More Halloween events in the Valley and beyond

n Silver Strike Entertainment Center presents a Halloween costume party 6 p.m. to closing Oct. 28. Bowling will cost $1 from 6 p.m. on. There will be live music, dancing, prizes, drink and food specials. Children younger than 12 get free shoe rentals. There is no charge for attending. Silver Strike is located at 1281 Kimmerling Road in the Gardnerville Ranchos. For more information, call 265-5454.

n Wanted: Jesse James, Calamity Jane, Wyatt Earp, Kit Carson, Snowshoe Thompson, saloon girls, cowboys, outlaws, sheriffs, gun slingers and folks who just want to have fun. Oct. 28 is the annual Nevada Day Old West Costume Party at Nevada's Oldest Thirst Parlor, the Genoa Bar. There will be a barbecue from 2-6 p.m. and live music featuring String Machine from 7-11 p.m.

n Come to the Douglas County Public Library in Minden on Oct. 30 at 6:45 p.m. and join community program coordinator Carol Nageotte (alias Tilly the Witch) for Halloween stories and poems. Children may dress in Halloween costumes. Children ages 4 and older will listen to stories from the books "Making Friends with Frankenstein: A Book of Monstrous Poems and Pictures," by Colin McNaughton and "The Spook Matinee: and Other Scary Poems for Kids," by George Ulrich. Other library books, special pop-up books and a flashlight story will be featured. Tilly the Witch will end the program with her favorite poem, "Spider on the Floor." For more information, come to the Douglas County Public Library at 1625 Library Lane or call 782-9841.

n The Douglas County Sheriff's Office 13th annual Trick or Treat Safety Street will take place from 3-8 p.m. Oct. 31 at the CVIC Hall on Esmeralda Avenue in Minden. Dress up in your most creative costume and enter the costume contest. Prizes are given for: best child's costume, best family costume and best adult costume. There will also be raffle prizes. The cost is $2 per child, which includes a raffle ticket. Proceeds benefit the Douglas County Sheriff's Office Youth Services and Austin's House. Corporate sponsors are: M&M Cattle Co., Northwest Martial Arts, Western Title Co., Century 21 Clark Properties, Carson/Tahoe Regional Medical Center, Re/Max Realty Affiliates, Topaz Lodge Casino, Carson Valley Inn and Pinion Pines Realty. For information, call Chris Griffith at 783-6441.

n Calvary Chapel's Harvest Festival will take place Oct. 31, with doors opening at 5 p.m. It is a warm and safe alternative to Halloween at the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Pinenut Road. Admission is a suggested donation of two unopened bags of candy per family. Free food, drinks, games, lots of candy, cookie decorating, a cake walk, live entertainment and more will be available. Non-frightening costumes are encouraged. For more information, call Calvary Chapel at 265-3259.

n The Dake House will offer spirit tours, personal readings and seances on Oct. 31. The first tour will be at 7 p.m. Tours will continue until late in the night. Hear the story of the "spirit" painting and the past residents of the house. Spirit hunter and psychic, Sandie Davis will conduct tours. The cost is $5 per person. Bring a donation of non-perishable food for the Carson Valley Community Food Closet. Bring a camera or tape recorder to try and capture orbs or voices. The Dake House is one of Nevada's oldest haunted houses and was built by Genoa's first undertaker. It is located at 2242 Main St. in Genoa, next to the post office. For more information call 782-4951.

Out of town

n Grimes Castle in Carson City continues every Thursday-Sunday throughout the month of October. Lord Avery Michael Grimes' Castle is located next to J.C. Penney in the vacant Wal-Mart, 4209 South Carson St. Patrons will find the Terror T-shirt shop, the Gore Store specializing in Halloween-themed candy and souvenirs, carnival games, entertainment and Grand Central Pizza and Pasta serving dinner. For more information, call 882-8662 or visit www.grimescastle.com.

n Carson City Ghost Walk "Grave Concerns" is on Oct. 21, and will take ticket holders on a tour along the Kit Carson Trail with stops at some of the city's oldest buildings and Victorian homes. Tickets are $15 per person and advanced purchase is recommended. Tours depart every 30 minutes from Third and Carson streets beginning at 9 a.m. Contact Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau (800) NEVADA-1.

n To send in information on a Halloween event, call Jo Rafferty, 782-5121, ext. 210, e-mail jrafferty@recordcourier.com or fax 782-6152.