Spooky season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with a Halloween Tour? Create Columbia will host the tour of nine locations throughout Columbia on Sunday, Oct. 31, from 3 to 8 p.m. Tickets will be available on the day of the event at the Columbia Market House, 15 S. Third St., from 2:30 to 6 p.m.

"This is a self-guided tour," said Denise Brubaker, who is organizing the event with Kay Leader. "The tickets will include a brochure with the addresses and summaries of each place."

Leader suggests that tourgoers begin their tour in the dungeons below the market house, noting that two people will be in the dungeons to give tours of the historic site. From there, the tour will feature a mix of private homes and other locations. "We are hoping to do this tour year after year," she said of the first-year event.

The idea for the Halloween Tour came up at a meeting for members of Create Columbia, a group dedicated to promoting the arts in the town. "It was actually my idea," said Denise. "I thought, 'Lots of towns do Christmas tours. Why don't we do a Halloween tour?'"

Denise and her husband, Gary, are the perfect couple to host a spot on the tour. "I have a room downstairs in my house that's decorated for Halloween year-round, and it's been that way for 15 years," Denise said.

While Denise came up with the idea for the tour, Gary is the bigger Halloween fan in the family. He collects Halloween decorations, which are displayed throughout the Brubakers' house. "It reminds me of the 1950s when I was growing up," Gary explained, adding that many of the items in his collection came from his mother and others have been picked up at auctions or sales over the years.

Stops on the tour will feature a wide variety of Halloween decor, and tour hosts will appear in costume or Halloween-themed outfits. "We're including things that would appeal to many people," said Leader, who noted that her style is "primitive Halloween." "Some of the decor will be more country, some is a little scarier, but nothing too scary."

She added that Create Columbia will also host a Ghost Signs lecture at Garth, 22 S. Second St., on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 2 to 4 p.m. MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson will show examples and discuss the historic significance of "ghost signs" or faded signs painted on buildings throughout the world as well as those found in Columbia.

The Halloween Tour is a fundraiser for Create Columbia, and proceeds will help the group continue to promote the arts and raise funds for scholarships for local students. "Kay and I grew up in this community, and we love Columbia," Denise said. "We're always looking for ways to promote this town."

For more information on the Halloween Tour, search for "Create Columbia" on Facebook.