Halloween is Saturday, and the forecast has a storm in it. Here’s the week in West Blount: pumpkin patch and corn maze hours, a Rickwood Caverns spooktacular, Hayden Middle School’s Red Ribbon Week dress-up days, Hayden football, and the last weekend of both seasons.
The weather: The National Weather Service forecast for Hayden, issued Monday morning, has sunny, dry days through Friday. Highs run from 73 to 78, and lows from 46 to 57. Saturday brings a 17 percent chance of showers during the day, and showers and thunderstorms are likely Saturday night, a 58 percent chance, with a low near 58. Sunday has rain showers likely, 55 percent. If you’re taking kids out for Halloween, the forecast favors early.
Red Ribbon Week at Hayden Middle School, Oct. 26 to 30
Hayden Middle School (HMS) students dress up all week for Red Ribbon Week, with the theme “Making a Difference: Being a Hero and Staying Drug Free,” according to the school’s flyer.
Monday, Home Town Hero: wear your favorite team colors. Tuesday, Everyday Hero: dress as an everyday hero, such as a firefighter, police officer or nurse. Wednesday, Red Out: wear red. Thursday, Favorite Hero: dress as your favorite superhero. Friday: the color run.
All week is the “Real Heroes Stay Drug Free” door decorating contest, and outside judges choose the winners Friday morning.
Monday through Thursday, Oct. 26 to 29
Yoga at the Hayden Community Center. Chair yoga is at 10 a.m. and mat yoga at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Hayden Community Center, 629 County Road 7.
Family Story Time. Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Hayden Community Center.
The Great Pumpkin Patch at 288 Hwy 45 in Hayden is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It closes for the season Sunday, Nov. 1.
Friday, Oct. 30
Frightful Fridays: Junior Ranger Spooktacular! is at 2 p.m. at Rickwood Caverns State Park, 370 Rickwood Park Road. It’s part of the park’s nature-education series, and registration is on the park’s registration page.
HMS Color Run. The run closes out Red Ribbon Week at Hayden Middle School on Friday.
Hayden football vs. Crossville. The Wildcats host Crossville at Robert W. Reid Stadium, 340 Bent Tree Drive.
The West Blount Corn Maze is open to the public from 4 to 10 p.m. at 2543 Rock Springs Road.
The Great Pumpkin Patch is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31: Halloween
The West Blount Corn Maze is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m..
The Great Pumpkin Patch is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Armbands for ages 2 to 15 are $15 on weekdays and $20 on weekends, and adults 16 and up are $10.
Sunday, Nov. 1
Junior Rangers Discover Bats! is at 1 p.m. at Rickwood Caverns State Park, with registration on the park’s site.
Last day at the pumpkin patch. The Great Pumpkin Patch’s season ends Sunday, with hours from 1 to 6 p.m.
The corn maze is open from 1 to 6 p.m. The maze extended its season, and it now runs through Sunday, Nov. 8, with Market at the Maze on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Something to read after dark
If you want a local scare of the historical kind, read our story of Bangor Cave, once billed as “the only underground nightclub in America,” or our history of Blount Springs, a 19th-century mineral-springs resort that was internationally known in its day.