“The Witching Hour,” opening Thursday night at Glenlore Trails in Commerce Township, is a bit of a drive for some attendees, but they insist that it’s worth it.

“I’ve been coming to the events at Glenlore for the past couple of years,” said Kari Zaffarano, who lives about an hour away in Clinton Township. “We love the lights and all of the interactive games. They’ve added wands this year.”

“He really likes that,” Zaffarano said of her son, Jordan, who was among the little wizards using their wands to play a game at one of the stops along the way.

Choose your color, choose your name and choose to be a spider, bat or butterfly.

These were among the choices for visitors entering the immersive and illuminated forest, featuring the sights and sounds one would expect at this spooky time of year, but never in an up-close-and-scary kind of way.

“This is great,” said Cody Campbell of Southfield, while watching her toddler son chasing after spiders projected on the ground at another stop. “He thinks he’s bringing the spiders out with his wand.”

The magic behind Glenlore Trails is Bluewater Technologies, whose team of experts in sensory storytelling creates the memorable and unique one-of-a-kind experiences. Each night, starting at dusk, the milelong forest trail comes to life with a dazzling display of lights, sounds and spectacles, including a storm of bubbles that had both adults and children poking fun at the sky.

Scott Schoeneberger, a managing partner at Bluewater, said it takes three and a half months to set everything up.

“It’s miles of cable, dozens of displays, thousands of lights and millions of pixels,” he said.

Glenlore Trails is an outdoor experience that takes about an hour to complete. It’s set up along a wooded, manicured, but not paved, trail that can accommodate strollers, wagons and wheelchairs with larger wheels. However, the surface may be more challenging for smaller wheels. Good walking shoes rather than sandals or heels are recommended.

Tickets are $25 for ages 13 and up, $20 for seniors, $18 for groups of 20 people or more, and $15 for children ages 4-12.

“I love the spooky stuff,” said Ace Morris, 4, of Southgate, who was joined by his mother, Ciara Morris, who plans on sharing her experience with all of the parents who follow her social media page, “It’s Ace’s World.”

“This is so magical for families. Enchanting, that is the word that best describes it,” she said. ‘I’m encouraging all of our followers to check it out.”

Southgate boy, 4, thrives on his love of performing

Glenlore Trails is at 3860 Newton Road, Commerce Township.

For more information, visit glenloretrails.com.

Students in Michigan have returned to school and with that comes a need for drivers to stay on alert and aware of school buses cruising through communities picking up children and dropping them off.

“Traffic tends to spike during the first days of school as many parents opt to drive their children,” Adrienne Woodland, a spokesperson for AAA-The Auto Club Group said in a news release. “We advise adding 30 minutes to your morning commute. Drivers running late are more prone to speeding, which endangers lives.”

Motorists also need to be aware of Michigan’s laws requiring motorists to stop when approaching a school bus pulled over with its red lights flashing and STOP arm extended.

The only exception is on a divided highway with a raised divider, yet 20% of Michigan respondents in a survey by AAA admitted to driving around a school bus while its red lights were flashing, which could result in fines and fatalities. A similar survey by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) estimated nationwide there were more than 43.5 million illegal school bus passings during the 2022-2023 school year.

AAA provided this explanation of the laws in Michigan: “When it comes to a two lane street all drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.

“In the case of a multi-lane paved median all drivers moving in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.

“Traffic approaching an oncoming school bus on a divided highway do not need to stop if there is a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic. However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus.”

AAA offers drivers these tips for school zone safety:• Avoid distractions• Remain focused on the road. No texting, eating or multitasking while driving.• Brake for safety• Slow down and stay alert. School zones are unpredictable, so be ready to stop at a moment’s notice.• Keep a watchful eye on pedestrians and bicyclists• Be aware of school zone signs, crossing guards, AAA School Safety Patrollers, and anyone walking or biking. Always yield and drive cautiously.

Other survey stats:• 46% admitted to speeding in an active school zone.• 33% admitted to using their hand-held cell phone while driving in active school zones.

Nationwide, nearly one out of every five children (age 14 and under) killed in traffic crashes are pedestrians, however, safety experts say distracted walking can be just as dangerous as distracted driving.

“Now is the time to talk to your children about traffic safety,” Woodland said. “Discourage students from wearing earbuds or looking down at digital devices while standing at the bus stop or walking near traffic. Otherwise, they may not hear an approaching vehicle.”

As part of its School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign, AAA has put together a guide for  parents of young pedestrians and offers the following tips:

For student pedestrians

• Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings and avoid using headphones or looking down at your phone when near traffic.• Use sidewalks where available. If not, walk against the direction of traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles.• Make yourself easier to be seen by wearing reflective, bright colored clothing.• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street to make sure the vehicle is stopping.

For bicyclists and those using scooters

• Always wear a helmet.• Ride with traffic and use bike lanes when you can.• Do not wear headphones so you can detect approaching traffic.• Cross streets at intersections- not from between parked cars.

For students riding the bus

• Arrive at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.• Stand five steps away from the curb.• Wait for the bus to stop completely and for the bus driver’s signal before boarding.