'Tis the season to get spooky.
There's plenty of ghoulish fun afoot for local families who want to get into the Halloween spirit.
Of course, Burnaby Village Museum is once again hosting its Haunted Village, running Oct. 23 to 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. each evening.
The event gives people a chance to enjoy the village at night - decorated in a "ghoulish, spooky, yet fanciful fashion," according to the museum. This year's decorations play with the themes of crows and Victorian steam punk.
You can enjoy treats, entertainment, dancing, a circus sideshow, carousel rides and a few other spooky extras (watch out for the mummies at the Burnaby Post printshop).
Tickets are $14 for adults, youth and seniors, and $9 for kids aged two to 12. Entrance includes trick-or-treating for kids and carousel rides.
For little ones who might not relish the more frightening aspects of Halloween, the village also offers a Kids' Carnival at the Carousel on Saturday, Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - with games, crafts and entertainment, plus unlimited carousel rides.
It's $6.50 per person, and children and adults must attend together. It's recommended for ages one and up.
Those interested in ghost stories and otherworldly happenings can once again attend the History and Hauntings walking tours of Deer Lake Park, and the five buildings in the area where mysterious happenings and hauntings have been reported.
It's aimed at those 15 and up, and it's $21.
The tours are on Thursday, Oct. 23 to Sunday, Oct. 26 at 9 p.m.
Check out www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca for more on all these events.
Meanwhile, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts is getting ready for a zombie attack.
Everyone is invited to join their "fellow members of the living dead" for a staged attack on the Shadbolt Centre on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Those taking part will meet at 11 a.m. at Hill Cottage, in costume (the cottage is at 6570 Deer Lake Ave - park at the Shadbolt Centre and follow the sign sat the East entrance). The "attack" will begin at noon.
Call 604-291-6864 to register for the information package.
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It's an exploration of cultural identity in film.
The Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre is offering a film screening on Saturday, Oct. 25.
The double bill features the 35-minute Neither Here Nor There, and the 90-minute feature Hafu: the mixed-race experience of Japan.
Neither Here Nor There explores cultural identity for people who have grown up in places other than their home culture, known as the "Third Culture Kids." Hafu - a Japanese term for people who are half-Japanese - follows the lives of five hafus as they explore what it means to be multiracial and multicultural in modern-day Japan.
A discussion will follow.
Admission is $8, or $6 for members and those under 17. Tickets are available at the door only.
The screening is being run in conjunction with the ongoing photography exhibition by Kip Fulbeck, part asian, 100% hapa, which is on at the centre until January.
The Nikkei Centre is at 6688 Southoaks Cres. See centre.nikkeiplace.org for more details.
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Warning: I am just about to type the word "Christmas." For those of us who tend to deny the season until about a week before Dec. 25, it seems terribly early. But this one is definitely worth putting on your calendar - and hey, it's a chance to get some Christmas shopping done in advance. (Which is a novel idea I should really try out one year.)
In any case, Burnaby artisans are among those showing their wares at the popular Circle Craft Christmas Market.
This year's market - the 41st annual event - runs Nov. 11 to 16 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, and it's bringing together more than 300 artisans from right across the country.
They run the gamut from clothing designers and jewelers to toy makers, potters, wood and metal workers, glass blowers and much more.
Two Burnaby artisans will be on hand with their fashion accessories - Bronsino (www.bronsino.com) with leather bags, belts and accessories, and RoseHip Hat Studio (www.rosehiphats.com) with their hats made from vintage textiles and earthy fibres.
Among the glass artists will be Braden Hammond Glass of Burnaby (www.bradenhammond.com), with glass art and jewelry.
The annual market attracts some 40,000 visitors and includes food vendors, entertainment, craft demos and contests.
It's open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission is $14 regular, $12 for seniors and students, free for children under 12.
Find all the details and buy tickets at www.circlecraft.net.
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Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
