By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
This is the time of year when there are so many Halloween events on the calendar that you could visit four events a day each day from now until early November and still not see them all.There are also numerous harvest festivals, fall foliage events, hayrides and other special activities such as a dwarf wrestling, a spooky circus and Asian Indian and American Indian events.
The Chester County History Center (225 North High Street, West Chester, http://www.chestercohistorical.org/) debuted its “Chilling West Chester” walking tour in the fall of 2020, and this year it’s back with a sequel featuring all new stops.
Beginning at the Chester County History Center on October 25, 26, 29, 30 and 31, the tour is approximately 1.5 miles.
Guests will hear macabre stories from West Chester’s history while visiting some notable downtown landmarks. These are not ghost stories — these are true tales of terror pulled from West Cheser’s archives.
From the horrors of the Chester County Prison to the cold-blooded killers tried at the courthouse, to explosions and other disasters that have wrought havoc in the borough, West Chester’s streets and alleys have witnessed 200 years of spine-chilling history.
The historians and educators at the Chester County History Center will share these stories with visitors on this 90-minute walking tour. These are not ghost stories — these are true tales of terror pulled from our own archives.
Each tour will be held entirely outdoors.
Participants should dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.
Tours will take place rain or shine and tickets, which are $18, are nonrefundable.
Halloween at Hagley
“Halloween at Hagley” is scheduled for October 26 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org).
Looking for a safe place to trick-or-treat this Halloween?
Children are invited to come in costume and visit treat stations throughout the beautiful surroundings of Hagley’s powder yard.
Halloween at Hagley features a trick-or-treat trail while supplies of candy last.
Hagley will also be hosting Science Saturday on October 26 at 11 a.m. and Cannon Firings on October 27 at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.
Admission is $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and students and free for children (ages 6-14).
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 484-754-3976, phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting the Great Philadelphia Pumpkin Show now through October 27.
The event will feature more than 20 rides and over 30 things to do. Activities are billed as “All the classic rides, games and food you grew up with.”
Admission is $5 with seniors and children (five and under) admitted free. There will also be a free pumpkin with admission.
Other special events at the Expo Center this weekend are Unicorn World (October 26 and 27), Veterans Expo (October 26) and Girls Exploring Tomorrow’s Technology Expo.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) is hosting “Tram and Treat” on October 26.
The event, which runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., is a drop-in event, although you may register in advance.
Families are invited to “Dress your goblins and ghosts in their Halloween finest and come trick-or-treating in the garden.”
Participants will be able to enjoy crafts, games, and music.
Chaddsford Winery (Route 1, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, www.chaddsford.com) is presenting its “Adult Trick or Treat” event every Saturday and Sunday through November 3 from noon-7 p.m.Visitors will be able to “Trick or Treat” for wine and seasonal snacks at Chaddsford’s wildly popular, adults-only Halloween program as they visit a variety of Halloween-themed pairing stations located throughout the Winery grounds.
Tickets are $40.
It’s time to welcome autumn and one of the best ways to do this is by checking out the corn mazes at Ramsey’s Farm (Ramsey Road, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-477-1499, www.ramseysfarm.com).
Corn mazes, along with hayrides, a pumpkin patch and scarecrows, will be featured at Ramsey’s Farm, which is located in northern Delaware on Route 92 just south of the Pennsylvania-Delaware state line. The new season runs on weekends now through November 10.
Ramsey’s “Pumpkin Patch” has been in operation since 1995 and the farm’s varied mazes have been delighting and baffling visitors who return each year for the popular annual event. The owners of Ramsey’s Farm raise pumpkins, gourds, ornamental corn, popcorn, feed corn and hay.
The farm’s pumpkin field stretches over 12 acres and yields approximately 20,000 pumpkins each season. Hayrides around the farm will be offered from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. Visitors will be able to shop for pumpkins and other items at the farm store. There will also be hot food and beverages available for purchase.
Tickets are $8 for the corn maze, $5 for the sorghum maze, $3 for the hay maze, $3 for pumpkin painting and $3 for a hayride.
Hope Lodge (553 South Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington, 215-343-0965, http://www.ushistory.org/hope/) will be presenting a “Halloween Lantern Tour” on October 26.
Hope Lodge was built between 1743 and 1748 by Samuel Morris, a prosperous Quaker entrepreneur. Morris acted as a farmer, shipowner, miller, iron master, shop owner, and owner of the mill now known as Mather Mill. Hope Lodge is an excellent example of early Georgian architecture, and it is possible that Edmund Woolley, architect of Independence Hall, offered advice in building. Samuel Morris owned the estate until his death in 1770.
The site opens at 12:30 p.m. with self-guided tours starting at 1 and 2:30 p.m. The closes at 4 p.m.
Tour admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (age 65+) and for youth ages 6-17, and free for children under 5.
“Elmwood Park Zoo” (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) is presenting “Boo at the Zoo” on October 26 and 27 from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. each day.
“Boo at the Zoo” features live entertainment, costume contests, costume parades, trick-or-treat stations with candy, prizes, crafts and educational pieces.
Children are encouraged to bring their own treat bags for trick-or-treating. The zoo will not be providing any bags.
“Boo at the Zoo” is free with zoo admission, which starts at $12.95.
The site is also hosting several of its ultra-popular “Dog Days” over the next week.
The Philadelphia Zoo (3400 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, www.philadelphiazoo.org) is presenting “Boo at the Zoo” on October 26 and 27.
Families are invited to bring along a trick-or-treat bag and come dressed in costumes to celebrate the spooky season among their favorite animals. Guests will enjoy a trick-or-treat safari with candy stations, seasonal decor, boo-tiful fall leaves, Howl-oween children’s activities, themed animal enrichments, pumpkin feedings and more.
The Philadelphia Zoo’s “Boo at the Zoo” is free with admission. Zoo admission is $25 and $20 for children (ages 2-11).
Now through October 31, Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania (100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia, www.morrisarboretum.org) is hosting its annual “Scarecrow Walk.”
Visitors will be able to make their own scarecrows, paint a pumpkin and sample different varieties of apples. Weaver’s Way Coop will be on hand with the season’s best local apple varieties.
Morris Arboretum’s Scarecrow Walk is back for its 16th year, and in recognition of those who show courage and care when faced with fright, this year’s theme is “Spooky Scarecrow.”
Visitors will be able to wander through the Arboretum and see scarecrows in honor of beloved superhero characters, essential workers, or best friend heroes.
Throughout the month of October, more than 30 scarecrows will be on display throughout the Arboretum.
Admission to Morris Arboretum is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $10 for youth (ages 3-17).
“Lincoln Mill Haunted House” (4100 Ridge Avenue, Manayunk, www.lincolnmillhaunt.com) is Philadelphia’s newest haunted attraction. The attraction takes guests on a journey through an interactive living story featuring more than 40 live scare-actors, production quality sets, props, animatronics, and breath-taking special effects.
The attraction is intended to be very scary during evening hours. The owners want it to be the scariest haunted house in the greater Philadelphia region. Mission accomplished — it is scary.
While most haunted house attractions have a lot of room for props and actors, Lincoln Mill has a limited area. As a result, the 20-minute walk through the attraction features many tight spaces, sharp turns, sections that are pitch black, scary props and a slew of live-scare actors doing what they do best.
The attraction’s backstory emerged from a tragic event that occurred in 2021.
On September 2, 2021, Hurricane Ida struck Philadelphia and flooded the Mill to historic water levels.
The flood significantly damaged the mill’s interior and revealed a hidden chamber located below the basement level. Countless bodies were found, and a dark truth was discovered about the mill’s past.
The flood significantly damaged the mill’s interior and revealed a hidden chamber located below the basement level. Countless bodies were found, and a dark truth was discovered about the mill’s past.
Local authorities determined that during the 1930’s, Viktor Kane, the mill owner, tormented and experimented on his workers. Countless workers lost their lives, and their spirits continue to haunt the mill. Construction has since been halted and the mill will open up for guests to experience its dark past for themselves.
The main haunted house event will run at night Thursday, Friday, and Saturday now through November 2. Tickets are sold in hour time slots from 6-11:45 p.m. For those that aren’t into very scary attractions, there will be a more family-oriented event every Saturday from noon-4 p.m. with no-scare actors.
Ticket prices start at $25.
The annual “Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride at Arasapha Farm” (1835 N. Middletown Rd., Gradyville, 610-459-0647, www.thebatesmotel.com) will be scaring visitors through November 3.
The haunted hayride through the woods features monsters, special effects and actors. The Bates Motel has haunted rooms with special effects and computerized lighting.
Another attraction is the “Revenge of the Scarecrow Haunted Trail.” A haunted trail is cut through a cornfield inhabited by monsters.
Another popular attraction this year is “Double Edge Axe Throwing.”
Admission prices start at $40.
Pennhurst Asylum (100 Commonwealth Drive, Spring City, 484-866-8964, www.pennhurstasylum.com), which is open through November 4, is on the site of a former mental asylum which has been shuttered for over a quarter of a century.
It has been transformed into a haunted attraction with huge sets, detailed rooms and live actors. Visitors can also explore the labyrinth of underground tunnels.
Tickets are $52 for a combo pass valid for all three Haunted Attractions at Pennhurst: Pennhurst Asylum, The Morgue & The Tunnels.
Each September, “Pumpkinland” returns to Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com). “Pumpkinland,” which runs through November 3, features fairy tale characters from nursery rhymes along with a huge scarecrow and a really tall storybook.
Other activities include train rides, a straw bale maze, hayrides, pick-your-own apples and pony rides.
There will also be “Harvest Hayrides” and “Autumn Moon Hayrides” starting later in September along with “Straw Bale Maze,” “Train Rides,” “Corn Maze” and “Pony Rides.”
Pumpkinland is open from mid-September through early November and takes center stage at Linvilla Orchards. Larger-than-life figures and scarecrows illustrate the legends and lore of the harvest season, featuring local history and some of the many stories of pumpkins and apples.
There will be piles of pumpkins in all colors, shapes and sizes – more than 100 tons on display.
The intriguing production Paranormal Cirque (https://paranormalcirque.com), which is intended for a mature audience, is running from October 31-November 3 under a big top outside King of Prussia Mall (160 North Gulph Road, King of Prussia,Paranormal Cirque III – King of Prussia, PA).
Paranormal Cirque will expose audiences to a unique creation of combined theatre, circus, and cabaret with a new European style flare.
This innovative horror story, which is presented in true circus style under a Big Top tent, features different shades of sexy and an incomparable storyline. Audiences likely will find it difficult to separate reality from illusion at this show as they fall into a parallel world and end up surrounded by monstrous creatures with hidden talents.
Currently, Paranormal Cirque has three tours running – Paranormal Cirque I Tour, Paranormal Cirque II Tour and Paranormal Cirque III Tour. The tour visiting our area is the Paranormal Cirque III Tour.
Under this Clown Castle (Big Top), the black and red big top tent, there are aerial acrobats, illusionists, freaks, mysterious creatures and all the elements that make one think of a “normal” circus – but this one is not “normal.”
A new show with breathtaking implications always poised between fun and the most uninhibited fear that will transport you to a dark world inhabited by creatures with incredible circus art abilities.
A crazy yet fun fusion between circus, theatre, and cabaret in perfect harmony with the evolution of a show that brings you back to when we dream … and when we had nightmares and fantasies.
Ticket prices start at $20.
There is a big event for specialized memorabilia collectors this weekend — the 81st Philly Non-Sports Card Show.
The event will be held on October 25 and 26 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (Station Avenue, Oaks, http://phillynon-sportscardshow.com)
There are two basic categories of trading cards — sports cards and non-sports cards. Sports cards depict athletes at all levels. Non-sport cards offer so much more. There are card sets dealing with music, movies, politics, nature, pop culture and history.
For more than a century, non-sport trading cards have documented trends in pop culture – providing people with history lessons provided by small, rectangular pieces of cardboard.
Twice each year, collectors from across the country come together in eastern Pennsylvania for this very special event. The event is the oldest show of its kind in the country.
Many of the hobby’s top manufacturers will have exhibit booths at this weekend’s show and will be distributing free promo cards. There will be a huge array of non-sport cards, sets, singles, wrappers, chase cards, promos, and related memorabilia.
Admission is $12 for one day or $20 for two days. Show hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
