STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

More than a thousand youngsters are expected to converge on downtown Halloween next Wednesday for the Halloween Hoopla. And adults will get their turn on Saturday as Ketchum’s Main Street closes down for Nightmare on Main Street.

These two events are among a myriad of Halloween happenings in the Wood River Valley. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:

• Saturday, Oct. 27—Sun Valley Resort will hold a Halloween Fall Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. in Sun Valley Village.

   Village merchants will offer treats for kids in costume. There’ll be rides on the kids’ train, live music from the Gary Tackett band, free outdoor ice skating, free horse-drawn wagon rides, lawn games, pumpkin decorating, a straw maze, spider jump, photo booth and more. Most of the events are free. And there will be Happy Hour deals for adults at the Village Station from 3 to 5 p.m.

• Saturday, Oct. 27—A Spook-tastic Princess Halloween Party will be held from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Studio Move, 231 Northwood Way, B600, in Ketchum.

  Tinkerbell and Cinderella will be leading Halloween games, performing songs and teaching princess etiquette during the costume party. There also will be temporary tattoos, cookies and a glitter photo booth. The event is being put on by Pixie Dust Parties. Admission is $25 for one child and one adult.

• Saturday, Oct. 27—Blazing Pumpkins will light up Swiftsure Ranch, a therapeutic equine center south of Bellevue from 5 to 9 p.m.

  There will be more than a hundred carved pumpkins lighting up the Sensory Trail providing light to guide the Headless Horseman on his rounds. And Rico and Old Death Whisper will provide live music while festival goers try their skills at a pumpkin chucking catapult, apple air cannon, strong man station and on a super mechanical bull.

  The Smokey Bone BBQ, KB’s, Sun Valley Brewery and Maria Ruiz will have tamales, BBQ and more eats for sale. Admission is $5. Look for the American flag at 114 Calypso Lane off Highway 75.

• Saturday, Oct. 27—Nightmare on Main Street will close down the highway running through Ketchum as reincarnations of Marilyn Monroe and Freddy turn up for a Halloween tradition that goes back decades.

  The party starts at 8 p.m. and runs through 1 a.m. with music by DJs Doc Rock and DJ Alien from 8 p.m. to midnight. And there will be a Laser Show, as well.

  A costume contest at 10 p.m. will crown the scariest, sexiest and most creative in the land, as well as the best group and best overall costume. There will be great prizes offered by local businesses.

• Saturday, Oct. 27—A Halloween Concert and Costume Party will be held at just-opened Mint, which was recently purchased from Bruce Willis. Mother Yeti performs at 8:30 p.m. and a costume contest will follow at 9:30 p.m. Lounge on Fire will close out the evening at 9:45 p.m. Visit www.haileymint.com for tickets.
• Saturday, Oct. 27—Whiskey Jacques will have a Halloween Party featuring live music and a costume contest with prizes. Doors open at 9 p.m. The Pisten Bullys will perform downstairs and DJN8 upstairs. Admission: $7.
• Sunday and Monday, Oct. 28-29—The Bellevue Haunted Forest will feature plenty of things that go bump in the night, courtesy of live actors, as those who dare wind their way through the woods in Bellevue’s Howard Preserve.

  Those who scare easily should come early as it gets scarier as it gets darker. “It’s in the woods and it’s dark so it’s scary,” said Tammy Davis.

  The brave may enter the Haunted Forest from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. from Oak Street on the west side of Main Street.

  Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youth, with proceeds going towards the maintenance of the Howard’s Preserve, Bellevue’s Burn Fund, Bellevue Library and the Bellevue Museum.  Tickets are available at Mahoney’s Bar and Grill, 7Fuego and Studio 213 and Bead Shop or at the gate.

• Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 30-31—The Bellevue Haunted Garden will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at 311 S. 2^nd St., across from the Bellevue Library. Donations will be accepted for the Bellevue Library.
• Wednesday, Oct. 31—Hailey Halloween Hoopla will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. in downtown Hailey.

Merchants marked by orange and black balloons will offer treats to goblins, witches and monsters taking to the streets. There will be a bouncy house provided by the Wood River YMCA on the Farmer’s Market lot on Main Street.

And the Hailey Kiwanis will sponsor a revolving Costume Contest at The Liberty Theater with a new group vying for prizes every 15 minutes or so. All ages are welcome in the costume which is being judged by members of the Wood River Key Club.

The event is sponsored by the Kiwanis of Hailey, The Chamber, Company of Fools, Key Club International, the Wood River YMCA and the City of Hailey.