Things That Go Bump in the Night: 5 Great Halloween Events Near Apple Valley and Savage

With parties, haunted houses and other festivities spilling over into the day preceding Halloween, this holiday is no longer a one-day event. Scare up a great time at these Halloween activities near our Springs at Apple Valley and Springs at Egan Drive communities.

Get up close and personal with creatures of the night and other fascinating wildlife at the Minnesota Zoo's Halloween celebration for all ages. Enjoy interactive education programs and watch the animals feed on some Halloween-themed treats. Live music, face painters and holiday goodies will also be on hand. Zoo admission is $18 for adults and $12 for kids between 3 and 12.

Don your favorite costume and join your neighbors for this annual event hosted by Savage Parks and Recreation. A live DJ provides the musical backdrop for games, magic tricks and refreshments, including s'mores straight from a campfire. The event runs from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. and admission is $10.

As Michael Jackson's "Thriller" showed us, Halloween creepies love to get their groove on. The Ballet Royale of MN will be staging a special performance featuring Frankenstein and other spooky favorites, concluding with an exciting zombie dance. Come in costume for a chance to win a prize at the post-show reception. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $16.

If one haunted house is good and two are better, the three haunted houses at Buck Hill add up to a hair-raising blast. Come for dinner beforehand at the Black Diamond Restaurant and stay afterwards for live music on selected nights at the BuckStone Lodge. Admission is $23 or you can purchase a combo pass for $35 that includes a game of zombie paintball. Visit the website for times and tickets.

Who says ghosts and ghouls don't have culture? Twin Cities Horror Festival is 11 days of live stage plays and short films that are sure to make your skin crawl. As an added bonus, the Southern Theater is rumored to be haunted, so you may catch a performance that's not on the schedule! Tickets start at $15 for individual shows and $56 for multi-show passes.

Do you have a special costume planned for Halloween fun? Share it with us in the comments!