HALLOWEEN IN THE MANTECA/LATHROP AREA
• FAMILY FALL FEST – Thrive Church in Lathrop, formerly known as the Lathrop Christian Center, is hosting a Family Fall Fest from 7 to 9 p.m. Children and their families will have plenty of fun activities to do including games, candy, and food. It is a kick-off to the Nov. 2 grand opening and dedication of the church’s new quarters in the building on the corner of Towne Centre Drive and Manthey Road. The public is invited.
• ST. ANTHONY SCHOOL SAFE HALLOWEEN – Games, food, and a variety of attractions will be featured in this Safe Halloween festivity to be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the school gymnasium located at 323 N. Fremont Ave., corner Sutter Street. Admission is free. Tickets may be purchased at 25 cents apiece. Call the school office at 823-4513 for further details.
• TRUNK OR TREAT – Crossroads Grace Community Church at 1505 Moffat Blvd. in Manteca welcome guests both young and old to the Truck or Treat extravaganza taking place Friday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 9 p.m. in the parking lot. Games, prizes, inflatables, ponies, candy, plus a live band will be the highlights of the evening. There is no admission fee. There will be food vendors on site offering food for sale.
• ST. PAUL’S HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL – The Halloween carnival on Friday, Oct. 31, will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the church located at the corner of Powers Avenue and East North Street in Manteca. Carnival games, food, plus lots of candy will be among the treats. For the games, tickets in packs of 8 will be available $1 a pack. Available for purchase during the evening will be meals consisting of hot dogs and chips for $2 each; a slice of pumpkin pie will be available as well at $1.50 per slice.
Most Halloween celebrations last for just a day. At Manteca Care and Rehabilitation Center in Manteca, it will be double the fun in two days full of costumes, cupcakes, and live entertainment.
Kicking off the Halloween event will be a costume party on Thursday, Oct. 30, starting at 1:30 p.m. All residents, staff and their families are invited to wear their best Halloween costume creations, with everyone included in the costume contest. Prizes will be presented to winners. At 2 p.m., Singer Bill Butterman, who has been the featured entertainer for many years at this annual event, will sing and accompany himself on the guitar.
On Friday, Oct. 31, the second-day Halloween extravaganza will again have all residents, staff and their families in costume for the day’s party. Cupcakes, a special Halloween “brew,” and ice cream will be served.
“We all dress up for the residents. Last year we had a lot of residents dress up for Halloween as well. All families are invited,” said Manteca Care and Rehab activities director Debbie Robles. The facility is located at 410 Eastwood Avenue off Northgate Drive in Manteca.
Some early Halloween extravaganza:
Saturday, Oct. 25
Lathrop Elementary, city Parks and Rec Famiy Fall fiesta today
You don’t even have to wait for the official day of this haunting annual holiday in some places in Lathrop and Manteca. In Lathrop, the big event taking place today, a week before the ghoulish day, is being held in the multipurpose building of Lathrop Elementary School. Hundreds of revelers both young and young-at-heart are expected to gather for the annual Harvest Festival and Halloween Carnival. It’s an event co-sponsored by the Lathrop Parks and Recreation and the Parent Teacher Club of Lathrop Elementary. A costume contest, a Haunted Café, pumpkin walk and other games are the order of the evening.
Manteca downtown annual Safe Halloween trick-or-treat
Another early Halloween extravaganza is the 16th annual Downtown Safe Halloween in Manteca put together by the Manteca Interact teen service group. From 10:30 a.m. to noon today, young children and their families are invited to dress up in their favorite costumes and stop by the various businesses for trick-and-treating. This event is designed to provide a safe place for children to have fun on Halloween.
“Hope it doesn’t rain on the parade,” Tipton’s Stationery & Gifts owner Bea Bowlsby said with a laugh. The specialty store at the corner of Yosemite Avenue and Maples Street is one of the oldest-running businesses in the downtown business district and has been part of this fun event for many years.
Halloween Carnival & HauntedHouse at Boys and Girls Club
The 23rd annual Halloween Carnival and Haunted House jointly sponsored by the Manteca Parks and Recreation Department and the Manteca Youth Commission will be held from 1:30 to 4 p.m. today at the Boys and Girls Club, 545 W. Alameda. Admission for children is $5 each, parents are admitted free of charge. For children with a Boys and Girls Club ID, admission is $2. The event is open to children from preschool to third grade. One of the highlights will be a costume contest which will take place at 2:30 p.m.
