Halloween is still two weeks away, but a number of area tricks and treats are already gearing up for those looking for an early spook.

A few Halloween events are already in motion, and more will open this weekend.

Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo, the fifth annual family-friendly event at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, is running each weekend leading up to Halloween from 6 to 9 p.m.

Thousands of children attend Boo at the Zoo each year, and this year, the zoo has about 200,000 pieces of candy on hand for the BatZ and BonZ Halloween castle. New this year will be a pirate-themed hay maze. Children are invited to wind their way through the nearly 350 bales of hay in search for the missing treasure chest. The Wicked Wooded Walk is also new this year, featuring a haunted trail lined with tombstones, skeletons, witches and spiders.

This is in addition to returning Boo favorite attractions, including a trick-or-treat trail, an endangered species graveyard, Boo's Bat Cave, a marshmallow roasting pit, Frankenstein's Foam Zone, the Haunted Carousel, Mummy's Eeky-Freaky DJ Dance Party, the Vortex Spinning Light Tunnel and a 3-D movie, “Fun House Express.”

Tickets to Boo at the Zoo are $7 for the general public and $5 for Riverbanks members. Admission is free for children under the age of 3. Upon admission, children will receive a Boo bag for trick-or-treating. For more information on Boo at the Zoo, visit www.riverbanks.org.

Joanna's Haunted Hospital

Though closed nearly 50 years ago, Joanna's old hospital will open again, but not without a few scary surprises for its guests.

Each Saturday in October, the Haunted Hospital will open to those brave enough to enter.

Guests should expect a 10 to 15 minute “tour.” Tours will will run from dark until the line ends. Admission is $5, and is nonrefundable.

To get to the Joanna Haunted Hospital, take the I-26 Whitmire/Joanna exit, take Highway 66 to Joanna's only red light (intersection of Highways 66 and 76), stay straight on Highway 66, cross the railroad and take the first right onto Ellis Street. Signs will mark the way.

Hallways of Hell

Thrill-seekers will be rewarded for the short drive to Clinton with the annual Hallways of Hell, which features the Terror Trail, the Claustro Phobia maze and Zombie Killer paintball game.

Hallways of Hell, located at 2122 Greenplain Road in Clinton, is open this Friday and Saturday and again from Oct. 27-31. A combo ticket for both the Terror Trail and Claustro Phobia sells for $13, and Zombie Killer tickets are $3 for 10 shots and $5 for 20 shots. Hallways of Hell opens at dark, and tickets are sold until 10 p.m.

For more information and directions, visit www.hallwaysofhell.com or call 864-684-0026.

Tricks and Treats at

the State Museum

This Saturday kicks off the first of two weekends for the State Museum's annual Halloween event for families, “Tricks and Treats at the State Museum.”

Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, the Halloween event will feature black cats showcased in the atrium, and some will be up for adoption. Nick Propst and Trixie the Catalina Macaw will be on hand for entertainment with pocket magic and balloon art. A Haunted Halloween Party will begin at 11 a.m., and throughout the day, children are invited to participate in Goblin Games, Creepy Crafts, Frightful Face Painting and Spooky Storytelling. The event will also feature a scavenger hunt for prizes and scary treasures.

Tricks and Treats is included with museum admission, which is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3 to 12, and admission is free to children 2 years old and younger. Visitors arriving in costume will receive $1 off regular museum admission.

For more information, call 803-898-4952 or 803-898-4989, or visit www.museum.state.sc.us.

SafeKIDS

On Halloween, Newberry County Memorial Hospital will once again host its SafeKIDS event from 6 to 8 p.m.

On Oct. 31, families are invited to participate in events such as a Halloween maze, haunted school bus, inflatable rides and a pumpkin toss. The annual costume contest for children up to 12 years old will be held at 7 p.m.

Andy Hawkins, director of public relations and marketing for NCMH, estimated that 7,000 people attended last year's event. Volunteers from Newberry College and the Newberry Jaycees will be on hand to help accommodate the large crowd expected this year.

Free refreshments will be available, and children are invited for games and trick-or-treating. This year's event will be held outside in the back parking lot off Evans Street.