Weekly Top Picks for October 28th - 31st, 2019

Halloween week has arrived! Halloween might land on a weeknight but there are still plenty of events taking place all week long leading to October 31st and Halloween New England has all the highlights for you on this special week!

Halloween Week Haunted History - Special Events, Tours, Spooky Dinners in CT

If you are in the Mystic, CT area this week - or are seeking a special way to ring in Halloween week, Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours has an expanded tour schedule and two extra very special events you'll want to check out. Advance bookings for everything are essential during Halloween week! 

Monday, Oct. 28th - Downtown Mystic Ghost Strolls at 7:00pm

Tuesday, Oct. 29th - Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Stroll at 7:00pm
Tuesday, Oct. 29th - Spooky Dinner at the Captain Daniel Packer Inne (details below)

Wednesday, Oct. 30th - Downtown Mystic Ghost Strolls at 7:00pm

Thursday, Oct. 31st (Halloween) - Downtown Mystic Ghost Stroll at 7:00pm; Graveyard Ghost Stroll at 9:00pm

Thursday, Oct. 31st (Halloween) Paranormal Double Feature: Conjuring & Ghost Adventures Party  (details below)

Two very special events are lined up this week in Mystic starting on Tuesday, October 29th for the Seaside Shadows' Spooky Dinner at the Captain Daniel Packer Inne. Join Seaside Shadows as they host a spooky dinner where you can drink, dine, and commune with the spirits over stories of the haunted attraction. Make reservations by phone directly through the Daniel Packer Inne at 860-536-3555.

And on Thursday, October 31st buy advance tickets for the Paranormal Double Feature: Conjuring & Ghost Adventures Party with Seaside Shadows at Mystic Luxury Cinemas! Celebrate HALLOWEEN NIGHT with a SPIRITED showing of The Conjuring followed by a LIVE viewing on the big screen of the Ghost Adventures Halloween Special filmed at the Conjuring house--even including a small snippet filmed with Seaside Shadows' Courtney Reardon!

Darkness Unleashed at Barrett's Haunted Mansion Returns!

Turn out the lights, pack a house with monsters, and head inside -- designed just for the bravest of thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies!
If you think you have the nerve to take things to the next level, you'll want to make a beeline to Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA on Wednesday, October 30th to experience their high-intensity Darkness Unleashed Lights Out. Note: 16+ event.

Still Time to Find Costumes for Halloween Events, Parties, and Masquerades! 

Halloween New England makes it a snap to find your state's Costume and Halloween stores. We have lists of locally-owned, year-round, as well as many seasonal pop-up stores so you're never left in the lurch finding the perfect details for your costume.

Click to see our complete Costume and Halloween Store guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Which Haunted Attractions are Open on Weeknights this Week?

It's Halloween Week and it's your last, best chance to see as many haunts as you can pack in before your favorite season is over. Click for a complete list visit our Guide to which Haunted Attractions are Open Weeknights.

Tuesday, October 29th has just one New England area haunted attraction who'll be open so make a point to get to Plymouth, NH for Abandoned Nightmares.

Wednesday, October 30th has five area haunted attractions open tonight including The Dark Manor in Baltic, CT, Fear Town in Seekonk, MA, Abandoned Nightmares in Plymouth, NH, and Barrett's Haunted Mansion will be hosting their Darkness Unleashed event (16+). Full list of open haunts.

Thursday, October 31st (Halloween Night) offers up seventeen local attractions to choose from including Haunted Overload's Fright Night Lite (Lee, NH), Ravenwood Haunted Farm (Haverhill, MA),  Fright Haven (Stratford, CT),  Fear Town (Seekonk, MA), Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA), Abandoned Nightmares (Plymouth, NH), and The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT)
Click for a complete list visit our Guide to which Haunted Attractions are Open on Halloween.

New England is packed with Halloween events on the big week ahead leading to our favorite night of the year! You can find complete event listings for each New England state --plus CT, NH, RI, and MA have Family-Friendly Event Guides-- on our website Halloween New England.

Massachusetts Halloween Events (full guide)

Tuesday, October 29th swing through the Haverhill Library for a classic horror matinee screening of "13th Ghosts" (1960) and on Tuesday night, the Gedney House in Salem invites you to Classic Poems for All Hallow's Eve where you'll "enjoy a curated selection of classic poems about ghosts, goblins, spirits, and All Hallows’ Eve, dramatically presented in a seventeenth-century shipbuilder's house by lantern light" at their historic property in Salem.

Two chances to catch free theatrical presentations of Lizzie Borden and the Forty Whacks by the Delvena Theatre Company on Monday, October 29th in Hanover and again in Amesbury on Wednesday, October 30th.

Also, two opportunities to sit in on the lecture The Haunted History of New England - check them out Tuesday, October 29th in Marston Mills, and on Wednesday, October 30th in Mattapoisett.

If a haunted opera speaks to your cultural soul, you'll have two chances to experience "The Medium - An Operatic Halloween Experience" in Peabody on Wednesday, October 30th and again on Halloween night, October 31st.

Wednesday and Thursday, October 30th and 31st are your final chances to take a stroll through the postcard-pretty graveyards of Concord, MA on Ghosts in the Gloaming while soaking up ghastly and ghostly tales of local haunted history.

Connecticut Halloween Events (full guide)

On Monday, October 28th, test your knowledge at the Hocus-Pocus-themed Trivia Night at the South Windsor Red Heat Tavern.

Our Halloween Night top pick in CT is the Paranormal Double Feature: Conjuring & Ghost Adventures Party with Seaside Shadows at Mystic Luxury Cinema which has everything you could want from the evening - a screening of The Conjuring, a live viewing of the Ghost Adventures Halloween Special (filmed at the Conjuring house) and costumes are welcome!

Billed as a "true prom experience for the dark at heart" the Goth Prom in New London will treat you on Halloween Night to Goth rock, drinks, and a costume contest, all for $5-$10 as they fundraise for the Spark Makerspace.

Also on October 31st is a Live Performance of Michael Jackson's Thriller in Plainville, CT performed by a local dance school for an event doubling as a food/can drive to benefit the Plainville Community Food Pantry. Set amidst lasers, music, and a Halloween decorated yard, their biggest Thriller performance to date will feature an added Monster Mash sing-along by The Plainville Choral Society Youth Theater.

Find a complete list at our Family-Friendly Halloween Event Guide.

New Hampshire Halloween Events (full guide)

Monday, October 28th in Portsmouth, Scary-oke belt out your favorites while you help support the fundraising efforts for the annual Portsmouth Halloween Parade. And you guessed, it on Halloween night the aforementioned Portsmouth Halloween Parade is another of our top picks for Thursday, October 31st!
On Thursday - Halloween night - Haunted Overload in Lee, NH will offer their 2nd Fright Night Lite of the season--a full nighttime light/sound/fog experience which still delivers their signature spooky atmosphere but without the actors or scares.

Rhode Island Halloween Events (full guide)

Every night this week - including Halloween night - the Roger Williams Zoo's Jack-O'-Lantern Spectacular will be open for you starting at dusk to soak up some glowing pumpkin atmosphere at their display of over 5,000 hand-carved pumpkins on a scenic trail within the park.

The Gravestone Girls are coming to Coventry on Wednesday, October 30th for Virtually Exploring Coventry's Cemeteries, a presentation about "New England cemetery art, history, and symbolism" through a virtual tour exploring "colonial burial grounds through the rural cemetery movement of the 19th century and into 21st-century locations."

Maine Halloween Events (full guide)
Hands-down the most creative and fascinating event in Maine this week for us is the upcoming Halloween Silent Film "Battleship Potemkin" with live organ accompaniment on Tuesday, October 29th in Portland.
Festivities include an early evening family concert with a child-friendly screening of Halloween silent cartoons and accompanied by organist James Kennerley and wrapped up with a children’s costume parade. Later in the evening the is the main event - a screening of “Battleship Potemkin” with Kennerly's accompaniment on organ to this terrifying classic silent film with a Teen and Adult Costume Contest held at intermission!

Vermont Halloween Events (full guide)

Our top pick in the Green Mountain State this week takes us to Essex Junction on Wednesday, October 30th for PumpkinPalooza where Halloween fans of all ages will love the Jack-O-Lantern displays,  S'mores, and hot cocoa by the bonfire.

Weekly Top Picks for October 23rd - 27th, 2019

The much-anticipated big weekend before Halloween is nearly here and as you'd expect there are countless incredible events taking place all weekend long and into the countdown bringing us to our favorite holiday.

You will have more than enough options to celebrate Halloween your way - whether it be taking jaw-dropping Jack O' Lanterns, entering costume contests, soaking up haunted history, reveling in Salem, or getting in your thrills at local haunts. 

Good luck narrowing down your agenda but the good news is we're offering up some great Top Picks for your Halloween weekend.

Spooky Zoo and The Jack O'Lantern Spectacular

Families will want to join the festivities at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI this Saturday and Sunday, October 26th and 27th is the return of the beloved Spooky Zoo with daytime outdoor autumn activities for the whole family.

Trick-or-treat on the Treat Trail by the red wolf exhibit inside the zoo beginning at 10:30am. All Spooky Zoo activities are free with Zoo admission and all children 12-and-under dressed in costume get in for half price. All activities are weather permitting and while supplies last.

It's also the final two weeks to catch the atmospheric and mesmerizing Jack O'Lantern Spectacular which is open every night through Sunday, November 3rd also at the Roger Williams Zoo.

Haunt on Eden Kids DayThe scares are non-existent during the day at Haunt On Eden to welcome children into their outdoor haunt in Plantsville for a special Tricks and Treats Family Event!

The scariest of monsters have been put away so the cutest of Trick or Treaters can come to play! Each child will be provided with a "no-fright light", guaranteed to keep any unwanted creatures at a safe distance, and treats to enjoy! Only $10 for each child and the parents come free. All children must be accompanied by an adult...and vice-versa!

Never too late to pick pumpkins at a local patch!
As you know by now, Halloween New England makes it so easy to find a local pumpkin patch for carving your jack-o-lanterns in time for Halloween! Add the various community pumpkin carving contests and pumpkin displays to the mix of your pumpkin-buying needs and you will certainly need to stock up on more than a few!

We have state-by-state guides and maps to all your local farms featuring pumpkin patches and PYO pumpkins.
Click on your state for Halloween New England's Pumpkin Patch Guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Still Time to Find a Costume for Halloween Events, Costume Parties, and Masquerades! 
We have two special New England costume and makeup supply stores we'd like to recommend for your last-minute costume needs and final details.

Not every New England state can boast that they have a year-round, brick-and-mortar costume store but New Hampshire can! Costumania in West Lebanon moved to a new, bigger store to offer even more to their customers. If you can't get there in person, they also feature an online store.

Massachusetts-based Vampfangs is strictly an online store and they should be your first stop to buy special FX teeth (vampires, zombies, hillbillies, etc), FX contact lenses (blackout, werewolf, zombie, you name it), 3-D prosthetic transfers, conventional prosthetics, quality FX makeup, and even fragrances!

We are always happy to tip people off to how easy Halloween New England makes it to find your state's Costume and Halloween stores. We have lists of locally-owned, year-round, as well as many seasonal pop-up stores to make it easy! 

Click to see Halloween New England's complete Costume and Halloween Store guides for Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire,  and Vermont.

Which Haunted Attractions are Open on Weeknights this Week?

It's Halloween Week and it's your last, best chance to see as many haunts as you can pack in before your favorite season is over.

Wednesday, October 23rd has two haunted attractions open tonight including  The Dark Manor in Baltic, CT.

Thursday, October 24th offers up eleven local attractions to choose from including Haunted Overload (Lee, NH), Fright Haven (Stratford, CT),  The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT) DementedFX's Blood Thirsty Thursday (Holyoke, MA) Fear Town (Seekonk, MA) and Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA), and
Click for a complete list visit our Guide to which Haunted Attractions are Open Weeknights.

October is going by quickly and if you are scrambling to pack in more haunt visits, you'll want to check out our Guide to Haunted Attractions Open on Sunday Nights.

It's the last big weekend for many haunts to be open - find out which TWENTY-SEVEN haunts will be open this Sunday, October 27th including Abandoned Nightmares (Plymouth, NH), The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT), The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT), Trail of Terror (Wallingford, CT), Legends of Fear trail-only (Shelton, CT),  Evidence of Evil (Southington, CT) Fright Haven (Stratford, CT), Haunted Overload (Lee, NH), 13th World (Cumberland, RI), Fear Town (Seekonk, MA),  Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA), DementedFX (Holyoke, MA).
Instead of their nightly haunt scares, Haunt on Eden (Plantsville, CT) is opening their haunt during the daytime on Sunday for their annual Tricks or Treats Kids and Family event.

New England is packed with Halloween events on the biggest weekend of the season! It's a challenge to whittle down to our Top Picks when there are so many to choose from but we'll narrow it to our Top Picks below. You can find complete event listings for each New England state --plus CT, NH, RI, and MA have Family-Friendly Event Guides-- on our website Halloween New England.

Massachusetts Halloween Events (full guide)

Thursday the 24th offers up Zombie Science at the Mattapoisett Library as part of their STEAM program.  Look for Lizzie Borden and the Forty Whacks a free theatrical performance by the Delvena Theatre Company at the Morse Institute in Natick on Friday, October 25th; you'll have a second chance to catch a matinee of Lizzie Borden in Weymouth on Saturday afternoon. In Marlborough on Friday through Sunday, you can catch a performance of The Addams Family Musical presented by the Rivers Edge Arts Alliance.

Friday and Saturday the 25th and 26th are your last two chances to show off your Charleston, conjure your fanciest flapper, or showcase your inner gangster at The Haunted Speakeasy's vintage Halloween Party at the Atrium in Worcester.
On Friday in Waltham, it's the last chance to soak up some spooky ghost stories inside the grand 1806 Gore Mansion during Frightful Friday Ghost Stories.

Saturday is also your final weekend opportunity to experience a guided Lights-On Tour of Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA for only $10.

Salem welcomes brisk Saturday morning with the Creepy Clown 3.33 Miler through the streets of the Witch City and it will be followed by the Devil's Chase 6.66 Miler which kicks off 30 minutes later. The thought of dozens of terrifying clowns and devils running through the streets sends us running to hide but it may very well be the perfect solution for you to bank some exercise points before your evening debauchery. 

If you're looking to stay local and have more intimate, home-grown haunt experience on Saturday and Sunday, consider visiting two local yard-haunts this weekend: check out "FEAR" presented by Nightmare Marlborough  (including early no-scare kids hour earlier on Sunday), and 3rd Degree of Terror in Ayer as well! Both these haunts are also open Thursday, on Halloween night.

Look for a weekend full of scary Stephen King horror double-features at the Salem Visitors Center on Saturday which serves up "Cujo" followed by "Carrie" in the late afternoon. On Sunday, the Visitors Center will screen "Misery" followed by "The Dead Zone".
Also in Salem at the historic Gedney House on Saturday night is Classic Poems for All Hallows Eve which sounds to us like a perfectly spooky way to enjoy an evening leading up to Halloween.

For the die-hard horror lovers with the endurance to match, the 12-hour Horror Movie Marathon at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline is for you! Starting with "The Amityville Horror" (1979) at midnight and followed by "Poltergeist" (1982), you'll have a special surprise lineup for five additional film screenings to anchor your weekend.

If you're near Walpole on Sunday early evening, you'll enjoy more family Halloween fun at Pumpkins in the Park: Nocturnal Tales and Treats at Francis William Bird Park on Saturday with their beloved annual pumpkin decorating & carving contest, a pumpkin-lit “nocturnal trail", Halloween-themed games & activities, parade, spooky music & more!

On Sunday late morning at Salem's Hawthorne Hotel is The Mourning Tea: Remembering the Dead high-tea Victorian-era inspired event. and on Sunday evening the Hawthorne will be the venue for The Dumb Supper: Dinner with the Dead which is an ancient tradition of honoring the dead at a memorial dinner observed in complete silence.

Connecticut Halloween Events (full guide)

On Thursday, October 24th you can find a pair of classic seasonal films on the big screen - check out "Halloween" (1978) in New Milford at the Bank Street Theatre, and the Avon Theatre in Stamford will be rollicking with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

Friday, October 25th in Middletown is the Wadsworth Mansion Halloween Bash - a 21+ costume party fundraiser held at the Long Hill Estate in which this year's theme is "Strange Evening with Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde".

On Saturday the 26th, the Storytellers Cottage in Simsbury is hosting Halloween Haunted Dinner Party and Seance where you are invited to "come in your creepiest costume and spend an eerie evening dining with the dead" which kicks off with a graveyard walk, blood-red smoking cocktails. and a seance with a professional medium.

Late on Saturday night, October 26th in Mystic, Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours is holding a very special Halloween Weekend Paranormal Investigation of the historic Whitehall Burial Ground. Haunted by specters from the 17th-19th centuries, guests will utilize real ghost hunting and paranormal equipment as they set forth on a quest to interact with those who walked Mystic's past. Investigation ticket includes the Seaside Shadows Cemetery Tour - limited tickets left!

It's also your final weekend to visit the Pumpkin Patch at the Connecticut Trolley Museum in East Windsor open Friday through Sunday which includes trolley rides, pumpkin picking, pumpkin decorating, children's play area and more!
Stick around after the sun sets in East Windsor and you can take treat yourself to a very different kind of Halloween event at the Trolley Museum, - Rails to the Darkside haunted trail at night where you'll ride on the antique trolley to the front of the haunted attraction located on the ground.
On Sunday, October 27th at noon in Kent, you can burn off some candy calories at the Kent Pumpkin Run on Sunday--a costumed 5-mile walk/run!
Find a complete list at our Family-Friendly Halloween Event Guide.

New Hampshire Halloween Events (full guide)

In Portsmouth at the Music Hall on Thursday, October 24h is a Halloween Wildcard film screening of "Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" (1920) inside the restored, redesigned, and updated downtown theatre.
It's the final weekend to support the local fundraising haunted attraction The Salisbury Woods Haunted Barn and Trail in Salisbury, NH.

On Friday and Saturday, October 25th and 26th in Portsmouth, you can find the family-friendly Ghosts on the Banke festivities held at the historic Strawberry Banke Museum.

Saturday from late afternoon onward, families will want to swing over to Madison, NH to celebrate the season at Halloweentown to benefit the Laura Foundation complete with a trick-or-treating trail, bouncy house, storytelling, face-painting, and a trail through spooky-decorated little cabins.
Canterbury NH's Shaker Village will treat you to ghost stories and tales of otherworldly encounters at Spirit Encounters on Friday and Sunday night, October 25th and 27th.

Rhode Island Halloween Events (full guide)

Wednesday and Thursday, October 23rd and 24th are Super Hero Nights at the Roger Williams Zoo where you might meet Black Panther, Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man!

Saturday and Sunday welcome the return of Spooky Zoo for family-friendly seasonal activities and zoo-wide trick or treating at Roger Williams Zoo in Providence.

Also on Wednesday, October 23rd is Behind the Paranormal Lecture with Paul and Ben Eno at Mount Hope Farm in Bristol.
Wednesday and Thursday, October 23rd and 24th, also in Bristol is the annual Hauntings of Linden Place where you'll be regaled with ghost stories and spooky amusements of the 19th century during a candlelit docent-led tour.

Thursday night in Pawtucket is Dead and Dashing: A Horror-themed Variety Show at the Revel Factory for a 21+ event taking inspiration from classic and retro icons/films.

Friday night at Newport Vineyards in Middletown is the annual Halloween CarnEvil Costume Party with circus performers, a fortune teller machine, and "Creepy Cocktails".

On Saturday, in Providence, you can attend a Historical Ghost Walk at North Burial Ground for theatrical storytelling of ghostly tales. The event is free but pre-registration is a must.

Join Ascension Nxt on Saturday night in West Warwick for their very first Honorary Samhain Feast with Our Ancestors which features a joyful celebration, full buffet dinner, raffles, and options for one-on-one readings.

Sunday afternoon in East Greenwich is Hallowee'en at East Greenwich's Old Jail for "chills, thrills, fun, games and a little bit of history" as you tour the historic jail's rarely seen spooky cells.

Sunday night at the Revival Brewing Company in Cranston treat yourself to a special film screening of the 1988 horror classic "Night Of The Demons."

Maine Halloween Events (full guide)

On Friday night, the Maine Academy of Modern Music is throwing Ghoul of Rock: MAMM Halloween Bash for a rock music-filled, all-ages Halloween costume party in Portland.

Grab your flashlight and head to Levant's Treworgy Family Orchards on Friday or Saturday night to get lost in their night maze but note that pre-registration is required. This Saturday and Sunday are the last days catch a ride on the Pumpkin Train at the Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Portland.

In Bangor, on Saturday you're invited to don your graveyard attire and join the undead for the Bangor Zombie Walk.

Thursday through Saturday, October 24th - 26th at the Wadsworth-Longfellow House in Portland, take in some some ghostly entertainment during Tales of the Supernatural where you can "gather in the shadow of the Longfellow House to toast marshmallows and hear tell of all things spooktacular and supernatural" as a storyteller relays family-friendly spooky stories and historic yarns beside musical accompaniment on the concertina.

Vermont Halloween Events (full guide)

Friday, October 25th in Essex Junction offers some outdoor, sloppy Halloween fun with Pumpkin Lobotomy event at Maple Street Park where families can gather in the spirit of Halloween for this spooktacularly messy community pumpkin carving event.
Saturday in Vermont will deliver plenty of Halloween fun all afternoon at the Newport Halloween Monster Bash where you'll find a Ghost Walk Parade and costume contest, trick-or-treating, wagon rides, a Halloween carnival, a Halloween mask-making workshop, Haunted Halls (for younger kids), and a haunted house (for braver kids).

On Saturday night in Bradford, "Party like its the apocalypse" is the motto for the adults-only Halloween Apocalyptic Afterparty and costume contest.
More family-focused events happening Sunday starting with the Shelburne Museum Trick or Treating Haunted Happenings in Shelburne. Donuts-on-a-string, pumpkin-carving, Halloween tales, wagon rides, and a costume parade are on the lineup in Woodstock during the Family Halloween at Billings Farm and Museum.

Where has Halloween New England been lately?

We spent a wonderful Friday night doubleheader in Massachusetts by starting our evening in Concord at Ghosts in the Gloaming haunted history tour with the Concord Tour Company. We followed it up later in the evening at Gore Place in Waltham for an hour of spooky tales and ghost stories at our first-ever Frightful Friday. Saturday we worked our way up the coast into Haverhill, MA to visit Ravenwood Haunted Farm for a scream-filled stroll of their haunted trail and haunted corn maze during their inaugural season.
Sunday brought us north to Goffstown, NH during the afternoon for the Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Goffstown Pumpkin Regatta. We wrapped up our evening at Haunted Overload in Lee, NH for a twilight walkthrough with our pals from Ghost Ride Productions.

Weekly Top Picks for October 17th - Oct 22nd, 2019

We are throttling toward Halloween and one of the biggest and most anticipated weekends of the season for Halloween thrill-seekers, haunt-goers, ghostly tale lovers, Halloween and costume party goers, adults, teens, kids, Jack-o-Lantern fans, and absolutely everyone in between. 

If you don't have your pumpkins, be sure to support a local pumpkin patch from one of the many scenic farms that dot the New England landscape. We love seeing pumpkins popping up on doorsteps everywhere during our travels!

We have dozens more wonderful events listed for this week on our website but our hand-picked state-by-state highlights are listed below.

The Haunted Speakeasy kicks off this Weekend! 

Friday and Saturday are the first two vintage Halloween parties of The Haunted Speakeasy's four-night season where you can sport your ghastly or Gatsby-inspired costume in a historic 100-year old former jail and courthouse in Worcester where you will be treated to Prohibition-era cocktails, live entertainment, a burlesque show, and dancing! 

Advance tickets are a must for The Haunted Speakeasy (Friday and Saturday, October 18th and 19th, Friday and Saturday, October 25th and 26th).

$18 DementedFX Tickets on Blood Thirsty Thursday (Thursday, Oct. 17th) and Military Night (Sunday, Oct 20th)!

College students are the big winners here this Thursday, October 17th when they can score $18 tickets to DementedFX Haunted House in Holyoke, MA!
DementedFX delivers an in-your-face haunt experience, room to hang out, no cover to party, and a bar that is open until they close for the night. Must show valid College ID to take advantage of this special $18 ticket deal. Blood Thirsty Thursday event details.

On Sunday, October 20th it is Military Night at DementedFX where veterans and military can enjoy the haunt with $18 tickets (ID required). Military Night details.

Cirque of the Dead returns to the Oberon in Cambridge, MA

You have six opportunities to snag tickets to Cirque of the Dead's immersive, macabre circus experience!

The Boston Circus Guild invites you to follow their “ 'paranormal investigation team' as they explore the dark recesses of a haunted theater to look for evidence of evil spirits and nefarious creatures that manifest in the shadows. Ghosts, ghouls, and creatures from beyond the grave will fill the evening with never-before-seen circus acts including aerials, acrobatics, hand balancing, and more. This immersive, adults-only Halloween spectacular is not for the faint of heart, but is filled with as much humor as it is with horror."

Performers will be suspended above you and roam the venue as you can enjoy a cocktail while taking in the festivities. This show is 18+ only, due to graphic/disturbing content. (Production uses strobe and haze effects). Cirque of the Dead details.

Pick a perfect pumpkin at your local pumpkin patch!

As you know by now, Halloween New England makes it so easy to find a local pumpkin patch for carving your jack-o-lanterns in time for Halloween. Add in the various community pumpkin carving contests and pumpkin displays to the mix of your pumpkin-buying needs and you will certainly need to stock up on more than a few!

We have state-by-state guides and maps to all your local farms featuring pumpkin patches and PYO pumpkins.

Click on your state for Halloween New England's Pumpkin Patch Guides for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Still Time to Find (and get help with) Costumes for Halloween Events!

Bought your tickets to The Haunted Speakeasy but need to complete your 1920's costume? Need some help with your zombie details? 

Not every New England state can boast that they have a year-round, brick-and-mortar costume store but New Hampshire can! Costumania in West Lebanon moved to a new, bigger store last year to offer even more to their customers! We love that owner Mark Young is the kind of guy who actually can recognize returning customers an entire year later which speaks to the kind of personalized customer experience and expertise you get if you swing by in person.
Want to get a $10 off $40 purchase in-store coupon like the one you see here?  Visit the Costumania page to download your $10 off coupon.
Can't get to West Lebanon? You'll be happy to learn they also feature an online store.

At Port City Makerspace in Portsmouth, NH this Friday, October 18th is their weekly FREE Costume Building Night where you can work on creating your dream Halloween costume and the only limit is your imagination! They'll have people on hand to help assist you and you'll even have access to their classroom and electronics lab as well as tools, 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines and more. This Friday features an experienced maker to help guide you with adding lights and circuits to your costume!

Massachusetts Halloween Events (full guide)

Much is brewing in Mass this weekend! Friday, October 18th starts you off with the Black as Midnight Halloween Ball in Marblehead which is billed as a Halloween Cosplay event with a costume contest, dancing, entertainment, snacks, and other festivities.

This Friday, October 19th you can get dolled up in your best flapper ensemble, imbibe Prohibition-era cocktails, and lindy-hop your way through the night accompanied by live music and performances by Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers at The  Haunted Speakeasy vintage Halloween Party inside a historic turn-of-the-century jail and former courthouse.

Pete's Sweets in East Longmeadow has a tasty event lined up for Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th with a Hocus Pocus Halloween Baking Class for anyone age 6 and up. Visitors will make a Hocus Pocus-themed brownie, two themed sugar cookie designs, and participate in a timed Secret Ingredient Challenge!

More Saturday Halloween highlights include the Dead Writers Dance costumed Halloween Party in Northampton and the afternoon Lights On Tours of Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington.

If you're going to be in the  Witch City, book your tour with Salem's Haunted Footsteps offered nightly at 8pm Monday through Friday. In fact, Haunted Footsteps offers multiple tours all day long in a variety of Salem-focused topics so be sure to book your reservation early!

Our top Horror Film Screening picks this week are the outdoor double-feature screening of "Sleepaway Camp" and "The Blair Witch Project" being held at Rocky Woods in Medfield on Friday which is an off-site event hosted by The Coolidge Corner Theatre. Outdoor overnight camping options available too if you dare--as if you could even sleep after all that anyway...

Check out "The Amityville Horror" (1979) matinee showing in Haverhill on Tuesday, October 22nd. Those are just a few of the horror film screenings happening in Mass during this week. Click for the full list of horror film screenings.

Connecticut Halloween Events (full guide)

On Thursday, October 17th you can hone your Jack O'Lantern skills at the Spooky Pumpkin Carving Workshop at OISS in New Haven where you can learn from an award-winning pumpkin carving artist at this carving event for adults.

In Simsbury on Friday, October 18th, the Storyteller's Cottage invites you Art Macabre: Ghoulish Drawing where you can "spend a spooky evening in our candlelit magical and medieval spaces drawing live models as they drift by dressing as Victorian ghosts" and a local artist will be there to offer assistance as she hosts this special drawing event.

Our favorite New England Scarecrow Festival is also coming up this Saturday, October 19th in Wallingford where on top of the many family-friendly outdoor activities, you can also make your own scarecrow!

On Saturday and Sunday, October 19th and 20th you will find the return of the annual Ballet Spooktacular in Old Saybrook which you'll have two performances each day to catch it!

If you love spooky legends and haunted history walks, consider Haunted: Victorian Ghost Stories on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion in Norwalk.
And on Sunday night in Simsbury, the Storyteller's Cottage hosts another great event this weekend - Haunted Graveyard: a Wandering Mystery Game where you'll collect clues from the graveyard across the street then return back to the cottage to solve a special Halloween mystery - costumes are welcome!
On Monday, October 21st the actors from the Spirits Alive Cemetery Lantern Tours convene in Cheshire for Conversations from the Grave to share their in-depth experiences playing historic Cheshire residents with expanded contest and discussion.

Rhode Island Halloween Events (full guide)

On Friday, October 18th, take in some zombified crooners with "The Rat Pack Undead: Frank, Dino, and Sammy Rise Again" at Savini's Pomodoro in Woonsocket where you'll be treated to the standards with a Halloween twist such as "Come Die With Me," "Get Me to the Crypt on Time," "What Kind of Ghoul Am I?"

For a special splurge on Saturday, October 19th  is the annual Boo at the Zoo Family Overnight at the Roger Williams Zoo where you can pack your sleeping bag and have access to VIP Jack-o-Lantern Spectacular, ice cream, a movie with popcorn, and a private zoo tour in the morning.

On Saturday and Sunday in Providence, you'll find the annual H.P. Lovecraft Walking Tour and your ticket will also include admission to the upcoming Vortex Film Festival Festival.
The Vortex Film Festival kicks off in Providence on Saturday, October 19th for a week-long examination and celebration of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror Films. Running through October 27th.

On Saturday night October 19th in Pawtucket you can take in some lively Halloween festivities at the "Halloween BooLesque and Cabaret 2 for 1 Theater Show" featuring Ms. Maple Devine & The Fringe Follies Gals. You'll want to be sure to come in your most fabulous costume to try your luck at one of the door prizes!

New Hampshire Halloween Events (full guide)

Thursday, October 17th is Fright Night Lite at Haunted Overload which is the ideal place if you want some spooky (but not scary) fun or to just plain gawk at the artistry at New England's most original haunted trail on a night where you'll have the full atmosphere but none of the scares!

This weekend is also the annual Goffstown Pumpkin Weigh-off (Saturday) and Pumpkin Regatta (Sunday) where everyone will find something they love including a doggie costume contest, hayrides, pumpkin slingshots, pumpkin pie eating contests, pumpkin seed spitting contest, and culminating with the regatta where race their giant pumpkin boats down the river!

Still too scared to see Haunted Overload in the darkness? Check them out Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am-5:00pm for their Daytime Haunt which is a scare and actor-free experience enjoyed in the broad daylight.

Friday and Saturday, October 18th and 19th is the Enchanted Forest at the McLane Center in Concord where you can wander the enchanted trail into the forest where you'll encounter larger than life creatures, plants, and characters as they perform skits about mysterious activities in nature. After the trail you can be invited to gather around a campfire for engaging stories. This is family-friendly, non-scary entertainment where early tours are offered during the daylight; later tours are on dark trails in the woods, illuminated by real jack-o-lanterns.
The pumpkin-free walking tour of Spirit Encounters at Canterbury Village where you can hear firsthand accounts of otherworldly encounters as seen through a Shaker lens. Tours being offered this Friday and Saturday, October 18th and 19th plus the following 25th and 26th.

Maine Halloween Events (full guide)

Maine has the Halloween spirit this weekend! Start your weekend on Thursday the 17th with the Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour for an evening filled with tales of murders, mysteries, and history. If you can't get there on Thursday, you'll have another chance to check it out on Tuesday, October 22nd.

Portland Ballet returns this October with more seasonal programming - this year featuring "Tales by Poe" which is ballet-inspired by Edgar Allen Poe. There are two performances to check out this Friday and Saturday nights, October 19th and 20th.

Head back to Bangor on Saturday, October 19th for a haunted history tour of the gravestones at The Darker Side of Mt. Hope Cemetery.

On Saturday, October 19th downtown Bucksport surrenders to Halloween for one special day and night for Ghostport  - an all-ages celebration of everyone's favorite holiday! Featuring the Lil' Goblins Parade, pumpkin carving contests, pumpkin trebuchets, an evening costumed dance on the waterfront and haunted thrills Fright at the Fort.

Vermont Halloween Events (full guide)

Our highlights in Vermont this week include the Thursday afternoon screening in Stowe of Benedict Cumberbatch's live theatre performance as "Frankenstein" as performed with the National Theatre in London.

On Saturday, October 19th, for an event with milder thrills yet still delivers the spooky, try the Not So Scary Halloween at Wilson Castle in Proctor. Kids can tour the castle in costume while they trick or treating throughout Additional fun includes costume relay race, Wrap the Mummy, bobbing for apples, pumpkin decorating, coloring contest, costume contest, and doughnuts on a string!

Weeknights in late-October provides the rare chance to see a haunted attraction in a more personal setting and with fewer crowds. Get the most from the month by carving out time to visit a local haunt on a weeknight. Plus, the closer we get to October, the more options we have! We made it super easy for you to find which haunted attractions are open on Monday through Thursdays on our Guide to Haunted Attractions Open WEEKNIGHTS.

Thursday, October 17th, 2019

Haunted Overload (NH) - Fright Night Lite (full show, no scares) Details

Fright Haven (CT)

The Dark Manor (CT) - Student ID Night

Barrett's Haunted Mansion (MA)

Demented FX (MA) - Blood Thirsty Thursday Details

Nightmare Vermont (VT)

SpookyWorld (NH) - Trail and Haunted Hayride

Field of Screams (RI) - House and Haunted Hayride

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

Shorter lines and personal experiences are what you get when you check out an attraction on an off-peak night. Veteran haunt-goers know to get the most out of the season by visiting haunted attractions on as many off-peak nights as possible. You're in luck--Halloween New England makes it easy with our handy Guide to Haunted Attractions Open Sundays. 

In fact, this Sunday, October 20th you can find TWENTY-THREE area haunted attractions which will have their chainsaws gassed up and ready for you!

Buy your tickets now for Haunted Overload (Lee, NH), The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT), Evidence of Evil (Southington, CT), 13th World (Cumberland, RI), Fear Town (Seekonk, MA), Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA), DementedFX (Holyoke, MA), Legends of Fear (Shelton, CT), Abandoned Nightmares (Plymouth, NH) Trail of Terror (Wallingford, CT), The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT), and  Fright Haven (Stratford, CT).

What has Halloween New England been? 

Last weekend we had memorable weekend in Connecticut and where we toured through Legends of Fear in Shelton, CT and Fright Haven in Stratford; we took in a triple-header on Saturday starting our night at Evidence of Evil  in Southington, CT, followed by our first-ever visit to Haunt on Eden in Plantsville, CT and wrapped up our night of screaming at The Haunted Graveyard in Bristol, CT.
On Sunday, we popped into to check out the family-friendly entertainment at Pumpkintown USA in

For the upcoming Columbus Day Weekend we are venturing back to CT for the full weekend where you might run into us at Legends of Fear (Shelton, CT), Fright Haven (Stratford, CT), Evidence of Evil (Southington, CT), Haunt on Eden (Plantsville, CT) and The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT)
On our way back to MA we hope to stop to see Pumpkintown USA  (East Hampton, CT). What an incredible weekend it was and we can't thank everyone enough for hosting us!

New Contests:  We're closing out our 4th Jack O'Lantern Spectacular ticket contest this Sunday along with our other incredible Barrett's Haunted Mansion contest to win a 4-pack of tickets to their haunt in Abington, MA. We've got our one and only contest up now to win a Halloween season tour from Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tour in Mystic, CT, and one shot to win tickets to see Abandoned Nightmares brand new haunt in Plymouth, NH.

It's your last chance to win combo tickets to the closing weekend at  The Haunted Graveyard in Bristol, CT, and out final contest is up to see Haunted Overload in Lee, NH. We also have encore weekend VIP tickets for Fright Haven in Stratford, CT and

Enter all contests right from the home page of Halloween New England.

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

Haunted Houses Opening Thursday, October 17th, 2019

Nightmare Vermont (VT)
Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Haunted Houses Opening Friday, October 18th, 2019

Abandoned Nightmares (NH)
Pittsford Haunted House (VT)

Harrybrooke Haunted Trail (CT)

Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

We're thrilled to have teamed up again with the 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 or Instagram or hire them to capture your Halloween attraction or event?