There is a childrens party as usual on 30 Oct (not on 31 Oct as appears in the current paper edition of Wanted in Rome) at the church of St Paul's within the Walls at 16.00. The party is organised by the Viminale Street Association, the Economy Book and Video Center, McDonalds and the church of St Pauls within-the-Walls. There will be childrens games and a costume competition, with this year's special guest Ronald Mcdonald.

Ronald McDonald will also be making appearances at the McDonald's in Piazza della Repubblica at 13.00-13.45, 14.30-15.15 with his bag of tricks, scary tales and fun and games for the kids. For more information, tel. 064746877.

Halloween is followed by All Saints Day on 1 Nov a public holiday in Italy honouring saints and martyrs and All Souls Day

on 2 Nov dedicated to the dead, when Italians countrywide go to visit family graves.

Costumes. A number of shops in Rome are offering good rates on Halloween costumes, Party World, Via Properzio 2/b and Studio 13, Piazza Cavour 13. Music. Get great Halloween mood music and new scary movies at Profondo Rosso, Via dei Gracchi 26.