SOUTH METRO HALLOWEEN CALENDAR

EAGAN COSTUME EXCHANGE: Drop off a clean, gently used costume Wednesday or Thursday at the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Pkwy., and get a ticket to come back and pick out a different used costume from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Free.

FRIGHTMARES AT BUCK HILL: Four haunted attractions, plus music and full-service bar and restaurant. Fridays and Saturdays through October, plus Oct. 17, 20, 24 and 27. Opens at 7 p.m.; ticket sales end at 10 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, and at 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. $20 Thurs.-Sat., $18 Sun. Buck Hill, 15400 Buck Hill Road, Burnsville. www.frightmares.com.

SCREAM TOWN: New attractions include "Meltdown at Sector 666" and "Farmers Revenge." Plus more attractions and live entertainment. 7-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 2, plus Oct. 17, 20 and 27. $25-$45. 7410 Hwy. 212 W., Chaska. www.screamtown.com.

TRAIL OF TERROR: Haunted woods walk, haunted maze, scary attractions, zombie paintball, zombie pub crawl, food and entertainment. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through October, plus Oct. 17 and 24. Gate closes at 10 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays and 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. $16.95 in advance, $19.95 at the gate; some attractions and activities cost extra. Minnesota Renaissance Festival grounds, 3525 W. 145th St., Shakopee. 952-445-7361. www.trailofterrorfest.com.

VALLEYSCARE: By day enjoy non-scary Halloween activities. By night travel through mazes and scare zones. 7 p.m.-midnight Fridays, noon-midnight Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. Sundays through October, plus 7 p.m.-midnight Oct. 17. $28-$30.99. Valleyfair, Hwy. 101 and Valleyfair Dr., Shakopee. 952-445-7600. www.valleyfair.com/haunt.

GERTENS PUMPKIN FEST: Hayrides, face and pumpkin painting, scarecrow making and more. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every Saturday in October. Kids' costume contest 11 a.m. Oct. 26. Fees for activities vary. Gertens, 5500 Blaine Av., Inver Grove Heights. 651-450-1501.

EMMA KRUMBEE'S SCARECROW FESTIVAL: More than 100 handcrafted scarecrows, haystack jump, wagon ride, tombstone forest and other attractions. Live entertainment and pony and camel rides on weekends. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through October. $5. Emma Krumbee's Orchard and Farm, 501 E. South St., Belle Plaine. 952-873-3006. http://emma krumbees.com/scarecrow-festival.

HALLOWEEN HAND-ME-DOWNS: Families can drop off an old costume 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through next Friday, then pick up a "new" costume from the collection between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Oct. 19. Those who can't find a suitable hand-me-down costume will get a Halloween surprise instead. Free. Apple Valley Community Center, 14603 Hayes Road. 952-953-2300.

DAKOTA COUNTY PARANORMAL SOCIETY: A group of local ghost hunters will present at three libraries in October. 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24, South St. Paul Library, 106 3rd Av. N., South St. Paul; 11 a.m. Oct. 26, Pleasant Hill Library, 1490 S. Frontage Road, Hastings; 6 p.m. Oct. 29, Heritage Library, 20085 Heritage Drive, Lakeville.

HASTINGS COMMUNITY HALLOWEEN PARTY: Food, games, prizes and candy; recommended for ­ages 12 and under. Wear your costume. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 25, Hastings High School commons, 200 ­General Sieben Dr. Free with food donation or cash donation to Youth First Planning Council Scholarship Fund. 651-480-6181.

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS BOO BASH: Come in costume for games, crafts and trick-or-treating around the gym. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 25, Veterans Memorial Community Center gym, 8055 Barbara Av. $5 per child; adults free. http://tinyurl.com/o2sf5xe.

BURNSVILLE HALLOWEEN FEST: Illuminated "treat train," scary stories, face painting, visits from "Frightmares" characters, and more. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 25, Nicollet Commons Park, 126th Street and Nicollet Avenue. $5 per family. All ages welcome. 952-895-4500 or www.burnsville.org/recreation.

DODGE NATURE HALLOWEEN EXTRAVAGANZA: Walk the friendly trick-or-treat trail or the scary one along the ghostly pond and haunted prairie. Other activities include nature programs, scary hair, storytelling, wagon rides and costume contest. $9; kids 2 and under free. 5:30-10 p.m. Oct. 25, Dodge Nature Center, 365 Marie Av., West St. Paul. http://tinyurl.com/lxzd8ee.

FARMINGTON HALLOWEEN SKATE: Prizes, games and costume contest. Free with food shelf donation. 7-8:30 p.m. Oct. 25, Schmitz-Maki Arena, 114 W. Spruce St., Farmington. http://tinyurl.com/k43evwg

HASTINGS PARANORMAL TEAM: The self-described paranormal investigators will present some of their findings during a series of library events in October. 6 p.m. Oct. 25, Cannon Falls Library, 306 W. Mill St., Cannon Falls; 2 p.m. Oct. 26, Burnhaven Library, 1101 W. County Road 42, Burnsville; 6 p.m. Oct. 30, Robert Trail Library, 14395 S. Robert Trail, Rosemount.

HALLZOOWEEN: Crafts, treats and animal fun at the Minnesota Zoo. Dress up as your favorite zoo animal or other creature of choice. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 26 and 27; treats and goodies, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. while supplies last; Halloween craft, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Members-only version of the event on Oct. 31. Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Blvd. www.startribune.com/a714.

ROSEMOUNT HAUNTED WOODS TRAIL: A fun and safe trick-or-treating experience for preschool through middle-school-aged kids. Trail begins at the S. Robert Trail park-and-ride lot, goes through Central Park and exits onto W. 145th Street. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 26. Free; food donations accepted. http://tiny url.com/om2sg6m. 651-322-6011.

LAKEVILLE HAUNTED FOREST: Friendly costumed characters in trick-or-treat maze, plus bonfire, puppet show and more. All ages; families welcome. 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 26, Steve Michaud Park (formerly North Park), 17100 Ipava Av. $10 per carload or $3 per person, plus food shelf donation. http://tinyurl.com/kkw2vpm or 952-985-4600.

HALLOWEEN AT THE ART PARK: Wear your costumes and celebrate at Caponi Art Park, take a trick-or-treat tour of the sculpture garden, play in a giant pile of leaves, decorate pumpkins and trick-or-treat bags, and have some hot apple cider and popcorn. Free, with $5 donation suggested. 1-4 p.m. Oct. 26, Caponi Art Park, 1220 Diffley Road, Eagan. www.caponiartpark.org/programs/hallow een.

HALLOWEEN RUN: Four-mile race, the final leg of the Ground Pounders Grand Prix running series, with "chilling" checkpoints along the route. Runners need not have participated in previous Ground Pounder events. Race begins at 1 p.m. Oct. 26; registration 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Entry fee $10 before Oct. 18 or $15 after. Savage Community Park, 13550 Dakota Av., Savage. Register at http://tinyurl.com/lasfo3j.

MYSTIC LAKE HALLOWEEN BASH: Costume contest with up to $1,000 in prizes, live entertainment and drink specials. Ages 18 and up. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Oct. 26, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, 2400 NW. Mystic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake. 952-445-9000. www.mysticlake.com/halloween2013.

EAGAN HALLOWEEN HODGEPODGE: Trick-or-treating, carnival games, face painting, crafts and more. 3-7 p.m. Oct. 27, Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Pkwy. $6 at the door or $5 in advance, plus a food donation. Adults free with a food donation. http://tinyurl.com/q98rjvw or 651-675-5525.

NORTHFIELD HALLOWEEN SKATE: Come in costume for Halloween ice skating. $2.50, plus $3 for skate rental. 5:15-6:45 p.m. Oct. 27, Northfield Ice Arena, 1280 Bollenbacher Drive.

BURNSVILLE ICE CENTER HALLOWEEN PARTY: Free skating, discounted skate rental, trick-or-treating and more. noon-1:30 p.m. Oct. 27, Burnsville Ice Center, 251 Civic Center Pkwy. 952-895-4651.

APPLE VALLEY HALLOWEEN BONFIRE: Creepy stories by the fire, games, crafts, hot dog roast, s'mores and more. Activities aimed at kids ages 5-9, but all are welcome. 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 28, Valleywood Golf Course, 4851 McAndrews Road Registration required; deadline Oct. 24. See http://tinyurl.com/oj53ayq to register. $4 per person or $12 per family. 952-953-2300.

SHAKOPEE SCARY SKATE AND FUN NIGHT: Free skating (skate rental $3), crafts, open gym, family entertainment and more. 6-8 p.m. Oct. 30, ­Shakopee Community Center and Ice Arena, 1255 S. Fuller St., Shakopee.

TRICK OR TREAT AT PRIOR LAKE CITY HALL: Kids can go from department to department and collect treats from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 31. Free. 4646 Dakota St. SE. 952-447-9820.

SOUTH ST. PAUL'S GREAT HALLOWEEN GET-­TOGETHER: Trick-or-treating and other activities along Marie Avenue from 7th to 4th avenues. 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31. http://tinyurl.com/m6bkzzp or 651-554-3230.

MENDOTA HEIGHTS HALLOWEEN BONFIRE: Firefighters will be provide free hot dogs and soda and Paster Enterprises will offer trick-or-treat goody bags which include coupons to Mendota Plaza merchants. 7-9 p.m. Oct. 31, Mendota Plaza, 750 Hwy. 110. http://tinyurl.com/q4auhcl.

Have an event to add? E-mail dylan.belden@ startribune.com.