(Pre-Halloween) Weekend Best Bets: Oct. 23-25

This weekend, it's all about Halloween. Yes, yes, I know, the spooktacular trick-or-treating sugarfest isn't till next weekend, but try telling that to all those folks who want to lure you to their spots. A few interesting ones are listed here:

Calleva's Enchanted Forest: Brought to you by the folks who put on Markoff's Haunted Forest, the enchanted forest lets kids walk through different scenes interacting with stories that we grew up with.  "Fish with Hiawatha, cast a spell with the wicked witch, and enter a castle of classic lure," writes the Web site. Plus, you leave with a pumpkin. Recommended age: 8 and under. When: Oct. 23, 24 and 30 from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Cost: $10 person. Get Directions

For the older kids, you can try the spooky Markoff's Haunted Forest mentioned above. Beware, though, the two trails are terrifying. So, judge for yourself whether your kids will laugh at the spooks are get nightmares from them. Dates: Oct. 23-25, Oct. 29-Nov. 1. Cost: $25 all days except Oct. 29, when the cost is $20. Time: Dusk until all patrons are finished.

The Wheaton Haunted Train & Creepy Carousel  runs Friday, Oct. 23, through Friday, Oct. 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. The scary folks who put on the event recommend it for ages 8 and up. "We try to really up the scare factor at Wheaton," they say. Buy same-day tickets for $6 ($5 with a canned food donation) at the train station each day. Tickets will have a scheduled running time printed on them so you won't need to stand in line for hours. Instead, arrive at the station at least 15 minutes before your boarding time.

For the 8 and under or easily scared kids, the "Eye Spy" Halloween Train will be running in Cabin John Regional Park. Writes the Montgomery Parks Web site: "Kids can peer into the woods as they chug along, and pick out the friends they see hiding there. Is that Sponge Bob sitting up in a tree? And look! Isn't that the same friendly skeleton that's on my 'Eye Spy' card?" Cost: $5 ($4 with canned food donation). Dates: Oct. 22-Oct. 30. Time: 6 to 9 p.m. The same ticket purchase as the Wheaton train applies, with same day tickets on sale at the train station at 2 p.m.

Meanwhile, Boo at the Zoo still has tickets available for tonight and Sunday. 

In addition, there are daytime fall festivals around the area in Olney, Gaithersburg.

A fuller calendar now appears on the right-hand side of this blog underneath the Google ads. It's a work-in-progress. Please send your events to mocomoms@gmail.com to help me continue to fill it out.

Beyond Halloween (yes, it will come and go), a few events have come my way that may interest you.:

Sesame Street Live "1-2-3 Imagine! With Elmo and Friends" is coming to the Patriot Center Dec. 17-20. To purchase pre-sale tickets, use the password SEWP. Presale tickets are available until Nov. 8. Here's the cost breakdown, per the e-mail: Opening night: All seats $14! (excluding Premium & Gold Circle) Other performances: $15, $18, $27 (Premium), & $37 (Gold Circle)

Taylor Swift will perform at the Verizon Center on Friday, June 2 at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 23.