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Halloween season has officially taken over Grand Rapids. The zoo is handing out treats, the woods in Belmont are full of monsters, and up in Sparta there's a farm where you can load apples into a cannon and fire them across a field (yes, really). Add $3 tacos all week, a Broadway love story downtown, and thousands of runners on Sunday, and you've got a full weekend. Here's your Tune in Grand Rapids shortlist for Friday–Sunday (Oct 16–18).

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Family Friendly

Zoo Goes Boo at John Ball Zoo
Fri–Sun, 10 AM–5 PM (members from 9 AM) · John Ball Zoo
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Thirteen treat stations tucked between the animal habitats, plus magicians, fire dancers, villains, and face painting. Costumes are encouraged for grown-ups too (just skip full-face masks and costume weapons), and teal-pumpkin booths have allergy-friendly tokens. Bring a comfy treat bag.

Back 40 + Corn Maze at Schwallier's Country Basket
Sat & Sun, 9 AM–6 PM (last Back 40 tickets at 5) · Schwallier's Country Basket
Venue Location: Sparta
This year's maze is Halloween-themed, with a shorter kids' loop for little legs. The $16 Back 40 pass (3 and under free) adds tube slides, jump pads, pedal carts, and a giant straw mountain. Then there are the apple cannons ($5 a bucket of ammo). Tractor wagon rides around the orchard are free on weekends.

The Haunted Forest at Cannonsburg
Fri 6:30–9 PM; Sat 6–9 PM · Cannonsburg Ski Area
Venue Location: Belmont
A three-quarter-mile trail through the dark woods with deranged clowns, hungry demons, and a butcher's zone where the screams don't stop. It's for ages 5 and up, and the gentler Spooky Forest is there for younger kids. Tickets are $25 online ($30 at the door), and there are fire pits and warm cider waiting at the end.

Kids Events

Kentwood Trunk or Treat
Sat Oct 17, 10 AM–1 PM · Kentwood Community Center
Venue Location: Kentwood
Free costumed candy collecting from 25+ decorated city and community trunks. Olly's Mini Donuts and Travelin' Toms Coffee food trucks will be there to keep the grown-ups going while you wait in line.

Grand Rapids Kids Marathon
Sat Oct 17, 2:30 PM (packet pickup 1–2 PM) · David D. Hunting YMCA
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Kids ages 2–12 run the final 1.2 miles of the real marathon course, the day before the grown-ups. It's free, and every runner gets an official bib and T-shirt, with a medal and certificate at the finish. Registration stays open until 2 PM Saturday.

Arts & Culture

The Notebook — Broadway Grand Rapids
Fri 7:30 PM; Sat 2 & 7:30 PM; Sun 1 & 6:30 PM · DeVos Performance Hall
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Allie and Noah's lifelong love story, now a musical with songs by Ingrid Michaelson and direction from the team behind Dear Evan Hansen and RENT. The Chicago Tribune called it "absolutely gorgeous, not to be missed." Bring tissues.

Broken Wings — Grand Rapids Ballet
Oct 16–18 (and again Oct 23–25) · Peter Martin Wege Theatre
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's internationally acclaimed ballet follows painter Frida Kahlo through the bus accident and the marriage that shaped her art, set to a score woven with Mexican folk music. It's paired with A Dreamer, inspired by Stephen Hawking, with music by Philip Glass and Beethoven. (Mature themes.)

Christone "Kingfish" Ingram: The Hard Road Tour
Fri Oct 16 · Doors 7 PM / Show 8 PM · Elevation at The Intersection
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
One of the most exciting blues guitarists alive, in a room where you can actually see his hands fly. All ages.

Anthony Hamilton with Leela James & Raheem DeVaughn
Fri Oct 16, 8 PM · Van Andel Arena
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
A Grammy-winning soul voice with 50 million albums sold, plus two R&B favorites on the same bill. Grown-folks date night, sorted.

Zach Top: Cold Beer & Country Music Tour
Sat Oct 17, 8 PM · Van Andel Arena
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
The first-ever winner of the Grammy for Best Traditional Country Album brings real-deal, fiddle-and-steel country downtown. Heads up: tickets are on AXS only, not at the box office.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy + Laurel Premo
Sun Oct 18 · Wealthy Theatre
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
The cult-favorite songwriter (Will Oldham) in one of the city's most beautiful old theaters, with Laurel Premo opening. A perfect quiet Sunday night.

Food & Drink

Grand Rapids Taco Week
Through Sun Oct 18 · Participating restaurants
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
$3 taco specials all over town: Barrio, Condado, El Globo, Tamales Mary, La Jefa Taqueria in Wyoming, Fn'k Tacos in Rockford, and more. Download the Taco Week app and check in as you go, because four check-ins enter you in the grand-prize drawing. (Tip well; your server is having a week.)

Fall Flavors at the Downtown Market
Sat & Sun, 10 AM–8 PM · Grand Rapids Downtown Market
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Market Hall goes full autumn: a Maple Pecan Old Fashioned at Rák, a Pumpkin Caramel Latte at Sav Sav, Caramel Apple Streusel ice cream at Love's, maple bacon and apple cider donuts from Juju Bird, and a pumpkin pie soda from High Tide. Graze your way through.

Sports & Fitness

Grand Rapids Marathon + Run Thru the Rapids 5K & 10K
Sun Oct 18 · Marathon & half 8 AM, 10K 8:20, 5K 8:30 · David D. Hunting YMCA
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Run the full, the half, a relay, or keep it short with the 5K or 10K ($52.50, and registration stays open until race morning). Not running? Cheer from the course, then find the finish-line beer garden. The expo and packet pickup run Saturday, 9 AM–5:30 PM.

Griffins Crayola Family Game vs. Rockford IceHogs
Sun Oct 18, 4 PM · Van Andel Arena
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Kids 12 and under get a Crayola tumbler, there's a Crayola experience on the concourse, and Sunday means $1 Pepsi and $1 ice cream from 3–5 PM. Bring your library card for discounted tickets at the box office.

Community

Poetry Saves Lives Festival
Thu–Sat, Oct 15–17 · 106 Gallery
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Three free days of open mics, workshops, and conversation. Saturday has an all-ages poetry workshop (11 AM), a panel on poetry and mental health, a dance workshop, and a 6 PM finale with Grand Rapids Poet Laureate Christine Stephens-Krieger and the jazz ensemble Art Sauce.

Friends of the Library Book Sale
Sat 9 AM–4 PM; Sun 1–4 PM · Grand Rapids Public Library, Main Library
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Every book is 50 cents on Saturday, and on Sunday you can fill a grocery bag for $5 (bring your own bag). New stock comes out all day, and every dollar goes back to the library.

43rd Rockford Marching Invitational
Sat Oct 17, from 10:25 AM · Rockford High School
Venue Location: Rockford
A full day of high school marching bands from across Michigan. The big night block ends with Grandville (9:05 PM), Hudsonville (9:19 PM), and Rockford's own exhibition show (9:33 PM). Bring a blanket and cheer for your hometown band.

The Haunt
Thu–Sun, Oct 15–18 · The Haunt
Venue Location: Wyoming
Twenty-six years of West Michigan screams: five attractions in one ticket, including Whispering Woods, Alien X, Malice in Wonderland, and a 3D clown circus. Thursday and Sunday are the least crowded nights, and anyone under 15 needs an adult in their group.

Adult 21+

Pat McGann at Dr. Grins
Thu–Sat, Oct 15–17 · Dr. Grins Comedy Club at The B.O.B.
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Stand-up Pat McGann headlines three nights downtown, with The B.O.B.'s restaurants in the same building for a pre-show bite. The 7:15 and 8 PM early shows are 18+; the 9:45 PM late shows are 21+ only.

Whooos & Brews
Sat Oct 17, 1–2 PM · Blandford Nature Center
Venue Location: Grand Rapids
Meet Blandford's owl ambassadors with a drink and a donut in hand while a wildlife educator tells you their stories. It's $22 ($17.60 for members), 21+ with ID, and registration closes at noon Friday.

Grand Rapids Halloween Singles Mixer
Sat Oct 17, 7–9 PM · Oakestown Brewery
Venue Location: Grandville
Costumes encouraged, apps not required. Hosts, name tags, drink specials, and a Two Truths & a Lie game give you an easy excuse to say hi. Come solo or bring a wingperson. 21+.

Little tips: if you're seeing The Notebook this weekend, the original Nicholas Sparks novel is a cozy read for the drive home. And for Zoo Goes Boo or the Kentwood trunks, a sturdy reusable trick-or-treat bag beats a pillowcase every time.

That's the weekend. Pick one spooky thing, one tasty thing, and one thing that makes you say "wait, apple cannons?" on Monday.

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Until next time, stay connected!