AUTUMN ANTICS FALL SETTLES IN WITH MANY KINDS OF GHOULISH EVENTS.

Byline: Daily News

SANTA CLARITA - It's fall in the Santa Clarita Valley and Halloween's fast approaching, bringing spooks to Six Flags California's Magic Mountain, scarecrows to Lombardi Ranch, and turning the Fillmore & Western steam trains into PumkinLiners.

Magic Mountain will transform into a ghostly autumn spook zone during the month of October as Fright Fest returns with loads of costumed ghosts and ghouls, hair-raising live shows, street entertainers, monstrous mazes and a special area for children.

The Halloween attractions will invade the Valencia park on weekends in October and on Oct. 31. In addition to the special events, roller coasters Deja Vu, Goliath, The Riddlers's Revenge and Freefall will run in the dark and Colossus will run backward during Fright Fest.

For the younger children, Looney Tunes Spooky Town will offer Halloween tricks and treats as kids join their favorite Looney Tunes characters for the ultimate trick-or-treat experience.

Tickets to the park will cost $40.99 for general admission, and $20.50 for children under 48 inches or seniors over 55; children 2 and younger are free. For information, call [phone].

The 12th annual Lombardi Ranch Pumpkin Festival will begin Sunday at 29527 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus; activities and entertainment will take place on weekends throughout October at the pumpkin patch.

Admission to the ranch is free, with wagon rides, face painting, a petting zoo and pony rides available. Live scarecrows will be hanging out in the popular Scarecrow Alley with candy, balloons and stickers.

The ranch has thousands of pumpkins to choose from, as well as Indian corn, gourds and cornstalks. For information, call [phone].

Or take a ride on the Fillmore & Western Railway's PumkinLiner. It offers daytime excursions from Fillmore through rural fields to a pumpkin patch in Ventura County. The trains will depart from Central Park in Fillmore at 10 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 2:20 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays throughout October.

After choosing the perfect pumpkin, passengers will visit the Gull Wings Museum On-The-Go, the portable component of the Gull Wings Children's Museum in Oxnard. The cost of the excursion is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $7 for children ages 4 to 12, and $5 for infants to age 3.

For a more lengthy excursion, the railway offers an evening supper ride departing at 5 p.m. Sundays and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, which includes the trip to the pumpkin patch and museum, and continues on through the rural countryside while passengers celebrate Octoberfest with hot dogs, chips and sodas for the kids and smoked sausage with sauerkraut and potatoes for the adults. A special Halloween treat is served for dessert.

The cost of the supper train is $22 for adults, $10.50 for children ages four to 12, and $5 for infants to age 3. Pumpkin prices start at $1. For information or reservations, call [phone].

PUMPKIN FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Lombardi Ranch Pumpkin Festival

Calendar of Events

Sunday

--Opening Day

--Scarecrow Alley will open to the public at 3 p.m., after the winners of the scarecrow contest have been announced

--Music provided by David Reeves Carpenter and the Homestead Band

--Bake sale sponsored by the Saugus High School girls' basketball team

Oct. 6

--Music provided by David Loe and The Groove Dogs, and Rico and The Pink Cadillacs

--Bake sale sponsored by the Saugus High School girls' soccer team

Oct. 7

--Music provided by David Loe and The Groove Dogs, and David Reeves Carpenter and The Homestead Band

--Bake sale sponsored by the Saugus High School baseball team

Oct. 13

--Music provided by the Saugus High School Marching Band in the morning, and Rico and The Pink Cadillacs in the afternoon

--Bake sale sponsored by the Saugus High School Marching Band Booster Club

--Caramel apples sales by Delta Lambda Omicron to benefit breast cancer research begins, and continues each weekend throughout the month

Oct. 14

--Music provided by the Tony Ryan Band, and David Reeves Carpenter and The Homestead Band

--Bake sale sponsored by Mint Canyon PTA 

--Gourd Festival featuring vendors and competitions

Oct. 20

--Music provided by the Wincher Bros. and The Pink Cadillacs

--Bake sale sponsored by the Saugus High School Dance Team

--Gourd Festival continues

Oct. 21

--Music provided by Teresa James and The Rhythm Tramps, and David Reeves Carpenter and The Homestead Band

--Bake sale sponsored by the 4-H Prairie Dogs

--Gourd Festival continues

Oct. 27

--Music provided by Wicher Bros. and The Kate E. Oyler Band

--Bake sale sponsored by TOPS No. 515

Oct. 28

--Music provided by Teresa James and The Rhythm Tramps, and David Reeves Carpenter and The Homestead Band

--Bake sale sponsored by the Saugus High School softball team

--Pet Adoption Day

SIX FLAGS FRIGHT FEST SCHEDULE

The following special attractions and events will take place during Fright Fest at Six Flags California's Magic Mountain every weekend during October and on Oct. 31.

Spooktacular mazes

--Brutal Planet: This 6,500-square-foot maze near Batman The Ride transports guests to 12 gruesome war-torn lands where evil lurks and chaos reigns. (Not intended for children under 10; ages 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult.)

--Willoughby's Haunted Mansion: This sanctuary of strangeness features animatronics, gruesome monsters, camouflage rooms and much more. The mansion is situated high atop the mountain, at Samurai Summit.

--The Jokester's Hideout: The goal of this maze is to sneak your way through the hideout to catch a peek at what projects the Jokester and his crew are working on. Next to Flashback roller coaster.

General entertainment and activities

--The Strongest Link: Come see your favorite pop stars and movie celebrities get exactly what they deserve in one of the zaniest Halloween spoofs ever. In Riddler's Plaza. (Not intended for children under 14.)

--Colossus - backward: Experience one of the largest, most celebrated coasters in the world, running backward over nearly two miles of wooden track.

--Deja Vu, Goliath, The Riddler's Revenge and Freefall - in the dark: Take a spin on one of the most anticipated rides of 2001 or conquer the giant among coasters completely in the dark.

--High Sierra Hypnotist: Guests who are chosen to be put ``under hypnosis'' will perform hysterical exploits. Performing at the Golden Bear Theatre.

--LeTourneau's Globe of Death: A 14-foot monstrous globe with three death-defying motorcycles looping around at the same time. Performing nightly in Colossus County Fair near the base of the Superman The Escape tower.

--Street Show and Entertainers: The Ghoul Patrol will be out in force stalking Gotham City Backlot and Samurai Summit, while the Galloping Ghoulmet mixes up a witch's brew of absurd entertainment in the Roadkill Kitchen atop Samurai Summit. Mad Chad, the Chainsaw Juggler, will perform his daring routine at the Looney Tunes Pavilion.

Especially For children

--Bugs Bunny World: Fun crafts and games in a pumpkin field setting provide creative excitement for the entire family. Complimentary trick-or-treat bags for all children age 10 and younger.

--The Creepy Crawly Pet Show: The spooky inhabitants of the Animal Star Theater, including tarantulas, snakes and other peculiar critters, will appear for 20-minute shows throughout Fright Fest.

--Street Entertainers and Activities: A lively group of entertainers will roam the territory each Fright Fest day, including magicians, jugglers, balloon sculptors and more.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

(color) The Six Flags Ghoul Patrol rides on the Deja Vu roller coaster to get in the Halloween spirit.

Box:

(1) PUMPKIN FESTIVAL SCHEDULE (see text)

(2) SIX FLAGS FRIGHT FEST SCHEDULE (see text)