Weekly Top Picks Sept 23rd-28th, 2021

With October knocking on our door, we are thrilled that our favorite month of the year is right around the corner! Bring on the pumpkins, falling leaves, traditions, lights, spooky yards, horror movies, haunted trails, costume contests, Halloween displays, and yes, bring on the candy too. 

We're also very happy to see Halloween events starting to kick in around the region. In fact, we've added over 1000 events to our events database and you'll see them populating the state-by-state Halloween events guides very soon. With our new website, we're making sure everything works smoothly for you before we roll things out -- once the event listings start showing up on the guides, you will go crazy with all there is to do! 

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 happening across New England this Halloween season. We publish a fresh post every Wednesday until November!

Grave Addiction and Grave Detectives - Cemetery Tours for every age!

The Concord Tour Company has rolled out two exciting new tours this October!

Grave Detectives! Stories in Stone is an interactive family-friendly cemetery tour for kids and adults which explores the art, history, and sometimes funny stories behind the stones. This brand new offering reminds us that for kids, Halloween isn't always just about candy (ok, it's a big appeal) because this holiday sparks the imagination and curiosity in kids of all ages. 

With only four tour dates, Grave Detectives will introduce kids to some of Concord, MA’s oldest history hiding in plain sight at Old Hill Burying Ground including how to read gravestone iconography, how to use images to roughly date stones, and how the epitaphs convey information. Recommended for teens and kids 7y+. 11:00am Tours held n four select dates ~ find a 10% off promo code at this link!

If you are looking for cemetery tours geared toward adults, you will enjoy the Concord Tour Company's Grave Addiction experience where you will explore everything about these graves from burial customs to iconography. A sometimes humorous and sometimes chilling look at the stories behind the stones, this is a unique and memorable historical experience in beautiful downtown Concord!
Tours run Fri-Sun at twilight every weekend in October! Book early as these will fill quickly and that promo code will work for this tour too! 

Squeeze every drop of blood from your season with our Haunt Guides!

It's no secret that one of our absolute favorite ways to enjoy the Halloween season is to visit as many haunted attractions as we can possibly fit in. Years ago, in planning our Halloween fun, we researched the schedules for EVERY haunted house in New England to help us know what would be open and when. Compiling this list took dozens of hours over many weeks every season. Eventually, it dawned on us that if we were doing this amount of work to plot for our haunt trips, surely there were others who would also love access to that useful info too which is how our Opening Night Guide and Sunday Night Haunt Guide came to be! Soon after, we added the Weeknight Haunt Guide so we could squeeze every last drop of blood from our haunt-going every season.
Over the years, you might have seen us attending six haunts in a single weekend! Now you can too with just a click to access our guides.

Find Haunted History and Ghostly Tales on our state-by-state Ghost Tour Guides!

Who doesn't jump at the chance to spend a spooky hour strolling through a graveyard and soaking up local haunted history from an engaging tour guide under the light of the moon?
Okay, okay, I know we are preaching to the choir here... we love it as much as you do! 

If you haven't yet checked out Halloween New England's Ghost Tour Guide for every New England state then jump on over to our website where you can access a list of all the professional ghost tours and haunted history tours listed under each state. Plus, as our event calendar is populated, you'll find additional seasonal ghost tours rounding our your options on the Halloween Events and Activities Guides. 

Instagram Takeover Alert!

What would happen if Halloween New England handed over the reins to a local haunted attraction? We toyed with the idea all summer and we're very excited to share that our first of four Instagram Story Takeovers is hurtling at us in warp speed! 

We're so excited to share the news that 13th World Haunted Trail in Cumberland, RI is taking over Halloween New England's Instagram Story for the first takeover of the season! #HNETakeover and #HNEx13thWorld are the hashtags for this Friday's Takeover.

Be sure to tune in and follow Halloween New England's Instagram Story this Friday, September 24th - from morning to evening for 13th World's behind-the-scenes peek at working in a haunted attraction and get to meet a few of the folks who make you pee your pants every year! (Oh, that is just us? Uh, never mind!) You'll meet Morgan - Queen of Darkness, and Mama Nun - veteran actors at 13th World who will treat you a few of the ins and outs of working in a haunt.   

We've added dozens of new events to the Events database but most won't kick in until October. Until then, whet your appetite with our following top picks for the weekend:

Massachusetts Top Halloween Event Picks!

 

Join Salem Historical Tours for a special afternoon walking tour with the 1692 Witchcraft Walk! Here you can examine the demographics, theories, and personal stories comprising the dire events of 1692 with a  fascinating tour that will shed new light on what happened during the infamous witchcraft hysteria which turned neighbor against neighbor. Tours held daily in September and October at 1:00pm and again at 4:00pm during the fall. 

 

Another Salem offering you might enjoy is the Haunted Footsteps Salem Ghost Tour which takea you on a 90-minute lantern-lit ghostly tour through Salem packed with macabre tales, cemeteries, and local lore. Also held daily at this time of year--what could be easier?

 

All ages will enjoy tales of ghostly encounters at Edith Wharton's home The Mount in Lenox with the Family Friendly Ghost Tours at the Mount. The is hour-long tour will start at the top of the property at the Stable continue through the grounds into the empty rooms of the Main House and this tour is specially tailored for children ages 7-12. 

You will find Halloween New England this Sunday, September 26th for the Oddfest Haverhill, an oddities-focused vendor fair held inside Maria's Family Restaurant's lovely function hall. Featuring 25+ vendors selling oddities, curiosities, jewelry, vintage wares, & more--we can't wait!

Headed to The Big E? Be sure to stop by to experience the DementedFX Meat Tank Horror Experience. Holyoke's own DementedFX haunt has hit the road to bring you their MEAT Tank Horror as a featured vendor at The BIG E, open daily now through October 3rd.

Victims will hop on board a (M)ilitary (E)mergency (A)rmored (T)railer and travel into a post-apocalyptic, zombie wasteland, searching for a lost "asset." The sensory experience uses enhanced audio design, video, animatronics, lighting effects, and simulated movement to send the new recruits on an intense "4D" adventure they've always have had nightmares about.

Connecticut Top Halloween Event Picks

It's no secret here at Halloween New England, that we are big fans of Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours. They offer twilight tours at two locations in Mystic, CT nearly every night of the week! This Saturday, September 25th, they have an additional special tour lined up at Elm Grove Cemetery.

Check out the twilight tours with Seasides Shadows as well - Downtown Mystic Ghost Stroll and the Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Tour and, as always, advance bookings required.

Let's do the time warp together this Friday & Saturday, September 24th & 25th at the Mansfield Drive-in's screening of the The Rocky Horror Picture Show with the RKO Army's live shadow cast!

Get out your Harry Potter and partake in some costumed fun at The Wizards Costume Contest at the CT Renaissance Faire in Lebanon this Saturday, September 25th. 

Also on Saturday, September 25th, don your goggles for some Jules Verne-inspired cosplay fun Compass Rose Steampunk Festival at Roseland Cottage in scenic Woodstock. 

Rhode Island Top Halloween Event Picks

Block Island Ghost Tours has wonderfully spooky Old Harbor Walking Tours on weekend nights through Columbus Day Weekend (and then continues weekends only until Halloween).
Rhode Island's very own Block Island welcomes its first and only interactive ghost tour which explores the stories and lore behind ghost ships, FBI serial killer man-hunts, massacres, and curses--and that is just a sample of the things you will hear all about! This easy one-mile tour shines a light on the darker, hidden history of Block Island and every tour is unique as their ghost hosts deliver their own creative twist on the history and folklore of Block Island.

Ever wanted to create some over-the-top, very original Halloween memories? This Tuesday, September 28th, grab a few friends for a splurge on a Haunted Gondola Ride -The Viaggio di Fantasme, or "Trip of Ghosts."  

A trained tour guide from Providence Ghost Tour will tell you about all of the haunted happenings along the Riverwalk of Providence during a 50-minute guided gondola ride. This unique experience is only available on Tuesdays and Thursdays during September and October.

Enjoy a couple of songs from your gondoliers and munch on their signature wine biscuits. To partake in this tour, you would reserve your own boat which can fit up to 6 people/guests.

Few horror movies can tell a story as well as this slow-burn classic based on the best-selling Stephen King novel, Carrie which is celebrating its 45th Anniversary this year! Sissy Spacek is spectacular in conveying her vulnerability and executing her vengeance! Find a matinee and evening screening on Sunday, September 26th as well as an additional evening screening on Wednesday, September 29th. Celebrate  Stephen King's "Carrie"45th Anniversary Film Screenings can be found in RI this weekend and also will be screening throughout New England!

Vermont Top Halloween Event Picks 

True-crime lovers unite - have we got a tour for you! Head to Burlington this Thursday, September 24th for the True Crime Thursdays Tour an evening of ghastly and grisly crimes with join historian Thea Lewis, author of Wicked Vermont. This walking tour will treat you to some of the most infamous and notorious tales of the Queen City. Sensitive subject matter so this tour is best for ages 16 and up.

On Sunday, September 26th the pumpkins will fly, winners will be crowned, chili will be eaten, and music will be enjoyed at the Vermont Pumpkin Chuckin' Festival hosted at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort in Stowe. few things are more entertaining than a competition for who built the trebuchet to chuck the pumpkins the furthest! 

New Hampshire Top Halloween Event Picks 

Last weekend Halloween New England was treated to a fun evening taking the twilight Deadwick's Spectral Stroll and you can be equally enchanted this Friday, September 24th!

Portsmouth's own Deadwick's Ethereal Emporium has rolled out this brand new lantern-lit offering which uncovers Portsmouth's eerie history, unsolved deaths, and missing persons. Treat yourself to an evening of tales unearthed from Minerva Deadwick's haunted journal shared with you by an entertaining and theatrical guide.

Maine Top Halloween Event Picks

Presque Isle Haunted Hearse Tours asks the question:  Are there really ghosts and lingering spirits in Presque Isle? reserve your seat on the haunted hearse for a trip around Presque Isle on Thursday, September 23rd--and another lined up for October 21st and 31st. Haunted hearse tours are the kind of programming Halloween LOVES to see at this time of year! 

 

Looking for info on which haunts are open on Sundays? Did you know that THREE haunted attractions are open this Sunday, September 26th including The Haunted Labyrinth in Cranston, RI, Scary Acres in Hope, RI, and Fright Fest at Six Flags New England in Agawam, MA.

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.

Haunted Houses, Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Friday, September 24th

Fear Town (MA)

The Haunted Labyrinth (RI)

Wallingford's Nightmare on the Ridge (ME)

Rails to the Darkside (CT)

SpookyWorld (NH) 

West End Creamery (MA) - non-haunted Flashlight Corn Maze

Connors Farm (MA) - non-haunted Flashlight Corn Maze 

Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Haunted Houses, Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Saturday, September 25th

Legends of Fear (CT) - Trail and Haunted Hayride

Screeemfest at Canobie (NH)

Nightmare Acres (CT) 

Fright Fest at Six Flags New England (MA)

Cucumber Hill Farm (RI) non-haunted Flashlight Corn Maze

Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Opening Weekend Giveaways, Invite-Only Nights, and Tickets Galore!

We've got FIFTEEN contests live on Halloween New England right now plus more posted over the weekend! Find ALL the contests that you can enter HERE.

New Contests:
We've got one special chance to win 2 tickets to The Haunted Speakeasy's (21+) vintage Halloween BOO-ze Cruise (Boston, MA) on October 2nd and you can also enter to WIN a four-pack of tickets to 13th World Haunted Trail (Cumberland, RI) or enter our new contest to visit Elm Grove Cemetery with Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours (Mystic, CT). Central MA folks will jump at the chance to attend Fear at the Farm at McCray's Farm (South Hadley, MA) with Opening Weekend tickets.

We've just posted a contest to win VIP Passes to the legendary Trail of Terror (Wallingford, CT) and you can try your luck at winning tickets to celebrate the 30th season at Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA). We also have another VIP pass contest for DementedFX (Holyoke, MA). We just rolled out our first Fear Town (Seekonk, MA) contest and their companion haunt Factory of Terror (Fall River, MA) also has a contest running!
 

For all-ages atmosphere, you'll want to enter to win tickets to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Zoo (Providence, RI) so be sure to enter soon to have your chance!

The Concord Tour Company has a new family-friendly cemetery tour called Grave Detectives for Kids and you can win a pair of tickets right now if you enter soon!

Block Island Ghost Tours has a contest running where winners can redeem their winning tickets this October or even next year!

Ending Soon: On Friday we're wrapping up our first contest to win admission to The Dark Manor Haunted House (Baltic, CT) and on Thursday we end the 2nd contest to win tickets to Haunted Overload's Invite-Only Night in October (Lee, NH). Enter all contests right from the home page of Halloween New England.

Congratulations to recent contest winners including Jaimie Cura who won the contest to attend the Virtual Salem Tour with Seaside Shadows and Rayah Martin won the tickets to Seaside's Elm Grove Cemetery Tour! Nick Pietrunti and Jesse Bonello won tickets to Haunted Overload's VIP night, and Amy McKeon, Sheena deMedeirios, and Jenna Guancio scored admission to the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular in Providence! Kiana Ka and Sean Randall were the happy recipients of the four-pack of tickets to 13th World haunt in Cumberland, RI.

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

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 3rd - Oct 9th, 2019

Happy October everyone! 

After 11 months of waiting and counting down the days, our favorite month is here at last! Even better, it both looks and feels like October ought to. There's a chill in the air and our wool sweaters came out this week along with the scarves. 

The Jack O'Lantern Spectacular Delivers 32 Nights of Glow Starting Oct. 3rd

Tonight--Thursday, Oct 3rd-- is the always-anticipated Opening Night for the mesmerizing Jack O' Lantern Spectacular at the Roger Williams Park and Zoo in Providence, RI!
This annual pumpkin festival features a stunning 5,000-plus carved jack o' lanterns on display fitting a different arcing theme every year.
Held 7 nights a week from October 3rd through Nov. 3rd, 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 about the Spectacular.

The Haunted Speakeasy is the Halloween Party of the Season!

This Halloween Season, Worcester, MA turns a 1918 former jail and courthouse into The Haunted Speakeasy -- an over-the-top 1920's Haunted Party of your vintage dreams!
The veil lifts on the Atrium to reveal scenes from Worcester's ghostly past--specters from the final Halloween before the end of prohibition haunt the halls for five memorable nights this Halloween season!
Lindy hop or foxtrot your way across the beautiful ballroom. Dance and enjoy spirits (booo!) as 1920s music (and a few contemporary songs reVAMPed for that flapper feel) play in the ballroom by resident Speakeasy Spectacle Niki Luparelli and the Gold Diggers!

The Haunted Speakeasy is held four nights:
Friday and Saturday, October 18th and 19th
Friday and Saturday, October 25th and 26th, 2019
Interspersed with just the right amount of floor performances by some of New England’s best burlesque and variety acts, the themed dress for the night is 1920s & 30s, vintage, opulent, retro, ghastly Gatsby, horrific.

Options for general admission tickets and VIP admission tickets (includes VIP cocktail hour, a glass of champagne upon entrance, appetizers, and choice of a vintage dance lesson or a guided tour through the spooky and haunted former jail).
Event note: 21+. Event details and links to tickets.

Rhode Island Halloween Events (full guide)

On Saturday and Sunday, October 5th and 6th in Kingston, is the annual "Gone But Not Forgotten: Victorian Mourning Customs" exhibit where you can tap into history as the Hearthside Museum "re-creates the Victorian mourning customs practiced during the time when Simon Thornton passed away, with displays in each room of the house that include mourning clothing, mourning clothing, jewelry, artwork, stationery displays, post mortem photography, and other funerary exhibits."
On Saturday, October 5th in the early evening you can check out the exhibit and take a candlelight tour. Sunday early afternoon will offer the exhibit and tour (but no candlelight).

Next Wednesday and Thursday, October 9th & 10th are two back-to-back Fairy Tale Nights at the Jack O' Lantern Spectacular where kids can meet beloved children’s fairy tale characters and take pictures with favorite princes and princesses. Kids are encouraged to dress as their favorite character and then get on the Pumpkin Trail to see some magical and exciting chand-carved, glowing pumpkins at the Roger Williams Park and Zoo in Providence, RI.

Costumes for kids and adults are encouraged but masks are not permitted for teens/adults over age 12y. Fairy Tale Night is included with the regular admission to the Jack O'Lantern Spectacular.

Also, on Saturday, Oct 5th (rain date Oct 6) 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).

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, October 5th in Bristol, CT. It only is offered once every year and advanced tickets are a must.

It's a big weekend coming up at the CT Trolley Museum in East Windsor - the CT Trolley Museum's Pumpkin Patch opens Friday through Sunday for a family fun experience where a vintage trolley car ride takes you to the scenic pumpkin patch field where each child can pick out a free pumpkin. On Saturday and Sunday, there is also pumpkin decoration and face painting to boot and admission includes unlimited trolley rides plus access to the Fire Truck Museum located on the same property. By Saturday night, the Trolley Museum transforms into a spookier Halloween scene for the return of Rails to the Darkside for an evening trolley ride to the entrance of their haunted attraction. You can find the startles and screams offered every Friday and Saturday night.

On Saturday, October 5th in coastal Milford, swing by the Pumpkins on the Pier Festival featuring elaborate pumpkin displays stretching out onto the long pier, pumpkin activities and crafts, a corn maze, an obstacle course, a pumpkin patch, carving demos, and much more! 

This weekend October 5th & 6th in Winsted is the 2-day Latex Mask Making Workshop at Tyler Green FX Studio where participants will learn fundamentals of sculpting, molding, latex casting, painting, and finishing. These workshops often sell out so act fast to lock up your spot!

It's opening weekend for the month-long Downtown Cabaret Theatre's seasonal children's stage offering of "Sherlock Holmes and the Haunted Cabaret" which runs every Saturday and Sunday throughout October - look for matinees both days plus an evening performance on Saturday nights.

Massachusetts Halloween Events (full guide)

Our go-to guide for all things Salem is Haunted Happenings Magazine where you can find the Witch City offering up their infamous Haunted Happenings events in dozens of venues all October long! The official kickoff event for the seasonal festivities is none other than the Salem Grand Parade coming up this Thursday, October 3rd.

On Saturday at the Salem common, don't miss the return of the Salem Zombie Walk where you'll find the undead, zombie hunters, and zombie survivors creeping their way through starting at 11:00am.

This weekend at Cinema Salem, you celebrate the movies featuring "indescribable creatures/forces" with screenings of the "The Blob" on Friday and  "The Thing" on Saturday.

While in Salem on Saturday, the Peabody Essex Museum will host several fascinating lectures. Top of our list would be Xavier Burgin's film  "Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror" Documentary Film Screening described as "delving into a century of genre films that by turns utilized, caricatured, exploited, sidelined, and finally embraced them, Horror Noire traces the untold history of Black Americans in Hollywood through their connection to the horror genre."

Also at PEM on Sunday, the 6th do not overlook "Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street" documentary film screening which is co-presented with Wicked Queer: Boston LGBT Film Festival. "Some have called it the ‘gayest horror movie ever made!’ But for Mark Patton, the star of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, it was anything but a dream come true. Detailing the homophobia and Aids-phobia of 1985 as a closeted actor in Hollywood, Mark retraces his missteps on the pathway to stardom. 30 years after its initial release, Patton is hitting the road to set the record straight about the controversial sequel and the experience that halted his career before it even begins. Confronting the cast and crew for the first time, Mark attempts to make peace with his past as well as embrace his legacy as cinema's first male scream queen."

Salem travel tip: If you're not already familiar with taking the train (MBTA commuter rail) into Salem then you are missing out--it's the easiest way to get in and out and save yourself any parking drama. We like to park at the Swampscott MBTA station and take the train 1 stop into Salem. It's a quick walk from the Salem station into the downtown area and the MBTA even adds extra trains during the last weekend of October.

Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA also begins offering their October Bite and Fright Deal which you can take advantage of any Thursday or Sunday night in October. For $40 you get admission to both Barrett's Haunted Mansion haunts PLUS dinner (with tax/tip included!) at the Abington Ale House next door to the haunt.

On Saturday, October 5th the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline is hosting a double feature screening of "The Wolf Man" & "Creature from the Black Lagoon" in 3D which they are cheekily billing as "the Wolf Man vs. the Gill Man"

On Monday, October 7th in Westborough, test your Zombieland recall with "Zombieland" Themed Trivia at the Red Heat Tavern with our favorite trivia jockey Rich DeYoung!

In Fall River on Wednesday, October 9th let the Gravestone Girls take you on a 90-minute Virtual Tour of Fall River’s Cemeteries to "examine why we have cemeteries and gravestones, why the look like they do, and how styles and art have evolved over almost 400 years. This presentation will include images and history of Fall River's historic cemeteries, including the famous Oak Grove Cemetery which is the final home of Lizzie Borden."

Maine Halloween Events (full guide)

Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday this weekend be treated to tales of unsolved murders, mysteries, and haunted lore during the 90-minute Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour and hear stories of it's most notorious residents in Bangor's history. This is a special seasonal tour sponsored by the Bangor Historical Society.

Bangor Historical Society’s Ghostly feature tales veiled in unsolved mysteries, murder and the past residents who may still linger in the Queen City. Tours stroll through the streets o
Haunted History is the name of the game at the "Darker Side of Mt. Hope Cemetery" in Bangor this Sunday, October 6th. This cemetery tour explores local history and is the first of four dates this will be offered this October.

New Hampshire Halloween Events (full guide)

On Friday night - and every Friday in October, the Port City Maker Space is opening its maker space classroom and Electronics Lab for use to inspire you and let your imagination be your guide for a FREE Costume Building Night!
Volunteers will be on-site to help you work on your costume if you need a hand and they'll have tools available for use including soldering irons, 3D printers, sewing machines, and a laser cutter--plus materials on hand for you to use!

In Dover on Sunday, October 6th is family-friendly Halloween experience of a screening of "Hocus-Pocus" at The Strand! Bring your pillows and blankets to enjoy this special event where costumes welcomed - and you can choose from a 2:00pm or 7:00pm showing.

Also on Saturday, October 5th is the first of 5 nights you can visit the Salisbury Woods Haunted Barn and Trail in Salisbury, NH. This haunted trail is a fundraiser for the MVMS Parent Teacher Group so go support a great cause while having some spooktacular fun!

Vermont Halloween Events (full guide)

Friday and Saturday night, October 4th and 5th in Proctor, only the bravest of souls will venture into historic Wilson Castle to explore the haunted manor during the Deadnberry Historic Candlelight Tour of Wilson Castle which is a less scary version of their haunted tours.

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

We enjoyed a Friday night fueled by screams and adrenaline thanks to our recent visit to Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA - thank you to everyone at Barrett's who showed us an incredible time!
We've got an exciting weekend ahead which kicks off with our annual visit to Fear Town Haunted House (Seekonk, MA), followed by a visit to the trail at 13th World, and our 3rd consecutive night of screams will bring us to southeastern CT for a double-header of The Dark Manor Haunted House (Baltic, CT) and a Moonlit Mystic Graveyard Ghost Stroll with Seaside Shadows Haunted History Tours (Mystic, CT).  

Plan ahead for your October weekends by checking out haunted attractions on a Sunday night! This weekend there are FIFTEEN haunted attractions open this Sunday, October 6th.
Be sure to check out Trail of Terror (Wallingford, CT), The Haunted Graveyard (Bristol, CT), Fright Haven (Stratford, CT), Legends of Fear (Shelton, CT), 13th World (Cumberland, RI), Fear Town (Seekonk, MA), Evidence of Evil (Southington, CT), The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT), Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA), Fear Town (Seekonk, MA)  and DementedFX (Holyoke, MA).

Sundays often offer shorter lines and a more personal experience-- so what are you waiting for?

Ending Soon: It's your final chance to win combo tickets to experience  The Haunted Graveyard in Bristol, CT during their 3rd weekend of haunting and our final contest to win tickets to visit Haunt on Eden (Plantsville, CT). You'll also be able to enter contests for a 4-pack of tickets to 13th World Haunted Trail in Cumberland, RI,

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

New Contests: Since last week we've added a brand new chance to win tickets to the costume bash of the year - The Haunted Speakeasy in Worcester, MA, and a contest for VIP Tickets to Ravenwood Haunted Farm in Haverhill, MA. You still have time to try your luck in the contest for a 4-pack of tickets to Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA and a new contest for Haunted Overload tickets for their trail in Lee, NH. We've got more tickets to giveaway for Providence, RI's Jack O' Lantern Spectacular for you and three of your friends!
If you haven't yet entered, win tickets to see DementedFX in Holyoke, MA and we're giving away VIP tickets to Legends of Fear Haunted Hayride and Haunted Trail in Shelton, CT.
There's still time to win tickets to see what Fear Town Haunted House has up their scaring sleeves in Seekonk, MA this season so enter soon!

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

Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Friday, October 4th, 2019

Vengeance in the Valley (Guilford, VT) Haunted Hayride and Haunted Corn Maze
Haunt on Eden (Southington, CT)
The Dark Manor (Baltic, CT)
Rails to the Darkside (East Windsor, CT)
Nightmare Acres (CT)
Elwood Orchards (NH) - Non-Haunted Night Maze
Dead North (VT) - Haunted Corn Maze
Hysteria Danvers (MA)
Hanson's Farm Haunted Hayride (MA)
Century Hayride and Spook Walk (MA)
Factory of Terror (MA)
Nesralla Farm (MA) - non-haunted Flashlight Maze
Field of Screams (RI) - House House and Haunted Hayride
Haunted Tunnel at Slater Park (RI)

Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Saturday, October 5th, 2019

Destination Haunt (ME)
Salisbury Farm (RI) – non-haunted Flashlight Corn Maze
Factory of Terror (RI)

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?