Downtown Brainerd Spooktacular Week

Welcome all ghouls and goblins to downtown Brainerd for Spooktacular Week.

To ensure a safe event for business owners and the public, this year's Halloween activities will be spread out over the course of Spooktacular Week, now through Saturday, Oct. 31.

Selfie Station Photo Booth - Get into the Halloween spirit by visiting these selfie stations. Post your photo to the Destination Downtown Facebook page for a chance to win a prize package. Winner will be chosen by online voting.

Bell Creations, 217 S. Seventh St., Suite 17
Bob and Fran’s Furniture, 724 Laurel St.
Brainerd American Legion, 708 Front St.
Bremer Bank (west foyer), 321 S. Seventh St.
Knotty Pine Bakery, 707 Laurel St.
Purple Fern Bath Company, 719 Laurel St.
Rau Graphics & Designs, 814 Front St.
The Gallery, 222 S. Seventh St.
Visit Brainerd, 706 Laurel St.

Bat Bingo Scavenger Hunt - Players can pick up a Bat Bingo (BATGO) card at downtown Brainerd businesses and play for prizes by finding decorated bats throughout downtown.

Spooktacular Week is presented by Destination Downtown Brainerd Coalition. To learn more about Spooktacular Week or the Destination Downtown Brainerd Coalition, visit us on Facebook.

Minnesota’s Most Haunted Locations virtual event planned for Friday

Minnesota’s Most Haunted Locations virtual event with paranormal investigator Chad Lewis will be 7-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30.

Paranormal researcher Chad Lewis is a researcher, author and lecturer on topics of the strange and unusual. His background is in psychology as he did both his bachelor’s and master's degree work in the field but for the last 20-plus years he has traveled the globe in search of unique and bizarre stories and history.

Sign up here to get the event connection information: https://forms.gle/PDiwuB52iHmm3wsa8 . A computer is not needed for this virtual program. A smartphone or tablet will also work.

Participants’ email addresses will be used to send the information to connect to the event a day or two beforehand.

Carved pumpkins are on display Saturday, Oct. 17, as a part of the Northland Arboretum's annual Haunted Trail. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch

Halloween Mask Parade at Lord of Life Lutheran

BAXTER — Lord of Life Lutheran, 6190 Fairview Road, Baxter, will have a Halloween Mask Parade at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

The families of the community are invited to come to the parking lot of Lord of Life and help create a Halloween parade route for the kids. The parade will go through the parking lot and the backyard of the church. Kids are invited to wear their costumes and masks. Adults, wear masks and a costume if you want and cheer on the kids as they show off their costumes and have a little fun. A small bag of goodies will be given to each at the end of this safe Halloween event.

Cuyuna Regional Medical Center-Care Center to host trick-or-treat parade Saturday

All tiny goblins, superheroes and ghouls age 10 and younger are asked to gather outside at the back of the Cuyuna Regional Medical Center Care Center in Crosby beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

Children will trick or treat for self-serve candy at scary stations that will be set up outside of individual residents windows. All stations will be more than 6 feet apart and candy will be pre-packaged.

Trick-or-treaters must social distance as they move from each spooktacular station to the main entrance collecting their loot. They’ll be able to greet residents through their festively decorated windows. The community will also be able to vote on the residents’ window decorating competition at a station under the Care Center’s main entrance.

Halloween drive-thru planned

BAXTER — Christ Lutheran Church, 13815 Cherrywood Drive, Baxter, will host a Halloween Drive-Thru 4:30-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31.

Spooky glowing orbs line a trail Saturday, Oct. 17, as a part of the Northland Arboretum's annual Haunted Trail. Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch

Trinity Lutheran Church to host event

Trinity Lutheran Church, 1420 S. Sixth St., Brainerd, will host its second annual trunk-or-treat event 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, in the church parking lot. Limited treats along with a bag lunch will be given out by approximately 30 cars. It will be a safe family event open to anyone in the community.

Drive-thru touch-free Halloween Event at Prince of Peace

BAXTER — Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 6311 Mildred Road, Baxter, will host a drive-thru, touch-free Halloween event 3-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. The event will feature fun candy stations, providing sweet treats to children in safe, drive-thru style.

The Outreach Board at Prince of Peace noted each driver will receive a single plastic bag for candy as they enter the church’s parking lot, with all candy going into the driver’s bag. After driving through, the driver can distribute the candy, as appropriate, to the children in attendance. This will help keep the event moving efficiently, touch-free and in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

More information can be found at princeofpeacelutheran.church .

Sponsors of this community event include Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Thrivent Financial, Walmart, Cub Foods, Target, Menards, SuperOne Foods and Costco.

Trunk or treat at Brainerd Church of the Nazarene

Trunk or treat will be 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at Brainerd Church of the Nazarene, 16549 Johnson Road, Brainerd.

Third annual Pequot Lakes Halloween event set for Saturday

PEQUOT LAKES — Trick or treat at local Pequot Lakes’ businesses 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 31.

Enjoy juice and s’mores at the Bonfire in the Park hosted by the Miss Pequot Lakes Royalty.

Drive-thru trunk or treat set at Grace United Methodist Church

PEQUOT LAKES — Children and their families are invited to a drive-thru trunk or treat event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 at Grace United Methodist Church, 29318 Patriot Ave., Pequot Lakes.

Guests will be asked to stay in vehicles and will be greeted by people in costumes. Each child will receive a bag of Halloween treats.

Low Scare Haunted Trail

One day only, Saturday, Oct. 31, from 4-7 p.m., experience haunted thrills featuring The Great Pumpkin, Underwater World, Jurassic Park, The Nightmare Before Christmas and more at the Northland Arboretum. This is an outdoor event and cost is $5 per person.

T-shirts and finger flashlights will be for sale.

There will be a trunk or treat at the end of the trail.

Face masks required. COVID-19 precautions implemented.

Dead men tell no tales

For Captain Jack and his skeleton crew, that may not be the case. Pirates of the Scare-ibbean is this year’s inspiration for the Halloween display at Parkwood Drive and Wedgwood Road. From the Baxter school, go 7/10’s mile on Highway 48 (Highland Scenic Road) to Parkwood Drive.

Editor's Note: A trick or treating option for Downtown Brainerd businesses was canceled and was removed from the original story.