What's Happening on Halloween?

Good morning Patchers, and Happy Halloween! We hope that whatever you choose to do, or however you choose to celebrate, you do it safely. Here's some little tidbits to think about today:

1. Looking for a place to take the kids that doesn't involve navigating the streets of your neighborhood? Head down to the annual . It will be a good time for the whole family and features a pumpkin patch, trick or treat, balloons, ghostly games, videos, astro jump bounce house, face painting, and of course, a costume contest. The event runs from 5:30-8 p.m.

2. Today is the last day to submit your photos in the Patch "Little Pumpkin Costume Challenge." Simply , and if your photos are selected as the winner, you will win a trip to either New York or L.A. and meet supermodel and reality TV host Heidi Klum! The deadline for submissions is 9 p.m.

3. According to a story on The Atlantic Cities website, San Diego ranks as the No. 18 best metro area for trick-or-treating. Based on five factors – share of children aged 5 to 14; median household income, population density, walkability and creative spirit, San Diego came out with a "Tot" rating of .766. San Diego ranks just behind Boulder, Colorado and just ahead of Cincinnati, Ohio on the list. The top metro city for trick-or-treating is the Bridgeport, Stamford and Norwalk metro area of Connecticut.

4. Some fun Halloween facts and figures:
– 41 million kids (ages 5-14) go trick-or-treating each year on average in America.
– 1.1 billion pounds of pumpkins were produced in America in 2010. Illinois led the way, producing 427 million pounds of the bright orange gourd.
– 24.7 pounds of candy (non-chocolate) were consumed by Americans on average in 2010.

5. A fun Halloween and a safe Halloween go hand-in-hand. As you are walking the streets tonight, be mindful of traffic, be aware of your surroundings, and be cautious of individuals whose main goal is to make Halloween more "trick" than treat.