If they had one wish, every 10-year-old boy that grew up in the 80s would invariably choose to be a ghostbuster, if only for one day. With this, Volume One’s invaluable guide to ghost hunting, some of us were able to satisfy decades of longing. If you follow our lead as detailed in these pages, you, too, will be able to hop into a slick taupe jumpsuit, sport a backpack that you pretend is a weapon, and helm the power of neverending sarcastic wit for a once-in-a-lifetime busting. So read away, and happy hunting.

WHAT'S INSIDE:
• Bustin’ Makes Me Feel Good (Chippewa Valley Paranormal Investigators)
• 5 Tips for Beginning Ghost Hunters
• Guide to Ghost Hunting with Household Items
• I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts (paranormal investigator Terry Fisk)
• Costume Shops, Décor Shops, & Pumpkin Patches
• Haunted Houses, Tours, and Trails
• Halloween Calendar of Freaky Fun
 

Editor/Writer: Trevor Kupfer
Contributor: Ian Jacoby
Design: Brian Moen
Photos: Drew Kaiser, Nick Meyer, and Trevor Kupfer

 

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        It’s hard to say if we experienced anything paranormal during my ghost-hunting excursion with the Chippewa Valley Paranormal Investigators. When you hear stories from people saying creepy stuff happens there all the time, then shut off all the lights, and try to coax ghosts, your brain and senses start playing tricks on you – or do they? Was that whispering or just a melodic wind? Did that cabinet just rattle or did the floorboards shift? Is that cool feeling an icy hand or am I hypoglycemic?

   Regardless, we did experience something that night. Not in the sense that we conclusively found ghosts at Eisold’s Irvine Bar, but in the sense that the 2 to 5am investigation spent in a dark basement and tavern was incredibly interesting and obviously creepy.

   I met up with eight of the group’s 15 members at the Chippewa Falls watering hole around 1am. I admit that I expected to find a bunch of nerds with positron colliders playing Dungeons and Dragons while they waited for the bar to close. Surprisingly, though, the investigators were a cool group of regular joes/janes, who are merely interested in the possibility of experiencing something ghostly.

   Since we had some time before the bar closed, the group members told me a bit about how they operate and then segued into the building’s creepy history of ghost activity.

   Chris and Shelly Wiener founded the group about three years ago, but the married couple has been investigating by themselves for about 15 years. CVPI has checked out places all over the state, and accrued all kinds of crazy stories, but they had a strange amount of anticipation for Irvine Bar – as did I – since the location is felt to have been haunted since at least the ’60s.

   When an acquaintance told Chris the bar is haunted, the group started (as they always do) by interviewing the current owner, previous owners, and spending enormous amounts of time in libraries and historical societies to check on the names, tragedies, and other facts associated with the location’s history.

   Originally, the bar was the Beanery Hotel, a popular spot for railroaders since it doubled (like so many others at the time) as a brothel. The group couldn’t dig up much on the building’s early history, other than tracing the structure as far back as the 1860s. A few of the bar’s gems, however, include the death of a young girl (between 4 and 6) and the murder of an adult man in 1986.

 

• Clarence Rice and Seth Couillard, ghost-hunting hobbyists with Chippewa Valley Paranormal Investigators, take some mysterious readings at Irvine Bar.

 

   Chris reviewed the history with me as the rest of the group arranged their gadgetry, which included three infrared cameras, Electro-Magnetic Field meters, handheld cameras (both still and moving image), audio recorders, Electronic Voice Phenomenon recorders, motion detectors, walkie-talkies, and temperature gauges. A friend of mine, who tagged along out of sheer interest, estimated the hobbyists to have $50,000 of equipment.

   They investigated this site about two weeks before, with a few short visits in between, Chris said. They returned because they like to try to duplicate the results to add credibility to their scientific approach.

   Though the visits yielded no images, their eyes lit up with excitement as they mentioned some of the audio bits. One of the things they like to do to establish a presence is ask the ghosts questions. I was hoping for something like, “Are you the Keymaster?” but their choices were far more practical.

   Using an EVP recorder, they are sometimes able to capture noises they couldn’t hear at the time, they explained. To the question, “Who is the president?” a spirit allegedly responded, “Not you.” When in the basement, one of the investigators sat on a famed bench, asking if it was OK to sit there. They listened to the recording afterwards and deduced the voice to say, “No one can” and “Evans will get you.”

   “It was mostly experience evidence, though,” Chris told me. “Nothing you’d consider proof.” He cited moments such as two people being touched (on the ear and neck) and others hearing coughs.

   After all the history and stories, we were all getting pretty excited about starting up. Even the patrons were abuzz about the haunted activity, though one inebriated customer physically scoffed at the possibility and proceeded to “moon” the cameras.

   “That happens about once every four or five investigations,” Clarence Rice said routinely.

   “We study the paranormal, so we get the paranormal,” Seth Couillard added.

   After we turned off all electrical gadgets in the building (including the lights) to make sure the EMF readings were accurate, we broke up into three groups to investigate certain areas. A few friends and I joined Seth and Clarence at the bar, as owner Michelle Eisold gave us a brief overview of some of the strange experiences up there, like a light fixture that turns on by itself – even without a bulb!

   Every night, when they close up, bartenders flip the stools up on the bar. Yet, Michelle said, there’s one specific stool that they repeatedly find back on the floor come time to open. After talking to previous owners, Michelle believes this was the murder victim’s favorite stool.

   “Sometimes it’s hard to believe some of this stuff,” she said.

   On at least one occasion, she said, a patron said he sat there and an apparition across the bar stared at him until he left the seat. They have left beer out for the spirit, she said with a smirk, but nothing has happened.

   With the cameras in place and recorders rolling, we all took seats at the bar (including the spirit’s favorite). As Seth asked questions, Clarence slowly roamed around testing the EMF levels (caused by electronic devices and, allegedly, ghosts). The normal EMF level is under 0.5, but Clarence consistently measured 1.0 all around the “favorite stool.” Paranormal activity, Clarence said, isn’t confirmed until 1.8.

   Some reported hearing “old saloon music.” Creaks came from walls, doors, or the floor, but it’s an old building. The oddest happening that we all felt was a cold spot in one specific spot, which the following group reported as actually being a warm spot that they watched slowly rise on the thermometer.

   When a rotation was due, we skipped the kitchen, where employees have reported dishes rattling, locked doors opening, and coffee pots falling. We went straight for the big time: the basement.

   Like nearly all bar basements, this one was straight-up creepy. I went down there in full light and was freaked out by the rickety staircase, rust-colored puddles, strange crawlspace, and especially the random items on the floor (high chairs, hoses, gloves, etc.)
 

• Clarence Rice is tracking electro-magnetic field readings near an infamous bench in the creepy basement of Eisold’s Irvine Bar in Chippewa Falls.
  
  

   Perhaps the bar’s best scary story came from down there, when the owner’s 2-year-old son went down with his father and said “Hi” a few times to what appeared to be thin air. Though the boy is too young to explain it, his parents think it’s probably the deceased young girl.

   Though we didn’t catch a glimpse of her, Clarence found a few EMF peaks down there (2.0 at its highest), one at the infamous bench and another at the weird crawlspace. Inside the crawlspace was a glass doorknob, which the investigators have picked up and placed in different spots, only to find later that it moved.

We asked a lot more questions down there, some directed at the girl and others to the murdered man. When Seth asked, “Can you show us a sign of your presence?” a metal cabinet made a distinct twang, like flicking the side of a soda can. We opened it up, but unfortunately ghosts weren’t hiding in there. Bummer.

   We packed up and took off around 5am on a Sunday morning, barely able to keep our eyes open. When I asked how much longer they’ll be there, Seth said, “Until one of us falls down out of exhaustion.” I assumed that would be around 7am.

   Though we didn’t see any ghosts, and our beliefs weren’t shaken one way or the other, ghost hunting was a blast and I’m thinking of excuses to make it an annual event.

   Michelle, like many owners of allegedly haunted spots, gladly keeps the bar because she finds it “intriguing.” Still, if I owned a bar and my kids were greeting the corners of the room, I’d be packing up my bags pretty quick … or taking him/her to the eye doctor.

 

BONUS PARANORMAL AUDIO:

Clarence: Paranormal recording of Seth Couillard (Chippewa Valley Paranormal Investigators) talking to ghosts at Eisold’s Irvine Bar in Chippewa Falls. Seth believes you can hear a voice say, “Clarence.” (Clarence is Seth’s partner in the room.)

Elsie: Paranormal recording of Seth Couillard (Chippewa Valley Paranormal Investigators) talking to ghosts at Eisold’s Irvine Bar in Chippewa Falls. Seth believes you can hear a voice say, “Elsie would have died at birth.” (Elsie is rumored to have died in the building.)

They’re Yucky: During their first investigation at Eisold’s Irvine Bar, Chippewa Valley Paranormal Investigators recorded themselves chatting and picked up what they believe is a paranormal voice saying, “They’re yucky.” Note that team members are not allowed to whisper while investigating.
 
 

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1. You don’t need a lot of expensive gear, just a flashlight, 35mm camera, pen and paper, and some common sense. And bring extra batteries (ghosts like to “eat” them).

2. Do Not Trespass! Always get permission before investigating a site. Also respect the site and leave it as you found it.

3. Take lots of pictures, ask lots of questions, do tons of research, and document everything.

4. Let the owners/occupants know your findings.

5. Lather, rinse, and repeat. Go back and try to duplicate the results.

– Chris Wiener, founder of CVPI

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     Do you live in an old house whose neighbors have lazy eyes and a knack for saying things like, “The last owners were DYING to get out of here,” while laughing manically? Do you frequent run-down cemeteries or old navy ships that have suddenly reappeared after years, only to have the voices of the damned emanate from the very bowels of the ship? Well, you aren’t alone. According to my very cursory google research, there is something like a million hauntings reported in the United States every year. Let’s face it; you’d be crazy to NOT think you’re haunted. Ian, you say, cut to the chase; most of us don’t have the grant money (or necessarily the desire) to strap an unlicensed nuclear accelerator to our back, and even if we did, who’s to say we know how to use one? In that spirit (pun intended) this is a ghost-fighting guide using household items for the rest of us.  (Author’s note: None of these things may work, and may actually cause a haunting in some cases.)

FLASHLIGHT: Flashlights have been used throughout history as ways to see into caves, illuminate your face while sitting around a campfire for comic or horrific effect, and now, to make ghosts dissolve. Yes, it’s true! Ghosts are mostly made out of little bits of mist and dust, known commonly to scientists as, “ghost particles.” These particles dissipate much more quickly when an artificial light is shown directly on them. Some scientists are calling this the “beta blocker” effect as it shows ghosts for what they are, even pastier versions of ourselves.

FOR FUN: Try  it with a black  or strobe light!

 

SILLY STRING: Silly string also has a long and storied history in regards to ghost hunting, as it totally looks like the stuff that people use to call “ectoplasm.” We now know that this “ectoplasm” to be a type of ghost, um, feces. Do regular people like to be covered in their own droppings? No, and neither do ghosts. Spraying silly string often and judiciously over the haunted areas of a house will cause the desired effect almost instantaneously. This may be the simplest method, but it also requires some personal knowledge of your ghost. Does he mind messes? Is he the sort of fellow who can take a good joke, or is he the sort to pick things up and throw them at people while making the walls bleed. These are the sorts of questions you should be asking yourself.   

FOR FUN: Try to not directly face the ghost while making the silly string look like it’s coming out of your nose. Hilarious!

 

OLD TIMEY CLOTHES: If worse comes to worse, and you can’t get rid of your newfound friend/acquaintance/undead enemy, you may have to resort to wearing old timey clothing. These items can usually be found at a pawnshop or thrift store, and usually make the ghost feel right at home. You can also try replacing your television and stereo with “old timey versions” of these same items! Ghosts are usually put at ease by these purchases and will sometimes even talk to you through the record player if you play it in reverse!

FOR FUN: Try dressing up as close to what the ghost is wearing as physically possible and then pantomiming all of their actions in your own!

 

So there you have it, a quick guide to ghost busting on a budget. It isn’t always the prettiest job, but at the very least you’ll have a newfound appreciation to our neighbors in the afterlife. Good luck and godspeed!
 

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        Surrounded by cornfields and jostling in our seats from the bumpy road, we entered the infamous little town just minutes west of Eau Claire.

“This is one of the most widely known haunted locations in the nation,” my passenger said with a tone of near-disbelief. People come from all over the Midwest to tour the humble town, hoping to hear children in the cemetery, see glowing eyes in the woods, glimpse a hanged minister in the church, feel the cold touch in the schoolhouse, see a spirit on the riverbank, and drive toward phantom headlights.

Despite Caryville’s hyped-up reputation, this was my first trip there. For educational accompaniment, Eau Claire paranormal investigator and co-author of The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations (with Chad Lewis), Terry Fisk, joined me. Though we didn’t go there with a medium or heavy-duty equipment, I figure it doesn’t take a Jennifer Love Hewitt or Patricia Arquette to deduce that some of the stories are BS.

“I wonder, though, if people invented the stories and then said they experienced things because they expected to, or if they saw things and then came up with the stories to explain what happened,” Fisk wondered during our trip.

The residents of Caryville despise its regular tourists, probably for making so much noise late at night, defacing tombstones, and breaking into buildings. With at least one resident rumored to stop trespassers at shotgun-point, we stayed in the comfort of my automobile (I call it the “Civic Engagement”) while touring the schoolhouse and church.

Urban legend likely passed on by a few decades of high school classes alleges that the ghosts of a student who froze to death and a young girl who was raped haunt the school, while a priest that hanged himself haunts the church. Lewis and Fisk, a pair of expert researchers, looked through tons of newspaper microfilm and interviewed loads of Caryville residents and could not substantiate any of it.
 

• The intimate, and private, cemetery in Caryville supposedly has the ghosts of children haunting it. Above, a tombstone reads “Baby.” Hmm...

        We continued on Caryville Road, an apparently daring feat in itself ever since the alleged car accident of the prom queen on prom night, like, 20 years ago. Fisk recited some of the appealing stories: car lights will fail, it gets really super cold, and your odometer goes haywire when you drive there at night, and you might even see the phantom headlights! Just stay away from the bridge where she crashed, he continued, because you can see her car in the water! Once again, Lewis and Fisk could not substantiate the legends and no one, least of all a prom queen, died there.

The so-called main course was the boat landing, where people have alleged that a ghost named Mary Dean haunts the island a few dozen yards away, several teens have drowned in the river, the ghosts of a sanitarium owner’s dogs (with blazing red eyes and piercing howls) roam in the woods, and a couple was murdered while parked in a car.

The island was once a small town named Meridean, Fisk explained, and many historians have credited a girl that died there named Mary Dean as the inspiration. I started to get excited at this point, as there’s finally something plausible, well, at least somewhat historically accurate.

Though they couldn’t find evidence of deaths or a sanitarium, they hypothesize that the town saw its fair share of trauma after a few floods washed out the entire town. As for the dogs, Fisk said when he came out there a few times before and, on one occasion, he and Lewis heard extremely strange animal noises. And when we moved up the hill toward the cemetery, I sensed a twinge of interest from Fisk when he discovered a lone paw print, likely from a dog the size of a St. Bernard.

Fisk said he hypothesizes that the residents of Meridean used the extremely small and quite old cemetery, located at the town’s highest point. They haven’t traced the names on the graves, though, but it might be hard at this point what with the erosion and horrible defacement (some headstones were even missing).
 

• The boat landing in Caryville is said to have a history of out-of-the-ordinary happenings that draw teenage couples there every October.

        The creepy stories up there involve several people hearing and witnessing the ghosts of children playing in the cemetery and adjoining cornfield. Some have even reported talking to them, Fisk added.

Two or three “no trespassing” signs are posted, likely because tourists come up there to find the “hidden” graves and coax the ghosts to appear. These graves are supposedly near a farmer’s cornfield there and no longer have headstones (they may not even exist anymore from plowing, who knows?).

During our 20-minute return home, we exchanged our ghost stories – my paltry three years of hunting for newspaper stories and his decade of investigation experience in at least seven states.

“So, after hearing all these people’s stories, are you starting to believe some of this stuff?” he asked.

We both agreed, even though we haven’t experienced anything positively ghostly, that it’s hard not to believe these people. In the case of Caryville, Fisk chatted with several sane and credible people with excellent backgrounds, one of which said the hellhounds chased him down the dirt road on his motorcycle, and a few others that witnessed the cemetery children locked the car and refused to leave it when he brought them there in broad daylight. Others insist they see swings going on their own and shutters opening/closing at the schoolhouse – even when there’s no wind!

  Even if there aren’t any ghosts in Caryville, one thing I do know is that teenagers love this stuff and as long as they continue packing up a car and heading out there on Halloween, they’ll keep experiencing something scary – like a trespassing fine.

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Fields of Pumpkins Route 1 Box S15966, Mondovi • 834-7556 • You’ll find numerous varieties of pumpkins, gourds, squash, corn shocks, and organically grown garden vegetables. Pick out your own pumpkin in their 5-acre patch. They specialize in large quantizes of beautiful, sturdy Halloween pumpkins. Hayrides and bonfires available (call ahead to scedule an event). Open most days 9am-5pm and by appointment.

Govin’s Meats & Berries N6134 670th St, Menomonie • 231-2377 • www.govinsmeatsandberries.com • Govin’s features three full acres of pick-your-own pumpkin patch. The big orange fruits come in all shapes and sizes from 1 to 200 pounds. (Cool side note: to help the pumpkin pollination, they rent bees from a local honey producer.) Pre-picked pumpkins available. The patch includes restrooms and tractor-pulled hay rides. You’ll also find a variety of produce and grass-fed/range-fed meats. Open on weekends 10am-4pm.

Hawkins’ Hollow 8966 County Hwy X West, Chippewa Falls • 720-0192 or 726-9926 • Hawkins’ features a rustic farm setting featuring antique displays, a 10-acre corn maze, a petting zoo, and variety of country gifts. A haunted walk is set up for the younger kids – the end of the walk features costumes for dress-up play. Activities include stuffing your own life-sized scarecrow ($10). In season, pick out your pumpkins, squash, and gourds. Corn bundles and straw bales are also available. Enjoy Don Lexvold’s horse-drawn wagon rides on Saturday and Sunday, starting at noon. Open  Fridays 1pm-5pm, Sat. and Sun. 11am-5pm. Call to make weekday group appointments.

Pleasant Valley Tree Farm N7240 810th St., Elk Mound • 879-5179 • www.pleasantvalleytree.com • Pleasant Valley’s Fall Harvest activities include a corn maze, haunted forest trail, petting zoo, play areas, pumpkin catapult (the mighty Jack-o-Launcher), gemstone mining, and wagon rides. The new “forest maze” features storybook characters roaming enclosed paths between Norwegian pines. Pick out a pumpkin and peruse the other fall produce including apples, quash, gourds, and Indian corn. A concession stand is on hand if you get the munchies. Keep an eye out for their live music. Their country store features unique home décor and gourmet foods. Open everyday 10am-6pm.

Schultz’s Country Barn 50996 N. Main St., Eleva • 287-4684 • www.schultzscountrybarn.com • The barn was built in 1914 and is now a quaint, old-timey place to shop for your autumn goodies, The structure features original timbers, barn board walls, and some cow stanchions. You’ll find pumpkins, Indian corn, gourds, squash, hay bales, and corn shocks. There are plenty of friendly farm animals for kids to watch, pet, and even feed. Their year round Country Store offers autumn and Halloween décor, candles, jewelry, quilts, and a good selection of hand-crafted items. Their giant corn maze is open through Halloween (adults $6, children $4, four and younger free). Call about renting the barn’s loft for special events. Open Tues.-Sun. 10am-5:30pm.

 

OTHER PILES OF PUMPKINS AND FALL PRODUCE ...
Bushel and a Peck Market 18444 Hwy OO, Chippewa Falls • 723-0133 // Class Apple 5198 Sunset View Drive, Eau Claire • 834-9060 // Connell’s Orchard 19372 Hwy OO, Chippewa Falls • 723-5119 // Eau Claire Orchards 6470 Balsam Road, Eau Claire • 839-8370 • www.eauclaireorchards.com // Hillview Farm E6198 Hickory Road, Eau Claire • 878-4526 • www.apples4u.net // John McIlquham Orchard, LLC Corner of County Hwy J & County Hwy K, Chippewa Falls • 720-1663 • www.autumnharvestwinery.com // Lowes Creek Tree Farm S9475 Lowes Creek Road, Eleva • (888) 878-4166 • www.lowescreektreefarm.com // Schaefer’s Orchard Run 1726 County Hwy K, Chippewa Falls • 723-8865 // White Oak Farms W2369 Maple Road, Eau Claire • 834-0998

 

A-1 Express Rental Center 2515 Mall Dr., Eau Claire • 834-2727 • www.a1expressrental.com • In addition to backhoes and party tents, you’ll find multi-sized costumes, masks, hats, face paints, fake nails and teeth, costume makeup, and more. You’ll also find general party items like tables and, of course, fog machines. Open Mon.-Tues. 7:30am–5:30pm, Sat. 8am-4pm, Sun. 11am-3pm.

Goodwill Eau Claire 3605 Gateway Dr., Eau Claire • 835-0532 • Pick out your own custom costume from racks and racks of (locally) used clothing and accessories. Open Mon.-Sat. 9am-9pm, Sun. 10am-6pm.

Goodwill Menomonie 2500 Hils Ct., Menomonie • 235-8488 • Check out their seasonal selection of donated costumes and props. You’ll also find brand new decorations and costumes. Open Mon.-Fri. 9am-9pm, Sat.-Sun. 10am-6pm.

Grand Rental Station 402 W. River St., Chippewa Falls • 720-4957 or 723-8002 • Grand Rental offers a limited selection of quality adult costumes and other party items. Open Mon.-Sat. 8am-5pm.

Halloween Boutique Oakwood Mall, 4800 Golf Rd., Eau Claire • 852-0381 • www.halloweencostumeboutique.com • Offering a large variety of terroriffic goods all in one spot, the Boutique sells costumes for infants to adults, pet attire, accessories, fake weapons, props, makeup, jewelry, shoes, wigs, hats, and a lot more. They also have a fine assortment of fake mustaches. Open Mon.-Sat. 10am-9pm, Sun. 11am-6pm.

Hope Gospel Mission Bargain Center 2511 W. Moholt Dr. Eau Claire • 839-9498 • www.hopegospelmission.org • The Bargain Center features a huge array of used clothing, accessories, and every other item you can think of – a do-it-yourself dream for Halloween costumes and props. Open Mon., Tues., Thurs, Fri. 10am-8pm; Wed. & Sat. 10am-6pm.

Savers 2833 Mall Dr., Eau Claire • 835-8500 • www.savers.com • A local favorite for DIY costumes, Savers offers a wide array of gently used clothing and household paraphernalia. This time of year, they also have a selection of new and used costumes, makeup, wigs and more. Open Mon.-Sat. 9am-9pm, Sun. 10am-6am.

Spirit Halloween 3015 E. Hamilton Ave., Eau Claire • 833-2151 • www.spirithalloween.com • With 7,000 sq. feet of horror hoopla, Spirit has darn near every one of your Halloween needs covered. With costumes for infants to adults, you’ll find sexy stuff, pop culture references, and all the classics. They even have a line of “sexy but not revealing” costumes if that’s your thing. You’ll also find pet costumes, wigs, makeup, face paint, hairy chests, props, and shoes you can use year-round. They’ve got indoor, outdoor, and animatronics decorations, as well as  pumpkin carving tools, lights, and fog machines. Open Mon.-Sat. 10am-9pm, Sun. 10am-9pm.

 

 

50/50 Factory Outlet 3315 State Road 93, Eau Claire • 833-0019 • www.5050factoryoutlet.com • Basically a warehouse stuffed wall-to-wall with party makin’s, 50/50 stocks numerous Halloween items including adult and kid party decorations, inflatable lawn ornaments, classic monster cutouts, banners, napkins, cups, plates, table covers, wall covers, balloons, piñatas, and spider webbing. The also have some costumes, makeup, and wigs. Open Mon.-Fri. 9am-9pm, Sat. 9am-6pm, Sun. 10am-5pm.

Country Treasures 216 N Bridge Street, Chippewa Falls • 723-8883 / 4625 Keystone Xing, Eau Claire • 839-9415 • Both locations offer autumn/Halloween ceramic decorations, candles, figurines, dolls, village sets, novelties, dishes, candy bowls, and more. Chippewa Falls open Mon.-Wed. & Fri. 9am-7pm, Thurs. 9am-8:30pm, Sat. 9am-6pm, Sun. 11am-5pm. Eau Claire open Mon.-Fri. 9:30am-9pm; Sat. 9:30am-7pm, Sun 11am-6pm.

Factory Card Outlet 3755 Gateway Dr., Eau Claire • 834-9663 • www.factorycard.com • With a huge seasonal selection, the shop offers Mylar and regular Halloween balloons; themed napkins, plats, cups, and tableware; indoor and outdoor decorations; and fog machines; as well as costumes, masks, makeup, and more.

Michaels 4084 Commonwealth Ave., Eau Claire • 832-5582 • www.michaels.com • A hotspot for local crafters and DIYers, Michaels offers Halloween village sets, decorations of all kinds (from candle holders to fake foliage), children’s kits and craft activities, costume makeup, and Halloween resource guides. Mon.-Sat. 9am-9pm, Sun. 10am-7pm.

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Old Haunted Barn Through October • 6470 Balsam Road, Eau Claire • noon-4pm Saturdays and Sundays • $4 • all ages • 839-8370 • www.eauclaireorchards.com • The “Old Haunted Barn” features a tour past spooky sights and startling frights, all within a barn built in the early 1900s.

Trail of Terrors Oct. 24, 25, 31 and Nov.1 • Triple HHH Equestrian Center, 720 16 1/2 St., Hillsdale, WI • 7-10pm • $6 all ages • 458-4107 • www.triplehhhenterprises.com • For the twelfth year, Triple H and the local boy scouts turn one of the wooded riding trails into a fun, haunted adventure for the whole family or a group outing, not for the faint of heart.

Fright Factory Oct. 17-31 • Eau Claire Expo Center • Oct. 17, 18, 24, 25, 31 6-11pm; Oct. 19, 26, 28, 30 6-9pm • $7/$6 w/ food item • 831-2345 • More than 3,000 people timidly travel through the Ski Sprites haunted house each year, and this time around they’ll get first-hand experience of what can go wrong in a factory. The freaky walk-through will include a chemical room, test subject room, electrical room, boiler room, laboratory, elevator, and break room. The fright factory also has a kids room, where young-uns can watch movies and play games while the older kids and parents go through.

Haunted Chippewa History Tour Wednesday, Oct. 31 • Downtown Chippewa Falls • 7pm, 8pm, & 9pm • $7 • 379-9977 • www.chippewavpi.com • Discover all the macabre that Chippewa Falls has to offer. Learn the history of the lawless loggers all the way up to modern hauntings. The tour is an eye-opening adventure that will scare and delight at the same time. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult. This is a walking tour, which covers about 1.1 miles of downtown Chippewa Falls. Call for reservations.

Spooky Ridge Trail Through October • N7240 810th St., Elk Mound • open everyday 10am-6pm • 879-5179 • www.pleasantvalleytree.com • Bring the whole family for a spooky stroll through the woods, or check out Pleasant Valley’s other features such as a 40-foot slide, enchanted forest maze with a nursery rhyme theme, corn maze, straw tunnels, hay rides, and more.
 

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Medium Class Oct. 16, 7-8pm • Heaven Sent Hypnotherapy, 3548 Cypress Street, Eau Claire • FREE • (715) 833-1096 • www.heavensenthypnotherapy.com Ever wanted to learn more about the spirit world? Are ghosts real? Come and find out at our next Medium Class. The last 5 minutes will be spent reading the energy around you and connecting with loved ones who have crossed. Registration is Required. Deadline is: 10-16-2008

Dracula Oct. 17, 6-7:30pm • Altoona Public Library, 1303 Lynn Ave. • 839-5029 • www.altoonapubliclibrary.org Bela Lugosi’s classic 1931 version will be screened, followed by the silent 1897 version. Refreshments included.

Kinetix ft. Funky Honky Horns (of Irie Sol) - 3 Set Costume Party Oct. 25, 8:30pm • The Waterfront Bar & Grill, 512 Crescent, menomonie • $10 or FREE with Costume. • 21+ • (715) 235-6541 • Come help celebrate Jason Davis’(owner) 30th birthday with 3 sets of Kinetix ft. special guests, the Funky Honky Horns (of Irie Sol). Committed to performing onstage with an unmatched energy, Kinetix in concert is an experience few soon forget: frenetic dancing, sing-out-loud choruses, and mind numbing solos all come standard, and when joined by the horns, well, just check it. Show up at 8:00 in costume to take part in the Nocturnal Parade through the streets of Menomonie - glowsticks welcome.

Spook Night Oct. 26, 4-6:30pm • RCU Corporate Center, 200 Riverfront Terrace • Kids Club Members and parents FREE, additional guests $5 • 833-8111 • www.rcu.org/ Join RCU for an evening of fun, including games, snacks, and a costume contest.

Spooky Days Week Oct. 28-Nov.2, 10-5pm • Children`s Museum of Eau Claire, 220 S. Barstow St. • $5 adults/seniors/kids • (715) 832-5437 • www.cmec.com Make a ghost sticker collage, play with spiders and other crawly critters, decorate a paper pumpkin, make spider web rubbings, craft a creepy spider with pipe cleaners, and make a scratch-o-lantern.

Halloween Bash Oct. 30, noon-2am; Oct. 31, noon-2am; Nov. 1, noon-2am • BaDa Bingz, 414 Main St., Menomonie • $15 wristband for all 3 days or FREE • 235-5100 • Ba Da Bingz is throwing a three-day Halloween party. Buy a wristband for $15 and drink FREE tap beer all three days. There will also be other drink specials and a costume contest.

Dinner with a Ghost Oct. 30-31, 7pm • James Sheeley House, Chippewa Falls • $40 • Enjoy a dinner so good it’s scary, followed by a discussion of tantalizing cases by some of the Valley’s top paranormal investigators, all taking place in Chippewa Falls’ most haunted building – The Historic James Sheeley House! See ghostly pictures, hear voices from the other side, watch video of the unexplainable, and dress up in your finest costume.

Halloween Party Oct. 31, 10-2am • Construction Zone Bar and Grill, Durand • FREE • Come check out the crazy costumes and dance the night away to live music.

Barn ‘O’ Ween Oct. 31, 5pm-12:45am • Creative Farming Studios, 770 Kennedy Ave, Fall Creek • $10 suggested donation • (715) 577-5714 • Come, if you dare, to the Creative Farming Studios to experience the second annual Barn ‘0’ Ween. Eric Sommer, The Histronic, and Sol Spectre, will be performing in one the Chippewa Valley’s most euphoric music venues. In addition to music, there will be a plethera of oddities including but not limited to carnival costumes, luscious lights, goolish games, and fantastic food. Please RSVP to attend this private event and prepare yourself for a scary good time. Registration is Required. Deadline is: 10-29-2008

80’s Hauntoween Oct. 31, 6pm • Stones Throw, 304 Eau Claire St. • FREE • 552-5882 • www.thestonesthrow.com Stones Throw goes Retro this Halloween for a party that will wake the dead. Maybe the “real” Stones Throw ghosts will come to life to thrill you as you party. Festivities include: 80’s scary movies on our 24’ screen from 6-10pm, plus Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” at 10pm; dance to 80’s music, 10pm to close; costume contest at midnight for over $250 in prizes (in categories: best costume, best group costume, best music-related costume); Buddahs Hookah Lounge in the haunted basement lounge; Specials on Undertaker & Lobotomy shots and Witches Brew Fish Bowls.

Trick or Treat on Canal Street Oct. 31, 6pm-2:30am • Deweys Roadhouse, Burlys, Sweeneys, Canal Street, Chippewa Falls • FREE • 21+ • (715) 720-6023 • Canal Street is preparing to kick you into the fall with Trick or Treat on Canal Street 08. 99.9 the Carp has teamed up with Miller Lite to celebrate Halloween with Sweeny’s, Burly’s, and Deweys Roadhouse on Oct. 31. The party will kick off at Sweeney’s and crawl its way to Burly’s. Make your way to Deweys Roadhouse by 1130 for the biggest celebration in the valley. Dj Erik Foiles will be on the mic and the music. Deweys will be giving away lots of cash and tons of prizes.

Big Band Monster Bash Oct. 31, 7pm • Ramada Convention Center, 205 S Barstow, Eau Claire • $7 adults, $5 students • 12 to Adult • (715) 839-8877 • This annual fundraising event is organized and run by Eau Claire Children’s Theatre’s Youth Advisory Council, a leadership group made up of local middle and high school students. The event features 10 jazz bands from 5 area high schools for an evening of dancing and listening enjoyment. FREE swing lessons are offered and Halloween costumes are encouraged at this no smoking/no alcohol event for teens.

Costume Contest & DJ Oct. 31, 8pm-2am • Hobbsy and Me, 3620 Locust Ln • FREE • 832-2219 • Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Costume Contest + Elite Entertainment Oct. 31, 9pm-2am • Badger Hole, Bloomer • FREE • 568-2803 • Dress up and sing some karaoke

Dubiel Band & Costume Contest Oct. 31, 9pm-2am • Dam Shot Saloon, 14002 County Highway S S • 382-5158 • Dress up and enjoy some music! 1st place gets $100!

Halloween Party Oct. 31, 9pm-2am • The X Bar, 20986 County Highway X • FREE • 723-9907 • Dress up and dance on the bar.

Halloween Party Oct. 31, 9pm-2:30am • Whiskey Dicks Bar & Grill, 943 Harlem St, Altoona • FREE • 21+ • (715) 829-3425 • Costume contest: register at 9pm, contest at 12:30am. Cash prizes. Drink and spooky shot specials, Bacardi girls, “Blood Lite” on tap, live DJ all night.

Pheromones & Costume Contest Oct. 31, 9pm-2am • My Place, 408 Galloway St • FREE • 835-5483 • The Pheromones perform an eclectic mix of classic and modern rock. Led by powerful female voice, Sarah Spindler, they perform music by Heart, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Queen and more.

Halloween Party + Phoenix Oct. 31, 9:30pm-1:30am • Pioneer Grill and Saloon, E5699 County Road D • FREE • 235-9927 • Celebrate All Hallow’s Eve with the rockin’est cover band out there!

Mojo Lemon Oct. 31, 9:30pm-1:30am • Snout Saloon, 13 W Central St, Chippewa Falls • FREE • 21+ • (715) 723-4848 • Mojo Lemon Blues Band has been a staple in the Western Wisconsin music scene for nearly a decade since thier first gig at The Snout. Mojo’s trademark high-energy blues rock shows are legendary in the Chippewa Valley and they’re gonna tear the roof off the joint. Make sure to wear your best costume for judging and prizes, not to mention to amuse the band.

Costume Contest Oct. 31, 10:30pm-2am • Scooters, 411 Galloway St., Eau Claire • FREE • 835-9959 • Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

Costume Contest Oct. 31, 11:30pm-2am • Fox Run, 1515 S 65th Ave • FREE • 835-6489 • $100 in prizes will be given away!

Phoenix + Costume Contest Nov. 1, 9:30-2am • Badger Hole, Bloomer • FREE • 568-2803 • Dress up again and rock out to one of the Chippewa Valley’s best coverbands!

Costume Contest & DJ/Karaoke Nov. 1, 9pm-1am • T&C Roundabout, 8685 Hwy 124, Chippewa Falls • FREE • 723-2709 • You can sing whatever you want ‘cause no one will know it’s you!

Costume Contest + Doctor DJ Nov. 1, 9pm-2am • Bresina’s Hometown Bar & Grill, 12037 County Highway B • FREE • 288-6303 • Doctor DJ will play anything, as long as you’re willing to dance to it! Judging at 11 and cash prizes!