Treat the family with fun Halloween activities

• Reprints

Updated: November 28, 2011 8:52AM

It can be a trick to find unique Halloween activities that are a treat for the entire family. Here are a few suggestions:

† The Ghost Train at the Hesston Steam Museum will take visitors for a ride past the Halloween creatures lurking on their wooded grounds. The fall colors are a delightful bonus. Three different sizes of steam locomotives, including the large narrow gauge, and the fun miniature trains will be in operation from noon to 5 p.m. There will also be hay rides around the grounds, and the steam-powered saw mill will be in operation.

Admission is free. Train ride tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. 

The Hesston Steam Museum is at 1201 E. County Road 1000N. To get there take Interstate 94 to Michigan exit 1. Go south to County Road 1000N and follow the signs about 3 miles east to the museum. For more information, go online to www.hesston.org.    

† Howl-o-ween will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Wolf Park near Lafayette, with Halloween treats for the wolves in the afternoon and a chance to howl with the wolves after dark. 

Wolf Park is home to several packs of gray wolves that are the subject of research studies and public education programs conducted on the site.

On Saturday from 12:30 to 3 p.m. (CDT), the wolves will get environmental enrichment in the form of snack foods inside of a pumpkin, and visitors will get to see the animals explore and interact with the new item in their enclosures.

The “Howl Night” program will begin at 6:30 p.m. (CDT) with an introduction to the main pack of wolves and an informative presentation about wolf communication. The staff will then teach the audience the finer points of howling, and if their mood is right, the wolves might return the howl. The experience is memorable. Howl Nights are at 6:30 every Friday and Saturday through November.

Admission is $7 for age 14 and over, $5 for children ages 6 to 13, and free for children 5 and under. Wolf Park is at 4004 E. County Road 800N in Battle Ground, just north of Lafayette. To get there take Interstate 65 south to exit 178, Indiana 43. Go north one mile to Indiana 225 and turn east to Battle Ground and follow the signs. For more information, call (765) 567-2265 or go to www.wolfpark.org.

† Will she be dressed as an alien and land at the podium in a flying saucer, or dressed as Catwoman and zip line onto the stage? Each year the elaborately costumed conductor’s grand entrance is just one of the many fun additions to the University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s annual Halloween concert.

Arabian Nights is the theme of this year’s concerts with a program of wonderful music evoking sultans, caravans and magic carpets, and featuring storytelling, dance and special effects. The conductor offers clever poetic introductions to each piece, targeted to children in the audience.

The performances are at 7 and 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Mandel Hall, 5720 S. Woodlawn Ave. Donations are requested; the suggested amounts are $8 for adults and $4 for students. Call (773) 702-8069 for more information.