Events of October 27, 28, and 29, 2023

Friday, October 27

Jackson College Halloween Spooktacular.  5:30 PM to 7 PM.  Children 12 and under are invited to the eighth annual free Halloween trick-or-treat event on Friday, Oct. 27 from 5:30-7 p.m. Guests are encouraged to dress in a Halloween costume (though not required) and trick or treat through campus buildings. Trick-or-treating will start in Bert Walker Hall. Handicapped accessible parking is available on the south or north side of Potter Center (near the College bookstore). Strollers and wagons are permitted; the route is completely handicap accessible with all locations being on the first floor of each building. The route will take you in and out of buildings so dress for the weather. Children are encouraged to bring a bag for treats. This is a free event for the community.

Goblin Walks.  Goblin Walks Guided Tours Schedule:  October 27 Friday 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm and October 28 Saturday 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm.  Fee per person: $9/member, $12/non-member (free for infants).  Dahlem Center, 7117 S. Jackson Road, Jackson, MI 49201.  Pre-registration required to attend our annual Goblin Walks event. Every 15 minutes a group of twenty five people head down the trail to enjoy an evening autumn color tour, a 1/2 mile trail walk meeting larger than life critters performing entertaining educational skits. The program is about one hour in length. Photo opportunities, refreshments (cider & donuts!), and visit the gift shop. Feel free to dress in costume and be ready for the weather! The event operates rain or shine. It’s great fun for the whole family!!  Thank you to our Event Sponsor MACI  Registration/Tickets are available here. 

Grand River Farmers Market.  9 AM to 2 PM.  Final weekend for the outdoor market!  A community-driven market prioritizing fresh local produce and Michigan-only homemade & artisan goods.  Open Fridays and Saturdays, 9am-2pm throughout the summer into early fall. The Grand River Farmers Market is located in the parking lot of Grand River Brewery at the intersection of Louis Glick Highway and Mechanic Street.  Rotating food trucks and music on select days. Vendors, artisans, and performers.  117 W Louis Glick Hwy, Jackson.

Sandhill Crane Vineyards Halloween Party.  Sandhill Crane Vineyards, 4724 Walz Rd, Jackson.  It’ll be a spooktacular night at Sandhill as we dance the night away in costume with DJ Jimmy Jam from 6-9pm! Judged by Sandhill staff, enter the costume contest on stage at 8:45pm with winners being announced around 9:15pm – closing at 10pm! Remember, you don’t have enter the contest to attend!

Drag is a Scream.  ART 634 Carriage House.  Tickets are $30 for the 8pm-11pm event.  The first 100 ticket purchasers get VIP admission, including early admission at 7pm with special food, seating, and a meet-and-greet session with several of the performers, including Delicious of Lansing and Jackson native, Velma Violet.  Funds from this event will support Jackson Pride services and events in 2023 and 2024. Tickets are available at https://jacksonpride.ticketleap.com/drag.   Delicious will be joined by drag performers Asio Aviance, DJ Clubkid, Mia Cole, Prince Marcellus, and Jackson’s own Velma Violet. You won’t want to miss their performance, since Drag is a Scream on Halloween weekend!  For more information, see Jackson Pride’s website, https://mijacksonpride.org , or go to the ticket website, https://jacksonpride.ticketleap.com/drag.

Tournament of the Full Moon.  OCT 28 AT 10 AM – OCT 29 AT 8 PM. Tournament of the Full Moon, Axe Play, 133 W Michigan Ave., Suite D., Jackson, MI 49201.The 2nd Annual WATL Tier 3 Tournament! Featuring Hatchet, Duals, Big Axe, and WKTL Knives! 

Saturday, October 28

Grand River Farmers Market.  9 AM to 2 PM.  Final weekend for the outdoor market!  A community-driven market prioritizing fresh local produce and Michigan-only homemade & artisan goods.  Open Fridays and Saturdays, 9am-2pm throughout the summer into early fall. The Grand River Farmers Market is located in the parking lot of Grand River Brewery at the intersection of Louis Glick Highway and Mechanic Street.  Rotating food trucks and music on select days. Vendors, artisans, and performers.  117 W Louis Glick Hwy, Jackson.

Mt. Evergreen Cemetery Cleanup.  10 AM.  Boo! Jackson residents looking for spooky Halloween fun and community collaboration have a unique opportunity. Cleaning up Mt. Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. will be the last cleanup event of the 2023 season for People for the Parks and Trails (PPT).  Volunteers will assist in the removal of fallen branches, leaves, and trash from gravesites. There will also be grim stories shared of famous Jackson residents of yesteryear buried in the cemetery. Volunteers are meeting at the front cemetery entrance off Greenwood Avenue and Morrell Street. The time commitment is expected to be around 90 minutes.  More information about the volunteer opportunities is posted on PPT’s website, peoplefortheparks.org. Updates about the projects will also be available on the non-profit’s Facebook page.

Jackson YMCA Floating Pumpkin Patch.  10 AM to 1:30 PM. YMCA is host a free community event – the Floating Pumpkin Patch! Sat, Oct. 28, 2023.  10:00 am – 1:30 pm.  Free books for all kids from K-8th grade, hats and mittens, backpacks,  cider and donuts, gym and rock wall activities, candy, popcorn.  (pumpkin patch swim between 12:30-1:30 pm, swimsuits required).  Jackson YMCA, 127 W. Wesley Street, Jackson. 

33rd Arts and Crafts Show.  The Kiwanis Club of Brooklyn is holding their 33rd Arts & Crafts Show on Saturday, October 28th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, at Columbia Upper Elementary School, 321 School St, Brooklyn, MI. The cost of admission is just $1.00 or you can bring in canned food items to be donated to the Brooklyn Food Pantry.

Michigan’s UFOs.  12 PM.  Join the Jackson District Library at the Hanover Heritage Park in the big red barn to hear about UFO sightings over Michigan! Light refreshments will be served. Presented by: William Konkolesky, State Director of the Michigan Chapter at Mutual UFO Network.

Shop with a Cop Fundraiser.   Saturday, October 28, 12 noon – 3 pm at the Eagle’s Nest Bar & Grill, Clark Lake.  To contribute, stop by the fundraiser at the Eagle’s Nest Saturday noon – 3 pm.  Checks can also be dropped off at the Columbia Township office.  Checks should be written to Columbia Township with Shop with a Cop in the memo line.

Nightmare on Jax Crossing Avenue.  1 – 3 PM.  Nightmare on Jax Crossing Ave.1092 Jackson Crossing Ave, Jackson, MI 49202.  (Wisner St side of the mall) Get ready to explore the Jackson Crossing Mall for our “Nightmare on Jax Crossing Ave” Trunk or Treat 2023. This community event is specifically designed for the kids of Jackson Crossing – no matter their age – to have a night of fun. From fingerprinting to custom contests, we’ve got something for everyone. Plus, all the best stores in Jackson Crossing will be competing for the scarcest trunk! Don’t miss out on this spooktacular event!

Goblin Walks.  Goblin Walks Guided Tours Schedule:  October 27 Friday 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm and October 28 Saturday 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm.  Fee per person: $9/member, $12/non-member (free for infants).  Dahlem Center, 7117 S. Jackson Road, Jackson, MI 49201.  Pre-registration required to attend our annual Goblin Walks event. Every 15 minutes a group of twenty five people head down the trail to enjoy an evening autumn color tour, a 1/2 mile trail walk meeting larger than life critters performing entertaining educational skits. The program is about one hour in length. Photo opportunities, refreshments (cider & donuts!), and visit the gift shop. Feel free to dress in costume and be ready for the weather! The event operates rain or shine. It’s great fun for the whole family!!  Thank you to our Event Sponsor MACI  Registration/Tickets are available here. 

Trunk or Treat Party.  2-4 pm.The Martin Luther King Center, 1107 Adrian Street, Jackson, MI 49203. Hosted by TreatsByFee.

Family Fun Night Halloween Double Header.  5 PM to 7 PM. Hanover Heritage Park, 105 Fairview St, Hanover, MI 49241.  Fun for the whole family!  Event page here.

Halloween Short Stories Come to Life.  10:00 to 11:30 AM.  Ages 8 to 11.  This fun workshop will introduce our young writers to imaginative story writing and help inspire our future authors. The class will allow students to journal, write and illustrate their own short story. We will help each student develop a fun Halloween inspired story.  We will provide notebooks and needed materials for your child to create and potentially ignite a new passion for writing.  Cost: $25
(includes snacks & supplies).  Jackson School of the Arts, Downtown Jackson.  Event registration and information here.

Ghost Tour of Downtown Jackson.  MASONIC TEMPLE, 157 W. Cortland Ave., Jackson.  Jackson DDA Haunted Mobile Tour – Downtown Jackson.  Are you ready for a spine-tingling journey through the shadowy secrets of Jackson after sunset? Join the Central Michigan Paranormal Investigators and the Michigan Historical Society for an unforgettable night of history, mystery, and the unexplained. Grab a friend and prepare to venture into the heart of the unknown. What to Expect: As the sun sets and downtown Jackson’s businesses close their doors, you’ll step into a world where history continues to whisper from the shadows. Our adventure begins at the historic Masonic Temple, where you’ll follow in the footsteps of the paranormal. Discover the lingering spirits and untold stories that reside beyond the realm of the living. This journey will take you to a series of captivating locations! Tickets are $20 each (+$1.40 handling fee) here.

Sunday, October 29

Works of Fantasy, Fright and Fun.  Get ready for an afternoon of October-themed music when the Jackson College Community Concert Band presents “Fantasy, Fright and Fun,” a concert including the Jazzy Jets and guest soloist on trumpet, Amy Thomas. The concert starts at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, in the Harold Sheffer Music Hall, Potter Center. The performance will feature Danny Elfman’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Grieg’s “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” Saint-Saens’ “Danse Macabre,” Hindemith’s “March from Symphonic Metamorphosis,” and Giroux’s “Impressions.” The Jazzy Jets will perform Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein,” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and will join the Community Concert Band and the “Take Your Picc” flute ensemble for an exciting collaboration on John William’s “Cantina Band” from “Star Wars.” Performing with the band will be a guest soloist, Amy Thomas, of the United States Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, performing “Rose Variations” by Bennett. The concert is free, and all are welcome.

Chillin’ Halloween Party.  Sandhill Crane Vineyards, 4724 Walz Rd, Jackson, MI 49201.  Sandhill Crane Vineyards continuing the Halloween festivities with a chillin’ daytime party, Sunday the 29th from 1-4pm. Bring the family dressed up for a fun Halloween set by Pinter Whitnick.