Hayrides are $2 per person. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 7. 706-327-1515.

Ghost hunts: The National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus hosts ghost hunts tonight, as well as Oct. 22 and 29. Tours are 8 and 9 p.m. tonight and 7, 8 and 9 p.m. on the other dates. They’re $10. Reservations required. 706-327-9798.

Pope’s Haunted Farm: Opens this weekend and operates 7:30-11 p.m. EDT Fridays and Saturdays in October, and 6:30-10 p.m. EDT Sunday, Oct. 25. Includes haunted barn, haunted hayride, haunted forest.

It’s at 450 Lee Road 724 in Salem, Ala. Tickets are $10-$28. Haunted forest and barn not recommended for guests 10 and younger. 706-566-7766.

Walk with the Shadows: Ghosts and Legends Tour, 8-9:30 p.m. Oct. 9-10, Oct. 16-17 and Oct. 24-31; 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and Nov. 27-28. Meet at the Columbus Marriott, 800 Front Ave. Walking tour focuses on unexplained murders, haunted houses, accidental deaths. $13, cash only. 706-225-8888.

Oct. 10: Fall Line Festival and Classic Car Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in downtown Talbotton, Ga. Food, crafts, art, entertainment and more. Free. 706-665-8075.

Oct. 10: Monarch Tagging, 1-3:30 p.m. Callaway Gardens. Observe migrating monarch butterflies being tagged and recorded to monitor flight paths. Program free with Gardens’ admission, which is $7.50-$15.

Oktoberfest: 4-11 p.m. Oct. 16, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Oct. 17 and noon-6 p.m. Oct. 18. Uchee Creek Army Campground and Marina, Fort Benning. Includes entertainment, inflatables, hayrides, a pumpkin patch and more. Free. 706-545-2787.

Oct. 16: Columbus Contemporaries throw a Monsters Ball at the Columbus Museum, 1251 Wynnton Road. The event, designed for young adults, is 8 p.m.-midnight. Includes cocktails and music by Mindblender. Wear a costume.

Cost for non-members is $40 single, $70 couple. Make a reservation by Oct. 14. 706-748-2562, ext. 542.

Oct. 17: Arts on the River comes to Broadway in downtown Columbus 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The free fine art show and sale features exhibits, demonstrations, photography and more.

Oct. 17: Fall Festival at Midland United Methodist Church, 9100 Warm Springs Road. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Includes lunch, games, music and more. 706-561-6998.

Oct. 17: Fair on the Square, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Courthouse Square in Lumpkin, Ga. Parade, arts and crafts, antiques, food, entertainment. Free. 229-838-4351.

Fall Harvest Days: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 23-24, Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 6-7. Historic Westville. Activities include cotton gin operating, candle making, hay stacking, corn shelling, games and more. 888-733-1850. $4-$10.

Building Quarantine: Gallery 13 Event Center presents a terrifying walk-through designed for guests older than 10. It’s 7:30-11 p.m. Oct. 23 and 24, 7:30 p.m.-midnight Oct. 30 and 31.

Tickets are $7. Gallery 13 is at 1540 Veterans Parkway.

Campus Nerds Asylum: Held 8:30-11:30 p.m. Oct. 23, 24, 30 and 31 in Columbus State University’s Davidson Student Center. There’s a children’s haunted house for $1 and an adult haunted house for $5.

Oct. 24: The National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus hosts Pirates of the Chattahoochee 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Family event includes pirate tattoos, boat rides, live cannon toss competition and more. 706-327-9798.

Oct. 24: Boots on Broadway Military Heritage Celebration in downtown Columbus. The first-time military appreciation festival is free and runs 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Oct. 30: Antioch Volunteer Fire Department hosts Halloween Haunted Hayride and Spook Fest beginning at 7 p.m. It’s at 5430 Highway 219 in Fortson. A $5 donation for the hayride is appreciated.

Oct. 31: Spooktacular Halloween Festival, 5-7 p.m. on Broadway in downtown Columbus. Activities for kids, costume contest, treats. Free.