Nosferatu makes Dracula look cuddly.

Halloween shouldn’t be limited to one day of trick-or-treating or a couple of costume parties. At least that’s the attitude of the folks in Menomonie who have planned a month’s worth of seasonal chills. The Dunn County Historical Society, Main Street of Menomonie, the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, and the Wilson Place Mansion are collaborating on the Menomonie Spooktacular, which features four special events and three movie nights. Among the highlights is the third annual Ghosts of Dunn County on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the Russell J. Rassbach Heritage Museum in Menomonie. During this eerie evening you’ll be able to go on a museum tour and meet “interpretive ghosts” who will spin tales of paranormal activity in Dunn County, such as the bizarre story of the Lynch poltergeist. The Minnesota-based Johnsdale Paranormal Group will offer presentations about local paranormal activities – including an investigation of the historic Mabel Tainter – at 5pm and again at 8pm. (The presentations will be identical, and your ticket – $5 for adults, $1 for kids – will get you into one of them.) Then grab your pointy black hat and broom for the Witches Night Out on Thursday, Oct. 20. Downtown Menomonie businesses will be open 3-8pm for shopping, socializing, and snacking. (Seriously, grab the hat and broom: There’s a best-dressed witch contest.) If you’re interested in some hair-raising stories inside a legitimate landmark, come to the Mabel Tainter on Wednesday, Oct. 26, for Haunted Menomonie tours, which begin at 7, 8, and 9pm and cost $10 each. Two days later, on Oct. 28, a play called The Werewolf will be performed at 7, 8, and 9pm in the parlor at the Wilson Place. Tickets are $10, and the play will be a produced in a 1930s-style live radio format. Finally, three classic eerie films will be shown at three different venues during the month. On Oct. 6, the controversial 1932 movie Freaks will play at the Rassbach Museum; on Oct. 13, the cult hit Rocky Horror Picture Show will be screened at the Mabel Tainter; and on Oct. 20, legendary 1922 vampire flick Nosferatu will run at the Wilson Place.

Menomonie Spooktacular • various dates, Oct. 6-28 • various locations in Menomonie