Join Preservation Durham Saturday for the second annual Ghost (Building) Tour. Not your standard "spooky dead people" tour, this ghost building tour will highlight the architectural ghosts of by-gone structures that continue to haunt us.

This year visitors will explore the area between Brightleaf Square and West Village.

Tour participants will witness the streetscapes of yore reappear before their own eyes: the Four Acres and Fairview mansions, the impressive Southern Conservatory of Music, and many more.

This tour is free (with a suggested $5 donation). Tour booklets will be available from the Parker Otis porch (112 S. Duke St.) on the day of the tour, and docented tour sites will be open from 1 to 4 pm.

Rain date is Sunday, November 1.

For more information, visit www.preservationdurham.org.

Student group to present 'Nevermore'

Duke Players, the Duke University Department of Theater Studies student theater group, will continue its production of "Nevermore" today and Saturday at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. in Brody Theater on Duke's East Campus. "Nevermore" is based on works by Edgar Allan Poe.

Director Adam Barron says of the play: "It will be a gothic carnival with phantoms dancing, lights blinding, and a noisescape that will get audiences squirming in their seats. It will be the perfect Halloween weekend experience," he said.

Admission is free.

Transactors scare you with 'Suspense!'

Celebrate Halloween early with Transactors Improv's "Suspense!"-- featuring the music of Killer Filler -- at The ArtsCenter, in Carrboro today. Consisting of several stand-alone episodes, "Suspense!" is an improvised homage to chilling and thrilling film genres ranging from mystery to horror to noir. Think of it as "The Twilight Zone" directed by Alfred Hitchcock with a smoking-hot soundtrack.

Killer Filler (www.killerfillermusic.com/Site/Home.html) joined with Transactors last December for "Surf Christmas." Now the versatile instrumental rock outfit shows its darker side in another seasonal show. Killer Filler features leader Crispy Bess, Pete Gamble, Mark Murphy, Rusty Miller, and Bryon Settle.

The cast for "Suspense!" includes Anoo Brod, Jill Greeson, Greg Hohn, Rachel Klem, Nancy Pekar, Steven Warnock, and Dan Sipp. Mike Beard handles lights and sound. As always, this Transactors performance is made up on the spot from audience suggestions.

Curtain time is 8 p.m. at The ArtsCenter, 300-G E. Main St., Carrboro. Tickets are $14 ($12 for ArtsCenter Friends and $7 for students). Visit www.artscenterlive.org/ or call 929-2787 for tickets and information.

Habitat for Humanity Halloween Bike Ride

Habitat for Humanity of Durham will sponsor the sixth annual Halloween Bike Ride. Riders may experience scenic views of Durham County on 31-, 62-, or 100-mile routes. All routes are fully supported and start and finish at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in downtown Durham.

The pre-registration fee is $35 and the walk-on registration fee is $45. All proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Durham and help build homes, hope, and community.

Cyclists will meet at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park Saturday. Check-in and walk-on registration opens at 7:30 a.m. The ride begins at 9. For more information, contact Roxanne Hall Little, Habitat of Durham Special Events Manager, 682-0516, ext. 113, or visit www.durhamhabitat.org.

Hillsborough's ghostly history

Halloween weekend in historic Hillsborough offers a fun family friendly alternative for Halloween activities. The town is offering haunted tours, spooky performances, and a chili and salsa cook-off .

Hillsborough has been home to many ghostly historical events and people, and some of its past residents seem to refuse to leave. Declaration of Independence signer William Hooper left part of himself in Hillsborough. Six Regulators were hanged on a tree east of town. The smell of perfume announces the spirit of a ghost bride in one of the Hillsborough's historic homes.

Discover more about Hillsborough's ghostly sightings on the "Spirits of Hillsborough" Guided Tour today . The hourlong tour will take visitors through the town's old colonial streets and past some of the haunted homes, churches, and cemeteries.

The tours, sponsored by the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough, will be offered at 7, 7:30, 8, and 8:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance or the day of the tour at the Orange County Visitors Center at the Alexander Dickson House, 150 E. King St. in Hillsborough. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-15. For more information or to purchase tickets please call (919) 732-7741 or e-mail sarah@historichillsborough.org.

Halloween shows at Papa Mojo's

Papa Mojo's Roadhouse will try to live up to its name Halloween weekend. The Buzzkills will be featured on Halloween Eve ($8 cover) and Mel Melton The Wicked Mojos will put the spell on you for Halloween Night (advance tickets $10, $12 at the door).

The restaurant also will have its 2nd Annual Costume Contest, with prizes in store for the most stunning and outlandish.

Papa Mojo's Roadhouse is at 5410-Y N.C. 55 in Durham. For information, call (919) 361-2222.

'Vlad' to play seasonal music

Hillsborough Presbyterian Church will offer the community a preview of Halloween with a free concert of "haunting" music today. Presentations within the historic church at 102 W. Tryon St. are scheduled for 6:30 and 8:00 p.m.. Each will be broadcast live via loudspeaker to passers-by who wish to capture the spirit of the season outdoors.

Organist Allen Bean describes his selections as "pieces everyone has heard and associates with scariness." Included in the creepy potpourri are selections from Webber's "Phantom of the Opera," Elfman's "Tales from the Crypt," and Kaullak's "Grandmother Tells a Ghost Story" as well as theme music from several spine-chilling movies and radio shows.

A seasoned musician and former church organist, Bean assumes the stage name of Vlad the Impalor for the occasion and wears appropriate makeup. This year's concert of Halloween mood music will be his third . Like his two previous presentations, the program will tunefully suggest that ghosts do prowl, witches do howl and demons do growl at this time of year. However, no past attendee has reported seeing any phantom more scary than the friendly blue-haired ladies who hand out treats to the children who visit the church that night.

Club 9 hosting Monsters Ball 2

Costumes are a must for Monsters Ball 2, a party Jeff and King will present beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday at Club 9, 746 Ninth St. in Durham.

The DJ lineup for this party is Chocolate Thunder, Nugz, Slipstream, DJ Fifi Hi Fi, DJ Lady Factual, Marshall Jones, DJ Prince and Kid Dyn-O-Mite.

Admission is free until 10 p.m. (This is a 21 and older party.)

-- Compiled by Cliff Bellamy