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There are always a dizzying array of Halloween events each year for both small children and adults — especially in Maine, the home of Stephen King, creepy old houses and mysterious forests.

We’ve combed through community listings and social media to find the best stuff to do this spooky season.

Many towns have their own Halloween events at schools, libraries and fire stations, and there are too many to list them all here — check with your town office to make sure you’re not missing out on anything super local to you.

Don’t see your favorite event? Leave a comment below or on Bangor Daily News social media with your suggestions for the best stuff to do this Halloween season, and if we get enough responses we’ll write another story.

Fright at the Fort and Ghostport

Fright at the Fort at Fort Knox State Historic Site in Prospect returns for its 22nd year, with five nights set for Oct. 14, 21, 22, 27 and 28. The first hour, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., is “chicken hour,” without jump scares. The rest of the night is not for the faint of heart, and each year, thousands of people line up to get freaked out. Tickets are $15 and available by online reservation only. During the day Oct. 21-22 and Oct. 27-28, there will be all-ages scavenger hunts at the Fort from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Oct. 21, the neighboring town of Bucksport hosts Ghostport, a free, annual all-day Halloween festival along the Bucksport waterfront walkway.

Pumpkins in the Park

This long-running Bangor event is geared towards the littlest ghouls and goblins, offering a scare-free Halloween event for families. United Cerebral Palsy of Maine’s annual event is set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22 at the Anah Shriners Temple at 1404 Broadway in Bangor. There will be costumes, clowns, face painting, bounce houses and tons of jack-o’-lanterns. Admission is $5 per person, $15 for a family and free for kids three and under. The first hour will be sensory-friendly.

Maineiac Manor

If the Bangor Mall wasn’t scary enough, now the former Hollister store has been taken over by killer clowns, zombies and mad scientists. Maineiac Manor at the Bangor Mall is open every weekend through Halloween, with a cast of local characters offering up some serious screams all afternoon and evening. Check times and buy tickets online at maineiacmanor.com, and if you’re hesitant, don’t worry — the weekend of Oct. 7-8 is no-scare.

Pumpkin Express at Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad

A ride on the delightful Belfast & Moosehead Lake Railroad in Waldo County is nice enough as it is — add to it fall foliage and pumpkins and you’ll attain autumnal nirvana. On Oct. 21 and 22, there are two trips each day at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., leaving from the Unity station and arriving at a pumpkin patch, where riders can pick their pumpkin before heading back to the station. Tickets are available on the B&ML website, and are $25 for adults and $12 for kids 12 and under.

Monsters at the Museum at the Maine Discovery Museum

Another option for folks looking for a more calm and family-friendly experience, the Maine Discovery Museum in Bangor will host a monster-themed Halloween party from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 21. It’s a costume party that includes museum admission, pizza and all activities with the cost of your ticket ($10 presale for members, $20 for non-members).

Kenduskeag Haunted House

Equal parts heartwarming community effort and truly terrifying scare-fest, the town of Kenduskeag each year marshals a small army of volunteers to turn its town ballfield into a haunted house. This year the event is set for 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 27 and 28 at the Cole Memorial Ballfield, located at 536 Kenduskeag-Levant Road. Admission is $10, and all proceeds help fund the town’s recreation program. It’s not recommended for kids under 12, or for people who don’t want to be touched.

Ghost tours in Bangor and Bar Harbor

If you like to learn while also getting creeped out, both Bangor and Bar Harbor have ghost tours around their historic downtowns. In Bangor, the Ghostly Bangor walking tours start at the Bangor Historical Society’s Hill House on Union Street, and lead people through a 90-minute history of Bangor’s biggest mysteries; tours are $12 and are at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays through Oct. 26, as well as on Oct. 30. In Bar Harbor, there are ghost tours leaving from the Abbe Museum parking lot at 8 p.m. every day throughout October, and tickets are $24 for adults.

Twilight Tours at Penobscot Marine Museum

One of the most unique Halloween events in Maine is held at the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, which hosts its annual Twilight Tour event. Guests visit stations inside one of the historic homes on the museum campus, in which “ghosts” tell their stories from Searsport’s seafaring past. It’s an atmospheric and fascinating way to learn about Maine’s maritime history. It’s set for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, and admission is $10.

Center Theatre’s Halloween events

The Center Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft pulls out all the stops for Halloween. This year, events include a Halloween drag show on Oct. 20, a screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with full shadowcast on Oct. 28, a kid’s costume dance party on Oct. 29 featuring Bee Parks and the Hornets, and screenings of the Damnationland Film Festival of Maine horror shorts, Oct. 28-Nov. 2. For more info and tickets, visit the Center Theatre website.

Grab your melted butter and a bib because September 25 is National Lobster Day!

The day recognizes the cultural, economic and environmental importance of the iconic species, which is a foundational part of Maine’s economy.

Senators Susan Collins and Angus King are among those celebrating after the Senate unanimously passed their bipartisan resolution designating September 25 as National Lobster Day.

They say in 2022 the industry brought in over $388 million for Maine.

And it’s perfect timing because it’s Maine Lobster Week!

You'll find lobster shacks, food trucks, and fine dining with all kinds of lobster dishes.

Maine lobster week runs through Saturday.

A Maine man caught a rare sight on camera over the weekend.

Ken Kantro tells WMTW he was walking on Pine Point Beach in Scarborough when he came upon a large Atlantic Sturgeon that had washed up with the tide.

He said the roughly six-foot-long fish appeared to have been hit by a propellor.

"It was awe-inspiring, but sad to see this "living fossil," Kantro said.

He told WMTW he's been living in Maine for 60 years.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries sector, Atlantic Sturgeon can weigh up to 800 pounds and 14 feet in length, over a lifespan that can reach up to 60 years.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-sturgeon

A Maine corn maze has been voted as the best in the country for the second year in a row.

Treworgy’s in Levant was voted the best maze in the country in the USA Today 10 Best Readers Choice Awards.

The theme for the maze this year was for the 40th anniversary.

The maze is open until Nov. 4.

https://treworgyorchards.com/cornmaze

After Lee brought wind and rain to the area Saturday, the sun came out just in time for Maine Apple Sunday.

Maine Apple Sunday is the perfect opportunity for an end-of-summer slow down. Families were out in full force at Conant Orchards in Etna to do some picking.

“We’re celebrating Maine Apple Sunday. It’s a very, very busy day,” said Hannah Hegarty, manager, Conant Apple Orchards. “We encourage a lot people to come out, celebrate, and go apple picking.”

“Our friends actually own Conant’s Orchard so we’re really excited to come out and support them,” said Samantha Pangburn of Brewer. “They have yummy drinks and signs and we love it here!”

Hegarty says this is a day they plan for as soon as apple season starts.

“It’s very meaningful because this orchard has been around since 1945 so we have a lot of generations come out. A lot of the same families come out every year and we love to see the kids grow up here and be a part of the family,” Hegarty said.

Orchards across the area spent the week bracing for Hurricane Lee’s arrival, not knowing what it would mean for their trees and fruit growing on them.

At least in Etna, Sunday brought a sigh of relief.

“It was not bad at all. We went up in the orchard, we didn’t have many [trees] damaged and we’re so glad today turned out to be good,” Hegarty said.

“It looks like it’s in great shape! There are some puddles here and there that you walk around, but it looks great. Apples are still on the trees, so it’s a great day to be out doing this,” Pangburn said.

And if apples aren’t your thing, Conant’s has plenty of other offerings including their famous fall drinks.

“We have our two specialty drinks which brings a lot of people in,” said Hegarty.

After Saturday’s mess, Sunday turned out to be a picture perfect day.

Most of Maine is now covered by Hurricane Lee's forecast cone as the storm continues its path in the Atlantic.

The 5 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center keeps Lee at a Category 3 storm with 115 mph winds.

Whatever the track of Hurricane Lee is, major coastal surf and high winds are expected in Maine late week and over the weekend.

Tuesday evening Hurricane Lee was about 535 miles south of Bermuda. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph and was moving northwest at 7 mph.

What does the forecast cone mean? The cone is where forecasters believe the center of the storm may end up. The chance of the storm being in that area is 66%, based on track error over the last 5 years.

Lee is expected to remain a major storm through Wednesday. Computer models show it on a fairly consistent path heading up the East Coast, before weakening to a Category 1 storm and eventually a tropical storm.

Where Lee hits land depends on several weather features that will influence the storm as it moves north.

While the storm is expected to weaken on its approach to New England and Maine, it will likely be gaining speed up and growing in size.

Major coastal surf and high winds are expected late week and over the weekend.

Like a beacon guiding ships in the night, there is one attraction that will draw folks to the Maine coast this weekend.

“It’s an opportunity for people that are in the area, locals to get out and tourists alike, to come out and check out these lighthouses that you’d otherwise see from the ground maybe and want to see what it’s like up in the tower, and so, you get the opportunity to get a little history on them, get up in there and myself and my teammate will be located at two different ones and get to kind of talk to us and talk to some other locals that are involved with the lighthouses and really see the history,” said E1 Chase Miller, U.S Coast Guard.

Maine Open Lighthouse Day is Saturday, Sept. 9.

The annual tradition gives folks the opportunity to get a closer look at some of the watchtowers on the Maine coast.

“Lighthouses as a whole, I think, a lot of people have thought of kind of going to the wayside. You know, no one’s coming in from shore anymore looking for the lighthouse to guide them home. But these are actual channel markers. We’re upgrading, so LEDs are the new, the future of the lighthouses. We’re no longer with whale oil. Yeah, I think kind of interesting to see what people think about putting an LED in a lighthouse, or, you know, putting a sound signal that runs off a radio versus the, you know, the someone out there ringing a bell, so the advancements and seeing how that works with the locals is unique,” said Miller.

The Coast Guard is working with the American Lighthouse Foundation and the Maine Office of Tourism for this event.

Folks look forward to the sights and history every year, but the foundation also loves to see the interest it sparks in visitors.

“The response from Maine Open Lighthouse Day is amazing. You know, any given year we can see anywhere between 15 and 18,000 people statewide, and some of them are just so content to be there admiring the sights and the energy that you get from all the people involved in it. I think lighthouses are in a way they, of course, they still guide us. But they still, they beckon us. They beckon us to come near, you know, and when you do, a lot of times it inspires any type of emotion inside of an individual, and some people are like, I really like this. I really feel this, and I want to get involved,” said Bob Trapani, American Lighthouse Foundation Executive Director

You can find a list of participating lighthouses here: https://lighthousefoundation.org/eventcalendar/maine-open-lighthouse-day-2023/

Tony Gedaro of South Portland recently encountered a bizarre looking white-tailed deer while driving through Cape Elizabeth. The deer, a crotch horn buck, not only is sporting large, bulbous masses on its chest and on the underside of its lower jaw, but it appears to be turning purple.

The deer looks like something out of a fairy tale. Most of the face and neck, the top of the head, the velvet on the antlers and the ears are either deep purple or have turned a lilac shade.

The rest of the deer appears normal and the animal looks otherwise healthy.

The avid wildlife and nature photographer captured photos of the unusual deer. It’s unclear what caused the unusual appearance.

“We’ve seen somewhat similar conditions, but cases like this are rarely identical to others, and there are a lot of possibilities,” said Nathan Bieber, the deer biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “[It’s] impossible to know for sure without sending samples to a lab.”

Some commenters on Facebook provided a link to a condition called “Bullwinkle Deer,” which results in a swollen face for affected animals. According to the National Deer Association, that illness is caused by a bacteria.

But that doesn’t look exactly like what’s affecting the Maine deer and the “Bullwinkle Deer” affliction doesn’t seem to be associated with the animal turning partly purple.

Bieber has put out inquiries to other biologists and some veterinarians to determine whether anyone else may have come across a similar situation involving a deer or other animal.

People in Cape Elizabeth continue to see the deer in their travels past the area, so we’ll assume it’s OK. However, it would be interesting to solve the mystery of what made this deer turn purple.

Maine’s Odd and Unusual Show is back in Augusta this weekend.

The two-day event at the Civic Center starts tomorrow morning at 10.

Organizers say there are over 95 vendors showcasing their products.

And -- remember, this is the Odd and Unusual Show -- so anything from skulls to jewelry, weird and wild arts and craft and more can be found there.

We spoke to one business owner who tells us when he heard about the event, he knew it was the right place for him.

“Other than just like the standard human stuff, I do have some tribal artifacts from different tribal, different tribes from around the world. I have some headhunted skulls. I have some other pieces that are used in the tribe for decorating and Burkus skulls and ancestor skulls as well, some Aboriginal pieces,” Chad Niles, owner of dead man’s Curio said.

“I hope that they they learn that just because it’s odd and unusual, doesn’t mean it’s not cool. Like, I’m looking around and I’m seeing so many different artists, so many different things, so much talent. And this is one of the very few places that you’re going to see the talent you’re going to see this weekend,” Alison Beaulieu, a vendor at the show said.

If you can’t make it tomorrow -- the event continues on Sunday from 10am to 6.

https://www.facebook.com/oddandunusualshow/

A new family-friendly festival focused on one of Maine's favorite sweet treats is coming to Maine.

Maine Tasting Center will host the first-ever Maine Needham Festival at the end of September.

What is a needham? It's a confection filled with a mixture of coconut and potato then covered in chocolate. The treat has a history dating back 150 years in Maine.

This year, Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law creating an annual day to commemorate needhams and the small business that continues to make them. With the law, the last Saturday of September is now known as Maine Needham Day.

The Maine Needham Festival was created to celebrate not only the candy but also Maine potatoes and the state.

“There are many candy makers here in Maine that carry on the Needham tradition and we’re thrilled to have so many of them participating in the festival – as vendors, sponsors, and even as judges for our homemade Needham contest!” says the festival coordinator and Maine Needham Company owner Malaika Picard.

Malaika and Gerard Picard own the Maine Needham Company in Saco. The pair brought together a committee to plan the festival which will include vendors from all over the state, including Robin’s Confections, Bixby Chocolate, Hilltop Boilers Maple Syrup, Wilbur’s of Maine and the Scone Goddess.

Maine Tasting Center will hold needham-making demonstrations led by Culinary Director Liz Gross.

The inaugural festival will take place on Sept. 30 in Wiscasset. It is free to attend but requires tickets to control traffic and ensure parking.

You can reserve tickets by visiting meneedhamfest.com.

https://www.meneedhamfest.com/

The coastal city of Belfast is well-known for the number of boats you can see docked in the harbor on any given day.

But, they’re quickly becoming know for giant rubber ducks!

Today, residents and tourists were delighted to find three joyous ducks brightening up the bay.

Back in 2021, the yellow duck labeled Joy was seen floating in harbor.

Last October, a duck with Greater Joy was spotted and created quite a buzz when she “escaped.”

Now, a family of ducks are causing a stir!

The newest and largest is named the greatest joy.

We spoke to Bill Carleton who is the systems manager at Front Street Shipyard and says it is still a mystery as to how it ends up on the water.

“All I know is they show up overnight sometimes, mysteriously. Probably 3 years ago, the little one that said Joy was the first one to show up. Last year, it was Greater Joy all by herself, and this year, the whole family is here. Apparently, the other one says Greatest Joy, the larger one. I don’t know where they come from, I don’t know anybody that knows where they come from,” Carleton said.

Carleton says the wording on the ducks is a testament to the City of Belfast.

Fourteen balloons sailed over the Aroostook River Saturday after launching from Johnson Road in Presque Isle.

As the sun was on its descent, the balloon pilots landed in between the vegetable fields along Route 1.

The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest draws in people not only from Maine but also from states across the country like Texas, Utah and Ohio, said Jordyn Madore, who was co-chair for the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest for four years and served on the festival’s committee for seven years. This is the festival’s 20th anniversary.

“Presque Isle — as everyone knows — is a little isolated from the rest of the world, and when an activity like hot air ballooning comes up here it’s good for the local community,” said Mike Lavoie, pilot of the balloons Schmedley and Cat Sass from West Ossipee, New Hampshire.

On Thursday, Aug. 24, he flew Cat Sass in the early morning and then in the evening flew Schmedley during the first day of the Balloon Fest.

Lavoie has been on the road since late June and won’t return home until early November. He has been coming up to the Balloon Fest for the last three years. In 2021, Lavoie was voted pilot of the year.

A few pilots flew over Presque Isle on the morning of Aug. 24, with the ribbon burning taking place at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds done by last year’s pilot of the year Randy Lee with Spellbound Spirit III from Four Oaks, North Carolina.

New pilots to this year’s Balloon Fest were Richard Piendel flying Blaser Swisslube from Annville, Pennsylvania, and Michael Olin flying Heaven Sent from Warner, New Hampshire.

Pilots Seth Bailey with Czech Mate from Nova Scotia and John Viner with Master Zaba from Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, returned to this year’s Crown of Maine Balloon Fest after a few years away.

On Friday, Aug. 25, some events were canceled due to the rainy weather but the food and craft vendors were still open. Among those, Wally and the Virginian set up inside the long tan metal building where the craft venders were located at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds.

Everyone is hopeful that the rest of the balloon fest staples like the Dusk Balloon Glow will happen on Saturday, Aug. 26, and the rest of the morning and dusk launches happen on Sunday, Aug. 27, Madore said.

Later on, the ticket sales for the Dusk Balloon Glow were announced as the weather broke to calmer skies.

This year Michael DePew of Nashua, New Hampshire, flew for the second time in the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest. He has been piloting balloons for 10 years. He piloted the balloon Manifesto this year.

Manifesto was the first to take off from the open field on Johnson Road on Thursday, Aug. 24. He flew in low over the other balloons being inflated and popped up high over the Aroostook River.

“[Presque Isle] is like the Kansas of New England,” DePew said.

DePew’s family has been piloting balloons since the late 1970s. DePew got his piloting license for balloons from Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 2013.

“It’s a very beautiful area to fly in, over town or out in the countryside either way they’re all beautiful,” said Marian Deeney, pilot for the Hemisphere Dancer from Monticello, Florida.

Deeney has been coming to the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest for almost a decade. The Mainers have become like a second family to Deeney’s family, she said.

Deeney flew on the early morning and evening of the Balloon Fest on Thursday, Aug. 24.

“It’s just a gorgeous area, friendly people and it makes you want to come back,” Deeney said.

The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest is part of an unofficial festival circuit, with Lewiston having its Great Falls Balloon Festival last week. After leaving Presque Isle, the pilots went across the border to Bath, New Brunswick, and ended the circuit in Sussex, New Brunswick, Madore said.

“I came up here quite often in the late 1970s and early 1980s and it’s nice to come back and fly here,” Lavoie said.

https://www.combf.org