Aquarium and festival fun in Brooklyn this autumn

As the green leaves of summer brighten into a bright mosaic andpumpkins become ripe for the picking it can only mean one thing:fall is here. And, between Halloween’s fright nights and thecountless other ways to enjoy the crisp autumn air, the list ofBrooklyn happenings is as diverse as it is long.

If you are among the uninitiated, the New York Aquarium at ConeyIsland may not be your first stop for Halloween fun, howeverAscarium at the Aquarium is a longtime Brooklyn favorite. Thisyear’s event features a spooky shipwreck along withHalloween-themed storytelling and concerts for kids.

The event is free with aquarium admission ($14.95 for adults and$10.95 for children between the ages of three and 12), withcostumed children (maximum two per family) receiving free admissionwith purchase of a full-price adult admission. The Ascarium is openOctober 15, 16, 22, 23, 29 and 30. Go towww.nyaquarium.com/ascarium for additional information.

On Sunday, October 16NarrowsBotanical Garden will hold a HarvestFestival in the park at 71st Street and Shore Road. The eventincludes pumpkin painting in the pumpkin patch, with free pumpkinsprovided by Three Guys

In addition, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy will hold itsannual celebration on Saturday, October 22 at Pier6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The festivalwill include a Halloween parade with face painting, storytelling,mask-making, and pumpkin decorating, as well as live music. Fordetails, visit www.brooklynbridgepark.org and click on Activities& Events.

Prospect Park will hold a Haunted Walk on Saturday, October 29from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Enter at Prospect Park Southwest and 16thStreet. Suggested donation is $1. The day will also feature aHaunted Carnival on the Nethermead in the center of the park.

In addition, the park’s carousel at Ocean and Flatbush Avenueswill become a Haunted Carousel ($2 a ride) from noon to 5 p.m. onboth Saturday, October 29Sunday,October 30

Finally, the Prospect Park Zoo will host its annual Boo at theZoo event, with a wide range of kid-pleasing activities including awalk through the Haunted Barn, encounters with spooky creatures,face painting and crafts. Boo at the Zoo will take place allweekend, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and is free with zoo admission ($8,adults: $6 seniors over 65; $5 for children three to 12).

But, as with most things in life it’s always good to have abackup plan. If the weather isn’t to your liking onSaturday, October 29

The event will also feature a very special guest from a galaxyfar, far away. R2D2 will be there to greet the kids as well asseveral other Star Wars costume volunteers from the 501st and rebellegions. Some things are even cooler than candy.

On Halloween itself, Park Slope will be the setting forBOO-klyn!, the annual Park Slope Civic Council Children’s HalloweenParade on Monday, October 31. The parade willstart at 6:30 p.m. at 14th Street and Seventh Avenue and proceed toThird Street, where it will turn toward Fifth Avenue and concludeat the Old Stone House, where festivities will continue until 8:30p.m.

But, according to local activist Chip Cafiero, the 2011 HauntedHalloween Walk on Monday, October 31 from 3:30p.m. to 9 p.m. in Owl’s Head Park is the happening of the year.

It’s the greatest event anywhere, Cafiero said. It’s myfavorite event. We draw 15,000 to 20,000 people from thecommunity.

This year, in addition to the customary Haunted Walk andFairytale Forest, the Batmobile featured in the Tim Burton Batmanfilms will be on display. For more information, call718-238-6044.

And if you’re looking for a more adult way to celebrateHalloween, on Monday, October 31