If you aren't one of the poor souls so traumatized by the Goosebumps books that you've sworn off all things with "haunted," "horror" or "theme park" in the description, then perhaps you're one of those ballsy buggers who think it's not really autumn until you've peed yourself in fear at least once. If you fall into the latter category, Screams is the place to satisfy your freaky fear fetish. Screams boasts that it is the "World's Largest Halloween Theme Park," with, among other things, four--count 'em!--four haunted houses: Castle of Darkness, Arcane Asylum, Black Hole Experience and Terror Visions in 3D, the last of which has clowns. For more juvenile members of the family--"juvenile" being subjective--there's the Spooky Hollow, complete with bounce house, pumpkin patch, "spooky" golf and a much-less-haunted mini-maze. Screams is located about 30 minutes from Dallas near Waxahachie. To get there, take Interstate 35 South to Exit 399 A, then go west on FM 66. The park will be up and running Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., October 1 through October 30, as well as October 31, for obvious reasons. Tickets are $18.99 per person. Kids under 5 are admitted for free. Parking is also free. Call 1-800-3-SCREAM or visit www.screamspark.com. --Mary Monigold
Dead Sexy
10/1
Evil Dead II, showing midnights October 1 and October 2 at the Inwood Theater, is a study in contrasts--a gross-out that's also a laugh-out-loud, a yuck-yuck chock-full of Stooges nyuck-nyucks and a low-budget gore-fest made by a director who'd wind up commanding a superhero franchise worth billions. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, as hunky dimwit Ash, fashioned their slapstick horror for pennies on the dollar, which even get you claymated zombies dancing the fright away. A masterpiece. Call 214-764-9106. --Robert Wilonsky
Knitting Bee
10/2
Oh, the things you learn at the Dallas Observer. Not only is there a Craft Yarn Council of America, but it's declared mid-September to mid-October as National Knit-Out and Crochet Time. You'll learn to respect this declaration when Half Price Books hosts its own Knit-Out and Crochet Time event on October 2 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will feature knitters, crocheters and spinners demonstrating their skills and showing off the basics: Knitting includes two needles and yarn, and to crochet, cast aside the needles and pick up a hook. The event will be held at the Half Price Books Community Room, 5803 E. Northwest Highway. Call 214-379-8000. --Paul Kix
Fire it Up
10/2
Natty neighborhoods of new brick ranch-style houses spread out in west Fort Worth during the 1950s, filled with employees at Carswell Air Force Base and General Dynamics, affectionately known as the "bomber plant." GD built a sprawling recreation area as a company perk, so families swam, played bridge, picnicked or took art classes. Now the Lockheed-Martin Recreation Area, on Bryant-Irvin north of Interstate 20, is open to the public for these activities, including an impressive pottery studio for amateur and professional potters. Christi Allen runs the LMRA Pottery Studio and has organized a free Pottery in the Park festival held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Allen says Texas tableware and ceramic art will be on display and for sale. "We're having a hands-on Raku firing demonstration with local potter Krysia Stronski," Allen says. To keep the kids away from this hot spot, there will be face painting, carnival rides, live music and refreshments. Call 817-689-4800. --Annabelle Massey Helber
