When you think of the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, the word “spooky” might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But the symphony is working on that.

For the second year in a row, the WSO is offering a Halloween performance. This year’s event, the Halloween Brass Spooktacular, will be presented by the WSO’s Billtown Brass Band at 4 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Community Arts Center, 220 West Fourth Street. Pre-concert activities including giveaways, a costume parade and an instrument petting zoo, will be hosted by Friends of the Symphony at 3 p.m. Those attending are encouraged to dress up in a spooky costume for the show, which will feature terrific renditions of pop, movie and classical favorites.

“Gerardo Edelstein, WSO music director, approached the Billtown Brass with the opportunity to present the program this year and we jumped at it,” said band director Rick Coulter.

Coulter said that half of what the Billtown Brass Band will play at the show will be recalled from shows in previous years, while the other half will be completely fresh material. With audience appeal and participation playing heavily into the band’s song choices, Coulter mentioned that each tune was “chosen for a specific reason.”

“For this concert, we searched through our library and chose selections that had a spooky history or require the audience to use their imagination as they listen to, and often participate in, the piece,” he said.

Right out of the gate, concertgoers will be treated to ghostly sounds from the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean,” where they will be encouraged to let out a hearty “Arrrgh!” That will be followed up by a fresh arrangement of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” which the band first debuted over the summer at its Central Oak Heights program.

“(‘Thriller’) is a challenge for the players and captures the dark mood of the original video,” Coulter said.

Later in the show, Coulter himself will square off with Darth Vader in a battle to the death, while the band plays the “Imperial Death March” from “Star Wars.” Then, some active audience participation will be required as the band plays the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride” and the ragtime favorite “Tiger Mountain King.”

The band will then do its best to conjure up a troll king by playing the Grieg classic “Hall of the Mountain King,” before moving along to a special rendition of “The William Tell Overture,” which will feature the percussion section.

“This will have special appeal to the ‘older kids’ in the audience who remember the selection as the opening theme to one of their favorite television westerns,” said Coulter. “In keeping with the western theme, the band also will reenact the closing gunfight from ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.'”

At the end of the program, the audience will be asked to invoke a little imagination and envision the Roman Legion returning triumphantly to Rome as the band performs Respighi’s “Pines of the Appian Way.”

The Billtown Brass anticipates that around 500 people will turn out for the show, which makes it that much more exciting for members of the group.

“Without exception, audience response is a direct reflection of the performers on stage,” Coulter said. “The 28 brass and percussion members of the Billtown Brass love playing this type of audience-pleasing music, and the enthusiastic audience response reflects we are successful in connecting with the crowd.

“There is something very special about the power, beauty and resonance of a brass band that is appealing to audiences of all ages,” he added.

Tickets to the show are available through the WSO office, www.williamsportsymphony.org and at the door.