Take a guided walk around Huntsville's spooky side if you need some help getting into the Halloween spirit.

Why it matters: Huntsville Ghost Walk offers a look at downtown Huntsville that you won't experience any other way.

How it works: Attendees can "hear stories from Huntsville's haunted past and learn why the spirits remain" on 90-minute to two-hour walks through Twickenham, Downtown or Old Town.

• Tickets, which should be purchased as early as possible, are $12 for adults and $8 for kids. Walks are offered Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
• The next available date is Oct. 24, and Halloween is the last day.

💭 Derek's thought bubble: I booked the Twickenham walk last Saturday night with the family and had a blast.

• I don't want to spoil it, but expect to see buildings associated with, and hear stories about, Huntsville's earliest movers and shakers.
• A history buff, I enjoyed the stories from the early 1800s and Civil War era, including a peek inside Helion Lodge #1, where they've got a letter written to the lodge and signed by Old Hickory himself.
• The Twickenham tour is also a good choice if you want to get a nice look at and hear the stories behind all the stately old homes.

Zoom in: Our tour guide, Bob Boyer, related a mix of historical anecdotes, ghost stories, spooky observances, dad jokes and personal flavor.

• He's one of a lineup of tour guides that includes local historian and author Jacquelyn Procter Reeves, the founder of Huntsville Ghost Walk, who employed a medium to get the supernatural skinny about town, which Boyer said aligned with her historical knowledge.
• And for the record, it wasn't too scary for my 4-year-old. It's not a "haunted" tour: There are no costumed actors or jump scares.

What they're saying: "The best part about 'Undertaker Bob' doing this for 16 years is I've got even better stories than the medium," Boyer said as the tour started. "Because I've got stuff that y'all have told me over the years."

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Spooky season is here.

Why it matters: There's a very long list of Huntsville Halloween happenings, but we're here to help you plan with a quick look at some of the big ones.

🧟‍♂️ MidCity Monster Mash at The Camp; Oct. 11-31

• Check out themed drink specials, live music on the weekends, roaming monsters, costume parties and fall markets on Saturdays. Free to attend.

🏚️ Huntsville's annual Halloween Party & Haunted House; Oct. 18, 3-8pm

• Huntsville Parks & Recreation's marquee October event is one of 10 the city has planned throughout October, all of which encourage costumes and offer family-friendly activities and free candy.

👻 Friday Night Flick at Three Caves; Oct. 24, 6pm

• The Land Trust of North Alabama is screening the original "Beetlejuice" movie at Three Caves, including food from Cave City BBQ. Tickets are $15 for members and $20 for non-members.

🎃 EarlyWorks Halloween Bash; Oct. 24-25, 3-7:30pm

• Kid-friendly trick-or-treating follows a specified path taking about 30 minutes. Each family gets a half-off ticket for a future visit. Tickets must be purchased in advance: $12 for ages 4 and up (3 and under are free); member price is $10.

🏃‍♀️ Spooktacular 5K and Monster Mile; Oct. 25, 8am, 9am

• Fleet Feet Huntsville is hosting this downtown run with tons of costume contests. The Spooktacular 5K is $35, Monster Mile $25, or do both for $40.

🦇 A Nightmare on Seminole Drive Dance Party; Oct. 25, 7-11pm

• Lowe Mill Arts & Entertainment is enlisting DJs Flip C and Miss K for this "Nightmare on Elm Street"-themed event with costumes encouraged. $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

🪾 Wicker Man 2025 at Ravenwood Meadery; Oct. 25, 4-7pm

• Let your burdens burn with the effigy at the 6th annual Wicker Man at Ravenwood Meadery, inspired by historical ceremonial practices. Free.

🚲 "Stranger Days at Field Day;" Nov. 1, 7pm-1am

• This 21+ "Stranger Things" themed event turns Field Day into a nostalgic Halloween experience with a $1,000 costume contest, DJ and more. Tickets are $15 for the first 100 sold, $20 in advance, $30 at the door and include a welcome drink and round of mini golf.
• Field Day's free, kid-friendly Mini Monster Mash is set for Oct. 31, 5-8pm, including trick-or-treating, face painting and a $100 costume contest.

The Madison County District Attorney's Office has closed its investigation into the injury of Deshler teen August Borden, calling it a "freak accident" and that "no malice" was involved. (WAFF)

🚫 The ongoing government shutdown could mean $102 million in lost Huntsville wages over two weeks and a $184-million drop in local spending if it drags on for two months. (Huntsville Business Journal)

Illinois is America's pumpkin-growing king.

By the numbers: The Midwest state produced 485.1 million pounds of pumpkins in 2024, according to USDA data.

• Alabama didn't make the list, as USDA only ranked the top 12, with "other" covering the other 38 states, which together accounted for 158.7 million pounds.
• Indiana (about 159.8 million pounds), Pennsylvania (108.8 million), California (105.8 million) and Michigan (104.6 million) followed Illinois at the top.

Zoom in: Illinois' climate, soil and location — it's in what some call the "orange belt" — make it ideal for growing pumpkins.

The bottom line: When you crack open that can of pumpkin filling this fall, think of the Prairie State.