Halloween is just around the corner, and there’s no better way to prepare for All Hallows’ Eve than a jaunt through Brentwood’s Hometown Halloween or an afternoon at Oakley’s Harvest Festival. Both events are held this Saturday, but a host of other haunts will get you in the Halloween spirit – so get ready to mark your calendar.

NOW THROUGH OCT. 31

Jumping Jacks Pumpkin Patch

The Streets of Brentwood, 2565 Sand Creek Road provides bounce houses and slides, pony rides, a petting zoo and many more family-friendly activities from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Smith Family Farm Pumpkin Festival

The Smiths’ month-long festival – open Mondays through Fridays from 12:30 to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – features a hayride to the pumpkin-picking patch, a corn maze and a barnyard petting zoo. Admission (which includes a pumpkin) is $8 on weekdays and $9 on Saturday and Sunday. Smith Family Farm is located at 4430 Sellers Ave. in Brentwood.

Sanctuary of Evil – Maze and Haunted House

This Halloween extravaganza features a corn maze, a haunted house and The Last Ride, a simulated ride to the grave in a pitch-dark wooden casket embellished by a spooky soundtrack. It’s open Fridays and Saturdays from 7 to 10 p.m.; Sundays from 7 to 9 p.m. Admission, which includes all three attractions, is $10. The Sanctuary of Evil can be found at 936 Carpenter Road in Oakley.

OCT. 21

Harvest Carnival

Vintage Parkway Elementary School, 1000 Vintage Parkway in Oakley, hosts a hauntingly happening Halloween Carnival from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The event features games, activity booths and a haunted house. For more information, call 925-625-6800.

BOOville

Discovery Bay Elementary, 1700 Willow Lake Road, hosts BOOville – a joyous Halloween event for the whole family – from 4 to 8 p.m. Guests will enjoy game booths, a haunted house, bounce houses and delicious treats such as caramel apples. Admission is free, but canned food donations are encouraged. For more information, e-mail booville@dbpta.org.

Harvest Carnival

Garin Elementary School, 250 First St. in Brentwood, hosts its 25th annual Harvest Carnival from 4 to 8 p.m., and the parents club is pulling out all the spooky stops. Activities include a cupcake walk, face painting, ring toss, sand art, bowling, “fishing,” a temporary tattoo station and silent auction in which mummies and daddies can bid on gift baskets that include wines and gift certificates for massages.

OCT. 22

Costume Trading Post

The Streets of Brentwood is the venue for finding the perfect Halloween costume. Kids and adults can drop off their gently used costumes and shop around for new-to-you attire that’ll make them the scariest ghost or the most gorgeous princess this Halloween. Costumes are free. You don’t need to donate a costume to be eligible to shop. The Trading Post is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the vacant building next to Express, across from the Friendly Forest Playground. The Post is also open on Oct. 23 and 29.

Harvest Festival

The City of Oakley hosts its third annual Harvest Festival from noon to 4 p.m. in Civic Center Plaza, 3231 Main St. Come dressed in your Halloween costume for a chance to win a prize, and come on an empty stomach to battle it out in the pie-eating contest. The event also features a pre-carved pumpkin contest, a costume parade, pony rides, arts and crafts, games and a hay maze to get you into the Halloween spirit. This year, the Tri-Delta Transit Haunted Bus will make a stop at the festival. For more information, call 925-625-7044.

Hometown Halloween

Fine tune your trick-or-treating skills at Brentwood’s premiere Halloween event, held from 5 to 8 p.m. at First and Oak streets. Hometown Halloween is perfect for all the ghosts and goblins in your house. Take a stroll through downtown and visit the many merchant booths, and don’t forget to pop your head into local businesses for treats at this safe-and-sane Halloween event. If you dare, take a tour of a haunted house or stop by the haunted bus for an extra thrill.

Halloween Dance and Dinner

Flor Do Oakley hosts a Halloween Dance and Dinner at 5 p.m. at 520 Second St. Tickets ($25 for adults; $12.50 for children 7-12) include marinated pork, music by Alianca, a costume contest and candy for the children. For more information, call 925-625-5833.

OCT. 27

Haunted House

La Paloma High School, 400 Ghiggeri Drive in Brentwood, presents a terrifically terrifying haunted house from 6 to 9 p.m. If you’re not looking for a fright, the event also features a costume contest, kids’ games and tasty treats. Tickets are $5 for adults; $3 for children 18 and younger.

Halloween Howl La La Boo

The Oakley Library hosts a special, spooky storytime at 6:30 p.m. Come dressed in costume for stories, crafts, treats and loads of fun. The library is located at 1050 Neroly Road. For more information, call 925-625-2400.

OCT. 27 and 28

Haunted House

Liberty High School’s Playmakers’ Haunted House is open Oct. 27 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.; Oct. 28 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Admission is $6 ($5 if you bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to charity). The haunted house is located at the Liberty Performing Arts Center, 850 Second St. in Brentwood.

OCT. 28

Pioneer Fall Fest

Family fun is found from 5 to 8 p.m. at Pioneer Elementary School, 2010 Shady Willow Lane in Brentwood. Get a jump-start on Halloween fun with games, crafts and tons of other ghoulishly great activities.

OCT. 29

Halloween Festival

Halloween at The Streets of Brentwood, 2565 Sand Creek Road, runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event features a costume parade for children and pets, a pumpkin carving contest, and trick-or-treating throughout the lifestyle center. For more information, call 925-516-8500.

OCT. 31

Holy Eve Community Carnival

A fun and safe substitute to Halloween takes place at the Holy Eve Community Carnival from 2 to 9 p.m. at Somersville Towne Center, 2556 Somersville Road in Antioch. The event features free games, candy and entertainment. The carnival also includes a Ferris Wheel, a Merry-Go-Round and flying swings. For more information, visit www.somersvilletownecenter.com/events.