Weekly Top Picks for September 26th- Oct 2nd, 2019

With October arriving after the weekend, we are thrilled that our favorite month of the year has finally arrived! Bring on the thrills, pumpkins, traditions, lights, decorated yards, haunted trails, costume contests, Halloween displays, and yes, bring on the candy too!

Halloween New England has the bases covered for you all season long with our Top Picks, highlights for the weekend, special events not to be missed, contests, and other essential info to keep you on top of everything this Halloween season.

Haunt Seminars, Demos, Backstage Tours, Unlimited SpeedPass Haunt Admission, Food, and Rides at The Haunted Graveyard's Behind the Screams

Don't miss buying advance tickets for a one-of-a-kind event coming up next Saturday, October  5th!! The Haunted Graveyard's "Behind the Screams Experience" return for an incredible backstage tour and seminar opportunity for haunt fans, home/yard haunters, and every kind of Halloween enthusiast! Event Details. 

Tour behind the scenes, access to special FX makeup and airbrush demos, seminars for learning haunt construction, lighting and sound FX, animatronics, and more.

Behind the Screams ticket *includes* admission to The Haunted Graveyard (including unlimited walk-throughs with speed pass!), access to Lake Compounce rides, 1 free Sky Coaster ticket, food, drink, t-shirt, and entry to win a Haunted Graveyard prop! Save $$ when you buy tickets online. Limited ticket availability.

Massachusetts Halloween Events (full guide)

On Saturday, September 28th, swing into Salem for Endless Night: Salem Vampire Salon at the historic Hawthorne Hotel. Complete with music, mystery, entertainment, performances, and ritual--including a midnight howl--revel in the elements of the Vampire Mythos in an intimate, dark salon setting.

Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA returns with their fourth season of an immersive outdoor theatrical production of The Sleepy Hollow Experience for a 6-week run on the grounds of this living history museum. Check them out Wednesday through Sunday nights and advance tickets are a must.

Also in Salem on Friday and Saturday nights--this time in the Hawthorne Library - is Clue Live! presented by Haunted Dinner Theatre billed as a family-friendly spooky evening complete with suspense, mystery, and dinner!

Haverhill Library hosts a series of weekly free horror flicks during Classic Spooky Tuesday Matinees throughout October starting Oct 1st Check out the 1963 "The Haunting" for their morning matinee.

Friday and Saturday, September 27th and 28th, join “Ghost Writers” author Sam Baltrusis for MASS ParaCon a two-day paranormal experience at the Berkshire’s Seven Hills Inn located in Lenox.
John Zaffis, armed with more than 40 years of studying and investigating the paranormal, will co-headline the MASS ParaCon along with John E.L Tenney from "Ghost Stalkers" who is also known for his signature "Weird Lectures."

Plus, check out our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for all-ages fun in MA.

Connecticut Halloween Events (full guide)

This Saturday, September 28th, Courtney Reardon of Seaside Shadows is sharing an afternoon of Tarot and Tea Leaf Readings in East Haddam.  Tarot and Tea Leaves provide us insight on who we are, what we are going through and what's to come. Tea Leaves are an ancient Celtic form of divination passed through generations. Your spirit guides and angels want the best for you -- so have a reading at a local coffee shop and find out what's in store.

It's also the 2nd weekend of festivities at Pumpkintown USA in East Hampton. This family-friendly, non-scary adventure takes you through a town with a saloon, jail, country store, post office, and a fire department--each a different scene throughout the "village". Take a hayride through Pumpkintown forest and catch a glimpse of more than 30 pumpkin-headed characters and their dwellings!

Also, check out our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for all-ages fun in CT.

Rhode Island  (full guide)

In scenic Portsmouth, RI you'll find Escobar Farm hosting their annual Pumpkin Festival at Escobar Farm on Saturday, September 28th (rain date Sept 29). With pumpkin games, crafts, face painting and scarecrow making fun for everyone--plus, who can resist getting "lost" in their expansive corn maze! Michael Higgins may even be on-site to amaze you with his chainsaw skills!

Find more kids activities on our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for all-ages fun in RI.

Maine  (full guide)

Bangor is the place to be this week where you can find two very special events lined up!
Queen City Arts kicks off a new Special FX Makeup Class for ages 15 and up. Held on Monday nights over a series of 6 weeks, this teen and adult course includes weekly instruction by a makeup professional and a makeup kit for easy home practice.

Vermont  (full guide)

Sunday, September 29th is the annual Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival in Stowe where you can cheer on the thrilling display of engineering during the pumpkin trebuchet competition while noshing on entries to the chili cookoff in a scenic area. What better way to enjoy a fall day!

New Hampshire  (full guide)

While you're in NH leaf-peeping, haunt-going, or pumpkin picking, take the scenic route through Rte 120 and 12A in Plainfield where
the locals have set up a unique seasonal presentation of Plainfield Pumpkin People. In recent years the number of pumpkin people has grown to nearly 300 displays along the route! The displays are available to enjoy daily between September 28th and October 31st.

What has Halloween New England been up to? What's next?

Last week we took in a screening of Rob Zombie's latest flick 3 From Hell for some mid-week gore and wrapped up the weekend at the Harvard Square Ghost Tour in Cambridge, MA on what might have been the most perfect fall evening. Huge thanks to our very entertaining tour guide Stewart who wove tales of mystery and lore through scenic landmarks such as the gates to Harvard Yard and the Old Burial Ground. We popped into the Holliston, MA Historical Society for an hour-long retelling of the famous double homicide with Lizzie Borden: The Mystery Continues presented by local history teacher Christopher Daley. Held at the Holliston Library.

This Friday you'll find us screaming through Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA!

Looking for info on which haunts are open on Sundays? Did you know that SEVEN haunted attractions are open this Sunday, September 29th including Evidence of Evil (Southington, CT) and  The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT)? If you love to plan your October weekends ahead like we do and want to check out haunted attractions on an off-peak night, we've compiled our essential Guide to Haunted Attractions Open on Sunday Nights.

Ending Soon: We're closing out our first-ever Haunt on Eden ticket contest to visit their haunted house in Plantsville, CT so enter by 9/28 to give it a shot!.  If you haven't yet entered, The Haunted Speakeasy is delivering the costume party of the year in Worcester, MA and we're wrapping up their ticket contest on Oct 2nd so enter ASAP!
It's your final week to enter as often as you like to win a pair of tickets to Haunted Overload's special Invite-Only night on Oct 10th--be sure to enter by 10/3.
Enter all contests right from the home page of Halloween New England.

New Contests:
Earlier this week we posted our first contest to win a four-pack of tickets to experience DementedFX Haunted House in Holyoke, MA and a brand new contest for a pair of tickets to see what Fear Town Haunted House has in store for you this season. The Haunted Graveyard has a contest running for combo tickets to see them during their 2nd weekend of haunting but you'll need to enter by 10/5. VIP Tickets will be a dream this October when you win them through the Ravenwood Haunted Farm (Haverhill, MA) contest. We've got a new round of four-pack tickets we're giving away through our contest for the Jack O' Lantern Spectacular (Providence, RI) and be sure to enter often to win a four-pack of tickets to The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT) haunted house.
Keep your eyes peeled for more Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA) and  13th World (Cumberland, RI) contests posted soon!

Visit Halloween New England's home page for contest details.

Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Friday, September 27th

Evidence of Evil (Southington, CT)
The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT)

Fear Town (Seekonk, MA)

DementedFX (Holyoke, MA)
Ravenwood Haunted Farm (Haverhill, MA)

Haunted Labyrinth (RI)

13 Nights at Jiminy (MA)

Witch's Woods (MA) - House and Haunted Hayride

Monster Mash Haunted Hayride (MA)

Marini Farm (non-haunted) Corn Maze (CT)

Fright Kingdom (NH)
Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Friday, September 28th

13th World (Cumberland, RI)
Legends of Fear (Shelton, CT) Haunted Hayride and Trail

Trail of Terror (Wallingford, CT)
Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Weekly Top Picks for September 27th- October 3rd, 2018

With October arriving over the weekend, we are thrilled that our favorite month of the year has finally arrived! Bring on the scares, thrills, pumpkins, traditions, lights, decorated yards, haunted trails, costume contests, Halloween displays, and yes, bring on the candy too!

Halloween New England has the bases covered for you all season long with our Top Picks, highlights for the weekend, special events not to be missed, contests, and other essential info to keep you on top of everything this Halloween.

Haunt Seminars, Demos, Backstage Tours, Unlimited SpeedPass Haunt Admission, Food, and Rides at The Haunted Graveyard's Behind the Screams

Don't miss this one-of-a-kind event coming up this Saturday, Sept 29th!! The Haunted Graveyard's "Behind the Screams Experience" is an incredible backstage tour and seminar opportunity for haunt fans, home/yard haunters, and every kind of Halloween enthusiast! Event Details. 

Tour behind the scenes, access to special FX makeup and airbrush demos, seminars for learning haunt construction, lighting and sound FX, animatronics, and more.

Behind the Screams ticket *includes* admission to The Haunted Graveyard (including unlimited walk-throughs with speed pass!), access to Lake Compounce rides, 1 free Sky Coaster ticket, food, drink, t-shirt, and entry to win a Haunted Graveyard prop!
Save $$ when you buy tickets online. Limited ticket availability.

Saturday is Kids Day at Costumania's Superstore in West Lebanon, NH

New Hampshire's own year-round costume store Costumania has their special Kids Day coming this weekend. 

Pop in at Costumania's West Lebanon, NH superstore for Kids Day this Saturday, September 29th! Open 10:00am-8:00pm, every child who walks through the door gets a goodie bag and a special discount towards merchandise! Between 11:00am-3:00pm Kids can enjoy complimentary face-painting and pizza!

Situated right off Rte 89 and very close to Rte 91, their huge new store in West Lebanon has everything from wigs, makeup, costume props, character supplies, and thousands of costumes for kids, adults, and any character you can dream up. Costumania is a small family owned business in West Lebanon, NH which operates as a year-round costume store since 1994. If you do decide to shop at Costumania this season you can use the Halloween New England exclusive in-store coupon for $10 off any $40 Costumania purchase! Click here for the $10 off coupon.

Connecticut Halloween Events (full guide)

We know haunt-fans, novice haunters, and home haunters wouldn't miss the Behind the Screams event at The Haunted Graveyard coming up this Saturday, September 29th. (See more details in the feature above).

Wednesday, October 3rd kicks off a new 8-week Sculpting for Beginners course taught by Tyler Green two-time finalist on SyFy's Face Off at his studio in Litchfield, CT. Students will get an introductory to character design in 3D form by using a non hardening clay to develop skills and techniques in creating a character in clay.

Also, check out our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for all-ages fun in CT.

Massachusetts Halloween Events (full guide)

For the third year, Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, MA will host the immersive outdoor theatrical production of The Sleepy Hollow Experience which is back for a 6-week run on the grounds of this living history museum. Check them out Wednesday through Sunday nights and advance tickets are a must.

Lizzie Borden: The Mystery Continues is billed as a "one-hour, in depth retelling of the famous double homicide" by local history teacher Christopher Daley. Held at the Blackstone Library, this is a free event but it does require pre-registration.
Details and registration info.

Haverhill Library hosts free horror flicks during Terrifying Tuesday Nights and Classic Spooky Tuesday Matinees nearly every week in October starting Oct 2nd. Check out the 1932 "The Mummy" for the classic matinee and the 2017 Stephen King's "It" this Tuesday, October 2nd.
At Vampfangs' new Salem store this weekend you can book an appointment with Tyler Green of SyFy's FaceOff for Custom FX Teeth Consultations as he rolls out his new line of custom teeth products for zombies and monsters. You must pre-book a time by contacting Vampfangs directly and Tyler will be taking appointments on both days between noon and 6pm. Details.

Plus, check out our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for all-ages fun in MA.

Rhode Island

In scenic Portsmouth, RI you'll find Escobar Farm hosting their annual Pumpkin Festival at Escobar Farm on Saturday, September 29th (rain date Sept 30).

Also, on Saturday, Sept 29th (rain date Sept 30) Frerich's Farm in Warren will host their Halloween Party for Individuals with Autism and their families with a pirate ship, scavenger hunt, western town, bubble table, and food (advance registration required).

Find more kids activities on our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for all-ages fun in RI.

Maine

Bangor is the place to be this week where you can find two very special events lined up!
Queen City Arts kicks off a new Special FX Makeup Class for ages 15 and up. Held on Monday nights over a series of 6 weeks, this teen and adult course includes weekly instruction by a makeup professional and a makeup kit for easy home practice.

Haunted History is the name of the game at the "Darker Side of Mt. Hope Cemetery" in Bangor this Tuesday, October 2nd. This cemetery tour explores local history and is the first of three dates for this tour this October.

New Hampshire

Saturday, September 29th is the perfect day to go searching and shopping for your Halloween costume and decor needs--and the timing couldn't be better than during Kids Day at Costumania in West Lebanon, NH. Every child gets a goodie bag and a special discount towards merchandise and there's complimentary face-painting and pizza between 11:00am-3:00pm.

Vermont

Sunday, September 30th is the annual Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival in Stowe where you can cheer on the pumpkin trebuchet competition while noshing on entries to the chili cookoff!

What have we been up to? Where are we headed?

While it's early in the New England haunting season, Halloween New England packed in two trips to Salem on Saturday alone--first we dropped into Salem, Massachusetts for a few hours to check out Vampfangs new brick and mortar store, eat a slice from Flying Saucer Pizza, and visit HausWitch. Then we hit the road headed to our second Salem of the day - this time to Salem, New Hampshire-- to celebrate opening night of Screeemfest at Canobie Lake Park!

This weekend we've got plans to swing through Barrett's Haunted Mansion this week and we'll be heading to Scary Acres in Hope, RI. We just can't wait!

Looking for info on which haunts are open on Sundays? Did you know that SEVEN haunted attractions are open this Sunday, September 30th including The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT) and Scary Acres Haunted House and Hayride (Hope, RI). If you love to plan your October weekends ahead like we do and want to check out haunted attractions on an off-peak night, we've compiled our essential Guide to Haunted Attractions Open on Sunday Nights.

We've got seven contests right now on Halloween New England.

Ending Soon: If you haven't yet entered, The Haunted Speakeasy is delivering the costume party of the year in Worcester, MA and we're wrapping up their ticket contest on Oct 1st so enter ASAP!
Enter all contests right from the home page of Halloween New England.


New Contests: Since last week we've added a 2nd chance to win a $25 in merchandise from

Costumania in West Lebanon, NH and a contest for a pair of tickets to Vengeance in the Valley Haunted Hayride and Maze in Guilford, VT. Ghost Ship Harbor in Quincy, MA kicked off their 2nd contest this week and look for the 2nd round to win Jack-o-lantern Spectacular tickets in Providence, RI.
The Haunted Graveyard has a contest running for combo tickets to see them during their 2nd weekend of haunting and there's still time to enter for tickets to see what Fear Town Haunted House has in store for you this season.
Barrett's Haunted Mansion is giving away a four-pack of tickets to see them in Abington, MA and another 13th World Haunted Trail ticket contest are now up for your visit to Cumberland, RI!

Visit Halloween New England's home page for contest details.

Congrats to Deltra Kroemer who won a pair of Opening Weekend tickets to The Haunted Graveyard, to Christen Clery who won Opening Weekend tickets to Ghost Ship Harbor, Ryan Lee, Sabrina Desy, and Shane Bergevin won a four-pack of tickets to Barrett's Haunted Mansion, Craig Miranda won a four pack of tickets to 13th World and Sean Burke and Ian Dincuff each won tickets to Fear Town!

Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Friday, September 28th

The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT)

Legends of Fear (Shelton, CT) Haunted Hayride and Trail

Fear Town (Seekonk, MA)

DementedFX (Holyoke, MA)

Ghost Ship Harbor (Quincy, MA)

Haunted Labyrinth (RI)

The 7-1-5 Haunted House (MA)
13 Nights at Jiminy (MA)

Witch's Woods (MA) - House and Haunted Hayride

Monster Mash Haunted Hayride (MA)

Haunted Hale Corn Maze (CT)

The Haunted Isle (CT)

Fright Kingdom (NH)
Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Friday, September 28th

13th World (Cumberland, RI)

Trail of Terror (Wallingford, CT)
Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

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.