Halloween events for families in Dakota County

A selection of citywide Halloween events for families in some of the more populous Dakota County suburbs:

Saturday's event is aimed at preschool through middle-school aged kids.

Costumes are encouraged, as are warm clothes if it's cold out; it's all outdoors.

A trail starts at the Park & Ride lot on Hwy. (South Robert Trail), winds through Central Park, and exits onto 145th Street West.

Volunteers pass out candy, and at the entrance, nonperishable food donations are accepted.

For more information or to volunteer, contact: Mike Bouchard at 612-840-9016 or at rosemounthalloween@charter.net, or 651-322-6011, the city parks people.

The annual Halloween Bonfire is from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 31 at Mendota Plaza.

Residents can deposit brush in the designated area between the Mendota Plaza Shopping Mall and South Plaza Drive, from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. until the site is full. Must be less than 4 inches in diameter; no grass clippings, leaves, construction debris or other materials.

Twenty carnival games are on tap for this event, taking place next Sunday at the Community Center, 1501 Central Parkway.

Family dances, trick or treating, "creepy crafts," face painting and other activities are planned from 3 p.m. — 7 p.m.

Advance tickets are on sale through October 24 at Parks & Recreation at the Municipal Center and October 25 at the Community Center.

The Burnsville Ice Center's annual Halloween Skating Party takes place next Sunday.

Costumes are encouraged. There are prize drawings, trick-or-treating and carnival games.

For more information, contact the center at 952-895-4657 or visit www.burnsvilleicecenter.org.

There's a Haunted Halloween Party at the Community Center on Oct. 31, aimed at ages 2 ½ to 6

Games, crafts, stories, songs and treats are featured. Parents do not stay and children must be potty trained. Participants can wear a costume.

Session 1 is from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.; session 2 is 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Cost is $7 per person, per session. Registration deadline is Friday.

All ages are welcome, but parental discretion is advised for the Haunted Forest Trail. Organizers recommend that only third-graders or over take it.

The event is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Steve Michaud Park, 17100 Ipava Ave.

Cost is $10 per carload or $3 per person and a nonperishable food item for the community food shelf.

It's all outdoors, so dress for the weather.

Lakeville hopes to surpass last year's total of more than $10,000 in donated food during the Halloween season.