Find family-friendly haunts this Halloween season

Looking for family-friendly haunts this Halloween season? The MAIN EVENT is the right place.

The Stage Company is excited to present a spooky anthology of Brothers Grimm tales, “A Grimm Halloween,” starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Subsequent shows are at 7:30 p.m. Oct 22, 28 and 29; matinees are at 3 p.m. Oct. 23 and 30.

With wolves, curses and cannibals, these are not your average bedtime stories. Tickets are $15 per adult and $8 per child, and are available at the door of The Method Playhouse or online at pbstageco.com. The Method Playhouse is located at First United Methodist Church in Poplar Bluff.

Two churches are planning autumn festivities Saturday. Temple Baptist Church is hosting a fall festival and Black River General Baptist Church will hold trunk-or-treating.

Since the fall festival runs from 3-6 p.m. and trunk or treat is 6-8 p.m., families can hop straight from one to the other. Black River General Baptist Church will have hot dogs and chili on site, and will wrap the evening up with a bonfire.

If everyday life is scary enough, consider supporting future first responders at the Poplar Bluff Firefighter Fall Classic, 2-6 p.m. Saturday at Black River Coliseum. Firefighters from across Southeast Missouri will compete in a challenge competition to raise funds for the Walter Weaver Memorial Scholarship, which sends students through firefighter training at Three Rivers College. Fall Classic t-shirts are $20 at the Poplar Bluff Fire Department.

Other events include:

— 6th Annual Restore the Rodgers Banquet, 6 p.m. Oct. 20 WHERE Black River Coliseum COST $30 in advance, $40 at the door WHAT Dinner catered by Tasteful Creations, entertainment provided by the Millstones, live and silent auction available. Proceeds support the restoration of the Historic Rodgers Theatre.

— Blood Drive, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 21. WHERE Group Exercise Studio at EBO MD Poplar Bluff. COST Free. WHAT Help the American Red Cross meet a critical need for local blood donations. All donors will receive a $5 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice. Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter: EBOMD to schedule an appointment.

— Fall Festival, 3-6 p.m. Oct. 22. WHERE Temple Baptist Church, Poplar Bluff. COST Free. WHAT A fall festival with fun for the whole family.

— Trunk or Treat, 6-8 p.m. Oct. 22. WHERE Black River General Baptist Church. COST Free. WHAT Celebrate autumn with trick or treating, hot dogs, chili and a bonfire.

— “A Grimm Halloween” by The Stage Company, 7:30 p.m. Oct 21, 22, 28 and 29; 3 p.m. Oct. 23 and 30. WHERE The Method Playhouse, First United Methodist Church. COST $15 per adult, $8 per child. WHAT The woods are dark, the wolf’s teeth are sharp, and not all fairy tales have a happy ending. See the spookiest tales the Brothers Grimm can offer!

— Poplar Bluff Fall Classic, 2-6 p.m. Oct. 22 WHERE Black River Coliseum WHAT Hosted by the Poplar Bluff Fire Department, this is a firefighters challenge competition open to firefighters all over Southeast Missouri to raise funds for the Walter Weaver Memorial Scholarship. The WWMS will provide funding to send candidates through the firefighter certification program at Three Rivers College Fire Training Center.

— Cork & Fork: A Taste of Italy, 6-10 p.m. Oct. 22. WHERE Dinner at the Church of the Holy Cross followed by music in the Margaret Harwell Art Museum Sculpture Garden. COST Dinner tickets are $40 per person or $35 for Friends of the Museum. Tickets for the after party at MHAM are $15 and include dessert and drinks. WHAT MHAM’s annual dinner and social gathering. This year’s fare is catered by Tasteful Creations and live music will be performed by The Millstones. Tickets are available about Whitworth’s Gift Chest Jewelers and MHAM.

— Cemetery Workshop at Echo Bluff, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 23. WHERE Echo Bluff State Park. COST Free. WHAT Join Missouri Preservation to clean up headstones at the historic Union Hill Carpenter Cemetery. Learn the story of the land and the people who lay resting in the cemetery. Volunteers will meet at the campground parking lot.

— Fall showcase by Three Rivers College Music Department, 7 p.m. Oct. 25. WHERE Tinnin Fine Arts Center COST Free WHAT TRC Music Department vocal and instrumental students perform diverse solos and ensembles and a “mini-musical” performance by the premier student musical theater ensemble.

— Halloween Dog Costume Contest, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28. WHERE Downtown Dog Park. COST No fees listed. WHAT A canine costume contest with dog toys and treats galore. More information is available by calling 573-686-8645.

— 2nd Annual M.I.L.L.I.E Fest, 11 a.m. Oct. 29 . WHERE Parking lot of the Black River Coliseum WHAT Food trucks, bounce houses, face painting and live music. Proceeds help support the M.I.L.L.I.E Foundation.

— Trunk or Treat at TRC, 5-8 p.m. Oct. 29. WHERE Parking lot of Three Rivers College. COST Free. WHAT The Student Leadership group is once again holding its scarily popular Trunk or Treat.

— Murder Mystery Dinner, 7 p.m. Oct. 29. WHERE Holiday Inn. COST $50 per person. WHAT The Three Rivers Endowment Trust will host a Murder Mystery Dinner this fall to benefit their partnership with the Boys & Girls Club. Presented by The Bank of Missouri, “The Death of Dr. Pepper,” includes the performance and buffet-style dinner by Tasteful Creations.

— 13th Annual Howling at the Moon benefit, 6-10 p.m. Nov. 4. WHERE Westwood Center. COST $40 per ticket. WHAT Dinner, music, a silent auction, raffles and fun for all. Proceeds benefit the Animal Welfare Alliance of Southeast Missouri. Tickets available at Key Drugs, Doggy Designs, Artfully Framed, The Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce and the AWA No-Kill Shelter, or online at awasemo.com.

— 2nd Annual Stars and Stripes Craft Fair, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 5. WHERE Osage Center, Cape Girardeau. COST Free admission. WHAT The Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library hosts craft vendors and more. Event is followed by the Spirit of Democracy Banquet. Further information is available at nssml.org.

— 3rd Annual Spirit of Democracy Banquet and Silent Auction, 5 p.m. Nov. 5. WHERE Osage Center, Cap Girardeau. COST Individual seats: $125; half table: $500; full table of eight: $1,000. WHAT Live music, food, cash bar, raffles and a silent auction to benefit the Stars and Stripes National Museum and Library. This year’s speakers are Helen Patton, granddaughter of Gen. George S. Patton, and author Kevin Hymel. Doors open at 5 p.m., event begins at 6 p.m. More information is available at snnmo.org/spirit-of-democracy-2022/.

—First Assembly of God 100th anniversary celebration, 10:30 a.m. Nov. 6. WHERE First Assembly of God, 911 Brown Pilot Road, Dexter. COST Free. WHAT The church celebrates 100 years of faith and heritage with fellowship and a luncheon. Some previous pastors will be joining in the festivities. All are welcome to attend.

­— Designer Handbag Bingo, Nov. 11. WHERE Black River Coliseum. WHAT Craft and boutique vendors will be present, followed by bingo for Designer Handbags like Louis Vuitton, Kate Spade, Dooney & Burke, Michael Kors and more. Dinner and drinks will be included in the ticket price. Check out the Poplar Bluff Heroes Facebook Page for more information!

Don’t see your event? Let us know what you’ve got coming up and we’ll add it. Just email dailyamericanrepublic@gmail.com.