Good morning, Lake Charles.

The City of Lake Charles is hosting its second annual pumpkin trail at Tuten Park this weekend from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.—where brightly colored pumpkins and themed exhibits allow families to enjoy fall with interactive displays and accessible features like a wheelchair golf cart.

Today, Lake Charles offers two accessible Halloween events as the Great Pumpkin Trail opens at Tuten Park from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Sunday and the Ghostport Haunted House takes place at Goosport Park from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.—featuring a 100-foot cardboard maze by city staff and local Greek volunteers.

The town of Welsh is hosting its second annual Rock the Block event today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in downtown Welsh—this free, family-friendly event features a car show, live music, arts and crafts vendors, food trucks and shopping opportunities to promote local merchants.

Southeastern Grocers is closing its 13 Louisiana stores as it rebrands as The Winn-Dixie Company and shifts focus to Florida and southern Georgia markets.

The closures—affecting locations from Baton Rouge to New Orleans—will be completed by the end of 2025.

This weekend, local venues offer live music and Halloween events for Lake Charles and SWLA residents.

Tonight, Blackberry Smoke performs at Golden Nugget’s Grand Event Center at 8:00 p.m.—Coushatta Casino Resort holds its Halloween party with a $5000 costume contest—and Johnny Jimenez plays at Linda's Lounge while Friday saw a Coats For Kids drive at Crying Eagle Brewery.

Today, SOWELA’s Culinary Arts Program visited Lake Charles to demonstrate how to make brown butter and maple pumpkin cookies—Chef Kortney McMillian and Olivia Nunez shared the recipe using pumpkin puree, spices and maple syrup to capture the season's flavors.

ACTS Theatre in Lake Charles will mark the 50th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Oct.26 with an interactive musical that invites audience participation—director Bobby Guillory said the production will display unique props and set designs at 1 Reid Street.

Multiple showings are scheduled this weekend and later in the month for fans to enjoy the rock 'n' roll sci-fi production.

Robin Anderson, 45, became a teacher thanks to her love for children and a desire for a flexible schedule that fit her plans for a family – she taught for 24 years and helped rebuild the library at Our Lady's Catholic School after Hurricane Laura.

Anderson motivated her students to disconnect from screens and explore books to develop essential life skills that shape our community.

A local initiative called Shocktober is helping Southwest Louisiana residents learn to respond to sudden cardiac arrest by teaching the use of Automated External Defibrillators—portable devices that can restart a collapsed heart.

McNeese nursing students partnered with Healthier SWLA and used the PulsePoint AED app during an AED hunt in downtown Lake Charles to show where these lifesaving devices are located.

McNeese Basketball will host its Fan Fest at Townsley Law Arena on Sunday, October 26 — fans will see a scrimmage between the Cowboys and Grambling at 3 p.m. and enjoy family activities at Citgo Poke Plaza with players signing autographs afterward.

The event will be the final tune-up before the Cowboys open their season on November 3 at 6:30 p.m. while the Cowgirls begin their season at 11 a.m. against Pensacola Christian College.

The Sulphur head football coach resigned after the team suffered a Week 8 defeat — the decision was announced late last night and the school will soon begin looking for a new coach.

Wheel Of Fortune Live!

8-9:30 p.m. — L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles — Varies — Spin it to win it with contestants selected from the audience in this interactive game show experience.

Día de los Muertos Festival

2-7 p.m. — Arcade Amphitheater at Lake Charles Event Center — Free admission — Celebrate culture, art, and music at this vibrant festival honoring Día de los Muertos.

Wild Cajun Trail Runs

6 a.m. — Sam Houston Jones State Park — Registration fees apply — Conquer the scenic trails of Southeast Louisiana with a range of distances from 10K to 40M.

Object-Oriented Programming in C# Training

N/A — 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — SOWELA Regional Training Center — $2250 — Enhance your programming skills with hands-on C# training in a local expert-led course.

Smoke & Barrel Weekend 2025

1-5 p.m. — Calcasieu Clerk of Court — Tickets vary — Savor a weekend of over 80 bourbons, whiskeys, and exquisite BBQ from top pitmasters.

The Nutcracker

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Rosa Hart Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Experience the enchanting journey of Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy in this classic holiday ballet.