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Halloween's back, Baby - and we're celebrating all month long.

Vintage Vibes at Gilchrist Farm's Harvest Festival & Pumpkin Patch
Open daily from 9am to 6pm October 1 to October 31, the Harvest Festival and Pumpkin Patch at Gilchrist Farm is peak wholesome family fun - with a nod to traditions past.
Pick out the perfect pumpkin, then help milk a goat, spin some wool, ride a pony, learn how to forge, watch a pig race and much more. Guests will nosh on festival food and make new friends - as in, Gilchrist's resident farm animals. Take a tour of the expansive space on a farm-animal train or tractor ride, then get lost in the straw-bale maze. Entry is free and additional activities are friendly to all ages - and budgets. Want to treat the kids? Field trips are offered on weekdays.
gilchristfarm.com

photos by Tara Rochelle

HalloweenMakeup's a Beauty, DIYing it's a Beast
You've watched 30 Halloween makeup TikToks. You subscribe to a dozen YouTube makeup tutorials. And yet... you should probably not do your own Halloween makeup. (Sorry not sorry!) Why? First: You'll spend a small fortune on product that you probably won't use again. And, if you haven't spent hundreds of hours honing your skills, the results might be a little... nightmarish (And not in a good way!).
The more affordable and substantially better-looking alternative to a DIY screamfest: Blo-Out Lounge. The Halloween pros have been crafting fantasy makeup for years - and they have the portfolio to prove it. Full faces are $90; half are $70 - and lashes are included in both. Want to really shine? Crystal embellishment is only $5 more. Want more than 10? They're a buck each.
Blo-Out Lounge 255-2569


Shop Local & Avoid a Real Halloween Scare
Here's an unpleasant Halloween scare: Ordering a costume online from a company based in another country, then finding out just days before October 31 that it's poor quality - and three sizes too small.
Get it right by getting into A Chorus Line Dancewear & Costumes in Valencia, where their team of spooky specialists will connect you with the costume of your nightmares in ranges from infant to plus size for both men and women. Shop this year's trendsetting selections along with a massive collection of accessories like wigs, thematic sunglasses, masks, belts, gloves, crowns, hats, tights, shoes, boot covers, parasols, petticoats, armor, faux tattoos, wands, canes and cuffs!
Want to browse before you buy? Log onto their online shopping portal at achorusline.net to preview products before you visit, or buy online and pick up in store or have your order shipped. Of course, because A Chorus Line is receiving new Halloween inventory every day, only a portion is on the site. If you're hoping for a hard-to-find costume or accessory, call the store or stop by.
A Chorus Line 253-0300

Do You Know?
Which three witches uttered the phrase,
"Double, double toil and trouble;
fire burn and cauldron bubble?"
Shakespeare's trifecta of supernatural witches in"Macbeth" or the three spell casters in "Hocus Pocus," played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy? If you're a fan of the Classics, versus classic films, you'll have guessed correctly - this phrase is all Shakespeare.

No Trick, these are the Best Treats
Yeah, a fun-sized Snickers bar is cool - but have you tried not eating Halloween goodies that have a year-long shelf life? If you're scared of mass-produced candy ingredients, take solace in the simplicity of handcrafted, real-butter bundt goodness topped with wholesome cream cheese frosting.
Nothing Bundt Cakes 291-2424


Pumpkin Patch at Limoneira Ranch
Welcomes Visitors Again this Fall
Beginning October 2, the Rotary Club of Santa Paula will once again be welcoming visitors to the Pumpkin Patch at Limoneira Ranch to celebrate the fall season.
In addition to offering one of the largest pumpkin patches in Ventura County, the Pumpkin Patch at Limoneira Ranch is home to a 5.5-acre Corn MAiZE that has been featured on CNN, National Geographic, CBS, NBC, Discovery, People Magazine and more.
Pumpkin Patch visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy delicious food, face painting, a petting zoo, pony rides, hay rides and pyramids, live music, crafts, games and the famous Pumpkin Chucker.
Located at 12471 Foothill Road in Santa Paula, the Pumpkin Patch will be open every Saturday and Sunday in October from 10am to 5pm. General admission is $10 per person and children 2 years of age and younger are free. Certain activities - including the Corn MAiZE, pony rides, face painting, games and food and beverage booths - have an additional fee.
"Every year, we strive to make our Pumpkin Patch bigger and better," said Marilyn Appleby, president of the Rotary Club of Santa Paula. "After taking a year off due to the pandemic, we are excited to welcome the community back to our best Pumpkin Patch yet. We have plenty of tricks up our sleeves and it's sure to be a treat for all ages." The Pumpkin Patch attracts approximately 20,000 visitors from Southern California and beyond each year and is considered a favorite among Santa Clarita residents.
pumpkinpatchatlimoneiraranch.com