Goblins and Ghosts: Your Guide to an Alameda Halloween

You've noticed the ghoul of the Spirit Halloween store looming over Park Street, the boxes of pumpkins at every grocery store, the sudden appearance of grave stones and cobwebs in your neighbor's yards, and the massive pileup of candy bars and candy corn at the front of the supermarket.

There's no denying it—Halloween has come to the island once again.

Whether you plan on celebrating by trick-or-treating, dancing or watching a scary movie over a cauldron of candy corn, Alameda has what you need to get your Halloween fix.

What's Halloween without a good jack-o-lantern? Get yours at the following pumpkin patches:

Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch, Oakland: Sells 15 types of pumpkins and Halloween decorations. Also has a haunted house.

Cool Patch Pumpkins, Dixon: Features the 2007 Guinness world-record-holding corn maze (45 acres), a Pumpkin Launcher, wagon rides, award-winning scarecrows and a massive pumpkin patch where you can pick your pumpkin right off the vine.

Franklin Park, Alameda: If you have a child 10 or under, bring them to the west lawn of Franklin Park in Alameda for a free pumpkin! The Alameda Firefighters, Local 689, are hosting their tenth Annual Pumpkin Give Away from 3-5:30 pm on Oct. 22. Check out the antique fire engine. Kids can also do some Halloween crafting and score a goodie bag. Come early ... supplies are limited!

On Park Street, the Spirit Store has once again opened for your Halloween needs. Everything from decorations to costumes to fake blood and guts is available for purchase. Head upstairs for a ghoulish interactive display of animated decorations that is definitely not for the faint of heart. The Party Warehouse is also selling a wide array of Halloween items such as masks, costumes, decorations and fog lights.

For adventure-seekers who want to celebrate the day getting spooked, the USS Hornet's Monster Bash is the place to be. Find out for yourself if the "Grey Ghost" is haunted during a tour of the Haunted Hospital. In addition to live music from The Cocktail Monkeys, there will be costume contests, a children's area, dancing and haunted tours. Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up to this family-friendly event on Sunday, Oct. 30 from 7:30 pm to 2 am. Tickets are $20 for adults ($25 at the door) and $10 for kids.

If you can't wait until for the Monster Bash and want to celebrate a bit sooner, check out the ARPD's Seventh Annual Teen Spook-tacular Haunted House at Veterans' Memorial Building from Oct. 22 to the 24 from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm each night. Tickets for ages 5-17 are $4, and $7 for visitors 18 and over.

Get a head start on trick-or-treating on Halloween day in West Alameda. Webster Street is hosting "Halloween on Webster Street" and will feature a carnival, costume contest, pumpkin giveaway and trick or treating from noon until 4 pm.

Also, Alameda Towne Centre is hosting "Halloween Kids Fest" on Sunday, October 31 from 2:30-5:30 p.m. The Centre will be adorned with pumpkins decorated by students from Bay Farm Elementary School and Otis Elementary School. Kids and families can enjoy food, contests, prizes and festive music by DJ Josie Padilla.

Be sure to check out the spookily decorated homes all around Alameda. If you're lucky, you'll run into a homemade haunted house.