To have an item listed in this special Halloween calendar, mail to Calendar Editor, 1604 King St., Alexandria, VA 22314; fax to 703-917-0991 or e-mail to gazette@connectionnewspapers.com. Deadline is Friday at noon for the following week’s paper. Photos and artwork encouraged. Unless otherwise noted, all events are in Alexandria. If you have any questions, call Elizabeth Orr at 703-917-6449.
<cal1>THURSDAY/OCT. 28
<cal2>It's Pumpkin Time! Halloween stories and activities for ages 2-5 with an adult at 1 p.m., at Kingstowne, 6500 Landsdowne Centre. To register, call 703-339-4610.
Scary Stories to Tell at Midnight. Share creepy stories, songs and activities for ages 6-12, at 7 p.m., at Sherwood Regional, 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane. Bring a flashlight. To register call 703-765-3645.
<cal1>Friday/Oct. 29
<cal2>"Fall Back to Fantasy." A masked ball to benefit Community Lodgings, a group supporting independence for disadvantaged families. Tickets $35; reservations required. 7-10 p.m. at Marina Towers, 501 Slaters Lane. For more information, call 703-549-4407.
<cal1>Saturday/Oct. 30
<cal2>Halloween Party at Mount Vernon RECenter, 2017 Belle View Blvd., 12-2 p.m. Admission cost of $6.00 includes ice skating session (11:45-1:45), costume contest, face painting, candy corn guessing, games, pumpkin painting and much more. Chaperones are $1.50 each. Call 703-768-3224.
"Goblin games." An afternoon of Halloween-themed games and activities for children aged 2-7, hosted by the Alexandria Jaycees. Free; donations welcome. Games will include "Bowling for Bones," "Pin the Wart on the Witch," "Skeleton Toss" and a coloring station. 1-5 p.m., at the Nannie J. Lee Memorial Recreation Center, 1108 Jefferson St. For more information, call 703-866-7171.
Historic Hauntings: Night of Lost Souls. Family-friendly trick-or-treat tour of Market Square, Gadsby's Tavern Museum and Carlyle House. Goodie bags for all, costumes encouraged. $10 adults, $5 children 12 and under. 7-10 p.m. Buy tickets online at www.gadsbystavern.org or call 703-838-4242 for more information.
Edgar Allen Poe Recitations. Actor David Keltz will perform recitations from "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and other Poe classics, at 8 p.m., at the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. Tickets, $12, required in advance; call 703-838-4994.
Halloween Scavenger Hunt. Face painting, spooky crafts, games, storytelling and more for ages 3-6. Come in costume. 5-8 p.m., at The Athenaeum, 201 Prince St. To RSVP or volunteer, e-mail reservation@nvfaa.org or call 703-548-0035.
Mall-O-Ween. Costumed children parade through Fair Oaks Mall at the 17th annual Mall-O-Ween from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fair Oaks Shopping Center is located at the intersection of I-66 and Route 50, Fairfax. For more information visit www.ShopFairOaksMall.com or call 703-359-8302.
Mask-Scara. A Halloween party and mask art fund-raiser, organized by the Del Ray Artisans. Costumes, music, prizes, food and drink. $20 per person. 7:30-11:30 p.m., at the Del Ray Artisans Gallery, 2704 Mount Vernon Ave. Call 703-304-9281.
Howl-oween. Sponsored by Mount Vernon Area DOG; Fund-raiser to support construction of an Off-Leash Dog Area at Grist Mill Park. 1-3 p.m., at Mount Vernon Government Center, 2511 Parkers Lane. Costume and other prizes. Entry fee $10 per dog. Call 703-360-6305.
Fall Fest. St. Louis School holds a Fall Fest from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities include carnival games, bingo, pumpkin decorating, face painting, moon bounce, bake sale, raffles, cake walk, car wash, Haunted Hall, book fair, food and drink sales and a Halloween costume parade. St. Louis is located at 901 Popkins Lane. Call 703-768-7732.
Historic Hauntings Tour. Hear stories of unexplained events, tragic stories and some of the more peculiar stories behind Alexandria's best known landmarks. The tour leaves Market Square at 7 p.m. and returns at 10 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets are available the day of the event beginning at 5 p.m. or online at www.HistoricAlexandria.org. For more information, call 703-838-4242.
<cal1>Sunday/Oct. 31
<cal2>Potomac West Halloween parade. All children, decorated strollers, and pets in costume are invited to march. Children and their families should gather at Mt. Vernon Avenue between E. Bellefonte and E. Duncan. Pets and strollers should gather to be registered starting at 1:30 p.m. — decorated strollers at the parking lot at 1900 Mt. Vernon Avenue and pets on E. Bellefonte Avenue on the east side Mt. Vernon Avenue. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. and proceed down Mt. Vernon Avenue, ending at the Mt. Vernon Recreation fields where refreshments will be served and goodie bags will be distributed to children. City officials will present awards for Best Pet Costume, Best Decorated Business and Home, and Best Decorated Stroller. For additional information, to volunteer, or to nominate a home or business, call 703-684-3535.
Edgar Allen Poe Recitations. Actor David Keltz will perform recitations from "The Raven," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and other Poe classics at 8 p.m., at the Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St. Tickets, $12, required in advance; call 703-838-4994.
<cal1>Ongoing
<cal2>Costume donations. New and gently used costumes are being collected for underprivileged children and can be dropped off at the Caboose Cafe, 2419 Mt. Vernon Ave. Distribution will be on Saturday, October 30, from 2-4 p.m. at the Mt. Vernon Rec Department, 2701 Mt. Vernon Avenue.
Alexandria's Original Ghost & Graveyard Tour. Follow 18th century costumed guide through the haunted streets hearing spine-tingling tales of revenge, murder and more. Tours depart the Ramsay House Visitor Center, 221 King St. Adults are $7. Children ages 7-12 are $5. Children 6 years old and under are free. Military discount. Tours given Wednesdays-Sundays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and 9 p.m., and every night Oct. 18-Halloween. Weekend tours run until Nov. 15. Call 703 519-1749 or visit www.alexcolonialtours.com.