Spirit of Tours Ghost Investigation Oct 08, 9:30pm, Ghost hunt led by spiritual medium, Deborah Carr Senger. $20. Register spiritsofbloomington.com. 309-846- 4306. The Mill, Second and S. Washington St, Lincoln.

Spooky Knights Oct 14-15, 7:10pm and 6:55pm, Last three weekends in Oct. watch two double features and visit the happy witch’s house. Treats for kids 12 and under. Monsters vs. Aliens, How to Train Your Dragon - 7:10 p.m. - Screen 1. Alien, John Carpenter’s The Thing (1981) - 6:55 p.m. - Screen 2. Admission. route66-drivein.com. Knight’s Action Park and Caribbean Water Adventure, 1700 Knights Recreation Dr.

Springfield Jaycees Haunted House Oct 06-08, 13-15, 6:30-9pm Thu, 6:30-11pm Fri-Sat, Through October, plus Oct. 30-31. $7. Kids Days - Oct. 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30, 12-3 p.m. $3 child, $1 adult. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave.

Terror on the Square Oct 07-08, 14-16, 21-23, 28-31, 7pm, Weekends through October, rated third best in Illinois for its mystifying illusions and ghostly holograms. $9 adults, $7 kids. Petersburg Square, N. Seventh St at W. Douglas Ave, Petersburg.

The Haunted Dead Walk Oct 07-08, 14-15, 7:15pm Fri- Sat, 90-minute Springfield Walks tour. $12-$8 when you arrive at tour or at Prairie Trader. 502- 8687. Prairie Trader Gift Shop, 113 N. Sixth St.

Fairs & Festivals

Fall Family Festival Oct 14, 5:30-8:30pm, Carnival games, scavenger hunt, face painting, DJ, family swim, prizes and more. Free. YMCA, 701 S. Fourth St.

Fall Festival Oct 15-16, 10am-4pm, Walk back into the 1830s as preparations take place for the winter. New Salem State Historic Site, 15588 History Lane, Petersburg.

Girard Pumpkin Festival Oct 08, 8am-4pm, Pumpkin carving, costume contest, hayrides, crafts, food, chunkin 1- 4 p.m. and more. $2. 891-1289. Landfill south of town, Farmersville Rd. Girard.

Indian Summer Festival Oct 08-09, 10am-4pm, Popular prairie party. Delicious food, kids activities and games, bluegrass and folk music, crafts and more. $4, $3 age 13-2. Lincoln Memorial Garden, 2301 E. Lake Shore Dr.

Lighting up Petersburg Festival Oct 08, dusk, Bonfires, treats, pumpkin decorating and more for great family fun. 632-7363. Petersburg Square, N. Seventh St at W. Douglas Ave, Petersburg.

Our Savior’s Fall Craft Festival Oct 15, 9am-3:30pm, Wide variety of vendors and home-based demonstrators from the Springfield area. Free admission. Our Savior’s Lutheran School, 2645 Old Jacksonville Rd, 217- 793-6433.

Taylorville Chillifest Oct 15-16, Two-day, two-sanctioned ICS Cook-offs and entertainment. Classic Tractor Show on Sunday. Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce. 824- 4919. Taylorville square, Taylorville.

UIS Homecoming Weekend Oct 14-15, 4:15pm, Parade on Friday and Student/Faculty basketball game at 3-5 p.m. Saturday at TRAC. University of Illinois at Springfield.

Veterans Day Ceremony Oct 11, 12pm, Veterans are honored. Guest speakers and small reception follows. Outside A. Lincoln Commons. Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, 786-2241.

Books & Authors

Book Signing Oct 09, 2-4pm, Marion van der Loo, Psalms from the Heart: Prayers for the Times and Seasons of Faith. Cathedral of St. Paul, 812 Second St, 544-5135.

Book Signing Oct 08, 11am-1pm, Catherine Murphy Cavanaugh, author of ‘A Legacy for the Eight of Us’ about Murphy family growing up on a farm west of Virden. The Sly Fox Bookstore, 123 N. Springfield St (Route 4), Virden, 217-965-3641.

Brookens Library Book Sale Oct 14, 9am-3pm, Help the library by stocking up on inexpensive treasures. Hosted by Friends of Brookens Library. UIS Brookens Library, One University Plaza, 217-206-6597.

Classics Book Group Oct 17, 12-1pm, Meets October through May in the Bicentennial Room. “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”, Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St, 217- 753-4900.

Friends of Taylorville Library Book Sale Oct 14-15, 6-8pm Fri, 10-4pm Sat, Preview Night Friday $3

admission. Reduced pricing Sat. from 2-4 p.m. , 217-824-4736.

Lincoln Land Review Celebratory Readings Oct 19, 12pm, Listen to awardwinning students read pieces they wrote that were published in review. Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, 786-2311.

Nicholas D. Kristof Oct 10, 7pm, Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist speaks about his book, “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.”, Illinois College Rammelkamp Chapel, 1101 W. College Ave, Jacksonville, 217- 245-3048.

Pondicherry Lodge/Sherlock Holmes Society Oct 15, 9-11am, Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” Barnes and Noble Booksellers, 3111 S. Veteran’s Pkwy, 546-8387 or 620-0042.

Spoken Word

Poetry Open Mic Oct 19, 6-8pm, Bring poetry to read - or just sit back and listen. Springfield Poets & Writers. 725- 9058. Robbie’s, 4 S. Old State Capitol Plaza, 217-528-1901.

Theater & Comedy 1776 Oct 14-16, 8pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun, Springfield Theatre Centre presents. Adams, Jefferson and Lee try to convince congress to vote for independence. $18-$12. Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St.

Comedian Jason Dixon Oct 07-08, 8pm Fri, 7:30pm Sat, Weaves hilarious insights on life and relationships with vocal accents from around the world. Mason City Limits Comedy Club, 114 E. Chestnut, Mason City, 482-5233.

Comedian Mike MacRae Oct 07-08, 7:30pm and 9:30pm Fri-Sat, Cast member of popular Frank TV on TBS. Donnie B’s Comedy Club, 2937 W. White Oaks Dr, 391-joke.

Imago Oct 16, 7pm, ZooZoo - the best of Imago Theatre’s acclaimed productions FROGZ and Biglittlethings. Sangamon Auditorium, UIS, 1 University Plaza, 217-206-6160, 800-207- 6960.

The Drowsy Chaperone Oct 14-29, 8pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun, Modern day musical theater addict lives through old musicals played on his ancient record player. $18. The Legacy Theatre, 101 E. Lawrence.

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