For Halloween aficionados, there is a bit of a debate on when spooky season officially starts. Is it July fifth, the day after summer’s major holiday? Or maybe mid August, when Halloween merchandise appeared in craft and home decor stores. Some attribute it to September first or the first day of fall.

But by October first, everyone can agree, spooky season is in full swing.

October 1st

The Pit by Tara Borin on shelves.

“Set in a small-town, sub-Arctic dive bar, this debut poetry collection explores the complexities of addiction and the person beneath, and the possibility of finding home and community in unexpected places.”

Bingo Hell streaming on Amazon Prime.

“Something terrifying has made itself at home in the quiet barrio of Oak Springs, and with each new cry of “Bingo!” another victim falls prey to its diabolical presence. As the cash prizes increase and the body count steadily rises, Lupita must face the frightening realization that this game is truly winner-takes-all.”

October 7

Draconids Meteor Shower. If you steep out to watch, you’ll probably only see 10 meteors per hour. The upside is, you won’t have to wake before dawn to do so. The Draconids is an unusual shower in that they are best viewed in the early evening instead of early morning like most showers.

The shower runs annually from October 6-10 and will peak on the 7th in the early evening. This year, the nearly new moon will leave dark skies for what should be an excellent show, as long as your far away from city lights.

October 8th

Muppets Haunted Mansion streaming on Disney+

“The Great Gonzo – world famous daredevil artiste, has done it all, seen it all, and survived it all. But on Halloween night, the fearless Gonzo takes on the greatest challenge of his life by spending one very daring night in the most grim grinning place on Earth …The Haunted Mansion.”

October 11th

Gibbous Moon by Dennis Cooley and Michael Matthews on shelves.

“A gibbous moon arrives in shadow and light. First at waxing then at waning, two moons in one cycle just shy of full. Poet Dennis Cooley’s eloquent words merge with photographer/composer Michael Matthews’ decadent abstract photographs. These two celebrated artists draw connections and parallels to each other’s masterful art forms, tying the two together seamlessly. The antecedent and subsequent illuminate the night sky with their dance; the shadows and the light taking turns at showing us the way through the darkness.”

October 15th

Halloween Kills in theaters and streaming on Peacock.

“Minutes after Laurie Strode, her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson leave the masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie’s basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with fatal injuries, believing she has finally killed her algorithm. But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie’s trap, his bloodbath ritual begins again.”

October 19th

Nothing but Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw on shelves.

“A Heian-era mansion stands abandoned, its foundations resting on the bones of a bride and its walls packed with the remains of the girls sacrificed to keep her company.

It’s the perfect venue for a group of thrill-seeking friends, brought back together to celebrate a wedding.”

October 20th

Full moon

Night Teeth streaming on Netflix.

“A young driver picks up two mysterious women for a night of party hopping. But when his passengers reveal their true nature, he must fight to stay alive.”

October 25th

Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky.

October 26th

Ghost by Edith Wharton on shelves.

“No history of the American uncanny tale would be complete without mention of Edith Wharton, yet many of Wharton’s most dedicated admirers are unaware that she was a master of the form. In fact, one of Wharton’s final literary acts was assembling Ghosts, a personal selection of her most chilling stories, written between 1902 and 1937.”

October 29th

Antlers in theaters

“A young teacher discovers that her troubled student’s father and younger brother harbor a deadly supernatural secret. Taking the boy into her care, the teacher must fight for their survival against horrors beyond imagination.”

October 31st

Halloween