That's Hell, Michigan to you, Dear Readers -- homeland and haunt of B.T. Evilpants, near Garden City near Ann Arbor near Detroit near Toledo. These are all scary but fascinating places in their own right.

Small Town Michigian offers some of the most fun Halloween activities in the Midwest. Even if you don't celebrate Halloween, there are wholesome activites for you that will make to laugh and want to return every year. Not to be outdone, Big City Michigan provides their own brand of holiday horror and hilarity.

This page will take a look at some Halloween week attractions around Michigan.

This hamlet bills itself as as a real Helltown, unlike the fictional place in Robert Blake's old television series.

In Hell Michigan on Halloween - or anytime - you will find Screams Ice Cream From Hell and Damnation University. Hell Creek Ranch offers horse riding. Hells Survivors Paintball is in nearby Pinckney. There are a lot of haunted house effects around Hell and there is even a herd of bison somewhere in Pinckney -- I wonder if they become the famous ghost herd at Halloween. Smitty's Dam Site Inn in Hell offers home cooking, a bar, and a wicked dish of hotwings along with live entertainment.

Holiday decorations abound, as well as masks and costumes. To celebrate your visit, you can purchase and send a card from the US Post Office inside the Hell Country Store and Spirits.

There's a tattoo parlor in town as well and that's another option for Halloween activities.

But wait! -- There is a small Hell Wedding Chapel with a red roof to symbolize Hell and a blue door to scare off evil spirits.

OCTOBER SPECIAL HELL EVENTS

• All Weekends in October - Hell-O-Holloweekends

I wonder if there is a Halloween parade??

Hell's phone number is 1-734-878-1099, at Screams Ice Cream and hell2u.com.

Here's a real Halloween shocker for you:

Cosens MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) is is partnering with Blackout Cage Fighting, LLC. for a “Halloween Beatdown.” Physical violence can be pretty scary and MMA is full of action and spectators may see some pain and even some blood. MMA matches have become one of the most popular series of martial events in America and the world in the 21st century. If you like MMA, this should be a great event.

This is a cage fighting night to be put on at the Michigan National Guard Armory (Hey! I know where that is.) at 2510 Wilder Road in Bay City, 10/30/09 at 8 PM. Mr. Charlie Cosens weighs in at 185 pounds and is an accomplished Muy Thai fighter. He is also a Great Lakes Jiu Jitsu Gold Medal winner. His own matchup will be the main event. Read all about it at
www.cosensmma.com.

This is a wonderful experience in nature through Bay City State Recreaton Area on Lake Huron just past the northwest side of town past the shopping mall. The beach and wetlands are gorgeous and much of Bay County runs along the Lake Huron shoreline.

Costumed actors portray various actors at this event. They talk about Michigan’s wildlife, wetland habitat destruction, and ways in which they help humans.

No nature event is complete without a hike and this one is a professionally guided hike along a Pumpkin Path. The FREE event includes food and drink, crafts, and family activities.

The only cost is a State Park Vehicle Sticker if you don't already ahve one. Call (989) 684-3020 for more information. Tsi year's event will be held Saturday October 24.

Independent Films and Orginal Music Composition

Still in Bay City, this event will begin at the State Street Theater downtown from October 1-4, 2009. It will then proceed to the Delta College Planetarium, which is a great place nearby, and then the Masonic Temple. Tickets to each performance are just $5.00, but a $50 pass gains access to them all, including a reception and a happy hour. Sounds like a lot of fun.

Don't miss the Pumpkin Catapult that can toss a pumpkin 1,000 feet! That can be really scary if it's aimed at you!

This event is held in Saginaw, about 10 miles to the south of Bay City on two Saturday nights in mid-October from 7pm - 10pm. Tickets are $7.00 and include a glo-light necklace. Kids under 4 years old are free and the maze is 13 acres large. Words and pictures are always cut to form the paths.

Festivities begin at 12:00 PM (noon) with the catapult, horse rides, a miniature train, a Native American Historic Interpreter, a and giant cartoon characters as well as several demonstrations around the farm. Sounds like a jackalope's dream vacation.

The site of this fun event is Johnson's Giant Pumpkins. Not only do they have pumpkins, but also a group of goats.

An additional Halloween Maze Night is held on October 31.

Johnson's Giant Pumpkins
4715 N. Portsmouth Rd.
Saginaw, MI 48601
johnsonsgiantpumpkins@hotmail.com
(989) 752-3133

Unemployment rates in Detroit really are scary and odwnright tiresome for residents in that city that are out of work. While they are looking for employment, I hope that they can find some enjoyment int he following activities in October.

The magician Harry Houdini died in Grace Hospital (no longer standing) in Detroit from complications of appendicitis in 1926, on Halloween. Madonna's grandmother still lives in Bay City at this writing, so together, these events make Michigan a weird and interesting place. UFO sitings are concentrated in Western Michigan as well. However,Houdini has always been looked upon as a mystic figure, lending Detroit more color and glamour and his death, more paranormal focus.

Detroit Halloween Events

Detroit Zoo Boo- This is a kid-friendly party at the zoo that includes a half mile of Trick or Treating in a safe place. Haunted rides and castles add to the fun. The event party takes place beginning at 6:00 PM the last three weekends in October. For more information, call (248) 541-5717.

Parties - Various taverns/clubs sponsor parties that can be found listed at Halloween Events. I think Detroit has many more parties than some other major cities.

Detroit Public Libraries- Find listings for parties and such all the branches HERE.

Mystique Halloween Masquerade - Music Hall Center for the Arts. A mysterious high class dinner. For more information, please visit www.MaskMe.org.

Halloween 2009 @ Argentine Tango Detroit - 7758 Auburn Road, Utica MI 483, Utica (Detroit). This is the one I would choose. Call 1-586-254-0560 or email them as lori@argentinetangodetroit.com.