Gallery of Ghoulish Homes Tour will be going on throughout St. Charles through Oct. 21. Pick up a complete list of the Halloween House Decorating Contest entries at the Park District. (Photo courtesy of St. Charles Park District)

ONGOING

Aurora Story, a comprehensive exhibit of 175 years of Aurora history, Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 4 p.m., David L. Pierce Art and History Center, 20 East Downer, 2nd Floor Gallery, free admission, donations welcome. A comprehensive exhibit of 175 years of Aurora history. Come wander through Aurora as you have never seen it, beginning with native American dwellings and touching on the high points and characteristics of this “city second to none”.

THROUGH OCT.  31

Gallery of Ghoulish Homes Tour, throughout St. Charles. Pack up the family for an evening cruise. Drive by some of the spookiest houses in the St. Charles community. Pick up a complete list of the Halloween House Decorating Contest entries at the Park District beginning Friday, Oct. 14 at 9 a.m. or online at stcparks.org. Homes best viewed at dusk. Information: (630) 513-4335.

THROUGH NOV. 18

Fall Exhibit: Batavia Fire Department 150th Anniversary, Batavia Depot Museum, 155 Houston St., Batavia. Stop by the Depot Museum for a unique look at the Batavia Fire Department dating back 150 years. Information: (630) 406-5274.

THROUGH DEC. 11

Robot Zoo Grand Opening Event, Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin, free. One of the most popular exhibits ever to tour science and natural history museums –having previous been at such venues as the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry and the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis – features seven giant robot animals, like a rhinoceros, giant squid and a house fly, and hands-on activities like testing your reaction time when you Swat the Fly. For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/gbplrobot.

OCT. 28

“Scary Stories in the Woods,” LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles. This fun-filled evening program where master storytellers will entertain families with spooky tales and suspenseful stories. This free program is for children (grades three and above) and adults. Advance registration is required. Information:  (630) 444-3190 or e-mail programs@kaneforest.com to sign up.

Halloween Family Fun Night / Haunted House, Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora, 6-8 p.m. Plan a fun family night at this spook-tacular event. The evening’s ghoulish activities include wacky games, creepy crafts and trick-or-treating. One adult free with every child. Brave participants can buy a $1 ticket for the Haunted House. Space is limited. Register by 5 p.m. on Oct. 27. Information: (630) 897-0516.

OCT. 29

“Spiders” nature program, Bliss Woods Forest Preserve, 5S660 Bliss Road, Sugar Grove, 10-11 a.m.  free. All-ages walk will offer information about arachnids — spiders and their kin. We’ll catch some in bug

jars so we can look at them up close, and then release them back into their habitat. Information: (630) 444-3190 or e-mail programs@kaneforest.com to register.

Pumpkin Palooza, Eola Community Center, Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road, Aurora, 2-4 p.m. Take part in a variety of games, crafts, activities, snacks, and a bounce house. Ten activity tokens are included with registration, with option to purchase more at the door. Register by Oct. 21 to take advantage of early bird pricing. Ages two and up. Information: (630) 897-0516.

Las Migas: Flamenco / Music from Spain, Fermilab’s Ramsey Auditorium, Kirk Road and Pine Street, Batavia, 8 p.m. Direct from Barcelona, Las Migas is unique among Spanish music groups, an all-female ensemble that creates fascinating blend of Flamenco and Mediterranean styles, combining classic and contemporary rhythms, and melodies that range from powerful to passionate to playful. Information: (630) 840-2787.

Hall Quarry Beach, 400 S. Water St., Batavia, $8 admission. Summer is over, the leaves are brown. And evil lurks, throughout this haunted town. The water has been drained, the guards have gone away, and the scary ghosts have come out to play. If you’re up for a good scare, twisted and bloody, enter if you dare, escape if you’re lucky. Ages 10-over, not suitable for kids 10 and under). Information: (630) 879-5235 or email brittanyb@bataviaparks.org.

Howl ‘O Ween Dog Parade

Howl ‘O Ween Dog Parade, Peck Farm Park, 4038 Kaneville Road, Geneva, 1:30-2:30 p.m., free. Bring your dogs and dress-to-impress. Prizes will be awarded for most creative, funniest, and scariest costumes. Information: www.genevaparks.org or call (630) 232-4542.

OCT. 29-30

Pumpkin Weekend at Blackberry Farm, 100 S. Barnes Road, Aurora, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Enjoy seasonal craft-making, harvest decor and pumpkin stories galore! Kids can roll around in the giant corn crib and enjoy unlimited rides on the train, ponies, hay wagon and carousel. Experience a pumpkin paddle, trick-or-treating and a costume contest.  Information: (630) 897-0516.

OCT. 30

Halloween at Lyon Farm, Lyon Farm, 7935 Rt. 71, Yorkville, 1-4 p.m. Trick-or-Treat in the historic Lyon Farm Village, participate in a costume parade around the square, earn prizes awarded for best costume, play old-fashioned games, take hay rides, and get spooked in the Haunted house. Information: (630) 554-3064.

Day of the Dead Celebration, Elgin Public Museum, 225 Grand Blvd., Elgin, noon-4 p.m. Bring the kids for crafts and peruse and purchase from Elgin area artists! The museums will feature artists throughout the building. For more information, please check out the Facebook event page.

Fox Valley Concert Band, Norris Cultural Arts Center, 1040 Dunham Road, St. Charles, 3 and 5 p.m., free. For more information, visit www.fvcb.org or call (847) 695-7066. Donations accepted.

NOV. 2

Imprints: The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians and the City of Chicago, Schingoethe Center of Aurora University, 1315 Prairie St., Aurora, 7 p.m. John Low will present a reading and discussion of his new work that examines the ways some Pokagon Potawatomi tribal members have maintained a distinct Native identity, their rejection of assimilation into the mainstream.  Information: (630) 844-4924 or email artsandideas@aurora.edu

NOV. 3

The Power of Story: Poetry Reading by Darlene Pagán, Aurora University’s Tapper Recital Hall, 1315 Prairie St., Aurora, 7 p.m. The stories were family stories and those of strangers, and while she felt destined for work in the service industry, a love of literature eventually lured her to writing. It was a move even she did not understand, but it was ultimately the only right one. Even now, as a teacher and a parent, she sees how powerfully stories transform real lives. Information: (630) 844-4924 or email artsandideas@aurora.edu

NOV. 4

Veterans Day Luncheon, Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora, noon-2:3 p.m., free for veterans. The annual celebrating includes a catered turkey dinner sponsored by Upper Crust. Herschel Luckinbill will share information on the Honor Flight Chicago and Vets Roll program and the many benefits it provides to veterans. Rick Pickgren performs at 1 p.m. Prize drawings, too. Pre-registration by Nov. 1 is required.

Aurora’s First Friday Artwalk, downtown Aurora (various venues). Enjoy a night of art, fun, music, dance, and community at local businesses and venues in downtown Aurora on the first Friday evening of the month. Free entrance, free art viewing and free trolley rides.

Ballet Folklorico Quetzal Coatl 2016, Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, 8 p.m. The Ballet Folklorico celebrates the traditional Mexican folklorico with colorful costumes, wonderful music and electrifying, elegant and beautiful choreography. You’ll feel your spirits rise and eyes light up as this celebrated group of artists share an important piece of their wonderful culture.  Information: (630) 896-6666.

NOV. 4-12

Fall Play: Our Town by Thornton Wilder, Aurora University’s Perry Theatre, 349 S. Gladstone Ave.

Aurora, Nov. 4-5 and 9-12, 7:30 p.m. This classic play brings to life the small town of Grover’s Corners. In this benchmark of the American theatre, audiences will discover that the stories of daily life, love, marriage, death and mourning are as relevant today as they were in 1938 when the play premiered on Broadway. Information: (630) 844-4924 or email artsandideas@aurora.edu.

NOV. 5

Engelbert Humperdinck, Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora, 8 p.m. With four Grammy nominations, a Golden Globe for “Entertainer of the Year,” 24 platinum records, 150 million albums sold and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, superstardom doesn’t get much brighter than Engelbert Humperdinck. One show only. Information: (630) 896-6666.

NOV. 5-6

The ESO’s Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty & Petrushka concerts, $12 students, $30 regular tickets. The program feature suites from the most beloved ballets of all time – Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty and Igor Stravinsky’s Petrushka.  Lively, lush and colorful, these masterworks are a perfect way to introduce children and newcomers to classical music.  Information. elginsymphony.org or call (847) 888-4000.

— Kane County events calendar –