By Melissa Wagoner
Family friendly events abound in the Willamette Valley during October. At no other time is bounty more apparent than in the fall when families can tour farms and pick out the perfect pumpkins, fresh apples and corn on the cob.
Bauman Farms is one of the many farms throwing a month-long celebration. It features the traditional pumpkin patch, corn maze and petting zoo and also hosts a giant slide tower, an inflatable maze and the new Hoppy Horse Race Track.
“It’s for the young and old alike, you will hop on a horse and bounce your way around a race track,” Brian Bauman, general manager of the farm said.
If gardens are more your style visit The Oregon Garden has scarecrows hidden around the tram loop.
“Visitors can vote for their favorite scarecrow,” Brittany Hatteberg, marketing manager for the Garden said.
Or you can learn to dance zombie-style with the American Academy of Performing Arts Company (AAPAC) and its flash mob of the undead performing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
“Everybody loves to watch it but getting people to do it is the hard part. Don’t be afraid to participate. It’s dancing for zombies, not dancing for dummies. You can get away with a lot because of the twitching. Mistakes add to the zombie aspect,” Marta Hazekamp, owner of AAPAC said.
Thriller will be performed on Halloween night beginning at dusk and taking place every 15 minutes on the street between Water and First in downtown Silverton. Students will also put on a Haunted House inside the AAPAC studio.
“The students designed and built the set, costumes and special effects,” Hazekamp said.
Whether you enjoy picking pumpkins, wandering gardens, or dancing, there is an event for almost everyone this month.
Bauman Farms Pumpkin Patch
12989 Howell Prairie Rd NE, Gervais
Monday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
www.baumanfarms.com
EZ Orchards Harvest Festival
5504 Hazel Green Road NE, Salem
Hours vary. www.ezorchards.com
Fordyce Farm’s Doctor Who Maze
7023 Sunnyview Road NE, Salem
Monday – Saturday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Pumpkins, hay rides and animals
www.fordycefarm.com
Pink Ribbon Farm
10953 Silverton Road NE, Silverton
Thursday – Sunday: 10 am to 6 pm
Pumpkin patch, petting zoo, portion of proceeds goes to cancer research.
Scarecrows in the Garden
The Oregon Garden,
879 West Main St., Silverton
Daily: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission information, activity listings:
www.oregongarden.org.
Willamette Valley Pie Company
Pie and Harvest Fest
2994 82nd Ave. NE, Salem
Fridays: Noon to 5 p.m.
Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sundays: Noon to 5 p.m.
Admission, activities: www.wvpie.com
Events
Thriller in the Streets Workshop
AAPAC Dance Studio
222 High St., Silverton
Oct. 18 and 25: noon to 1:30 p.m.
Learn Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance.
No experience required. Cost $15 for first class,
$5 for additional classes. Ages eight and up.
To register: 503-873-0464.
Silverton High Haunted House
1456 Pine St.
Oct. 24 and 25: 5 to 8 p.m.
Oct. 31: 5 to 9 p.m.
$5 admission goes toward future musicals.
Suggested ages: middle school and older.
Barn Dance and Pig Roast
The Oregon Garden,
879 West Main St., Silverton
Oct. 25, 7 p.m. Barbecue, line dancing lessons
and photo booth. www.oregongarden.org
Halloween-only Events
Goblin Walk
Downtown Silverton, 4 to 6 p.m. Families are welcome to trick-or-treat around town.
Participating businesses will be marked with an orange pumpkin.
A great activity for families with young children and early bedtimes.
Kids Karnival
Eugene Field School, 410 N Water, Silverton, 6 to 8 p.m.
Silverton Assembly of God has organized this free community
event for 25 years. Each child, sixth grade age and younger,
receives 10 tickets to play carnival games. Tickets also for
sale, as well as popcorn and snowcones.
Silver Creek Fall Festival
822 Industry Way, Silverton
7 to 9 p.m.
Wear a friendly costume and enjoy carnival games and a
chili cook-off. www.silvercreekfellowship.org.
Thriller in the Street
Between Water and First streets, Silverton. Every 15 minutes,
dusk until 9 p.m. Flash mob of zombies perform to Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
Zombieland Haunted House
AAPAC Dance Studio, 222 High St., Silverton. Dusk to 10 p.m.
Put on by the Zombieland camp students, admission $1 with the
proceeds funding scholarship students. Rated PG-13.
