YMCA to Celebrate a Decade of Spooktacular Fun at Halloween Party on October 22

The North Suburban YMCA welcomes ghosts and goblins of all ages on October 22 for its 10th Annual Spooktacular Halloween Party. From 2:00 to 5:00 pm, the entire Y will be transformed with haunted houses, trick-or-treat trails, and a wide range of activities to entertain the entire family. The event will also offers exclusive early access for children with special needs from 1:30 to 2:00 pm.

The Y’s festival of frights and fun includes a one-of-a-kind Spooky Pool Boat ride, inflatable bounce houses, costume contest, children’s haunted maze and delicious treats. Guests can also take home souvenirs including art projects, decorated pumpkins, photo booth pictures, and goodies from indoor trick-or-treating.

“My family and I have been coming to the Y Spooktacular for many years and it seems to get bigger and better each year!” exclaims Brad Gierke, NSYMCA member and Northbrook Resident. “It truly has become a much anticipated event for me and my kids. The Halloween contest is their favorite.”

This annual event, which drew over 1500+ people last year, has attracted many local businesses to partake in this beloved tradition. Thanks to the support of Northbrook Bank & Trust, 22nd Century Media, Waterway Carwash, Layer 3 TV, Northwestern Medicine, Buffalo Wild Wings, Lowe’s Northbrook, Coldwell Banker Northbrook, Sunset Foods and many others, the Y is adding more spooky fun to the list of activities. This year the event will have a petting zoo, pony rides and a “Carnie” food court. Tiny But Mighty Foods will be serving up their delicious heirloom popcorn, as well as Dairy Queen’s Witches Brew and cotton candy.

Other new additions include a playful Halloween themed sensory station sponsored by a Y partner,

BY YOUR SIDE - Autism Therapy Services and a special appearance by Geoffrey the Giraffe from Toys R Us, Highland Park.

“Without the excitement from our community and sincere support of our partners, events like these wouldn’t be possible,” says Kathy Fielding, NSYMCA Vice President of Member Engagement and Marketing. “In our tenth year, this party has grown into a fantastic community tradition that families look forward to attending every year. We have a wonderful range of activities from silly to scary, so there really is something for everyone.”

Admission to the party is free for Y members, $20 per family for non-members. Guests are encouraged to bring gently used shoes to the Y to donate for their shoe drive to help provide economic opportunity for workers in developing nations and support the environment. For more information, visit nsymca.org or call 847 272 7250.