A Guide to Annual Halloween Activites in Springfield, MO

The little ones will love the annual Spooktacular, sponsored by Price Cutter, beginning October 20 at the Dickerson Park Zoo. (1401 W. Norton Road, 417-864-1800, www.dickersonparkzoo.org.) Gates open at 6:30 pm, advanced tickets are just $3, or you can purchase tickets at the gate for $4. This frightfully fun event has been ongoing at the zoo for many years, and it's perfect for children and the entire family. There's even candy-treats for children 12 and under. The zoo comes alive with the spirit of Halloween, decorated beautifully with hundreds of lighted jack-o-lanterns, scarecrows, maybe even a few ghosts and goblins, and so much more. Bring your little goblin out for a "spooktacular" good time!

Downtown Springfield will become immersed with vampires, witches, ghosts, and goblins with the annual Neewollah Celebration (pronounced "knee-a-wall-a", Halloween spelled backwards.) This incredible event is for adults, and is a genuine down-town party, with one of the largest costume contests in Missouri, involving 18 down-town area pubs and taverns. More than 18 prizes will be awarded, and a grand prize to the best costume overall. Previously, the grand prize winner received a Spring Break trip for two anywhere in the continental U.S. And if being amidst thousands of ghosts, goblins, vampires, and other creatures of the night wasn't enough excitement for you, don't worry, each establishment will have a perfroming band of DJ. Event Schedule:

9:00 p.m. Neewollah Begins, October 30
10:00 p.m. Each Particpating Venue determines Winner
Midnight: Costume Finals at Traffic
Here's how the contest works: Participants will pay $10 admission that will allow them to get into 18 different downtown pubs. They will have until 10 p.m. to decide which pub will give them the best chance of advancing to the finals. At 10:00 p.m. each establishment will decide through crowd applause who should advance. These 18 winners will have already won free admission into all DDEC.NET events for the year 2005. At Midnight the semifinalist will be taken to the stage at Traffic Nightclub where judges will determine who the grand prize winner will be. Here are the participating bars and taverns:

The Bar Next Door
The Abyss
Boogie
The Highlife
Trolley's
The Outland
Harpo's
Springfield Brewing Co
Club 201
Rasta Grill
The Rockwell
Outland Ballroom
Burgandy Room
Drink- Vinyl Richie
Ernie Biggs- Dueling Pianos
ICON
Traffic
Tropical Liquors
For more information, look for a new update on this event soon at www.itsalldowntown.com. Certain entertainment is to be announced, and all information listed about htis event could be subject to change.

A scary Springfield tradition is the incredibly spooky Hotel of Terror, located at 334 N. Main Ave. Each floor creepier than the next, you won't want to miss this scare-fest featuring some faces you'll recognize like Jason, Freddy Cruger, and Leatherface. Sneak preview week-ends will be offered September 22 and 23, and September 29 and 30. Beginning the month of October, the hotel will be open each day, until November 4. Admission is $8 for adults, Sunday-Thursday, $10, Friday-Saturday. Children under 7 are free. Information on discounts/coupons will be posted here when it becomes available at www.hotelofterror.com.

This haunted dwelling's history goes all the way back to 1927, then known as the "Plaza Hotel," and later as the "Hotel Texas," the remnants of which is still visible on the side of the building. If you brave it through all the scary floors, once you reach the top, you will slide down a huge slide, sending you back out to Main Street in front of the hotel. So come check it out-if you dare!

Halloween is one of the most fun holidays of the year. It combines the crisp fall air, the fellowship of dressing up in crazy, spooky get-ups, and not to mention eating candy until you're sick! Talk about too much fun! It is always important to be safe when you're celebrating, however, as we all know. So, hope you're Halloween is happy and full of fun and lots of chocolate!