PUBLISHED IN THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE SEPTEMBER 24, 2015

The annual Valparaiso Fall Harvest Festival has expanded to be a two-day event.

This year the Fall Harvest Festival will kick off from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 16 with a costumed trick-or-treat hayride through downtown Valparaiso. The hayride is sponsored by the Valpo Parks Department.

From 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 17, the third annual Valpo Parks Department Monster Dash, a family-friendly 1K, will start the second day of the Festival. Participants can race down the streets of Valparaiso either dressed like a zombie or someone running from one.

After the Monster Dash, live entertainment, face painting, balloon twisting, among other events, will be available in Central Park Plaza.

“We’re excited to be expanding the festival and give people more time to spend together,” said Jennifer Peek, Director of Marketing for Valpo Events, the organization behind the Fall Harvest Festival.

“We have a lot of family-friendly events in downtown Valpo. It’s a good way to kick off Halloween and give kids and opportunity to give kids a couple of wears out of their Halloween costumes,” Peek said.

Each year, the Fall Harvest Festival brings more than 3,000 visitors to downtown Valparaiso.

Admission to the Fall Harvest Festival is free, as is parking in the downtown area.

For a scary and silly time at the Fall Harvest Festival, be sure to check out the event page on Facebook for more information or go toValparaisoevents.com.

Beth Casey is a freelance writer.

Fall Harvest Festival

Where: Central Park Plaza, 68 Lafayette St., Valparaiso

When: 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 16 and 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oct. 17

Information: Valparaisoevents.com