Halloween week has arrived - and the most special night of the year lands on a Sunday night! We couldn't be more pleased to be able to pack in a full week of events, haunts, tours, and other seasonal goodies.
Halloween New England is publishing our top picks early this week to give you plenty of time to find something to line up for every night of the week! What a difference a year makes - this year you won't be turning over rocks to find Halloween thrills and spooky fun. Even better, Halloween New England is publishing our top picks early this week to give you plenty of time to find something to line up for every night of the week up to and through the big night!
Halloween Week Haunted History - Special Events, Spooky Strolls, and Graveyard Walks in CT
Nothing beats a haunted history tour through a graveyard in late autumn--it perfectly captures the Halloween season in New England! Even better, an outdoor tour is well-suited to physical distancing and organic ventilation. If you are in Connecticut - or are seeking a special way to ring in Halloween week - Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours has an expanded tour schedule you'll want to check out. Advance bookings for everything are essential during Halloween week!
Wednesday, October 27th - Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tour at 7:00pm
Thursday, October 28th - Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour at 7:00pm
Friday, October 29th - Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tour at 7:00pm
Saturday, October 30th - Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour at 7:00pm & Moonlit Graveyard Ghost Tour at 7:00 & 9:15pm
Saturday, October 30th Whitehall Burial Ground Paranormal Investigation (details).
Join us for a special Halloween Weekend interactive paranormal
investigation of the historic Whitehall Burial Ground. Tickets are $40
for this 11:30pm event.
Sunday, October 31st (Halloween) - Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour at 7:00pm & Moonlit Graveyard Ghost Tour at 7:00pm
Monday, November 1st (All Saints Day) - Downtown Mystic Ghost Tour at 7:00pm
Tuesday, November 2nd (All Souls Day) - Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Tour at 7:00pm
Read more about Seaside Shadows in Mystic, CT.
Last Call for Costumes - Halloween and Costumes Guide to help you out!
Halloween New England has simplified your costume needs by listing all your state's Costume and Halloween stores right in one place. We have lists of locally-owned, year-round, as well as many seasonal pop-up stores so get moving soon to snap up those final details for your costume. Every year we research the stores to make sure they are where we have them listed and we always make sure we've got this year's list of pop-up, seasonal stores so you are never left hanging for those final details to round out your perfect costume.
Click to see Halloween New England's complete Costume and Halloween Store guides for Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
It's Halloween Week so it is your last, best chance to see as many haunts as you can pack in before your favorite season is over.
Wednesday, October 27th has just two New England area haunted attractions that'll be open so make a point to get to Fall River, MA for Factory of Terror and to Abington, MA for Barrett's Haunted Mansion.
Thursday, October 28th offers up ten local attractions to choose from including Haunted Overload's Fright Night Lite (Lee, NH), Demented FX (Holyoke, MA), Fear Town (Seekonk, MA), Legends of Fear trail (Shelton, CT), Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA)and The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT) will be open with Student Night deal of $5 off admission with student ID.
If ringing in your favorite night of the year involves screams, scares, fog, and the stuff of nightmares then you know what you need to do - get your butt to an area haunted house to make this night most memorable!
TWENTY-NINE haunted houses and trails will be open on Halloween Night including 13th World (Cumberland, RI), The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT), Terror at Quassy (Middlebury, CT), Trail of Terror (Wallingford, CT), Legends of Fear trail (Shelton, CT), Factory of Terror (Fall River, MA), DementedFX (Holyoke, MA) Terror in the Maze (East Longmeadow, MA), Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA), Fear on the Farm at McCray's Farm (South Hadley, MA), and Haunted Overload will be presenting their annual Blackout Night (Lee, NH).
Click for a complete list visit our Guide to which Haunted Attractions are Open on Halloween.
Massachusetts Halloween Events (Full Guide)
So many events happening in the Bay State during Halloween week-- we had a tricky time paring down to our top picks!
Start your Halloween week on Wednesday, October 27th! Have you ever heard a story you didn’t think was true, but then thought… what if? Bloody Mary in the mirror? The Hook by Lover’s Lane? White Lady ghosts? Stolen body parts? Why do similar stories pop up all over the world? Are they more than just stories?
Come take an entertaining and enlightening journey through the (proverbial) graveyard on Wednesday, October 27th with author and folklorist Jeff Belanger during his presentation Dark Journeys: Exploring Urban Legends. For over 20 years, Jeff has been exploring the unexplained. He seeks out history, folklore, ghosts, monsters, and legends all over the world and in your backyard.
This indoor program is for adults (high school age and up) and take note it will be held inside at the Lynnfield Meetinghouse (not at the library facility itself).
A visit to the Witch City is never complete unless you include something unique--This Wednesday, October 27th is the Samhain Ritual at Maison Vampyre in Salem may be just the thing to add to your Halloween experiences. You will not be expected to participate in this ritual if you do not desire to, and are welcome to observe our beautiful ritual and tradition outside the circle if you would feel more comfortable.
Phantoms & Fire at Old Sturbridge Village continues its after-hours spooky delights from bats and bonfires to cauldrons and candy, from ghosts and guitars, theatrical poetry and storytelling, horror and…maybe even…a headless horseman! Take your entire family to Sturbridge this Halloween week as there is something for every age around every corner at this living history museum on Wednesday, October 27th through Sunday, October 31st.
Phantoms & Fire at Old Sturbridge Village continues its after-hours spooky delights from bats and bonfires to cauldrons and candy, from ghosts and guitars, theatrical poetry and storytelling, horror and…maybe even…a headless horseman! Take your entire family to Sturbridge this Halloween week as there is something for every age around every corner at this living history museum on Wednesday, October 27th through Sunday, October 31st.
In Lowell, this Thursday through Saturday, you'll find the final performances of "A Crime in a Madhouse" a visceral, horror-filled theatre production in the style of Grand-Guignol and presented by VitalSaenz at Mill No. 5. This is designed as an intense, interactive show and is not for the faint of heart. Want to know where Halloween New England will be? We'll be here at the Thursday night performance because this kind of seasonal event is right up our horror- and theatre-loving alley.
Thursday, October 28th is a great night to learn more about Halloween: A Haunted History, at the Taft Public Library in Mendon! With over 25 years of experience researching the unknown, Dustin Pari brings exciting and positive lectures about the paranormal all across the country. Dustin has traveled the world over looking for answers and expanding his understanding of the unseen realm and is joining the library on this night to share it with you.
On Frightful Friday, October 29th, choose from the 6:30pm or the 7:45pm program.
The event takes place outdoors under a spacious tent where tables and chairs will also be provided for comfort. The site is accessible, and modern indoor restrooms will be available. Please, dress for the weather.
3rd Degree of Terror, an annual home haunt in Ayer is waiting for you to stop by this Friday, October 29th-Sunday, October 31st. As an established, free, home haunt in the area, Third Degree of Terror is open just three nights a year each Halloween weekend so this is your one shot to check it out! This community haunt is designed for all ages and contains detailed, realistic, and immersive scenes, utilizing lighting, sound effects, and scents to full advantage. The emphasis is on creating a spooky and creepy atmosphere and you might even find Halloween New England popping by to see it this year too!
Get your fill of terror at the Annual Halloween Horror Marathon at The Coolidge in Brookline this Saturday, October 30th as the Horror Marathon returns for its monstrous 20th year! There is a special perk this year which is composer Alan Howarth (credits: They Live, Halloween II) will be on-site at the beginning to treat you to a concert performance of some of his memorable scores right at the top of the evening at 11pm. Post-show, the horror films will kick off for twelve hours straight with a curated selection of incredible horror film sequels—all on 35mm!
For old-school classic horror on Saturday, October 30th, view "The Haunted House" (1921) and "Nosferatu" (1922) with live accompaniment on the Wurltizer Organ. Screening at the Zeiterion Theatre in New Bedford. Organist Bernie Anderson provides the soundtrack for The Haunted House (1921), which follows Buster Keaton on the run and hiding in an abandoned house where a visiting opera company of "Faust" also seeks refuge. The influential horror film Nosferatu (1922) tells the story of a mysterious Count Orlok (Max Schreck), an undead night creature with a taste for human blood.
Take advantage of the wonderfully crisp October evenings we've been enjoying and get outside. Superstitions have long surrounded Copicut Woods in Fall River with rumors of witchcraft and other paranormal activity which circulate the property to this day. Join Halloween New England--yep we'll be there!-- this Friday, October 29th for Myth Busters: Lore and Magic in Copicut Woods as we'll be guests on this special tour exploring the history of Copicut’s local lore. This guided hike will travel through an abandoned farm settlement and the 150-year-old stone-wall-lined Miller Lane.
The Costume Nature Hike at Slocum River Reserve in Dartmouth, MA is for Halloween enthusiasts of all ages! All are welcome on this hike, where we will learn about the wildlife at the beautiful Slocum River Reserve.
Take a peek at more all-ages events coming up in MA on our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for MA.
Connecticut Halloween Events (Full Guide)
Tap into your inner zombie - live out your 80's music video dreams! The Thriller Flash Mob is looking for Zombies ages 13 and up for an organized flash mob taking place on Halloween night in New Milford! Only two final rehearsals to join -- Wednesday, October 27th and Saturday, October 30th. You'll learn a modified version of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and you do not have to be a dancer! You will learn the entire dance in one rehearsal then be given a video link to practice to. The more rehearsals you attend, the better, but you only need to attend one. All are welcome to join; children ages 6-12 are invited to participate if they are accompanied by an adult and act appropriately.
It is the last weekend to see "Night of the Living Dead" A Play in Three Acts (theatre) at The Bradley Playhouse in Putnam. As the story goes, when a group of conflicted strangers are trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse by marauding ghouls, can the strangers overcome their prejudice and suspicions to survive the night? Based upon the 1968 American independent horror film by George A. Romero, co-written by John Russo, this version has been adapted for the stage with new scenes by John F. Carroll. Find evening performances on Friday and Saturday, October 29th and 30th plus a Halloween Day matinee on October 31st.
The Not So Scary Halloween Drive-Through in East Haddam is taking place this Friday and Saturday night October 29th and 30th with an experience designed for young children, but fun for all ages!
Take a drive through the magical Pony Trail which has been decorated and lit up for Halloween! With all sorts of exciting sights on the way you'll be treated to their human characters dressed to the occasion! Candy will be passed out to the little visiting goblins.
This will be a fun event offered in daylight and in the dark. The only difference is in the dark you will see all the beautiful lights! This event is offered as a drive-through experience only.
Take a drive through the magical Pony Trail which has been decorated and lit up for Halloween! With all sorts of exciting sights on the way you'll be treated to their human characters dressed to the occasion! Candy will be passed out to the little visiting goblins.
This will be a fun event offered in daylight and in the dark. The only difference is in the dark you will see all the beautiful lights! This event is offered as a drive-through experience only.
Check out more upcoming Halloween events for kids at our Family-friendly Halloween Event Guide for all-ages fun in CT.
New Hampshire Halloween Events (Full Guide)
On Saturday, October 30th you can take the hair-raising fun up a notch at Haunted Overload's Glow Stick Night where your single glow stick is the only standing between you, pitch darkness, and pure terror. However, if pure terror IS your speed, then you'll be glad to know there is also BLACKOUT Night available to you - no glow stick, just your own bravery and sense of direction to help you navigate. Appropriately, this most frightening of events is taking place this year on Sunday, October 31st - Halloween night.
"Dracula" at The Strand in Dover offers up a weekend of theatrical performance running Friday through Sunday, October 29th-31st --Halloween Fun For the Whole Family!!
The premise surrounds Lucy Seward, whose father is the doctor in charge of an English sanatorium, who has been attacked by some mysterious illness. Dr. Van Helsing, a specialist, believes that the girl is the victim of a vampire, a sort of ghost that goes about at night sucking blood from its victims. The play is intended for all who love thrills in the theater and is appropriate for all groups.
"The Invisible Man" / "The Wolfman" Double-feature Screening on Saturday, Oct. 30th in Londonderry, NH is double the scary fun! Universal is celebrating the 90th Anniversary of their Classic Monsters with a special double feature of the original The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man! Plus, fans will get an exclusive tour of the Universal Studios lot!
The premise surrounds Lucy Seward, whose father is the doctor in charge of an English sanatorium, who has been attacked by some mysterious illness. Dr. Van Helsing, a specialist, believes that the girl is the victim of a vampire, a sort of ghost that goes about at night sucking blood from its victims. The play is intended for all who love thrills in the theater and is appropriate for all groups.
"The Invisible Man" / "The Wolfman" Double-feature Screening on Saturday, Oct. 30th in Londonderry, NH is double the scary fun! Universal is celebrating the 90th Anniversary of their Classic Monsters with a special double feature of the original The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man! Plus, fans will get an exclusive tour of the Universal Studios lot!
This Saturday, October 30th is the final FREE Costume Building Night at Port City Makerspace in Portsmouth, NH. Halloween is truly a maker's holiday, and we love it! To share the love every year Port City Makerspace offers Free Costume-Building Nights to encourage people to go above and beyond for the costume! Their classroom space and Electronics Lab spaces are open for use during these nights from 5-8pm. Members and volunteers will be around to work on their costumes and help you with yours! If you need help with another part of the shop, they can help you operate the equipment or guide you through the workspaces. FREE event but reserve your ticket and space. Suggested donation for these nights is $5, and all donations will go to the Portsmouth Halloween Parade.
If you are still on the lookout for additional kids' activities, visit our Family-friendly Halloween Events Guide for fun in NH.
This Saturday, October 30th in East Greenwich, take a jump to the left at the "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" Screening with performances by RKO Army. In this exciting show, the RKO Army brings the cult classic movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, from screen to stage in an interactive event that will have you on your feet dancing and shouting lines back at the film.
Maine Halloween Events (Full Guide)
For people of all ages who appreciate a creepy Halloween activity, make a beeline to Judgement Day at the Haunted Courthouse in Dresden! Taking place at the Pownalborough Court House on Friday, October 29th, participants will experience a tour of the haunted courthouse and cemetery with hauntings provided by people portraying the ghosts of Pownalborough’s past.
An outdoor fire with seating will allow guests to enjoy the grounds before or after their tour. Hot chocolate and cider will be provided.
We're thrilled to support a special hour of Sensory-friendly Jack-O'-Lantern Spectacular which takes place 60 minutes before the trail opens to the public. Designed for participants with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and sensory-processing differences, this calmer event will take place from 5:00–6:00 pm over two nights - Tuesday and Wednesday, October 26th and 27th. The over-5000 pumpkins will light up the Zoo’s Wetlands Trail and the sensory-friendly hour will be completely free of music or special effects. Tickets are available for purchase in person only at the Zoo's admissions booth.
It's the final days of carved pumpkin magic at the Jack-O'-Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Zoo. Guests can stroll, or dance their way, past thousands of intricately
carved pumpkin display while listening to soundtracks from the
1860’s through contemporary music.
On Friday, October 29th, the BankNewport City Center, in Providence invites you to dance and skate your way into the night with a wicked good time at the last roller disco of the season - BOOgie Bash and Costume Contest from 5:00pm- 10:00pm. This is an all-ages event and everyone is encouragedto dress up for the evening's costume contest!
This performance also includes RKO Army's performance of Michael Jackson's Thriller!
The Providence Monster Dash 5K & Kids Dash on Halloween Sunday October 31st -- a fun Halloween run where most people dress up in Halloween outfits!
This run takes participants through the RIPTA bus tunnels which have been overrun by ZOMBIES!!!!! For the more family-friendly version, the Kids Monster Dash Youth Race (Age 1 to 12 where parents can run with kids) and the youth race does not use the zombie tunnel and the distance is approximately 1/2 mile.
This run takes participants through the RIPTA bus tunnels which have been overrun by ZOMBIES!!!!! For the more family-friendly version, the Kids Monster Dash Youth Race (Age 1 to 12 where parents can run with kids) and the youth race does not use the zombie tunnel and the distance is approximately 1/2 mile.
Looking for more kids' activities? Check out our Family-friendly Halloween Events Guide for fun in RI.
Maine Halloween Events (Full Guide)
An outdoor fire with seating will allow guests to enjoy the grounds before or after their tour. Hot chocolate and cider will be provided.
Ballet Spooktacular at Portland Ballet will be performing their annual Halloween show in Westbrook, ME this Saturday, October 30th with a family-friendly presentation of Halloween-inspired ballet by students of the Senior and Pre-Professional Divisions at Portland School of Ballet!
Halloween-themed dances are combined with famous classical music for a performance that is ideal for all ages! This performance will include a raffle drawing and costume parade at intermission, so come dressed in your best Halloween costume! "Phantom of the Opera" (1925) and the Kotzschmar Organ in Portland, ME is back in Merrill Auditorium! Join Municipal Organist James Kennerley on Saturday, October 30th as he brings life, intrigue and, most importantly, brilliant musical accompaniment to The Phantom of the Opera, a 1925 American silent musical horror film adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra, starring Lon Chaney in the title role of the deformed Phantom. Kennerley improvises the music for these events, and no two performances are ever the same.
Vermont Halloween Events (Full Guide)
Halloween-themed dances are combined with famous classical music for a performance that is ideal for all ages! This performance will include a raffle drawing and costume parade at intermission, so come dressed in your best Halloween costume!
Take your furry friend in tow this Saturday 30th for a visit to Paloween: Trick or Treat at Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk. This is a family-friendly event hosted by the Animal Welfare Society who will have treats for the dogs, cats and rabbits in the AWS Adoption Center. Other fun includes a costume parade and a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt around AWS' campus. Paloween is an outdoor event and takes place rain or shine.
Presque Isle Haunted Hearse Tour departs from Historic Fire Station and asks you to contemplate -- are there really ghosts and lingering spirits in Presque Isle? Halloween Night - October 31st--offers the final chances to join this special tour - choose from tours running at 6:00pm, 7:30pm, and 9:00pm. This is a rain or shine event.
Vermont Halloween Events (Full Guide)
Newport Halloween Monster Bash in Newport has all of your Halloween fun events rolled into one place! On Saturday October 30th creep on over to Newport for tricks, treats, games, and activities for the whole family including a Halloween Costume Contest, trick-or-treating, wagon rides, and a Halloween Carnival featuring spooktacular games and haunted hallways.
Also happening on Saturday, October 30th, consider joining Queen City Ghost tours' very own Thea Lewis (Haunted Burlington, Haunted Inns and Ghostly Getaways of Vermont) for Darkness Falls Ghost Tour in Burlington, VT a trip through time on this perennial favorite. This downtown Burlington tour introduces you to the notorious historic characters from Burlington’s and intriguing haunted locations. This is a tour suitable for ages 10 and up at parental discretion as some sensitive subject matter is included.
CONTESTS: Last Chance for Ghost Tour Tickets!
Our final two contests of the season are running RIGHT now but only through this weekend! Act fast and enter as often as you wish to try your luck at winning a pair of tickets to Block Island Ghost Tours and a Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour with Salem Historical Tours. Both contest tickets offer redemption into 2022 (woohoo) so you can access your spooky fun well ahead of Halloween next year if you score these tickets. Enter all contests right from the home page on Halloween New England.
As always, you can find recent winners to all our contests if you tune in to Halloween New England's Instagram Story!
