Calling all ghoulies, ghosties and things that go bump in the night! Your time to shine is almost here, especially in Upper Milford Township.

The Vera Cruz Community Association will host the annual Vera Cruz Halloween Parade Oct. 15.

Participants will gather in Mystic Chain Park, 3718 Main Road East, 6:30 p.m. A prompt 7 p.m. step off is set by organizers.

The parade will include floats, individual marchers/walkers and marching bands. As a kid, yours truly walked the route in the company of members of my Brownie troop, all of us costumed as Christmas gift boxes. What a thrill!

DJ Cesar Rosado will emcee the parade. Grilled hot dogs and cool beverages will be available for hungry parade participants and fans.

The rain date is Oct. 16.

If you get a bit peckish in the days before the parade and want to help a good cause, consider the Upper Milford Western District Fire Company chicken barbecue fundraiser 3-6 p.m. Oct. 13.

The menu includes a half chicken, baked potato and applesauce. The meal is takeout only.

Visit the fire company website, uppermilfordfire.org, for details, contact information and ways to order.

If tending your fall and future spring garden is on your mind, you may want to take the following under advisement.

The Emmaus Borough/Upper Milford Township Joint Environmental Advisory Council, organizers of the annual Earth Day cleanup in the township and borough, will host a bulb and seed swap 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Emmaus Public Library, 11 E. Main St., Emmaus.

Participants who wish to may bring extra bulbs from their gardens to share and swap with others and are welcome to include a photo of the plants so other gardening enthusiasts may see what the plants look like when in bloom. Gardeners of all skill levels are encouraged to attend and bring questions and share knowledge. Organizers will have bags available for participants to take home their new bulb and seed acquisitions. Visit Facebook for details.

Gardening enthusiasts in Lower Milford Township may want to stop by the Southern Lehigh Library, 3200 Preston Lane, Center Valley, 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 4 for the fourth annual Coopersburg Gardening Club seed swap.

Everyone is welcome.

The gardening club will host a program by Penn State Extension Master Gardener John Drabic on fall garden cleanup 6:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 2.

The program is free.

Visit the library website, www.solehipl.org, to register.

While at the library, also check into upcoming Evenings with Friends events.

For example, on Oct. 15 Tom Repasch will present his program “Kingdoms of Chocolate” 7 p.m. On Nov. 12, Lori Metz is scheduled to present the program “Winter is for Garden Design.” The program “Christmas at Hess’s Department Store,” presented by the Lehigh County Historical Society, is scheduled 7 p.m. Dec. 10.

There is a cost for Evenings with Friends programs.

For information about the Friends of the Southern Lehigh Public Library organization, visit the library website or stop by the circulation desk at the library.

Aspiring artists 16 and older may want to participate in the 21st annual juried art exhibition at the library.

Submissions will be accepted 1:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 18.

For information on how and what to submit, visit the library website.

The next meeting of the Lower Milford Board of Supervisors will be 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16. A hearing is scheduled to start 5:30 p.m.

Meetings are in person at the township building, 7606 Chestnut Hill Church Road.

The Upper Milford Township Board of Supervisors next meet 7 p.m. Oct. 2 and 16 at the township building, 5671 Chestnut St.

Have a safe spooky season.