Halloween is right around the corner and New Paltz is getting set for its annual Bat-O-Ween, which will be held in conjunction with International Bat Week on October 31.

Organizers of the event try to teach people the importance of bats rather than just being scared of them.

The event has been such a success that the organizers of Bat-O-Ween took a chance of honoring another, sometimes scary, creature over the weekend, the honey bee, with the first-ever Honey Bee Jubilee.

People learned about the insects, spoke with some beekeepers, and, of course, could grab some honey.

Bees are of huge importance to our local ecosystem here in the Hudson Valley. Not only do they give us some delicious honey, they're also pollinators. So, the next time you see a hive, think twice before trying to get rid of it.

“Don’t spray right away. Find out what kind of bees they are and see if somebody can help them get rid of the bees, if they’re not as friendly as the honey bees,” Organizer Marjorie Pullman said.

This event was at the New Paltz Recycling Center, the same place Bat-O-Ween will be on Halloween.