Halloween is almost here, and you don’t have to have kids to enjoy some of the treats that many cities, historic downtowns and historic sites have conjured up for the next couple of weekends. There is something for everyone, whether you’re looking for kid-friendly activities, haunted history tours or just an enriching day out to enjoy the bounties of autumn.These events are happening this weekend, Oct. 23-25. Next week, we will post more happenings for the Halloween weekend – so you can make all your plans for All Hallows Eve!
Night Spirits, Lanier Mansion State Historic Site, Madison, Indiana, Oct. 23
This ghostly walking tour for mature audiences only tells macabre, but true tales from Madison’s past from the perspective of six “spirits” on the grounds of the Lanier Mansion. 7 p.m.- 9 p.m.
Fall Gallery Walk 2009, Manassas, Virginia, Oct. 23
Various merchants will host artists’ receptions throughout Old Town Manassas at the free Fall Gallery Walk. Follow the balloons to find the various stops on the walk, or pick up a Gallery Walk map. 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m.
Haunted Heights Ghost Walk, Dumfries, Virginia, Oct. 23 & 24
This guided, evening walking tour through Dumfries' Haunted Heights includes a tour of the ghostly cemetery and information about the mystery and recent happenings of the most haunted house in Dumfries. Enjoy hot chocolate and cider by the campfire in Merchant Park. 6:30 p.m.- 8 p.m. Walks are scheduled on the half hour.
Island Oktoberfest, Galveston, Texas, Oct. 23 & 24
Celebrate that most popular of German traditions with Galveston’s rendition of Oktoberfest, kicking off in the coastal city’s historic downtown. Enjoy a family-friendly weekend of great music, authentic German food, libations, games and much more.
2nd Annual Viewshed Tour, Olana State Historic Site, Hudson, New York, Oct. 24
Olana was the home of American artist Frederic Edwin Church. It was named for an ancient Persian fortress and sits high above the Hudson River Valley, offering spectacular views of the river and the Catskill Mountains. Olana’s Viewshed Tour celebrates this very thing – the magnificent beauty surrounding the estate that Church called “the center of the world.”
The Fright at the White House Family Scavenger Hunt, Washington, D.C., Oct. 24
Kids and adults learn the creepy stories of the ghosts who have roamed the halls of the White House and other buildings in the area, while answering tricky questions about what they discover along the way. 4:30 p.m.- 7 p.m. Advance purchase of tickets is required, so visit the website for more information.
The Great Pumpkin Event, Blue Lake, California, Oct. 25
This free and family-friendly event is all about the pumpkin, featuring several pumpkin contests, pumpkin concoctions and general pumpkin fun! Area gardeners and farmers can also bring vegetables from their harvests to contribute to a stone soup, which will be served to event guests.
Great Pumpkin Festival, Landmark Center, St. Paul, Minnesota, Oct. 25
Find out if the Great Pumpkin really does exist at this fun-filled family event at St. Paul’s historic Landmark Center. Families can dig into the fun with arts and crafts projects, spook themselves silly with scary storytellers, get their faces painted to look like witches or pumpkins and even get up close and personal with a 300-pound pumpkin!
Autumn’s Colors, Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, through Nov. 22
Celebrate the harvest season with pumpkin carving and artistic displays of gourds, squash and thousands of chrysanthemums. Weekends offer the tastes and sounds of autumn with seasonal treats and music.
Photo Credit: Scarecrow in Rural Maryland by Carol M. Highsmith
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