Downtown Orange site for Halloween haunts, treats

Downtown Orange will be alive with spooks, ghouls, and aliens on Halloween as the historic Orange Train Depot has a haunted house and groups will be handing out candy to young costumed trick-or-treaters.

The Orange Train Depot, built in the early 1900s as the station for the Southern Pacific Railroad, was restored ten years ago. For the second year, the Drama Department at West Orange-Stark High School is decorating the building into a haunted house.

Drama teacher Mason Franco has written a story line of an alien invasion for the spook house. The drama students will be dressed and acting parts for the thrilling tour.

Dates will be Wednesday, October 30, and Thursday, October 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is $2. "Survivors" of the walk will be treated to candy and popcorn at the end. The red brick depot is along the railroad tracks at Green Avenue and 11th Street.

Candy will be widely available on Halloween evening, especially from departments of the city of Orange. Kids are encouraged to dress in costume to go trick-or-treating at the Orange Public Library, the Orange Police Department, and the Orange Central Fire Station.

The Library at 220 North Fifth Street will be giving away candy beginning at 5 p.m. until the candy runs out.

Firefighters at Central Station, 501 North Seventh Street, will have candy for kids from 5 p.m. until it runs out.

The Orange Police Department, 201 North Eighth Street, will have a drive-through trunk-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m.

Also in downtown, the historic First United Methodist Church, 502 Fifth Street, will have a trunk-or-treat from decorated cars and trucks in the church parking lot beginning at 5 p.m. After going through the parking lot, children are invited to go inside the church's Family Life Center for hot dogs, chips, cookies, and drinks.