Oct. 21, 2010
Halloween happenings
by Paula Van Brocklin
"Spirits in the Gardens," Reiman Gardens' kid-friendly Halloween celebration on Oct. 23-24, will feature interesting characters, like Ivan the Troll (pictured here). Contributed photo.
Rustling leaves, cool days and harvest moons. Autumn has a firm grip on campus, which means ghosts and goblins abound.
University Museums' fifth annual moonlit walk around campus, "Haunted Iowa State," is set for Oct. 27. Those brave enough to attend the three-hour tour should meet at the campanile promptly at 7 p.m. to receive maps and instructions. This event is free and open to the public. Flashlights and appropriate attire for the weather are recommended.
The self-guided tour will take ghost hunters to familiar campus haunts, including the cemetery, Memorial Union and campanile. Other stops include Morrill and Beardshear halls, and the Lagomarcino Hall and Food Sciences Building courtyards. Refreshments and commemorative "Haunted Iowa State" T-shirts ($7) will be available at the Farm House Museum during the tour. T-shirts also may be purchased at the Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill, through the end of October.
University Museums still needs volunteers to play ghostly roles and to help with crowd control. If interested, contact Elizabeth Grant by Oct. 25.
Fun for kids
For more child-friendly Halloween antics, check out Reiman Gardens' "Spirits in the Gardens," Oct. 23-24 from 4 to 7 p.m. The event is free for children under 17 and members. Adult admission prices apply. Children are encouraged to dress in costumes.
Living lawn ornaments -- like trolls, fairies and gnomes -- will inhabit the gardens' outdoor trails during the event. And in addition to trick-or-treating for candy, kids also can create "green" candy bags using pillowcases and transform pasta into works of art. Games, story telling and temporary tattoos also will be part of the festivities. A new activity this year is the Funny Bones Comedy Walk, where friendly ghosts and goblins will share silly Halloween riddles with the children as they trek through the outdoor gardens.
Contact Reiman Gardens, 4-2710, for more information.
