Hickox House Halloween Party Oct 29, 8pm-1am, Bands, art, people, zombies, drinks. Costumes a must. Norb Andy’s, 518 E. Capitol Ave, 217-670- 1024.

Jacksonville Main Street Pumpkin Fest Oct 28-29, Two days of free family fun. 245-6884. Jacksonville square, 200 E. State , Jacksonville.

Lincoln Corn Maze Oct 21-22, 28-29, 4-10pm Fri, 1-10pm Sat/Labor Day, Through Oct 31, Navigate by day or night through amazing 9-acre maze. Free hayride and activities too. 309-242-4736. Lincoln Corn Maze, 1376 1800th Street, Lincoln.

Midwest Gothic Costume Ball Oct 27, 7pm, Public invited to Quiddity’s free ball with music, dance, food, drink and interactive discussion with editor/author Jodee Stanley. Dress: Cocktail, any costume or casual with a mask. 525-1420 ext. 291. Brinkerhoff Home, Benedictine campus.

Mischief Night Halloween Party Oct 29, 6-9pm, Wear your costume and garlic for Slow Food Springfield party. $20 by Oct. 25 to Sunny Clark, 2332 S. Pasfield, Springfield, IL 62704 or [email protected]. The Widow at Windsor Antiques, 711 S. Fifth St.

Monster Mash Oct 28, 7-9pm, Free Halloween costume party for people with disabilities. Music, dancing, costume contests. Registration required one week before event. 753-0702. Erin’s Pavilion, Southwind Park, 4965 S. Second St.

Spookapalooza Oct 22, 7:30-11:30pm, Music by Absinthe Angel and 808, costume contest, autographed Heart guitar giveaway, prizes and more for St. Jude’s. Lincoln Square Theatre, 141 N. Main, Decatur, 899-5676.

Spooky Knights Oct 21-22, 28-29, 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. Casper and The Addams Family - 6:45 p.m. - Screen 1; Freddy vs. Jason and House of 1000 Corpses - 7 p.m. - Screen 2. Admission. route66drivein.com. Knight’s Action Park and Caribbean Water Adventure, 1700 Knights Recreation Dr.

Springfield Illinois Zombie Walk Oct 22, 5-8pm, Dress in your best undead attire and win prizes. Benefits Epilepsy Resource Center of Springfield. Shelter. [email protected]. Washington Park, South Grand and MacArthur, 217-753-6225.

Springfield Jaycees Haunted House Oct 20-22, 27-29, 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 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 21-22, 28, 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.

Books & Authors

Book Release Party and Reading Oct 22, 4-7pm, Celebrate with local author and UIS professor emerita, Jackie Jackson, on the release of her new book, “The Round Barn.” Trout Lily Cafe, 218 S. Sixth St, 217-391-0101.

Book Talk and Signing Oct 22, 1pm, ‘Haunted Springfield, Illinois’ by author Garret Moffett on ghosts and haunting around Springfield. The Sly Fox Bookstore, 123 N. Springfield St (Route 4), Virden, 217-965-3641.

Contemporary Fiction Group Oct 26, 6-7pm, Group discusses popular fiction and nonfiction meets fourth Wednesday of month in Carnegie Room South. Lincoln Library, 326 S. Seventh St, 217-753-4900.

Poets in the Parlor Oct 22, 2pm, Local poet Job Conger presents ‘Confluence of Legends: Johnny Appleseed Meets Vachel Lindsay.’ Vachel Lindsay Home State Historic Site, 603 S. Fifth St, 217-524-0901.

Spoken Word

Spoken Word/Poetry Night Oct 27, 7pm, Fourth Thursday of each month in local artist gallery/studio. The Pharmacy, 401 South Grand Avenue West, 217-652-3273.

Theater & Comedy 1776 Oct 21-23, 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 J. Scott Homan Oct 21-22, 8pm Fri, 7:30pm Sat, Southern version of W.C. Fields with wit of Larry the Cable Guy and wisdom of Slingblade. Mason City Limits Comedy Club, 114 E. Chestnut, Mason City, 482-5233.

Comedian Kevin Pollak Oct 21-22, 7:30pm and 9:30pm Fri-Sat, Game show host, comedian and movie actor. Donnie B’s Comedy Club, 2937 W. White Oaks Dr, 391-joke.

Drac’s Back Oct 27-30, Jacksonville Theatre Guild. Tickets, 245-1402. jaxtg.com. Sophie Leschin Theatre, 1201 S. Main St, Jacksonville.

Drew Brew Boo featuring Drew Hastings Oct 29, 7pm-12am, Halloween bash for cash, featuring comedian Drew Hastings. $1000 sexiest costume contest. Expo Building. $25. Illinois State Fairgrounds, 801 Sangamon Ave, 355-1200.

I Hate Hamlet Oct 28-30, 7:30pm, 2pm Sun, Play about actor playing a character he despises and a ghost claiming the young actor’s apartment. $12-$6 (plus $2-$4 fee). Tickets at Sangamon Auditorium ticket office or by phone 206-6613. UIS Studio Theatre, One University Plaza.

One Act Stand: A Variety Show Oct 28-30, 7pm Fri-Sat, 2pm Sun, Three one-act plays: comedy, drama, and dramedy.Springfield High School, 101 S. Lewis St, 217-525-3100.

Rocky Horror Show Live Oct 27-29, 9pm Thu-Sat, and 11:59pm Sat , Dress in costume to see rock musical about a Transylvanian transvestite and a naive couple ensnared in his erotically evil web. $18-17. Hoogland Center for the Arts, 420 S. Sixth St.

Snapshot Oct 28-30, 7:30pm Thu-Sat, 2pm Sun, Oct. 28-29, Nov. 3-6. Actors Theatre of Louisville decided to bring together 17  contemporary playwrights and have them each contribute a monologue or scene to a new play based on a single image: photographer Lee Friedlander’s Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, 1969. Illinois College Sibert Theatre, McGaw Fine Arts Center, Jacksonville, 245-3471.

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