Introducing … Rocketober!

Update: We just launched our Facebook page 🙂

We’re just a few weeks away from Rocketober.

Rocketober? That is the name we’re giving to the collection of community-building events building up to Halloween that promise to make October truly something special.

The goal: Build on the fact that we’re already the only community in Milwaukee County to offer Halloween evening trick-or-treating by bringing to life a series of family-friendly activities throughout the month.

Some of these events already exist. There are some new ones too.

By jointly planning, branding and promoting them, this will make all of them better – and create a real point of pride for our fair city.

So, I give you Rocketober. Check out the full schedule here.

Print it off, hang it on your fridge, share it on your Facebook page.

Here just a glimpse at some of the things happening in October in South Milwaukee.

• Thursday, Oct. 2: The Homecoming Parade is back! The parade goes up 15^th Avenue from Maple and is followed a community pep rally and bonfire. The Homecoming game is Friday, Oct. 3, vs. Cudahy.
• Thursday, Oct. 9: The South Milwaukee Downtown Fall Family Festival returns with free pumpkins and pumpkin decorating, vendor trick-or-treating and a dusk showing of “Hocus Pocus,” the last of three Guardian Movies in the Market.
• Friday, Oct. 17: Tales and Tombstones is also back after a hiatus. Learn about famous figures in local history like Rawson, Fowle and McCreedy at a candlelit tour followed by refreshments at First Congregational Church.
• Saturday, Oct. 25: This is a full day of family fun, with a couple of new events. It starts with kickball, costumes and more at South Milwaukee Little League, followed by activities at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, a downtown trick-or-treating scavenger hunt and a Halloween House presented the South Milwaukee E-Lions/Friends of the Mill Pond at the Mill Pond Warming House. The Halloween House is also open from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26.
• Halloween: Of course, the month ends trick-or-treating on Friday, Oct. 31. Hours are 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

This list is just the start. From events at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center to a Rocktoberfest beer tasting to Justice for a Cure Day to a Human Concerns Haunted House, there is lots happening next month. And I can’t wait.

It’s been fun working with the dedicated group of community volunteers and business owners organizing these individual events. I thank them for their efforts and am excited to see what next month brings. I hope you are too.

Happy Rocketober!