Punkinheads and other things that go bump in the night will be walking the grounds Oct. 20 for the “Rags to Witches.” (Photo courtesy of Ragdale Foundation)

Halloween conjures up spooky images that accompany the chilly fall weather along with barren trees, and things that go bump in the night.

Something odd is again happening on the grounds of the Ragdale Foundation in Lake Forest, where its artists-in-residence have been let loose to create a surreal landscape, familiar but unfamiliar, for the fourth annual “Rags To Witches” event, where wandering the grounds will bring surprises.

The Ragdale Foundation is a nonprofit artists’ residency colony, located on the historic 5-acre estate of architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, in Lake Forest. Each year, Ragdale hostsmore than 200 professional artists in residence, and presents more than 50 community and school programs for regional teachers, students, and the general public.

The fun is being held from 3-7 p.m. Oct. 20 as guests can take part in hands-on art projects, be spellbound by live performances, enjoy games, and seasonal fare. The activities geared for families and “little monsters” include a bewildering scavenger hunt, “Haunted Barnhouse” tour, spirited performances in the “Witches Ring,” a costume contest with prizes, creepy arts and crafts, ghostly story-telling and fortune readings, tricks, treats, and s’mores. Also you never know who you will bump into, when wandering the haunted estate.

“The event has been expanded this year because of the participation and community response from last year,” said Laura Kramer, the foundation’s donor relations manager. “We have 22 separate events being staged on the grounds, and they are all interactive with families and children in mind. We have about 13 artists-in-residence, and they’ve also created works for sale in the ‘Curious Objects Shoppe.’ It’s a way to display their talents in one spot, although the grounds will be reflecting their designs and handiwork.”

The costume contest is a fun part of the family friendly activities. (Photo courtesy of Ragdale Foundation)

“We have the ‘Haunted Barnhouse’ tour with interesting interactive ghosts that might be a bit much for younger guests, but there will be ghosts wandering the grounds too,” she said. “The Barnhouse is one of Lake Forest’s oldest structures, and it will be a favorite place with special effects that evening.”

The artists get to dream up and manifest those special effects, whether making a cottage look like a cat’s face, or having walkways that suddenly wind into a spooky display. Lighting, along with a different re-imagining of color, dimension, and shape create something visually off-kilter and fun to see.

“For me, Halloween was all about dividing up the candy, after we returned from trick-or-treating,” said Karen Pedone, one of the artists. “There were five girls in the house, and we took the ‘Candy Trade’ very seriously. One year, I saw a child dressed up as a molar, and realized that you can really be anything you want on Halloween. I have always doodled. As a child, I was always stealing my father’s good pens from his briefcase to draw with.

“For Rags to Witches this year, I am drawing spooky portraits of former Ragdale resident artists, as well as smaller portraits to be framed and hung about the property.”

An inaugural event this year is “The Eye Ball,” held from 6-10 p.m. Oct. 18, an adults-only preview of the main event. In addition to the ghost stories and other activities, the Ragdale artists have supplied one of a kind, and unique, items for a silent auction. Writer and Illustrator, Landis Blair, is presenting “Twisted Tales,” with several short stories read from his book, “Envious Siblings and Other Morbid Nursery Rhymes.”

A costume contest, where the category is “Eerie Eleganza,” will be conducted that night with prizes and a crown that is awarded only after “a lip-synch battle for your afterlife.”

A cottage on the Ragdale grounds is made up to look like a giant cat head, during last year’s event. (Photo courtesy of Ragdale Foundation)

Kramer said, “It’s the one event aimed more toward the adults, and ‘The Eye-Ball’ is something we are holding for the first time. This adults-only preview comes with the silent auction that will help fund the foundation’s initiatives. Both evenings will be fun and memorable.”

Tickets for “The Eye Ball” are $75 per adult, and advance tickets for “Rags to Witches” are $20 for adults, $15 children, and $60 per household (limit of four), while tickets on the day of the event are $25 for adults and $20 for children.

Ragdale is located at 1260 North Green Bay Road, Lake Forest. Free off-site parking, and continuous scary shuttle service are available between Ragdale and the Lake Forest municipal parking lot on the west side of Oakwood Avenue, just north of Green Bay Road. For questions, call 847-234-1063, or email: info@ragdale.org.