The Austin Zoo puts on Boo at the Zoo next month. DEBORAH CANNON / AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Believe it or not, I’ve spent this work day working on my October family calendar.
Here’s what we have to look forward to next month:
Halloween
Sweet Berry Farm fall fun. The Texas-shaped hay maze and smaller candy corn hay maze opens Through Nov. 8. You can also find hay rides, pumpkin decorating, a train and more. Priced per event. 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. 1801 FM 1980, Marble Falls. sweetberryfarm.com.
Barton Hill Farms “The Great Pumpkin” Maze. Find a lot to do including the maze in the shape of the Peanuts’ Linus’ hero “The Great Pumpkin,” live music, pumpkin painting, farm animals, train rides and more. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Through Nov. 8. $11 adults, $8 3-10 years old, free for children 2 and younger. $1 off online. Barton Hill Farms, 1115 FM 969, Bastrop. bartonhillfarms.com.
Boo at the Zoo. Wear a costume and ride the Haunted Train and explore a haunted house. $12.50. 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 9-10, 16-17, 23-24 and 30. 10808 Rawhide Trail. austinzoo.org.
Halloween Carnival & Haunted House. Many family games and treats. 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15. Metz Recreation Center, 2407 Canterbury St.
Dittmar’s Haunted House. A haunted house created by local teens. 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24. Dittmar Recreation Center, 1009 W. Dittmar Road.
Austin Symphony s “Halloween Children’s Concert will turn Dell Hall into a place where spooky music and characters roam, but not in a scary way.
Credit: 2011 Austin Symphony Orchestra
“Halloween Children’s Concert.” The Austin Symphony performs some “frightfully fun” music. Come dressed in your costume. 3 p.m. Oct. 25. $8-$12. The Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Drive. austinsymphony.org
Sinister Circus Halloween Carnival. 25-cent tickets for activities, with a free Trick-or-Treat Trail. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 30. Northwest Recreation Center, 2913 Northland Drive.
Halloween Hootenanny. Celebrate Family Night at the Thinkery. Wear your costume and do some spooky science. 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30. $15. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. ThinkeryAustin.org.
Spooktacular. Enjoy family-friendly Halloween activities. 5-8 p.m. Oct. 30. Bullock Texas State History Museum. 1800 Congress Ave.thestoryoftexas.com.
Spooky Skedaddle Halloween Festival. Texas School for the Deaf is holding its annual Halloween festival and 5-K run. The Heal Yeah 5K starts a 9 a.m., the 1K Spooky Skedaddle is at 10:30 a.m. The festival includes music, obstacle course, bounce house, mini horses, clowns, food trailers and costume parade. The festival is free with tickets purchased for each booth, the 5K is $35, the 1K is $3. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 31, Texas School for the Dear, 1102 S. Congress Ave. www.tsdfoundation.org
Theater
“Winnie the Pooh.” A.A. Milne’s story comes to life in musical form from Zach Theatre. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 12. $15-$20. Kleberg Theatre, 202 S. Lamar Blvd. www.zachtheatre.org.
“Just a Minute.” Celebrate Día de los Muertos with an adaptation of Yuyi Morales’ bilingual “Just a Minute” and “Just in Case.” 11 a.m. Oct. 3, 10, 24, and 31; 12:30 p.m. Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 and Nov. 1; 1 p.m. Oct. 24 and 31; 2:30 p.m. Oct. 18, Oct. 25, and Nov. 1. $7 children, $12 adults. Scottish Rite Theatre, 207 W. 18th St. Scottishritetheater.org.
“Fly Guys & Other Stories.” Seven stories including “Diary of a Worm,” “Fluffy the Classroom Guinea Pig,” and “Fly Guy Meets Fly Girls” get told in this children’s theatre. $15 adults, $12 children. Noon, Oct. 10. One World Theatre, 7701 Bee Cave Road.oneworldtheatre.org.
“Liberty! Equality! and Fireworks!” This play about the Civil Rights movement from Polyanna Theatre Company returns. This time it’s at the LBJ Presidential Library’s auditorium. $6. 2 p.m. Oct. 10. 2313 Red River St. pollyannatheatrecompany.org
Family Dance Studio. Learn some of the ballet moves from “Snow White.” 2:30 p.m. Oct. 18. Austin Ventures StudioTheater, 501 W. Third St. balletaustin.org.
“Dog Loves Books.” Dog loves to read books and recommend them to customers in her bookstore. $15 adults, $12 children. Noon, Oct. 31. One World Theatre, 7701 Bee Cave Road. oneworldtheatre.org.
“Snow White.” Ballet Austin II presents this classic fairy tale in ballet form. 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Oct. 31-Nov. 1, and Nov. 7-8. $15. Austin Ventures StudioTheater, 501 W. Third St. balletaustin.org.
Museums
Thinkery Workshops: Kitchen Lab: Whisks & Wizards, for ages 8 and older. 10:30 a.m. Oct. 3, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 4. $29 one child and adult. Bat Boxes, for ages 8 and older. 10:30 a.m. Oct. 10, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 11. $34 per child and adult. “Cooking with Goodnight Moon,” for ages 4-7. 10:30 a.m. Oct. 17, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 18, $29 per child and adult. Superhero Capes, ages 4-7. 10:30 a.m. Oct. 24 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25. $29 per child and adult. The Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave. ThinkeryAustin.org.
Free First Sunday: Football. Enjoy football-themed activities 12-3 p.m. Bullock Texas State History Museum. 1800 Congress Ave.thestoryoftexas.com.
Second Saturdays with Contemporary Austin. Have a bubble blowout. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 10. Laguna Gloria, 3809 W. 35th St.thecontemporaryaustin.org.
Books
At Book People: Adam Rubin, author of “Dragon Loves Tacos,” visits story time. You can get your Adam Rubin book signed. 11:30 a.m. Oct. 3. “Once Upon a Chapter Tour.” Meet Ursula Vernon, author of “Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible,” M.A. Larson, “Pennyroyal Academy” and Rob Harrell of “Life of Zarf: The Troll Who Cried Wolf.” 7 p.m. Oct. 5. James and Kimberly Dean speak and sign “Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues.” 6 p.m. Oct. 13. Mary Laura Philpott reads and signs “Penguins with People Propblems.” 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16. Liz Garton Scanlon reads “In the Canyon” and Susan Kralovansky reads “Twelve Cowboys Ropin'” 2 p.m. Oct. 25. Tick or Treat for books at a Halloween story time. 11:30 a.m. Oct. 31. Book People, 603 N. Lamar Blvd. bookpeople.com.
Head to the children’s tent of the Texas Book Festival in October.
Ralph Barrera/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Texas Book Festival. Hang out in the children’s book tent and meet authors Lemony Snicket, Louis Sachar, Liz Garton Scanlon, Don Tate and more. Oct. 17-18. Free. Texas Capitol grounds. www.texasbookfestival.org
Barnes & Noble story times. This month the 11 a.m. Saturday story times at all locations will read: “We’re In the Wrong Book,” Oct. 3; “Pete the Cat and the Bedtime Blues,” Oct. 10; “Imaginary Fred,” Oct. 17; “Click, Clack, Boo! Storytime,” Oct. 24.
Other Barnes & Noble events: “Strathio” author Betty Starr Kirkpatrick reads and signs. 2 p.m. Oct. 3, Round Rock. Lego master builder visits. 7 p.m. Oct. 13. Sunset Valley. “Star Wars” Reads Days. Noon Oct. 10, Arboretum, and 2 p.m. Oct. 10, Lakeline and Round Rock. Lego Architect studio. 2 p.m. Oct. 17, Lakeline and Round Rock.
Happening at the library: Mad Science Maelstrom for ages 10 and up. Make a monster. 7 p.m. Oct. 2, Yarborough Branch. “Wild and Wacky Weather” from Literature Live. 3:30 p.m. Oct. 1, Howson Branch; 2 p.m. Oct. 2, Willie Mae Kirk Branch; 3:30 p.m. Oct. 6, Twin Oaks Branch; 10:15 a.m. Oct. 8, Ruiz Branch; 1 p.m. Oct. 10, Recycled Reads Bookstore, 10:30 a.m. Oct. 15, Little Walnut Creek Branch; 10:15 a.m. Oct. 20, Carver Branch; 11 a.m. Oct. 21, Old Quarry Branch; Noon Oct. 22, Southeast Branch; 10:15 a.m. Oct. 27, Cepeda Branch; 11:30 a.m. Oct. 28, University Hills Branch; 10:15 a.m. Oct. 29. Windsor Park Branch. T(w)een Stem Lab. 3:30 p.m. Oct. 13, Carver Branch. Family Movie Night: “James and the Giant Peach.” 5 p.m. Oct. 22, Carver Branch. Family Craft Night. 7 p.m. Oct. 22, Hampton Branch. Día de los Muertos celebration, 3:30 p.m. Oct. 23. Terrazas Branch; 6 p.m. Oct. 26, University Hills; 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28, Cepeda Branch; 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29, Manchaca Road Branch; 2 p.m. Oct. 31, Willie Mae Kirk Branch.Family Movie Matinee: “Cinderella,” 2 p.m. Oct. 24, Cepeda Branch. Family Movie Matinee: “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” 2 p.m. Oct. 31, Cepeda Branch.
