What are you doing for Halloween?

Trick-or-treating, haunted houses and mystery theater all in Gig Harbor

Susan Schell

of the Gateway

There are plenty of traditional ways to spend Halloween in the harbor. There is trick-or-treating along the historic waterfront district, Paradise Theatre’s haunted house, a Mystery Theater at Brix 25, the Halloween Festival at Key Center and the annual Halloween bash at Tides Tavern.

But if none of the those suit your needs, start your own tradition.

That’s what David and Christine Rothenberg did when they moved four years ago to their waterfront home that overlooks Hales Pass.

“My children were still really young then,” Christine Rothenberg said. “We live on a busy street, so we couldn’t send them out the front door, so we thought, ‘Why not send them out the back door?’ ”

The Rothenbergs figured it would be a great idea if their children could trick-or-treat along the beach, where it would be safe.

“They would have been happy with just five or six houses, so we talked to one of our neighbors, and she thought it would be a great idea,” Rothenberg said. “It’s a neat thing for the beachside neighborhoods to do. They go trick-or-treating on the beach.”

The Rothenbergs handed out fliers to neighbors attached to the “backyard” side of the house, facing the water. They invited them to leave candy for the children along the beach, and then the adults would dress up and have their own costume party.

“We just stuck them on their window,” Rothenberg said. “We said after the trick-or-treat we would have them over to a little casual dinner afterwards. It was amazing that everyone called back and said ‘I’ll be there.’ ”

The “beach bash” tradition was invented, and the Rothenbergs and their neighbors are ready to party on Halloween for their fifth year.

A neighbor was so impressed that she sent a story suggestion to Coastal Living magazine, which featured it in this month’s issue.

The Rothenbergs are especially jazzed that Halloween is on a Saturday this year.

“We go all-out for Halloween,” Rothenberg said. “Halloween is out your back door on your sandy beach, and the kids love it. The parents and their families just love having trick-or-treaters at their house.”

Rothenberg encourages other communities to have their own get-togethers.

“You can make your own Halloween trick-or-treat community,” she said. “You don’t have to find a quiet, dead-end street.”

Haunted house

For those who want a truly spooky Halloween, Paradise Theatre will have its house of horrors, which gets bigger and more ghoulish each year.

Volunteers have been hammering away at sets, setting tombstones and pondering new ways to frighten the living daylights out of people.

Laura Gadbow and her 11-year-old son, Gabe, have been involved in building the sets and acting in the scenes for four years.

“He got me involved because he started taking acting classes at the theater,” Gadbow said.

The haunted house, at 9911 Burnham Drive NW in Gig Harbor, is one of the theater company’s major fundraisers. It will run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 30, and from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 28-29. On Halloween, the production will last from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Tickets are $9 for children 11 and older and $6 for those 10 and younger. VIP passes for unlimited visits are $27 and $18 for the respective age groups. Kid-friendly nights, Oct. 25 and 27, are $1 off from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“It’s become our Halloween tradition,” Gadbow said. “We started thinking about our costumes way ahead of time.”

Gadbow said each year the spook house has a theme. This year, it involves a traveling carnival whose last town was next to a cemetery, and the lost souls have taken over the production.

“I greet the people and put the tour groups together,” Gadbow said. “I’m going to be a psycho clown. I found this killer mask.”

Gabe Gadbow takes the acting seriously and considers the house more in-depth than just a place where ghosts pop out and say, “Boo!”

“It’s not all just scaring people, it’s performing,” he said. “We’re still a theater. There’s little scenes. Right now, we’re putting the final touches on all this stuff. We’ll make it very scary and interesting.”

Trick or treat

Businesses along Gig Harbor’s historic waterfront district will pass out sweets and treats from 3 to 6 p.m. Oct. 31.

New this year will be the first Pumpkin Decorating contest. Participating businesses will pass out coupons for a free pumpkin that can be picked up at the Harbor History Museum from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, or from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday or Saturday.

Decorated pumpkins can be entered in the contest at the museum from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 29. The pumpkins will be on display along the waterfront district between 3 and 6 p.m. on Halloween.

The Gig Harbor Police Department will close Harborview Drive and Pioneer Way from 2 to 7 p.m. during trick-or-treating. The event is free and open to the public.

The Gig Harbor Historic Waterfront Association is located at 3125 Judson St. For information, call Mary DesMarais at 253-514-0071.

Dress up at Tides

The Tides Tavern will host its annual costume craze with a new DJ and dancing this year at 9 p.m. For more information, call 253-858-3982.

Murder mystery at Brix

Brix 25 restaurant on Pioneer Way in Gig Harbor will host a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater featuring “Death along the Delta.”

Enjoy the comedy, murder and mayhem while dining with the cast and asking questions about the murder.

The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to reserve a seat, call 253-858-6626.

Halloween festival

The Key Peninsula Civic Center’s annual Halloween Festival will offer games, costume contests, candy and prizes for children of all ages.

The Key Peninsula Civic Center is located at 17010 S. Vaughn Road in Vaughn.

Reach Lifestyles Coordinator and reporter Susan Schell at 253-853-9240 or by e-mail at susan.schell@gateline.com.