Here’s a quick round-up of Halloween/Harvest events and inspiration for saving money this October. I’m sure I haven’t found them all, so if you see something I’ve missed, please add it in the Comments!
BooTanica! Saturday, October 16 from 2:00pm – 5:00pm at Botanica. Fun, friendly, fall-o-ween (i.e. not scary) event that kids will love. All of the activities are included in the price of admission. A walk through the Plant Graveyard, the Spider’s Lair, Scarecrow Trail, or the Bat Cave will sneak in lessons about our natural environment. Kids get to decorate a pumpkin to take home, and you can take home a free photo taken by Camera Angles to remind you of all the fun. Tickets are $7.00 per person; children under 2 years old are free.
You can get TWO FREE TICKETS to Bootanica if you purchase a membership by October 8, 2010. (Hurry! That’s today!) Yearly membership levels are: Individual +1 for $45; Family membership for $55; Family +1 for $70. Call 264-0448 or visit Botanica.org for more information.
Night of the Living Zoo October 22, 23 & 24 from 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Sedgwick County Zoo. Purchase your tickets in advance at Quik Trip for only $6. (If you buy them at the gate, tickets are $6 for members and $8 non-members.)
Museum Torch Light Tour October 29, 2010 from 6-9 p.m. at Sedgwick County Historical Museum. As part of Final Friday, admission is FREE. Museum lights will be dimmed and families will be taken on a guided flashlight tour of the museum, through Child’s World, the old soda fountain, the guitar exhibit, the Cottage and Magic City, and then up to the fourth floor to the clock tower! Not scary but fun. Space is limited!
Mosley Street Melodrama performs The Witches of Eastborough followed by the Halloween Spooktacular 2010 every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night between October 9th and 30th. I think you can use your Groupon for this (check the terms) and there are coupons for Mosley Street Melodrama in your 2010 Entertainment Book. Regular ticket prices are $16 for show only; $26 adult dinner and show; $22 senior (60 and over) dinner and show; $20 kids (under 12) dinner and show.
Free pumpkin-carving stencils
Free printable pumpkin stencils from Better Homes and Gardens include stencils for carving and painting. You can even design your own! (Very cool and fun for kids.)
Another source for pumpkin carving designs, as well as some really clear instructional videos is The Pumpkin Lady. The Facebook Freebies patterns are great, but if you want to elevate your pumpkin-carving to an artistic level, the patterns she has for sale are just amazing. (I just noticed she has a coupon code right now for 10% off your order. Use the code THANKS10 when checking out.) The Pumpkin Lady now also sells her designs as Halloween-themed jewelry and decor.
Scary Stuff
Older kids and younger parents might like the Isle of Screams at Watson Park and the Field of Screams at Prairie Pines on N. Tyler Road in Maize. Neither is very cheap (general admission is $15 for each), but if you go to one, save your ticket stub and get a $3 discount on the other. Groups of 20 or more can get tickets for $12 each.
I’ve also seen coupons for the Field of Screams at Papa Johns. (Don’t miss the 2 Large 1-topping for $10 deal at Papa John’s that ends Oct. 10.)
Costumes & Decor
Some of the best homemade costume ideas EVER are at Family Fun magazine. Most are fairly easy and cheap, especially if you use your 40% off one item coupon at Michaels or Hobby Lobby’s weekly coupon. (If you’re quick to click, you’ll see that last weekend’s Michaels ad also has a Super Sunday (Oct. 10) coupon good for 20% off your entire purchase of regularly priced items. Sometimes that adds up to a bigger discount than 40% off one item.) Both craft stores also have cute ideas for harvest or Halloween decor.
Candy
To be honest, other than keeping an eye out for candy coupons I’m not sure how to get the best deal on candy. Where do you find the best Trick-or-Treat candy deals?
Thanks to Cities on the Cheap for the tip about the stencils from Better Homes and Gardens!
Thanks to @kansasdotcom on Twitter for the tip about the Night of the Living Zoo ticket discount.
