The Weekend Ahead: Caroline Manzo in Ho-Ho-Kus, Haunted Libraries and a Paramus Truck or Treat

Good morning, Bergen County. The weekend before Halloween is a busy one. Libraries in Hackensack, Bogota, Fair Lawn and Ramsey are turning into haunted houses, the Bergen County Horse Rescue in Mahwah holds its Boo Walk, and Paramus Park hosts a Truck or Treat festival on Sunday. Caroline Manzo brings her cookbook to Ho-Ho-Kus tonight, Demarest celebrates Diwali on Saturday, and Sunday afternoon is full of free library concerts, from jazz-rock in Fair Lawn to classical piano in Teaneck.

Friday

• Caroline Manzo, Ho-Ho-Kus. The Bergen County resident talks about her cookbook, Food & Other Things I Love, takes questions, signs copies and serves samples of family Italian recipes. 6:30 PM, hosted by the Worth-Pinkham Memorial Library at an off-site location; check the listing for the place and sign-up. Details
• Haunted Library, Fair Lawn. Costumes and treats in the Maurice M. Pine library's children's room, 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Fair Lawn residents only; no registration. Details
• Magician Myron the Magnificent, Rutherford. Sleight of hand for ages 6 to 11 at the Rutherford library, 4 PM. No registration. Details
• Making Kimbap, Cresskill. A free hands-on Korean cooking class for non-Korean speakers, 11:30 AM. Registration required and seats are limited. Details
• Ballets with a Twist, Fort Lee. Cocktail Hour: The Show — A Halloween Special at the Barrymore Film Center, 7:30 PM tonight and Saturday. Details

Saturday

• Haunted Library, Hackensack. The Johnson Public Library turns into a spooky carnival with Halloween games for children of all ages, 4 to 8 PM. Details
• Boo Walk, Mahwah. Games, crafts, face painting and trick-or-treating with the horses and goats at the Bergen County Horse Rescue, 350 Ramapo Valley Road, noon to 3 PM. Adults $25, ages 4 to 17 $15, 3 and under free. Rain date Sunday. Tickets
• Diwali Celebration, Demarest. Food, a dance performance, henna and crafts at the Demarest library, 11 AM to 1 PM. All are welcome. Details
• More haunted houses. Bogota's library runs a haunted walk-through and carnival games from 11 AM to 1 PM (registration required, one spot per child) Details. Ramsey's annual Boo Bash for grades K to 5 runs 1 to 3 PM Details.
• Trunk or Treat, Wyckoff. Decorated car trunks and candy in the Cornerstone Christian Church lot, 495 Wyckoff Ave., 2 to 4 PM. Details
• Lodi Fall Festival. A free borough fall festival starting at 1 PM. Details
• Pumpkin Fairy Cottage Workshop, Franklin Lakes. Turn a real pumpkin into a fairy house at NJ Audubon's Lorrimer Sanctuary, 790 Ewing Ave., 2 to 3:30 PM. Registration required. Details
• Free afternoon music. Cherokee Tales by Bright Star Theatre for ages 5 to 10 at the Tenafly library, 11 AM Details. Cellist Alex Prizgintas plays tangos, bossa novas and sambas in Hasbrouck Heights, 1 PM Details. The Bergen Ukulele Group plays the Englewood library, 2 PM Details.
• Saturday night. The Phil Collins Story at Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, 8 PM bergenPAC. AF2K plays two sets of Rush at the Williams Center's Rivoli Theater in Rutherford, 7 PM, 18 and over Details. Magic! plays Dream Live at American Dream in East Rutherford, 7 PM, with free floor seats Details.

Sunday

• Truck or Treat, Paramus. The Paramus Food Truck Festival goes Halloween at Paramus Park: food trucks, music and safe trick-or-treating for kids in costume, starting at 11 AM. Details
• A free concert at 2 PM, take your pick. The Richard Baratta Quintet plays classic rock and soul in Fair Lawn Details. The Rave On Band plays '50s and '60s hits on the Franklin Lakes library patio, weather permitting Details. Pianist Renée Guerrero plays Bach, Chopin and Gershwin in Teaneck Details. Bergenfield's library hosts an African drum circle for families with kids 10 and up; registration required Details.
• Hazzard County, Paramus. Modern country hits at the Valley Hospital Paramus Bandshell, 116 E. Century Road, behind the library, 3 PM. Details
• Puppy Yoga, Hackensack. Stretch with red mini poodles at 53 Main St., sessions starting at 10 AM. Tickets
• Pantophobia Haunted Trail, Mahwah. A one-mile outdoor haunted walk at Darlington Lake, 600 Darlington Ave., 8 to 10 PM. Timed tickets, $33 plus fees; be in line by 9:15 PM. Tickets
• Game-day traffic. The Jets host the Dolphins at MetLife Stadium at 1 PM, so plan around the Meadowlands roads Sunday. MetLife Stadium

Around the county

• Level99 is coming to Garden State Plaza. The interactive gaming venue plans its first New Jersey location in the former Forever 21 space at the Paramus mall, about 38,000 square feet with more than 50 challenge rooms, opening in 2027. Hoodline
• A new café for Bergenfield. GrinGo, a coffee shop with a Latin touch, is getting ready to open at 1 East Clinton Ave. No opening date yet. Boozy Burbs
• The state's biggest economy. Bergen County has the largest economy in New Jersey, at $82.4 billion in GDP. WDHA
• Coming up: the 21st Teaneck International Film Festival opens Nov. 7, with the documentary Call Me Micky on the schedule. Vocal
• Halloween night. Emerson's council authorized a Halloween curfew at its Oct. 20 meeting; check your own town's notices before trick-or-treating next Saturday. Emerson, Oct. 20

Town councils were busy this week, from a sewer contract in Allendale to filming rules in River Edge and Westwood and an open-space purchase in Waldwick. Monday's Bergen County Town Hall has the details, and every meeting is on the Government page. More events are on the Bergen County events calendar.