This Halloween is bound to be different than those in the past, but not in the ways you may be thinking! This year, Halloween night coincides with a full moon. But this spooky full moon is not the first full moon of October, it is actually the second! When two full moons occur in the same month, the second moon is called a Blue Moon!

Did you know that if there is ever a full moon on Halloween, it has to be a Blue Moon? That is because it takes 29.5 days for a moon to complete its cycle! The last time a full moon occurred on Halloween was in 2001, but it was only visible to parts of the United States. This year, the Blue Moon will be seen by the majority of world citizens on Halloween—the first time since 1944!

To celebrate the occasion of a Blue Moon on Halloween, here are some fun outdoor activities that are sure to inspire spookiness!

Take an early morning walk on the Black Willow trail and look for dew-covered spiderwebs! As the rising sun hits the dew that has formed on the webs, you may notice just how many webs grace the plants of the prairie!

Find a walk along a prairie (on the Black Willow in Beckley Creek, the Louisville Loop through Pope Lick, or the Seaton Valley trail in Turkey Run) and search for large spider webs about one foot across. In these webs, you may spot large yellow and black Orb Weaver spiders hunting for prey. But beware, these gentle arachnids, safe as they may be, are not for the arachnophobes!

Bats are avid hunters and are easily observable during twilight! Take a walk on the Louisville Loop in Beckley Creek or Turkey Run right after the sun has set to spot fluttering bats hunting insect prey.

A Halloween Blue Moon is a rare occasion, so lace up your hiking boots or walking shoes and head out to The Parklands to celebrate the spooky season!