AREA – The boo crew turned out in full force this year for the Gladbrook Commercial Club’s annual Halloween activities on Saturday, Oct. 31, and also the Reinbeck Public Library’s three days of Halloween fun that began the Thursday prior.

In downtown Gladbrook Saturday evening, where the 300 block was closed to traffic, the weather shaped up nicely for trunk-or-treat/trick-or-treating in and outside local businesses, including at the Gladbrook Theater where staff and volunteers were handing out Halloween-themed sticker sheets and cups of popcorn ahead of the evening’s free showing of Steven Spielberg’s 1984 classic “Gremlins.” Nearby, the new coffee shop, The Gladbrook Nook, enjoyed long lines as part of its soft opening.

Ahead of Halloween, the Reinbeck Public Library hosted “Trick or Read” in Elmwood Park — the library’s final storywalk of the season. Per Director Michelle Sieh, the featured book was “The Boo Crew” by Vicky Fang. With help from volunteers, including storyboard sponsors, local Lions Club members, library trustees and community members, participants were read a page/board at each stop in the park and then received a treat.

“It was a gorgeous night with more than 200 people in attendance — at least 115 trick-or-readers,” Sieh told the newspaper. “The event is the same night as trick-or-treating at Parkview/The Elms across the street, so many kids did both, which was a delight for all involved!”

On Friday morning – a no school day for Gladbrook-Reinbeck – the library sponsored a variety of Halloween-themed activities for youngsters, including pipe cleaner pumpkin making and a scavenger hunt. Later that afternoon, the movie “Minions & Monsters” was screened upstairs in the children’s area. Ahead of traditional trick-or-treating on Halloween proper, the library held a costume party for teens.