Drag those bones out and celebrate!

It’s a colorful, musical week in Austin because of Halloween and Día de los Muertos. If you’re looking for kid-friendly learning experiences related to the celebrations, here’s a little roundup:

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Throughout the week, the Austin Public Libraries will host a program of stories, music, and mask-making that will make kids of any age (and their parents) smile. Take a look at all the participating libraries in this full list of events.

For kids who love music and don’t mind crowds, the annual Easter Seals Día de Los Muertos concert raises awareness and money for people with disabilities in central Texas. It’s an all-day wonderland with food, art, and lots of bands to make you clap and dance, including the Grammy-winning Grupo Fantasma. It takes place at Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater. Best of all: Kids 12 and under get in free with an adult. Check out the full musical lineup.

If Halloween is more in your wheelhouse, then the Rec Centers all over the city will host Howl-O-Scream with carnival games, treats, and haunted houses from 6:30 to 8:30 pm on Halloween night. The details are all here, and admission is just $3.

And finally, if you have a little one who’s just now learning to deal with the scary aspects of people in masks and trying to understand the make-believe of it all, they might feel much better after watching Mister Rogers go old school with a paper bag mask and a happy song. I know I did.


Shelley Sperry
Sperry Editorial