Park District Plans Halloween, Christmas Events: Mark Your Calendar

GRAYSLAKE, IL — As summer is coming to an end, park district officials in Grayslake are beginning to plan for family friendly fun this fall and winter. The park district released its fall recreation guide in recent days and it is jam-packed with Halloween and Christmas fun for kids and their parents.

We've included a roundup of events you'll want to mark your calendar for, and in some cases, register for now:

Pumpkin Fest: Oct. 12

The Grayslake Park District will host Pumpkin Fest at Central Park from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 12. There will be Halloween games, hay rides, moon walks, a costume contest and a Halloween character path. Pre-registration can be done before Oct. 12 and the cost is $10 for residents and $12 for non-residents. Adult attendance is free with a paying child. Walk-in registration at event will be $15. You can register here.

Halloween Monster Mash Costume Party: Oct. 21

From 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 21 you can bring your little goblin, superhero or fairy to the recreation center, 240 Commerce Drive, for the Halloween Monster Mash. This scare-free Halloween party is for ages 4 to 7 years old and will include arts & crafts, games and stories fit for ghosts, goblins and ghouls. This is a drop-off event and pizza and juice will be served for dinner. The cost is $23 for residents and $28 for non-residents. You can register here.

Skeleton Egg Hunt: Oct. 27

From 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. on Oct. 27, the Grayslake Park District will host a Skeleton Egg Hunt at Meadowview Park. The event is meant for children ages 6 to 13 years old. Be sure to bring your flashlight so you can hunt for eggs filled with candy that will be placed around the park for kids to find in the dark. The cost is $5 for residents and $7 for non-residents, and pre-registration is required. You can register here.

Santa Visits: Dec. 10

You can skip waiting in line for Santa and have jolly ole Saint Nick come straight to your house for an in-person visit instead. Grayslake Park District residents (non-residents are not able to sign up) can sign up for a Santa visit between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Dec. 10. Santa will hand a special gift off to your child that parents will need to purchase in advance and drop off at the recreation center by Dec. 6. The cost is $20 and interested residents can sign up here.

Visit Mr. And Mrs. Claus At Rec Center: Dec. 11

Ring in the holidays with a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Grayslake Park District Recreation Center from 1 to 3 p.m. on Dec. 11. The event will include fun games and activities to do while waiting in line and Bella Vie Studios will be on hand to take pictures (photos will be sent to a link to download a free picture of your choice). Additional prints will be available for purchase online.

The cost is $10 for residents and $15 for non-residents. Pre-registration is required for this event.

To help with crowd control, you will be sent a link by email on Nov. 29 to sign up for a time slot for when you would like to meet with Santa.