Pumpkin trails, trick-or-treating and Lubbock area Halloween events

Spooky season is picking up ahead of a long Halloween and Dia de Los Muertos weekend, with numerous family friendly events coming starting Thursday around Lubbock.

From trick-or-treating events to wandering pumpkin patches and trails, check out this list of activities for kids and adults around the Hub City.

Lubbock pumpkin trail

Calling all pumpkins.

Lubbockites have until 4 p.m. Thursday to donate carved pumpkins as the City of Lubbock Parks and Recreation Department and Michael Postar’s Affordable Storage host the 14th Annual Pumpkin Trail, which runs from Thursday through Sunday at the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum. The goal this year is to collect 2,000 pumpkins. The more jack-o-lanterns received, the longer the trail will be. To make this happen, the City needs the citizens of Lubbock to donate their carved pumpkins to the Pumpkin Trail. In past years, there have been more than 1,800 pumpkins and more than 25,000 visitors at the trail, according to Avalanche-Journal archives.

Jack-o-lantern jaunt:Lubbockites invited to stroll through annual Pumpkin Trail

Carved pumpkin drop-off will continue from 7 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thursday outside the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum at 4111 University Avenue - on the east side of the parking lot. Look for the “DELIVER PUMPKINS HERE” signs. Groups bringing 10 or more pumpkins will have a sign posted on the trail with their name or logo on it. Parks and Recreation reminds donors that pumpkin carvings must be family friendly.

Cumberland church hosts pumpkin patch

The 20th Annual Pumpkin Patch at First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 7702 Indiana Ave., will continue through Oct. 31, or until all of the pumpkins have found their home.

The pumpkins are grown on the Navajo Indian Reservation located in the Four Corners area of New Mexico. The monies raised are used for the ministries of the local church and in the education system of the Reservation. This is a major fundraiser for the Reservation and for the church, according to a news release from the church.

The church is receiving several semi-truck loads of pumpkins this year.

Not only will there be pumpkins for sale, there will also be Cumberland Presbyterian’s Ms. Virginia’s world-famous pumpkin bread, crocheted hats, crocheted pumpkins, and other craft items.

Texas Tech provides safe Trick-or-Treat opportunities

After hosting events earlier this week, the Texas Tech community is hosting one more opportunity for safe trick-or-treating this week.

The Residence Halls Association and Complex Councils invite the Lubbock community to their annual Safe Treat event on Friday (Oct. 28) from 6-8 p.m. This year’s theme is “A Frightening Tale.” Each complex will be themed around a different Halloween storybook.

Activities will take place in the lobbies of Chitwood/Weymouth, Hulen/Clement, Wall/Gates, Talkington and Horn/Knapp. Guests can park in any residence hall parking lot. A bus will run along 18th Street with three stops. All are welcome, but the event is geared toward children ages 2-12.

Fraternity and Sorority Life will host their annual ‘Trick or Treat on Greek Street’ community event on Oct. 30 from 2-4 p.m. at Greek Circle (15th Street and Quaker Avenue). This event is open to the public and offers the Lubbock community a safe way to go trick-or-treating this Halloween.

Parking for this event is available in the Commuter Satellite parking lot, near the John Walker Soccer Complex. Parking is not available at Greek Circle.

Trunk or Treat 2022 at Redeemer Lutheran Church

Redeemer Lutheran Church in the Heart of Lubbock Neighborhood will host a free Trunk or Treat event for the public from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30.

Volunteers will decorate their vehicles in the church parking lot and pass out candy. They also reserved a bouncy house and invited the Lubbock Police Department along with Lubbock Fire Rescue to join. There will be games and prizes, snacks and refreshments.  There will also be a prayer-request table.

Trunk or Treat provides a safe alternative for kids to collect candy and families to enjoy time together.

The church is located at 2221 Ave. W. Redeemer is a congregation of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.

For more information about the church visit https://rlcms.org/.

Lubbock Christian University trunk-or-treat

Lubbock Christian University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will host its annual Trunk-or-Treat for the Lubbock community on Sunday, Oct. 30. The event will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday in the Rip Griffin parking lot.

LCU athletes, clubs, and various campus organizations will have family-friendly decorated trunks, games to play, and of course lots of candy to hand out to those who attend.

In addition, the LCU Art Department will be hosting a Dia de los Muertos cultural celebration at the LCU Art Studio at the same time. Families are invited to come enjoy free food, hands-on art activities, and live music from a mariachi band.

Children and families are invited to dress up in family-friendly costumes and come enjoy both of these fun, safe, free events on the LCU campus on Sunday, October 30 from 4 to 6pm:

· Trunk or Treat – Rip Griffin Center parking lot, 5502 26th St. (26th and Chicago)

· Dia de los Muertos Cultural Celebration – 3202 A. Eileen Blvd

Covenant partners with Spirit Halloween in fundraiser

For the 13th year, Covenant Children’s is partnering with Spirit Halloween for Spirit of Children, where 10% of proceeds from sales at Spirit Halloween stores goes directly to Covenant Children’s.

So far, Covenant Children’s has been awarded more than $218,000 from this partnership with Spirit Halloween. With the proceeds from past events, Covenant Children’s has been able to hire a part-time child life specialist for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, expand our artists in residence program, and create Lindsay’s Playroom.

This year’s proceeds will help Covenant Children’s obtain our own American with Disabilities Act medical therapy dog. Therapy dogs help patients cope with challenging medical situations, procedures, and diagnoses. They help the patient overcome stress and anxiety, find motivation and energy during recovery, assist with reaching health and developmental goals, and improve mood and moral, not just with patients, but their families and staff also.

Spirit Halloween is opening three stores in Lubbock this year, all participating in Spirit of Children: 5025 50th St.; 6002 Slide Road; and 2721 50th St.

Dia de los Muertos workshop

Lubbock's Patterson Branch Library, 1836 Parkway Drive, will host a sugar skulls decorating workshop Nov. 2 to celebrate Dia de los Muertos. The event will run from 4 to 5 p.m. and is open to all ages. Attendees are invited to decorate sugar skulls and hear a brief overview of the history of Dia de los Muertos.

At'l Do Farms Maze

The At'l Do Farms maze, which opened in September, runs through Nov. 6, with the exception of Mondays, when the maze is closed. The maze is located at 6323 FM 1294 in northwest Lubbock County.

Those craving the fall outdoors are welcome to come by At'l Do Farms Tuesday through Friday from 6-9 p.m.; Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sundays from 2-9 p.m.

Last tickets into the maze are sold at 9 p.m. and the grounds close at 10 p.m.

General admission is $12 per person with those ages 4 and younger admitted for free. Admission with a military or college ID is $2 off, as are senior citizen tickets.

This year's maze pays tribute to Lubbock's "Prairie Dog Pete."

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Celebrate Halloween in Lubbock with pumpkin trails, trick-or-treating