Things are getting spooky! Here are some family Halloween activities in Eastern CT

When the leaves fall and the nights get shorter, there is something spooky in the air. For some it’s the coldness of the coming winter, reminding all that the holiday season is coming. Others decide to celebrate in the moment, with a bit of whimsy, a dash of campy horror and October-specific fun.

Whether you want to be scared around Halloween or dress up as your favorite character and eat a ton of candy, there is plenty to do in the coming weeks. From pumpkins to trunk-or-treats, here are some of the local Halloween celebrations in Eastern Connecticut meant for all children and families.

Norwich Halloween events

On Oct. 28, there will be a Trunk or Treat from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Rose City Senior Center, 8 Mahan Drive. A DJ will accompany the event. Anyone who wants to participate as a trunker - park and decorate your car - must sign up at www.norwichct.org/287/recreation, and arrive a half hour before. There will be prizes for best costumes and trunks.

Norwich will have a new Halloween event this year, the NorWITCH Halloween Strut, on Oct. 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on Lower Broadway, Bath Street, and Franklin Street. The idea came from City Planner Deanna Rhodes, who has dressed in past Halloween events as the NorWITCH. She serves as the event's chairman, and is collaborating with the Norwich Events Organization for it.

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While it’s not a trick-or-treat event, the Strut provides plenty of activities, and encourages people to eat at nearby restaurants. Some of these activities include a Halloween exhibit at the Norwich Arts Center, a Jack-O’-Lantern Contest on the steps of Norwich City Hall, which people need to bring battery powered lights for, decorated storefronts, and a playhouse in Jubilee Park called the NorWITCH Village, Rhodes said.

There will also be a Nightmare Before Christmas screening and activity area on Franklin Street geared toward teenagers.

There are also snack vendors to help satisfy a craving, including popcorn or cider and donuts.  Crafters will also be stationed at the parking lot between the Norwich Arts Center and Latin Quarters.

To help with the event, Broadway and Bath Street will be closed from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. that day.

“It’s a fun and safe environment to help celebrate Halloween,” Rhodes said.

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Reliance Health will also have a Trunk-or-Treat on Oct. 29 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 2 Cliff St. Participants are asked to bring a donation of $5-$10, or a hygiene product, like soap, toothbrushes or shampoo.

There’s also a Halloween Pub Crawl for the grown-ups, on Oct. 29 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. It starts at Strange Brew Pub at 86 Water St., and snakes around downtown bars until ending at Billy Willson’s Ageing Still at 57 Broadway.

Plainfield Halloween event

Plainfield’s big Halloween event is on Oct. 29, with the Fall Fest from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and the Trunk-or-Treat from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Lions Park. The Fall Fest emphasizes family activities and crafts. The trunk-or-treat, along with the young ones getting candy from the participating cars, will feature a pumpkin and scarecrow contest and a trunk decorating contest.

People can sign up for the pumpkin and scarecrow contests day of, and anyone who is a trunker for the trunk-or-treat is eligible to win the decorating contest. There are small prizes collected from local businesses.

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People can sign up to be trunkers at plainfieldct.myrec.com, and look for the Fall Fest and Trunk-or-Treat icon.

Last year, there were 300 children participating in the Trunk-or-Treat’s first year, and the town is expecting more this year, said Plainfield Recreation Director Mark Simmons.

Putnam Halloween events

The Great Pumpkin Festival is back for its 14th year, on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., mainly in downtown Putnam. The festival features the official Great Pumpkin, sourced from a local farm. There is also the Rotary Park scarecrow contest, in which local individuals and businesses compete to have the scariest or funniest scarecrow. There is also arts and crafts, games, face painting, live music, and a pumpkin-themed sandcastle. Don’t forget pumpkin dishes at the downtown restaurants.

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There will also be downtown trick-or-treating on Oct. 29 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Children can wear their costumes and go door-to-door to each business, getting candy.

Killingly Halloween events

On Oct. 28 there will be a showing of Hocus Pocus 2 at 6 p.m. at the Westfield Congregational Church. Attendees are asked to bring their own chairs and blankets and provide a donation for the Friends of Assisi Food Pantry. Children can wear their costumes to the screening.

On Oct. 29, the town and the Killingly Business Association will hold a Trick-or-Treat on Main Street. The Scarecrow Kingdom, where people can bring their old clothes to dress scarecrows, runs from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in Davis Park. Then, the Trick-or-Treat proper runs from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., as kids get candy from businesses in Main Street Danielson.

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The Dark Manor

While it might be too scary for the youngest children, any list on Eastern Connecticut Halloween activities would be remiss without mentioning The Dark Manor. Just past the bridge over the Shetucket River from Occum, at 25 Main Street in Baltic, this former school building is now infamous as a haunted house attraction. Performers in ghoulish paint and costumes scare you while you walk past ghastly displays and animatronics. Tickets range from $10 for a less scary matinee, to $33 for the scariest performance on the busiest nights. Dates and hours vary, so check http://thedarkmanor.com/hours-events/ for when it's open.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Trick-or-treat and a haunted house: 10 Halloween things to do in CT