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If your stomach is growling, maybe what it needs is some nearby new beer, poured down while listening to some new music, and topped off with some new BBQ.
— The area’s newest brewing company and tap room, Barley John’s on Madison Avenue in New Richmond, has its grand opening Saturday, Oct. 24, starting at 1 p.m. but going strong for nine hours until 10 p.m. Beer specials include give-aways of a growler on the hour. Live music includes an old standby and two bands you don’t get that much of an opportunity to see, and least some places in the immediate area. One of those, The Pretty Durties, has a long stint on the stage, from 6-10 p.m. Tommy Bentz and his band are on at 4 p.m. and Matt Fox at 2 p.m.
— You need a pumpkin to carve on, and they provide it. Two local bar and grills establishments have that in common with Halloween happenings they host prior to the holiday.
The kids can have their fun at Dick’s Bar and Grill THIS Saturday morning, Oct. 24, with a pumpkin carving activity, but there are things provided for the adults, too. While faces are being created on pumpkins, with the artwork being done from 9:30-11 a.m., the adults are invited to part-take in Bloody Mary’s and that infamous champagne-orange-juice blend that is so popular.
That same Saturday, at Shiner’s in Lakeland, is a contest for various carving prizes, for “kids” of all ages, the main two categories being, essentially, teens and pre-teens. There are three carving contest categories, and registration is from 4-5:30 p.m., with carving itself from 4-6 p.m. Winners will be announced at around 7 p.m. Fee is $5, but the prizes include gift cards of up to $25.
— The latest breast cancer fundraiser is also one that has been publicized on bulletin boards for several weeks. This is a dart tourney at Big Guys BBQ roadhouse (formerly the Valley House) on Sunday, which includes $1,000 added, and also a silent auction that starts at noon. There is a choice of open luck of the draw doubles or another doubles format, that being elimination or 501 cricket. There is a $20 fee, half of which goes to the charity. There is a 10 a.m. signup and noon start for the darts. You will know you are in the right place of the newly opened establishment, halfway between Hudson and Houlton, if you can smell the sweet smoke of their signature BBQ from the middle of the parking lot.
— For another Halloween option that is already unfolding, check out the under-renovation Pudge’s and its lifesize (or more) creepy creatures, which at times take their seats at tables or by video game machines. Also in that mode, there is a skeleton that is being manhandled by a headless but still taller-than-human armored knight, (it since has been replaced by a dark black pumpkin). A few of the patrons allegedly have jokingly done “inappropriate things” with the skeleton, (maybe they have it confused with an anorexic supermodel, hence the draw). Pudge’s also is offering as part of its specials a 96 ounce hopper filled with domestic beer for $15, or in what is a real deal, craft beer for $20. The Halloween tie-in? One of the hoppers on display has, on and off, been sitting on its top a full-size skull hawking Oculto style tequila. Does that head come to a head, like the head on the aformentioned beer?

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