BEST BETS | Oct. 30, 2009

Friday, Oct. 30

Get ready for Halloween at Rock Hill's Community Fall Festival from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Emmett School Center, 801 Crawford Road. There will be music, games and refreshments. Admission costs $1 per person, which includes five tickets. Additional tickets can be purchased at the festival.

The Redheaded Stranger comes to Charlotte as Willie Nelson and Friends will perform at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 31

Halloween! Watch out of ghouls and goblins. Trick-or-treat from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Main Street, downtown Rock Hill during the eighth annual Boo-HaHa. There will be a costume contest, face painting, food and more.

The Rock Hill Galleria's fall festival will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the mall. It's free. The event is sponsored by Piedmont Medical, The Herald, The Galleria and Clinton Family Ford. Events include free pumpkins to the first 350 children, pumpkin crafts, a “Passport To Prizes” giveaway, a Halloween costume contest for adults and kids, two magic shows provided by Hocus Pocus, free train rides, free hayrides, booths and interactive games for all ages inside the mall, a giant obstacle course, food and music. Registration for the Halloween costume contest will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the information tent. It's open to adults and kids. The Halloween costume contest judging will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Halloween at Winthrop will have a vaudeville flavor this year at the “Victims of Vaudeville” 2009 Monsterball. The ball begins at 7:30 p.m. in Byrnes Auditorium. The night will include burlesque dancers, jugglers and acrobats and was planned, produced and performed by students in flute instructor Jill O'Neill's class. The ball is free and open to the public.

There will be fun for horses and families at the Equestrian Ministries Saddle Club Family Fun Day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at B&B Arena, off S.C.55 on Beamguard Road in Clover. There will be games for people and horses. The drill team performance will be at noon. Gospel music starts at 3 p.m. Bring chairs, and concessions will be available. Proceeds go to the Tender Hearts Ministry and EM Drill Team. For more information, call Wanda Wood at 803-230-8810, or go to www.equestrianministriessaddleclub.com

Sunday, Nov. 1

The Winthrop University Tuba Euphonium Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Frances May Barnes Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public.

Catch the last day of Carowinds Howl-O-Fest's Boo Blast from noon to 5 p.m. The daytime Halloween event includes a hay bale maze, a foam zone, a costume parade, a puppet show and more.

Monday, Nov. 2

The Foundations Exhibition exhibit opens in the Lewandowski Student Gallery at Winthrop University. This exhibition showcases a selection of freshman artwork juried by the faculty of Fine Arts. The exhibit is free and open to the public until Nov. 19. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Celebrate Westminster Towers' 20th Anniversary Celebration at the “Taste of Music” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. There will be performances by the Northwestern High Troubadours, York County Chorale, Winthrop University String Quartet and Winthrop Opera Theatre.

Tuesday, Nov. 3

Get a jump on Christmas shopping with the star collection DVD releases from major Hollywood honchos, including Sean Connery, Robert Downey Jr., Reese Witherspoon, Jack Lemmon, Jodie Foster and more.

Wednesday, Nov. 4

Catch the opening performance of Neil Simon's “The Good Doctor” at 8 p.m. in the Johnson Studio Theatre at Winthrop University. The merry comedy, performed by the school's Department of Theater and Dance, will run through Sunday. Directed by theater major Jennica Krebs, this student-directed and student-acted production is a humorous mixture of sketches, vaudeville and storytelling that pays homage to Anton Chekhov's well-known literary creations. Tickets for the Nov. 4 and Nov. 5 performances are $5 with a Winthrop I.D. and $10 for the general public, while tickets for the Nov. 6 through 8 performances are $8 with a Winthrop I.D. and $15 for the general public. For ticket information, contact the box office at 803-323-4014 or boxoffice@winthrop.edu.