Weekly Top Picks for November 2018

Halloween New England's fans know better than to think Halloween season ends October 31st, right?

There are still a number of very worthwhile events to enjoy during the first two weeks of November.

It's the final weekend of haunting for a handful of local haunted attractions, many of whom are planning special events to draw you in and offer something new. It's your last, best chance pack in extra thrills before your favorite season is over.

Before we close up the proverbial (blog) shop until next fall, let us express our deepest thanks to everyone who followed Halloween New England, read our blogs, checked out our event picks, sent us updates about their Halloween adventures, and let others know about the resource that our site and community aims to be for Halloween fans everywhere. May you all have a wonderful "off-season" and we look forward to reconnecting in 2019!

EIGHT Haunts are open this Friday and Saturday, November 3rd and 4th! Here's the complete list on our Haunted Attractions Open in November Guide.

Massachusetts

Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA is open with their always exciting Haunted Mansion and The Sanctuary shows on both Friday and Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd. It's your last chance to be terrorized by their oh-so-sinister clowns until next year...

Fear Town in Seekonk, MA is serving up a double dose "Extreme Fears Night" on Friday and Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd for a full-contact, higher-intensity experience -  perfect for people ready for a different style of haunting and thrill-seeking. Advance tickets are a must! Extreme Fears details.

Connecticut

Legends of Fear in Shelton, CT has two final nights coming up - Friday and Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd which will be your final chances to enjoy a full night of haunt-going at their updated trail and thrilling haunted hayride! More about Legends of Fear.

Fright Haven in Stratford, CT is back with an Encore Weekend this Friday and Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd which will feature their full show of scares and screams.

The following weekend - on Friday and Saturday, November 9th and 11th-- Fright Haven will feature their annual Blind Rage - Full Contact Night, 18+ event where the intensity goes up several notches - ideal for adrenaline seekers! Buy your tickets in advance. Blind Rage event details.

You might be surprised to find there are still a number of terrific events lined up in November to whet your Halloween/Horror appetite. You can always find the complete event listings for each New England state on our website Halloween New England.

In Massachusetts, Friday and Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd in Salem are the final nights to catch the Haunted Dinner Theatre held inside the Hawthorne Hotel's library.

On Saturday, Nov. 3rd at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology in Cambridge is their annual Dia De Los Muertos Family Event.

If you haven't made it to Old Sturbridge Village yet to see this year's run of The Sleepy Hollow Experience - the theatrical musical interpretation following the fate of dear Ichabod Crane, you're in your final week to see it before closing night on Sunday, November 4th.

In Connecticut, make sure you check out Legends of Fear's final two nights of the season on Friday and Saturday, Nov 2nd and 3rd and also on Friday and Saturday you can swing by Fright Haven to indulge in more screams at their encore weekend of haunting. 

Fright Haven returns the following weekend - Friday and Saturday, November 9th and 10th for Blind Rage which is a full-contact night (18+ only) - tickets in advance.

In Rhode Island, it's the last full week to see the Jack O'Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence. The Spectacular is open every night through Sunday, November 4th.

We found it a great pleasure strolling through the Spectacular ourselves last week which was such a memorable way to soak up the spirit of Halloween. This continues to be a wonderful event which thematically engages people of all ages. Many sections have a carved pumpkin theme, augmented by music, that could range anywhere from video games, Stephen King movies, fairy tales, Harry Potter, celebrities, Boston sports figures, and more. 

Friday through Sunday, November 2nd - 4th in Providence will be RI Comic Con where among dozens of fun booths and meet-and-greets, there will be appearances by Kiefer Sutherland, Tim Curry, Natalia Tena, and Randy Quaid. 

In Vermont, circle the 4th annual Ax Wound Film Festival is taking place a week earlier this year - get your tickets for Friday and Saturday, November 9th and 10th for their festival in Brattleboro featuring horror film screenings, presentations, and workshops from women filmmakers.

Saturday, November 10th is the Fantasy Masquerade Ball being held in Essex Junction held at the Champlain Valley Expo - it might be your last big chance to dress up in your costume this year!

Halloween New England Top Picks for November 2017

Halloween New England's fans know better than to think Halloween season ends October 31st, right?
There is one more weekend left for a handful of local haunted attractions so it's your last, best chance pack in extra thrills before your favorite season is over.

SEVEN Haunts are open on Friday and Saturday, November 3rd and 4th! 

Here's the complete list on our Haunted Attractions Open in November Guide.

Massachusetts

Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA is open with their popular Haunted Mansion and Haunted Compound shows on both Friday and Saturday, November 3rd and 4th. It's your last chance to be terrorized by their oh-so-sinister clowns until next year...

Fear Town in Seekonk, MA is serving up "Extreme Fears Night" on Friday and Saturday, November 3rd and 4th which is a full-contact, higher-intensity experience -  perfect for people ready for a different style of haunting and thrill-seeking. Advance tickets are a must! Extreme Dears details.

New Hampshire

Haunted Acres has rescheduled their annual Lights Out Night for this Saturday, November 4th! It's your final chance to check out Haunted Acres this season but you'll have to brave it in the dark if you do. Haunted Acres Lights Out Event details.

Connecticut

Legends of Fear in Shelton, CT has one final night coming up - Saturday, November 4th is your last chance to experience a full night of haunt-going happiness at their revamped trail and exciting haunted hayride! More about Legends of Fear.

Fright Haven in Stratford, CT is back with a just-announced Encore Weekend this Friday and Saturday, November 3rd and 4th which will feature their full show of scares and screams.

The following weekend - on Friday and Saturday, November 10th and 11th-- Fright Haven will feature their annual Blind Rage - Full Contact Night, 18+ event where the intensity goes up several notches - ideal for adrenaline seekers! Buy your tickets in advance. Blind Rage event details.

Creeperum in Hamden, CT returns mid-month on Friday and Saturday, November 10th and 11th for "Complete Darkness" a lights-out, full-contact, 18+ event--their first ever! Complete Darkness event details.

After New England's biggest weekend of the Halloween season, you might be surprised to find there are still a number of worthwhile events lined up in November to whet your Halloween/Horror appetite. You can always find the complete event listings for each New England state on our website Halloween New England.

In Massachusetts on Thursday, Nov. 2nd in Boston at the Central Library there's a talk by author Maureen Boyle about her book "Shallow Graves - The Hunt for the New Bedford Highway Serial Killer" and on Friday and Saturday, you can test your limits at Extreme Fears Night at Fear Town in Seekonk. On Saturday, Nov. 4th at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology in Cambridge is their annual Dia De Los Muertos Family Event.

In Connecticut, make sure you check out Legends of Fear's final night of the season on Saturday, Nov 4th and both Friday and Saturday, Nov 3rd and 4th you can swing by Fright Haven to indulge in more screams at their encore weekend of haunting. 

Fright Haven returns the following weekend - Friday and Saturday, November 10th and 11th for Blind Rage which is a full-contact night (18+ only) - tickets in advance.

In Rhode Island, it's the last full week to see the Jack O'Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence. The Spectacular is open every night through Sunday, November 5th.

In Lincoln, RI the next two Sundays-Nov 5th and 12th-- are the final chances to visit the Hearthside House Museum for their annual exhibit Candlelight Tour of Gone But Not Forgotten: Victorian Mourning Customs where this historic 10-room museum home is "transformed to recreate the scene of a typical wake and funeral of the 19th century" and the tours are led by candlelight.

Friday through Sunday, November 10th-12th in Providence will be RI Comic Con where among dozens of fun booths and meet-and-greets, there will be appearances by The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus and Nightmare on Elm Street's Robert Englund. 

In Vermont, circle the dates Friday and Saturday, November 17th and 18th in Brattleboro for the 3rd annual Ax Wound Film Festival which features horror film screenings, presentations, and workshops from women filmmakers.

Where has Halloween New England been lately?

We spent Friday night at Field of Screams (West Greenwich, RI), Haunted Overload (Lee, NH) with out-of-town friends on Saturday, and spent Halloween at The 7-1-5 Haunted House (Canton, MA)! We hope to squeeze in two more haunt visits this weekend if we're lucky!

We're thrilled to have teamed up again with New England's own uber-talented The Pixel Perfection: After Dark whose incredibly creepy and inspiring haunt photos populate the guides again this year. As always, we know you love their photos...just please don't steal their photos! Why not just follow them on Facebook instead or hire them to capture your Halloween attraction or event?

Halloween New England Top Picks for October 20th - 26th, 2016

This is a HUGE weekend for Halloween thrill-seekers, haunt-goers, ghostly tale lovers, Halloween and costume partiers, adults, kids, and everyone in between. Whether you are looking for date-night ideas, a costume contest, or something your whole family can enjoy together, there are dozens of fantastic options coming up this weekend. Here are our state-by-state highlights from this week's events calendar:

Top Event Picks for the Upcoming Week

Rhode Island

In Providence the Vortex Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Film Festival is still going on nightly through this Sunday and the H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour is a great companion activity to the film fest.

Connecticut

On Fridays through Sundays during the next two weekends, the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk, CT offers their Ghostly Sightings event and in Hartford, CT the Graveyard Shift Ghost Tours is taking place Thursday through Saturday nights.Also in Norwalk is A Haunting at Mill Hill which is a lantern-lit graveyard ghost tour on Friday and Saturday.

Friday is opening night for the fun-yet-dark musical Little Shop of Horrors which is running multiple weekends through November 6th in Fairfield.

Witches & Tombstones tours return to the Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum in Weathersfield this Saturday and Sunday.

Massachusetts 

Enjoy brew and ghost stories at the Tales and Ales Night at the historic Swett-Ilsley House and in Salem you shouldn't miss out on the Haunted Dinner Theatre. Also, Tornado of Terror kicks off this weekend in Grafton and in Dover, Powisset Farm has Pumpkins at Powisset - an after-school cooking class for kids who will learn to make pumpkin treats which will be held Tuesday, Oct. 25th (required pre-registration).

An all-new seasonal event at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbrigde, MA is The Sleepy Hollow Experience which is an immersive, theatrical experience held on the grounds of this living history museum.

Maine

On Saturday October 22nd, Bucksport in central Maine offers up their annual Ghostport Festival and in the vibrant city of Portland you are invited to showcase your design skills at CARVE--the high-speed pumpkin carving challenge--and finished pumpkins are auctioned off at the end of judging for a fundraiser.

Also on Saturday in Portland is the costume contest fundraiser called the Ghoulwill Ball to benefit Goodwill Industries of New England. Catch the WICKED Haunted Walk in Mexico, ME which is offered for three special nights only over the next two weekends.

New Hampshire

Saturday is the annual Ghost Encounters and Halloween stroll at the historic Shaker Village in Canterbury and families should definitely stop in to support the Laura Foundation's yearly Halloween Town festival which includes a trick-or-treat trail, a Halloweenie Walk, rides, games, and  costume contest.
Thursday Night October 20th is a big night for NH haunted attractions as it's Date Night at Haunted Acres (2 general admission tickets for $42) and Thursday is also Haunted Overload's first of two Fright Night Lites where you can enjoy their full show inside their haunted trail but without the scares. (The last chance to catch their Fright Night Lite will be Halloween night).

Which Haunted Attractions are Open Weeknights
Hardcore Halloween fans know it's not enough to squeeze in your haunt-going fun on Friday and Saturdays. To make the most from the short season, you'll be glad to know which haunted attractions are open on Monday through Thursdays with our Guide to Haunted Attractions are Open WEEKNIGHTS.

Our Guide to Which Haunted Attractions are Open Sundays
If you are looking ahead to plan your October weekends but want to check out haunted attractions on an off-peak night, we have your Guide to Haunted Attractions Open SUNDAY NIGHTS.

Contests Now Open 

We've got a NEW contest open on Halloween New England right now - WIN a pair of tickets to see Fear Town Haunted House in Seekonk, MA. Our contests are wrapping up to give you a chance to go so enter while you can! 

Recent Contest Winners

Congrats to Ann Blake who won tickets to Fright Haven,  Melissa Heaton won tickets to the Jack O'Lantern Spectacular, Paris Williams and Lisa Mota won tickets to Fright Fest at Six Flags New England, Sherry Miranda and Tim Perry their way into Fear Town, Chuck Case snagged tickets to Haunted Overload for Halloween weekend and Rachel Brennan and Tabitha Comptois are headed to see Haunted 20,000 Leagues at 5 Wits!

Where has Halloween New England been lately?

What a busy week of screams it was! We started our weekend early at Ghost Ship Harbor's Black Carpet event on Thursday, and Friday we had a thrilling double-header at Fear Town in Seekonk, MA and Almeida's The Bloodfields in Swansea, MA. Saturday brought us to the North Shore to check out the new layout at Hysteria in Danvers, MA. Sunday was another double-header in central MA where we checked out DementedFX's new digs in Holyoke, MA and Springfield MA's debut attraction New England Scare Fest. Thank you to all of the haunts for hosting Halloween New England!

Where is Halloween New England headed this weekend?

We start up again on Thursday this week with a trip to celebrate 25 years of Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA and Friday takes us to Haunted Overload in Lee, NH with our friends from Seattle-based prop and effects design team  Ghost Ride Productions who'll be in town for a visit as well. 

For Saturday we're eyeing a trip to Lakeville Haunted House in Lakeville, MA and Sunday might take us to Haunted Hill in Cumberland, RI. We'll let you know where we end up!

Haunted Houses & Trails Opening Thursday, October 20th, 2016

Nightmare Vermont (VT)

Haunted Houses & Trails Opening Friday, October 21st, 2016

Fortress of Nightmares (RI)
Nightmare Corn Maze (CT)
Pittsford Haunted House (VT)
Spooky Acres Hayride and Trail of Terror (MA)

Haunted Houses & Trails Opening Saturday, October 22nd, 2016

Percy Farm Haunted Corn Maze (VT)

Halloween New England Top Picks for October 6th - 12th, 2016

Happy October everyone! We couldn't be more thrilled that our favorite month is here and from the sight of the turning leaves, it both looks and feels like October ought to. With the long weekend upon us, there is plenty of night activities, attractions and events that are open for you to take full advantage of the season.

Top Event picks for the upcoming week:

We're sure you already have it circled on your calendar but Salem's Haunted Happenings kicks off this Thursday, October 6th with the Salem Grand Parade--an annual tradition that begins at Shetland Park and ends at Salem Common. Bring your favorite costume and enjoy the revelry! Parade details.

We can't resist mentioning that this weekend is also the annual Cockroach Eating Contest during Fright Fest at Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA. We desperately wish we weren't too chicken ourselves to participate (or frankly too chicken to even watch) but don't let us stand in your way of snacking your way through some hissing, crunchy Halloween treats! Even better you have three days to start a new tradition as it will be held this Saturday, Sunday and Monday--lucky you!
Details on the Cockroach Eating Contest at Fright Fest.

The Haunted Graveyard is host to a Magic: The Gathering tournament on Saturday, Oct 8th but be sure to pre-register by Thurs Oct 6th if you plan to enter. Details and tourney rules here.

The Graveyard Shift Ghost Tours begin this weekend in Hartford, CT and you've got 10 nights this month to check them out for some creepy tales and haunted stories at the Mark Twain House. Details.

Pumpkins Pumpkins Pumpkins
By this point in October, pumpkins are front and center with dozens of pumpkin festivals large and small. Here are a new notable events among many pumpkin fests across New England.

Tonight (Thursday, Oct 6th) is the Opening Night for the annual Jack O' Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Park and Zoo in Providence, RI! This pumpkin festival features a jaw-dropping number of jack o' lanterns on display fitting a different arching theme every year. It is 7 nights a week from October 6th through Nov. 6th. You'll be treated to a breathtaking display of carved pumpkins and pumpkin displays, It's a perfect way to spend a crisp fall evening and you still have time to try your luck at winning a pair of tickets on the Halloween New England website. Details here.

One of our favorite family-friendly pumpkin events is the Pumpkins on the Pier festival in Milford, CT which has everything from pumpkin games, pumpkin crafts, giant pumpkin auctions, a pumpkin patch, pumpkin carving, an a wonderfully entertaining contest for best jack o'lantern displays which are lined up and down along the pier. It's a free event but anything "extra" you buy serves as a fundraiser for the Milford CT Boys and Girls Club so it's worth every penny.

We wrote an article on our sister website New England Fall Events which is worth a read if you are thinking of heading down to Pumpkins on the Pier.

In Maine you'll find the multi-day Damariscotta Pumpkin Regatta which culminates with a competition involving giant pumpkins converted into boats (motorized and paddle categories) racing one another. we love the craziness and absurdity of it all and we're pretty sure you won't be disappointed!
Damariscotta Pumpkin Regatta details.

Other fests to consider include PumpkinFest at DeMeritt Hill Farm in Lee, NH and Edaville USA in Carver, MA will keep young kids entertained with their Pumpkins Aglow October event which is back again this year. Details.

While we're talking pumpkins, this Halloween season marks the debut of a huge new Jack O'Lantern event in Boston called Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns. This much-anticipated event will feature thousands of carved jack o'lanterns on display and four carving stations to observe the skills from these master pumpkin carvers. You'll find combination displays, giant pumpkins, 3D scuplted pumpkins, and a mini carving factory. Rise of the Jack O'Lanterns will only be open for FOUR nights over the weekend leading to Halloween (Thurs Oct 27th - Sunday 30th) so we recommend buying tickets early as this will most certainly sell out.
You can find links to sign up for discount ticket codes on our Rise event page.


Looking for a Guide to Which Haunted Attractions are Open Sundays?
If you are looking ahead to plan your October weekends but want to check out haunted attractions on an off-peak night, we have your Guide to Haunted Attractions Open on Sunday Nights.

Where is Halloween New England headed this weekend?
We've got an ambitious weekend lined up as we swing through Connecticut and have plans to see Fright Haven (Stratford, CT), Creeperum (Hamden, CT), Legends of Fear (Shelton, CT), Dark Manor (Baltic, CT), The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT), and Night Fall (Hartford, CT). We also hope to pop in at Ghost Ship Harbor in Quincy, MA if we can!

We've got five NEW contests right now on Halloween New England. We've got a new contest up to win tickets to experience Fright Fest at Six Flags New England and you can enter to WIN a pair of tickets to the Sun Oct 23rd show at Haunted Overload in Lee, NH. Last chance to win a pair of Speed Passes to Haunted Acres in Candia, NH! Enter to win a pair of tickets to check out Haunted 20,000 Leagues at 5 Wits in Foxborough, MA, and we're giving away tickets to the Jack-o-lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI. Visit Halloween New England's home page for contest details.

Congrats to Ryan Churilo who won a pair of Speed Pass tickets to Haunted Acres, Eric Smith and won a four-pack of tickets to the Jack-o-lantern Spectacular, Jaime Ferrer is headed to check out Haunted 20,000 Leagues at 5 Wits, Nicole Pesino and Rob Rogers both won a four pack of ticket to The Haunted Graveyard,  Sabrina Desy, Nicole Eng, Rob Matthews, Matt Kozak, and Scott Santos won their way into the special invite-only night at Haunted Overload!

Haunted houses and trails opening Thursday, October 6th:

House of the Dead / Morbid Productions (ME)

Haunted houses, haunted hayrides, and haunted corn mazes opening Friday, October 7th:

Vengeance in the Valley (VT) Haunted Hayride and Haunted Corn Maze 

Harvest of Haunts (NH) – Haunted Hayride and Haunted Corn Maze 

Davis Farmland MegaMaze (MA) – Haunted Corn Maze

Find a complete guide to which haunted attractions are open and which will be opening soon by checking out our Opening Night Guide to Haunted Attractions, Haunted Mazes, and Hayrides.