Society Dog is once again sponsoring the Howling Halloween dog parade in downtown Los Gatos, which is a fun fundraiser to support the K9 unit of the Los Gatos Monte Sereno Police Department. This year (2009) it is on Saturday, October 24th from 5 - 6:30 pm with registration starting at 5:30pm outside of Borders in Old Town Los Gatos. Or, if you register online, there's a discount!

To register online, to view the prizes, and to learn more about this event, please see the Society Dog's website or their page for the event. If you want to help, or have questions, they'd love to talk with you on their yelp line, 408-671-3417, or email them at helpdog@societydog.com.

Need a place to buy a costume? I spotted a number of them at the downtown Los Gatos Petco store (444 N Santa Cruz Ave).  And that costume is reusable too, as the very next day, there's a pet costume contest at Petco in Los Gatos  (and apparently every other Petco, but verify it before showing up) at 2pm too!

Are you getting "into the spirit" of Halloween now? Perhaps you're ready to make some plans to celebrate the spooky holiday? Here are a few events near to Los Gatos. You can find a really enormous list of pumpkin patches, haunted houses and other events at Bay Haunting.com too.

It should be noted that unfortunately there will be no Halloween activities or event at Vasona or Oak Meadow Park this year. The Haunted Forest stopped happening in 2005. A local gent wanted to revive it this year but there were too many issues (like getting a bond) and not enough time to pull it off. Maybe next year? I hope so!

October 20, 27 and 31st at the Winchester Mystery House: flashlight tours (these sell out in advance - reserve yours early)

Oct 26 at Old Town, Los Gatos at 5:30pm: Howling Halloween. Bring your dog in costume! Benefits the police department's K-9 unit, of course!

October 26 Los Gatos Public Library at 3:30pm: Halloween stories in Flannel for grades pre-k and older.

Friday October 26 in downtown Campbell: Spooky, Spooky Night. There will be Halloween games & activities, candy handouts from the Downtown Campbell Business Association and more. Admission is $5 for anyone aged 4 and up. Members pay just $3. See the website for the City of Campbell for more information.

Sunday, October 28 3pm to 4:30 pm: Younger children's costume parade (ages pre-kindergarden through 3rd grade) at the Civic Center Lawn in Los Gatos. For more info, see the Los Gatos Observer article on this fun event.

Sunday, October 28 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm at the Los Gatos Theater: Halloween Scare-A-Thon. Sponsored by the Saratoga Rotary Club, these 6 vintage scary movies are being shown as a fundraiser to benefit Rotaplast.

Wednesday, Oct 31 Halloween Karaoke Dance Party At 1 Broadway in Los Gatos

Wednesday, Oct 31 The Los Gatos Brewing Company (130 G. North Santa Cruz Ave) will be having a costume contest on Halloween Night- Wed, October 31st

And ongoing...Gyro's Screamfest (rated R) at Oakridge Mall.