Halloween events for revelers young and old are planned through next week, including festivities at Whatcom Museum and paranormal stories at locations in Fairhaven.

Halloween Escapades, one of the museum's regular seasonal events, offers Halloween-oriented crafts, games and other activities from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, in the museum's Lightcatcher galleries, 250 Flora St.

Cost is $3, which includes admission to the entire museum. It will be the last weekend to see "American Quilts: The Democratic Art" before it closes Oct. 28, and a chance to view "Wild East Meets Wild West," a photography show featuring Bellingham's sister city of Nakhodka, Russia.

Featured are age-appropriate ghost stories, freaky songs, popcorn and apple cider, face-painting, jack-o-lantern-making, art projects such as super-hero capes and tin-can lanterns, and games such as bobbing for apples and a "mummy wrap," said Chris Brewer, the museum's educator and public programs coordinator.

"There will be activities all through the Lightcatcher," Brewer said. "Fun, silly Halloween songs, activities in the (Family Interactive Gallery) and the art studio upstairs."

Songs and stories will start at 12:30 p.m. with local performers Andy Koch and Zeke Hoskins, who Brewer said will offer a delightful performance.

"These guys are gonna ham it up," she said.

TRICK-OR-TREATING

- Downtown Bellingham and the Fairhaven shopping district both offer trick-or-treating free for families at participating stores Wednesday, Oct. 31. The events are sponsored by the Downtown Bellingham Partnership and the Old Fairhaven Association. Look for posters that identify participating businesses. Hours are 3 to 6 p.m. in Fairhaven and 3 to 5 p.m. downtown.

- There's also trick-or-treating at participating businesses from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, in downtown Ferndale, sponsored by Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.

'HAUNTED FAIRHAVEN'

Two free events geared toward older children and adults are planned Wednesday, Oct. 31, at Fairhaven Library, 1117 12th St. Both events are suitable for middle-schoolers and above, said the library's Donna Grasdock.

Grasdock said the historic 107-year-old library building offers an eerie atmosphere to put participants in the Halloween mood. For details on either program, contact Grasdock at 360-778-7189 or dgrasdock@cob.org.

- Bellingham Storytellers Guild members will tell what Grasdock described as exceedingly scary Halloween stories from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fairhaven Library auditorium.

- Local publicist and freelance writer Taimi Dunn Gorman will discuss her new book, "Haunted Fairhaven," from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Fireplace Room at the Fairhaven Library.

Gorman and a group of psychics and photographers spent an evening at the Fairhaven Library last summer as part of her continuing interest in local history and the paranormal, and she'll share what they learned in her talk. Copies of "Haunted Fairhaven" - printed starting in August by Village Books' special Espresso bookmaking machine - will be available for purchase at $14.95.

"I spent my entire last winter sitting in old buildings with a bunch of psychics," Gorman said.

She said "Haunted Fairhaven" was developed from a free brochure that offers a walking tour of historic sites. Her interest in local history and folklore led her to write a book-length version, which she said had sold some 400 copies.

She researched old newspapers and library archives, looking for "odd deaths." She talked to owners and tenants of older buildings in the historic Fairhaven district, seeking stories of unexplained or paranormal events.

Turn-of-the-century Fairhaven was rife with murders, opium dens, and some 30-plus brothels, she said.

"Fairhaven really was a Wild West town in the 1890s," she said.

Eventually, she obtained permission to spend time in many of the buildings with paranormal specialists and special photographic and electronic recording devices.

"Almost every building had a story of something going on," Gorman said.

Numerous orbs of what Gorman called "spiritual energy" were photographed at the Fairhaven Library, she said.

"They were like a flock of birds swirling around."

For more about Gorman and her book, see Haunted Fairhaven.com.

VILLAGE BOOKS

In addition to her Oct. 31 presentation at the Fairhaven Library, Gorman is featured at two Village Books events.

- She will discuss her book "Haunted Fairhaven" at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28, at Village Books, 1200 11th St. Copies of her book will be available for sale.

"They just printed a bunch for Halloween because it's selling so well," she said.

- After her presentation at Fairhaven Library, Gorman will sign copies of "Haunted Fairhaven" from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on the main floor at Village Books.