Little ninjas, ladybugs, and other costumed kids to be out in force on Halloween night. Keep their safety as your first priority.

"Parents or another adult should accompany children," said Police Chief Mike Walker.  "Everyone who is out should wear light colors or retro-reflective material so they can be seen. Also remember to carry a flashlight."

There are other opportunities for ghosts and goblins to collect a sackful of candy, other than walking around the neighborhood.

Historic Downtown Murfreesboro holds its annual trick-or-treating from 3-6 p.m. Monday. Bring the kids to visit downtown merchants and offices with the pumpkin designation on window for family friendly trick-or-treating that is safe and fun.

Murfreesboro Parks & Rec gets in on the fun with the 11th annual Barfield Halloween Bash, which features Halloween festivities with haunted holiday festivities, scary and not-so-scary hayrides and carnival, Saturday and Sunday at Barfield Crescent Park.

Murfreesboro’s scariest hayride, “Old Scream Road,” begins rides from dusk-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. It is guaranteed to keep you screaming. Recommended for ages 9 and over. The cost is $5 per person.

The “Not-So-Haunted Trail” offers families and little ones a scenic hayride through the backcountry campground where the creatures of the forest come out for a friendly greeting. Costing $3 person, the hayride will be held from 5-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The “Spooky Nights Carnival,” held from 5-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday will be packed with carnival games, face painting, music, dancing, costume and pumpkin carving contests. The carnival is free, concessions and game tickets will be sold.

Barfield Crescent Park is located at 697 Barfield Crescent Rd.

La Vergne will hold its annual Trail of Treats from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at Veteran’s Memorial Park. Additional games like a spider-web course, pumpkin jumping, batty fishing, a hay ride, and feed jack bean bag toss will be available at no charge to the community. The entire event is free to the public, but canned food items are encouraged to donate to the local food bank.

Smyrna will also hold Halloween in the Park from 3-8 p.m. Saturday at the Sharp Springs Natural Area. The evening features costume contests, hayrides, children's train for small kids for $1 per ride, inflatables, a pie-eating contest, haunted maze, haunted house and more. Admission is free but a fee will be charged for the haunted house and for items purchased from vendors.

Thursday
5-7 p.m. - Pasta Dinner for Siegel Softball Team. Tickets: $5. Siegel High School Cafeteria. Scarlett Hurlburt at 427-3314.
6 p.m. - Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra. Romancing the Movies night with Mac Frampton. First United Methodist Church on Thompson Lane.
6 p.m. - David Price Project One Four Tickets: $100 each and tables for $750. Price will hold a baseball Q&A session. Boys and Girls Club, Murfreesboro. bonnie@project14.com

Friday
6-11 a.m. - Rutherford County Farmer’s Market. Lane Agri-Park on John Rice Boulevard.
5-7 p.m. - Preschool Pumpkin Patch. Cost: $3 per child, ages 2-5. Wear costumes. Patterson Park Community Center Gym, 521 Mercury Blvd.
5-9 p.m. - Murfreesboro Hot Rod Club Cruise-In. The Avenue in the Belk parking lot. 4mhrc.net
7 p.m. - Haunted Murfreesboro. Cost: $5. The original walking, storytelling tour of Downtown Murfreesboro. Presented by BoroTellers.
7-9:30 p.m. - Shadow Chasers of Middle Tennessee Ghost Tours. Tickets: $5. Guided one-hour walking tours of historic downtown Murfreesboro Friday and Saturday nights. Big B Cleaners on the Square.
7:30 p.m. - To Kill a Mockingbird. Runs Friday & Saturday night and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Arts Center of Cannon County, 1424 John Bragg Hwy., Woodbury. 615-563-ARTS or artscenterofcc.com
7:30 p.m. - The Boys Next Door. Runs Friday & Saturday night and at 4:30 Sunday afternoon. Lamplighter's Theatre, Springhouse Worship and Arts Center; Rock Springs Road at Old Nashville Hwy., Smyrna. lamplighterstheatre.com

Saturday
8 a.m. - Saturday Market. Historic Murfreesboro Square.
10 a.m.-1 p.m. - Family Tree Day. Admission: Free. Light refreshments will be served. St. Clair Street Senior Center, 323 St. Clair St.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. - Fiber in the Boro. Lane Agri-Park Complex on John Rice Boulevard.
11 a.m.-2 p.m. - Fall Festival at Innsbrooke. Face painting, inflatables and a duck pond. The Shops at Innsbrooke, on South Church Street.

Sunday
1-4 p.m. - Rutherford County Heart Walk. Middle Tennessee Medical Center, 1700 Medical Center Pkwy. rutherfordtnheartwalk.kintera.org to sign up or create a team.
3-5 p.m. - First Baptist Church Fall Festival. Admission: Free. First Baptist Church, 200 East Main St. 893-2514
3-6 p.m. - Guys & Dolls Auditions. NOTE: Audition also Monday from 6-8:30 p.m. Center for the Arts, 110 W. College St. 904-ARTS (2787)