OROVILLE – Haunted Houses and Haunted Hayrides, a Halloween Carnival and a Halloween Party, are all planned before and during the upcoming holiday in Oroville and Tonasket.

The first event is the annual “Spooktacular” Haunted Hayride on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sponsored by Oroville RE/MAX Lake and Country Realty and Taber’s Taste of Summer, organizers are promising an even bigger and scarier ride this year with two hay wagons to carry the daring through an outdoor chamber of horrors. A creepy cast of volunteers turn the orchards around Taber’s Fruit Barn into a macabre good time. This year’s event starts with a walk through the haunted nursery building before climbing aboard the hay wagon.

“We will have twice as many things to scare you,” said Rock DeVon from RE/MAX, adding that this year they are asking people to bring a donation of a non-perishable food item for a food drive sponsored by the North Central Washington Association of Realtors.

The annual pumpkin patch will not take place this year, however, RE/MAX and Taber’s have purchased pumpkins for preschool age children to have. The pumpkin event will be held on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 20 and 21, starting at 9:30 a.m.

On Saturday, Oct. 29 be prepared to be scared at the 2nd Annual Halloween Carnival and Haunted Hallway to take place at the Oroville Elementary Gym from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Those that wear a costume get two free tickets, say organizers.

Then on Saturday, Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30 North Valley Community Schools (NVCS) is reaching out to those who happily anticipate special Halloween activities with a special invitation to enjoy an October fundraising event designed for family enjoyment and to support individual school classes.

On Saturday and Sunday evenings, between 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. both nights, NVCS is hosting The Oroville Haunted Mansion and invites all people, young and old to “visit and feast on the land where hundreds of the dead and the undead live, laugh and love.” They also invite you to “walk through portions of a seriously dilapidated haunted river mansion and its stately barren grounds; see real deep dark monster dwellings, smell the pungent odors, hear the extraneous pained noises of those who have left us. Experience the shallow joy of watching spooks play in the water and other horrendous activities of the Dead. Perhaps you would like to have your fortune read by a famous Seer from afar-there will be one onsite both hallowed nights.”

The Haunted Mansion is located at 85C Chesaw Road in Oroville, just a half mile north of the Cherry Street Bridge on the east side of Oroville. Watch for signs directing you to the ghoulish place, say organizers. There is a nominal charge; all of the proceeds help continue the educational opportunities that North Valley Community School offers.

“Classes are inexpensive because they are subsidized by these kinds of fund raising events,” said Tamarak Porter, who is one of the few breathing caretakers of the Haunted Mansion.”Please participate and support your community school and at the same time have loads of eerie fun. And remember, this event is not just for the kids.”

Then, the day of Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31, there is the Oroville Business decorating and costume contest, the chamber of commerce Trick or Treat and a party at the Oroville Eagles (see related story). In Tonasket the Tonasket Visitor and Business Resource Center is transforming into a Haunted House for visitors ages four and up. The Haunted House will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and entry is a $1 donation, according to Linda Black, one of the organizers of the event.

“We will also have a playground and apple bobbing out back for those who prefer not to get scared,” Black said. “The event is being sponsored by Boy Scout TTroop 21 and TVBRC volunteers”