We’re getting down to the wire with all things Halloween. In fact, for those of you counting, H Day is less than a week away. If you’re a fan of black cats, monsters, and things that go bump in the night, there’s just one weekend left to do the Monster Mash in your witch costume without the neighbors judging you too harshly.

Jump on your broom and grab the last little bit of the spookiest time of the year with these Halloween events hand-picked by the Junior.

“There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bat” by Lucille Colandro, Courtesy Cartwheel/Scholastic Inc.

Reading to my child when she was small was a nightly ritual. We both loved it when Halloween rolled around so we could indulge in seasonal stories about misunderstood monsters, kooky witches, and sincere pumpkin patches. If you love storytime as much as we do at Art&Seek, stop by The Wild Detectives in Oak Cliff on Saturday morning for a double dip of Halloween Kiddy Lit. Jill Holston, a Richardson school teacher, will be reading two Halloween classics, “The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey” and “There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bat!” By Lucille Colandro. After the 25-minute read, there will be a short discussion with the kids.

Captured Moments Photography/Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center

Dia de los Muertos or the Day of the Dead is a holiday rich in tradition. Come celebrate and honor those who have passed at Artes de la Rosa’s annual Dia de los Muertos Festival in Fort Worth’s Northside neighborhood. The family-friendly event features live folkloric/opera/mariachi music, ballet folklorico, dance, arts & crafts, theatrical performances and, of course, pan de muerto! The highlight of the evening is the drum procession from Marine Park to the Rose Marine Theater Plaza. The celebration starts Friday evening with an art exhibition and screening of “Book of Life” and continues with the festival on Saturday night from 5 to 10 p.m.

Photo: Denton’s Day of Dead Festival

Speaking of Dia de los Muertos, the city of Denton is hosting its own annual Day of the Dead Festival this Saturday. The quirky, community get-together is described by the organizers as “little harvest fest, a little Dia de los Muertos, a little Halloween, and a lot of Denton magic.” There will be games and food vendors plus a variety of entertainment on hand including music, dancing, a costume contest,  a twilight lantern parade, and coffin races which are sure to please monsters of all ages. For even more spooky fun, mosey on over to Dan’s Silver Leaf for Cirque du Horror. This Halloween show is a collection of bone-chilling poems, spine-tingling short stories, and spooky songs. It’s a  little song, a little dance, part musical theater, part cabaret and fun for all ages.

City of Allen, Department of Parks & Recreation

If you like the thrill of competition but prefer to race something smaller than a coffin, head to the Edge Skate Park in Allen Saturday for a Pumpkin Derby. In this fun-spirited event, derby racers battle it out as they compete side-by-side in races featuring handcrafted, decorated Pumpkins. Racers will be divided into three age categories and it’s $10 to compete. Besides the being the fastest pumpkin on wheels, awards will also be given for Best Design.

Frontiers of Flight Museum

You don’t have to go to a galaxy far, far away to see your favorite ‘Star Wars’ characters this Halloween. Just head to the Frontiers of Flight Museum this Saturday for their 3rd Annual Star Wars Day & Halloween Sci-Fi Extravaganza. Kids can meet members of the world-renowned Star Wars Imperial costuming organization, 501st LEGION and  the Rebel Legion “good guys.” The Mandalorian Mercs “bounty hunters” and the R2-D2 and BB-8 Astromech droids will also be there. Besides trick or treating with Stormtroopers, kids can participate in the Red Carpet costume contest, explore the Star Wars Universe in the SPOC planetarium, and test their knowledge with Star Wars trivia

For a complete list of all the seasonal happenings in our neck of the woods check out our Halloween/Fall Festival Superlist.