Some Halloween events, extra important during the Kincade fire, will go on in Sonoma County

With all that’s going on just now in smoky, scary Sonoma County, and with all the uncertainty around what may come next, many are having to say “no” to Halloween this year.

But that doesn’t mean there will be no Halloween.

Mindful that for legions of kids Halloween is the No. 1 or No. 2 holiday of the year, and that a good many of those kids have been chased from their homes, folks across the county are working to assure that the Kincade fire won’t defeat trick-or-treating.

Petaluma

A desire “to bring a sense of normal to our children” inspired Jessica Marcy and the Petaluma Mothers’ Club to take on an evening of indoor Halloween fun at the Sheraton Sonoma Wine Country.

Though the event is targeted for children in evacuation centers, Marcy, the club’s vice president, said that “anyone can come.”

The trick-or-treating at the hotel on the Petaluma River happens from 4 to ?8 p.m. on Thursday.

Marcy said people interested in donating candy or costumes, or in volunteering to help, can email her at vp@petalumamothersclub.org.

Also in Petaluma, the city’s Downtown Merchants Association intends to go ahead with its Halloween Trick or Treat Trail. Dozens of downtown merchants will dole treats to kids 12 and younger from 3 to ?5:30 p.m. on Halloween.

At the Seed Bank on Petaluma Boulevard North, children can expect packs of seeds.

Said manager Ellyn Mavalwalla, “It’s wonderful to hear kids ask for broccoli or kale, and not be disappointed that we don’t give out candy.”

Marie McCusker, who runs the Petaluma Downtown Association, expects that this year the Trick or Treat Trail will be “a great diversion for many of the kids in the evacuation centers.

“It’s very important for a lot of kids to go trick-or-treating,” McCusker said. “And we don’t want them to miss out.”

Cotati

Just up the highway in Cotati, municipal leaders will host City Hall-Oween.

From 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, parents may bring their children to City Hall on West Sierra Avenue and the neighboring Veronda-Falletti Ranch.

Kids can show off their costumes, select a treat or two and take in the decorations that will transform the government center into an autumnal wonderland. Among the visual attractions: a “Haunted Hallway” created by students in a recreation, tourism and hospitality class at Rancho Cotate High School.

Another must-see will be the scarecrow display at the Veronda-Falletti ranch adjacent to city hall.

Rohnert Park

Anyone affected by the fire or the power shutoff is invited to bring the kids to the Rohnert Park Community Center from 6 to 9 p.m. on Halloween.

The party by the city and Discovery Church will include the screening of the film, “Coco”.

Sonoma Valley

Spooktacular Sonoma will get underway on the Sonoma Plaza at 2 p.m. on Halloween, and continue until 5.

Intended for families with children 10 and younger, Spooktacular Sonoma is a Halloween celebration that’s hosted by the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau and that involves merchants all around the city Plaza.

Guests can check in at the visitors center, 453 First St. E., and pick up a map of the participating businesses. Then they visit as many of the merchants as the little ones can handle.

There will be an All-School Halloween Parade around the Plaza starting at 2 p.m. Meet next to the Cheese Factory at 3 p.m. All children welcome. Costumes encouraged.

Sonoma Marketplace at 201 W. Napa St. is still holding its annual trick or treat event with the Marketplace merchants and enjoy entertainment in the gazebo. 4 to 6 p.m.

Gundlach-Bundschu Winery says that its concert on Halloween night is still on. The band Whitney will perform from 6 to 10 p.m. in the barn. There will also be a costume contest and some fun Halloween activities. 2000 Denmark St.

Murphy’s Irish Pub at 464 First St. E. is throwing a Trick or Treat party at 10 p.m. with Sounds by DJ Isak for ages 21 and up. No cover.

Sonoma Springs Brewery is hosting a Halloween Party with a Jack o Lantern and costume contest and live music. From 1 to 9 p.m.

Lighthouse Christian Church has said that it will still host its annual free Costume Carnival at 4:30 p.m. with a game booth, bouncy house, food and more. Visit sonomalighthouse.com.

There is also a screening of “Haunted Sonoma County-The Director’s Cut,” a new edit of the 2016 film “Haunted Sonoma County,” at the Sebastiani Theatre. It includes interviews from the original “Haunted Sonoma County,” its 2018 companion film “Haunted Wine Country,” plus new interviews, photographs and location scenes. 95 minutes of pure ghostly adventure. The film screens on Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. Tickets: $11.

Evacuation centers

Efforts are underway, too, to bring Halloween into the fire evacuation centers.

“We are working with partners to have something for the kids,” said Cynthia Shaw, regional communications director for the American Red Cross.

“We have asked for stuff for all 16 shelters,” she said.

Santa Rosa

Not to be missed on Halloween day is the 1 p.m. Pumpkin Plop at the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County. The science project monitors the effects on pumpkins of being dropped from the roof to the pavement.

The museum’s Mad Scientist Lab and Glow in the Dark studio also are big draws. The museum at 1835 W. Steele Lane is open until 4 p.m. on Thursday.

At the evacuation center at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Jane Engdahl on Tuesday was pulling together plans for assuring that children staying there wouldn’t be deprived of Halloween in addition to everything else that they’ve endured.

“We’re planning a Halloween for our evacuees,” Engdahl said. There will be treats and activities, she said, for all.

The resurgent Santa Rosa neighborhood of Coffey Park remained under a mandatory evacuation order on Tuesday, but resident and Coffey Strong founder Jeff Okrepkie was not alone in hoping for a regular, stroll-about-the-neighborhood Halloween.

Okrepkie will be happy if by Thursday the winds have subsided, the evacuation orders will be lifted and by the time trick-or-treating starts he and his neighbors will “get back home and to as normal as we can get.”

In downtown Santa Rosa, the Blind Scream haunted house was closed on Tuesday and will remain closed Wednesday because many of the actors had to evacuate their homes.

But “due to overwhelming response,” creator Judy Groverman Walker said, Blind Scream will be open on Halloween from ?7 to 10 p.m., and at the same time on Friday and Saturday.

The haunting occurs inside the former Sears Auto Center at the south end of Santa Rosa Plaza.

Residents of Santa Rosa’s stately and historic McDonald Mansion, long one of the county’s most popular Halloween destinations, will dole candy and show off their often over-the-top house and yard decorations on Halloween night.

Mansion owners John and Jenny Webley and their helpers encourage folks to come dressed as Waldo, and to take part in this scenario: the candy has disappeared and the suspect is a fellow in a red-and-white striped sweater.

Has anyone seen Waldo.?

Also: the Webleys will accept donations from their Halloween visitors to the Sonoma County Resilience Fund. And they will match every contribution, up to $25,000.

You can reach Staff Writer Chris Smith at 707-521-5211 and chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com.