Homestead's next nine days run mostly through two addresses on Krome Avenue: the William F. Dickinson Community Center at the north end and Losner Park downtown. There is a night off for parents on Friday, a chance to finish Global Entry without driving to the airport, a quiet candlelight evening for families who have lost a baby, a movie under the stars, and a Saturday Halloween-season party to close it out.

Friday, Oct. 9: A night off, with pizza for the kids

The city's Parents Night Out runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the William F. Dickinson Community Center, 1601 N. Krome Ave. Kids ages 6 to 12 get three hours of supervised games, activities and crafts while the grownups go to dinner, see a movie or simply sit somewhere quiet. Pizza and juice are $10, cash only, so bring bills.

Why go: a supervised evening at a city center costs a fraction of a sitter, and the kids will think they got the better deal.

Wednesday, Oct. 14: Global Entry, close to home

The Dickinson Community Center hosts a Global Entry mobile enrollment event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Global Entry is the federal program that lets pre-approved travelers skip the long customs lines when they come back into the country, and the last step, an in-person interview, usually means a trip to an enrollment office at an airport.

Why go: if you live in South Dade and have been putting off that last step because of the drive to Miami International, this is the shortcut. The details on who can be seen are with the city, so check before you show up.

Thursday, Oct. 15: A wave of light in Losner Park

During Baby Loss Awareness Week, Homestead is remembering babies lost during pregnancy or in infancy with Forever Loved: A Wave of Light Remembrance, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Losner Park, 104 N. Krome Ave. Families, friends and neighbors light candles together as part of a global Wave of Light. Councilwoman Erica G. Ávila facilitates.

Why go: grief over a lost pregnancy or a baby is often carried alone. This is an evening built so that it does not have to be, and anyone who has been touched by that loss, or loves someone who has, is welcome.

Friday, Oct. 16: Movie night, and a Frankenstein next door

Losner Park turns into an outdoor theater from 5:30 to 9 p.m. for a screening of Super Mario Galaxy. Bring blankets, chairs and anyone in the house under 15.

A few steps away, the Seminole Theatre at 18 N. Krome Ave. is running Frankenstein on Oct. 16 and 17 at 8 p.m., with tickets at $26, and an immersive pre-show bar experience in the lobby at 7 p.m. for $38.44. If the kids are at the movie with one parent, the other has options.

Why go: a free movie in the middle of downtown, a historic theater lit up next door, and Krome Avenue doing what a main street is for.

Saturday, Oct. 17: Fall and Spooktacular

The city's Fall and Spooktacular event takes over Losner Park from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday. It is Homestead's early start on the Halloween season. Questions go to the event contact at 305-224-4519.

Why go: costumes get two full weeks of use before Halloween, and it is the kind of easy, close-to-home Saturday night that families in South Dade otherwise drive north to find.

Plan the week

If you only make one of these, make it Saturday for the kids or Thursday for yourself. If you make two, add the Friday movie and walk over to the Seminole afterward. And if you have been sitting on an half-finished Global Entry enrollment, Wednesday is the most useful hour you will spend all month.

All of the city events are listed on the City of Homestead's online calendar, and the Seminole Theatre's tickets are on its website.