Spooky fun

Your guide to festivals, parties, haunted attractions and more Halloween excitement for all ages

It’s a spooky world filled with dark woods!

Behind the scenes at haunted attractions

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

The weather gets colder and New Hampshire becomes spookier as Halloween fast approaches. One way to revel in the season is to traverse a haunted attraction, and there are several in the area. We take a look at two of them here.

Spooky World: big scares and a big party

“Spooky World is absolutely the place to be in the fall,” said Michael Accomando, co-owner of Spooky World Presents Nightmare New England and the Haunted Hayride in Litchfield along with Wayne Caulfield.

“We’ve put together a place that’s not only just one of the top horror theme parks in the country, but you also can have just as much fun while you’re here, while you’re screaming,” Accomando said.

“There’s multiple DJs set up throughout the entire night, so you can go listen to music, you can dance,” he said. “There’s … different food areas that you can go to … courtyards, there’s multiple bars throughout where you can get alcoholic, non-alcoholic drinks. There’s fun photo ops throughout the entire park that you can stop and go to, and while you’re doing that and you’re going through all the fun parts and enjoying and laughing, you’re also going through haunts in between that where you’re screaming at the same time. So it’s like the perfect blend of fun and fear all at one location.”

As for the scary part, Accomando said there are four main haunted attractions. One of those is the mile-long haunted hayride. Next up is “Asylum 47, which is an absolute state-of-the-art medical scene that has actors, props, animatronics, smells, sounds. We attack you on all of your senses.”

“And then from there,” he said, “you can head on into the Colony…. It’s your outside wooded walk. And that’s approximately two to three acres. You go in and out of multiple buildings. The cool part about that is you freak yourself out because you’re in the dark, you’re hearing the sounds around you, so it gives our actors an opportunity to get on top of you even quicker because you’re spending so much time just looking around. Is it an animal in the woods? Is it a person in the woods?”

And finally, Nightmare in 3D has something scary for everyone.

“That was our latest,” Accomando said, recalling how it went from idea to reality. “We’re going to do a spider room here. And then we’re like, geez, the spider room is so great. What if we did like an egg sac room here? … Like what’s something that people might think is cool? Well, how about an alien scene? How about 3D aliens? Spaceships? … So somebody might go through, and they might be terrified of spiders, but somebody might not care about spiders, but then they get in the next room and it could be bees, or then you get out and then you have a clown room, or then you get out and you have a dance party room. So we try to make everybody have a little of something for every single haunting show that we have.”

Nightmare in 3D adds optical illusions for effect. “As you’re going through it, you’re wearing your 3D glasses, so … the scenes that we’ve built are popping, and on top of it you’ve got all of our actors in there with 3D paint, so they’re popping twice as much as they normally would as a regular actor with their makeup and their costumes on.”

And then there’s zombie paintball.

“Outside we’ve got our paintball,” Accomando said. “I mean where else do you go you get to shoot at somebody where they can’t shoot back at you, where your zombies are looking throughout the fields? … You take them out. They don’t take you out. They hide behind tombstones. They’ll hide behind this or that.”

Then, unwind with some food or hang out by the fire pit.

“After you go through the other remaining haunts, then it pops you out into the big back courtyard area … where you have your main food areas, the zombie paintball, your ax throwing, you have another DJ,” Accomando said. “That’s more of like your dance party, where some of our characters get out there, they get people fired up. The next thing you know, you’ve got 50 to 100 people out on the dance floor having a great time.”

It takes a ghoulish army to pull off a Spooky World. “We normally employ, during the Halloween season, we’ll run about 200 employees,” Accomando said, “ … from car parkers to actors to ticket takers. So you could see anywhere between 100 to 150 actors.”

A boo-tique haunt

Chad Zingales and his wife, Hillary, own and operate The Dark Woods at Trombly Gardens in Milford.

“The Dark Woods is what we consider a boutique haunt,” Zingales said. “That’s a little play on words there, B-O-O-tique haunt. We are a smaller-scale haunted attraction outdoors walk through the woods. Our haunted attraction sells a limited amount of tickets. We do not have tens of thousands of people a year. We have a very specific number of people that we offer tickets to, and once we sell out, we sell out. And our haunted attraction is best-known for our characters, so we are very improvisational, comedic, creepy, very interactive, because here at The Dark Woods it’s all about the acting and the actors.”

The process of characterization goes deep. “They have to have a backstory — why are they out in the woods?” he said. “[A]ll of our characters have props, all of them have original costuming, we do all the makeup here, and they’re all original characters that are kind of the brainchild of the actors themselves. And through the years we’ve had a bunch of really creative characters, but our show is in the realm of farmer, backwoods, zombie, woods people.”

The human element is the essence of the scares. “Two of our best-known characters are Pork Ryan Patterson and Cousin Samuel,” Zingales said. “They … put on a customized puppet show for all of our guests, but they also serenade our guests, come up with a song right as they’re walking through the event.”

And the experience can be a little bit customized, he noted.

“All of our groups are tailored to a certain way. So if a young family that has maybe children that are already petrified when they first walk in, we can tone down the show. We can make the show more kind of funny and more towards kids or the younger populace.” He said the walk will typically take about 15 or 20 minutes.

“If it’s … mostly adults and they want to get really scared, then we can ramp it up a little bit,” Zingales said, noting that The Dark Woods introduced a new and scarier show last year called The Darker Woods — “the same walk through the woodlands, but … a lot of the house lights are just dimmed down; groups are given a very small flashlight.” It was “wildly popular,” he said.

They also host a calmer version earlier in the season: Trauma-Free Sunday Nights. “That’s for people with really young families who just want to stroll through the woods,” Zingales said. “There’s no characters jumping out of you. There’s no intense music. It’s just a great way to kind of look at all the lights and look at the props and see the scenery.”

Trombly Gardens also hosts a corn maze that visitors can get lost in. “We have a lot of people that will do that, either before, while they’re waiting in The Dark Woods, or after,” he said.

The Dark Woods got started in 2020, so this is its fifth season, Zingales noted. The attraction raises funds for mental health awareness in the area.

“We are once again partnering with the Greater Nashua Mental Health Center … so we do take some donations,” Zingales said. Part of the proceeds from the photo booth goes to Greater Nashua Mental Health.

Zingales is passionate about Halloween.

“I love being able to entertain and watching people have a good time … seeing them just laughing and, you know, getting a little bit creeped out in the spirit of … having a unique experience during Halloween,” he said.

The whole family is involved. “… my wife included, and my stepson. My two daughters are out here. My dad is out here. He’s 84 years old. So it’s just fun to have this kind of community event and family event.”

Haunted attractions

• Fright Kingdom (frightkingdom.com) 12 Simon St., Nashua. When: General admission Friday, Oct. 18, through Saturday, Nov. 2, Friday and Saturday 7 to 10:30 p.m; Sunday 7 to 10 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 31, 7 to 10 p.m. Hardly Haunted Sunday, Oct. 20, 1 to 4 p.m. In the Dark Friday, Nov. 8, and Saturday, Nov. 9, 7 to 10 p.m. Cost: General admission and In the Dark tickets $36, Hardly Haunted $10.
• The Dark Woods (thedarkwoodsnh.com) Trombly Gardens, 150 N. River Road, Milford. When: Scary Walk-Through Show on Fridays, Oct. 18, Oct. 25, Nov. 1, and Saturdays; Oct. 19, Oct. 26, Nov. 2. Gate opens at 7 p.m., last ticket sold at 10 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 29, gate opens at 6 p.m., last ticket sold at 9 p.m. The Darker Woods Thursday, Oct. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. and Oct. 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. Cost: $29, with upgrades and add-ons available.
• Spooky World Presents Nightmare New England (nightmarenewengland.com) 454 Charles Bancroft Hwy., Litchfield. When: Thursdays, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, 7 to 9:30 p.m.; Fridays, Oct. 18 and Oct. 25, 7 to 11:15 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 1, 7 to 10:15 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, 6 to 11:15 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 2, 6 to 10:15 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 6 to 10:15 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 31, 7 to 10:15 p.m. Cost: Tickets range from $39.99 to $84.99; general admission and VIP admission tickets are offered. General admission ticket reservations allow one-time access through all four haunted attractions. General admission time-slot tickets must be purchased in advance online. VIP ticket reservations allow two times through all four haunted attractions.Ticket reservations are every 15 minutes. VIP guests join a lower-wait entrance line at each Spooky World Haunted Attraction and access to Mel’s Funway Park Go-Karts (weather permitting), mini golf and batting cages. Mel’s Funway Park opens for VIP ticket holders to enjoy unlimited activities beginning at 3 p.m. on open Saturday and Sundays, or beginning at 5 p.m. on open Thursday and Fridays. Mel’s Funway Park activities close 30 minutes after the main ticket booth closes.
• Haunted Overload (hauntedoverload.com) DeMeritt Hill Farm, 20 Orchard Way, Lee. When: Thursday, Oct. 17, through Sunday, Nov. 3. Main Event: Fridays, Oct. 18, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 19, Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 from 6:45 to 9 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Fright Night Lite: Thursday, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Black Out Night: Sunday, Nov. 3, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Halloween: Thursday, Oct. 31, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Day walks are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost: $36 for Main Event, $22.50 for Fright Night Lite, $26 for Black Out Night, $12 for Day Walk.
• The Salisbury Woods Haunted Barn and Trail (salisburywoods.com) 19 Franklin Road, Salisbury. When: Fridays and Saturdays, Oct. 18 through Oct. 26, 7 to 10 p.m. Cost: $20.
• Screeemfest at Canobie Lake Park (canobie.com) 85 N. Policy St., Salem. When: Fridays, Oct. 18 and Oct. 25, 5 to 11 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, 3 to 11 p.m.; Sundays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, 1 to 9 p.m. Cost: General admission ranges from $52 to $64; those under 48 inches tall or 60 years or older pay $37.

Mostly treats

Halloween excitement for the kids

Compiled by John Fladd
[email protected]

Here are some Halloween happenings geared specifically at kids.

• Kids age 12 and younger are invited to a Halloween Haunted Hangar event at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) on Saturday, Oct. 19, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when they can meet the ghosts of aviation past, enjoy Halloween treats and receive their “Broomstick Pilot License.” The experience is free with admission to the museum; admission costs $10 for visitors age 13 and up. Visit aviationmuseumofnh.org or call 669-4820.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St., Candia) will offer its Children’s Trick-or-Treat Experience on Saturdays, Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, and Sundays, Oct. 20 and Oct. 27, with start times available on the hour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. In addition to trick-or-treating, families can meet a friendly witch, see wildlife exhibits and barnyard animals, take a horse-drawn wagon ride, decorate pumpkins, ride a pony and watch a juggling show. Tickets cost $29 per person — admission is free for children under age 2 — and must be purchased online in advance. Visit visitthefarm.com.

• The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring.org) will present Trick and Treat, a“workshop production, performed by kids and for kids, [that] is the culmination of 5 weeks of rehearsals focused on collaboration and the creative process” about a girl in Sleepy Hollow and a little witch in Frightsburgh, according to the website, on Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $20; $16 for kids 12 and under.

• There will be a Pumpkins and Scarecrows, and Art, Oh My Fall Festival, Sunday, Oct. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Different Drummer Farm (55 South Road, Candia, 483-2234, differentdrummerfarm.com), with a rain date of Sunday, Oct. 27. There will be a scarecrow-building contest, pumpkin decorating, live entertainment, animal petting, pony rides, kids’ arts and crafts, and more. General admission tickets are $20 per person, or $50 per family, on the Farm’s website.

• The Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester, 836-6600, bookerymht.com) will host a Storytime with Naomi Fredette, author of Ellie the Skelly, Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon, a treat for small children who are excited about Halloween. Reserve a space through the Bookery’s website.

• Hotel Transylvania(PG, 2012) will screen on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 11:30 a.m., a “Little Lunch Date” screening at all Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com). Little Lunch Dates are for parents and their preschool children. The movie will be shown with the lights slightly dimmed and admission is $5; the $5 can be used toward food and beverage purchase during the event.

• There will be a Halloween Costume Workshop at the Griffin Free Public Library (22 Hooksett Road, Auburn, 483-5374, griffinfree.org) Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Bring any kind of craft material you’re looking to use, or use some provided. Even if you’re not dressing up this year, this could be an opportunity to help someone else with a project. All ages welcome, but recommended for fifth grade and up.

• The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) will host Halloween on the Farm on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to come in costume to enjoy a bonfire, scavenger hunt and Halloween music. The event is free, and fireside treats such as s’mores, apple cider, hot cocoa and hot dogs will be available for purchase at the farm stand. Each child will receive a complimentary Halloween treat. Visit theeducationalfarm.org. Registration is required.

• Arlington Street Community Center (36 Arlington St. in Nashua) will hold a Halloween P arty on Friday, Oct. 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event is free and will include a trunk or treat, pumpkin painting and more, according to a post on the center’s Facebook page.

• The New Hampshire Audubon’s McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org, 224-9909) will hold its annual Enchanted Forest Friday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 26. Follow a trail in the forest illuminated by jack-o’-lanterns, watch skits, hear stories by the campfire and more, according to the website, where you can purchase tickets for $15 per person. Reservations are required.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover) hosts its Not-So-Spooky Spectacular on Friday, Oct. 25 and Saturday, Oct. 26, with sessions each day from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear costumes The event will feature interactive science experiments, crafting in the STEAM Lab and a pumpkin scavenger hunt. The afternoon session includes a concert and dance party with kids’ musician Mr. Aaron at 2 p.m. Admission costs$12.50 for adults and children over age 1; $10.50 for 65+. Register in advance online.

• Join kids’ musician Laurie Berkner for a Halloween show at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord) on Saturday, Oct. 26, with performances at 11 a.m.and 3 p.m. Laurie will blend her hits with Halloween tunes. Attendees are encouraged to wear dancing shoes and bring a stuffed animal. Tickets start at $31.75 on the CCA website.

• Families with children of all ages are invited to participate in the Family Costume Parade at the Nashua Public Library (2 Court St.) on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 10:30 a.m.. Attendees are encouraged to don their costumes and parade around the building. Each department of the library will offer a special treat for the participants. Visit nashualibrary.org.

• There will be a Teen Halloween Party Tuesday, Oct. 29, 10 to 11 p.m. at the Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester, 624-6550, manchesterlibrary.org). Come dressed in your costumes for Halloween activities.

• A Kids’ Halloween Party will take place Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Weare Public Library (10 Paige Memorial Lane, Weare, 529-2044, wearepubliclibrary.com). Enjoy Halloween crafts while dressed in your Halloween costumes.

• The North Side Plaza in Manchester will hold a Community Trick or Treat on Wednesday, Oct. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. with store-to-store trick or treat, a small petting zoo and horse-drawn wagon rides. See northsideplazanh.com for directions.

Trick-or-Treat Times

Trunk-or-Treats

All Halloween

Spooky season fun for everyone

Compiled by John Fladd
[email protected]

Find fun for all (or most) ages at these Halloweeny happenings.

• J&F Farms (124 Chester Road, Derry, jandffarmsnh.com) has a Halloween-themed corn maze through Oct. 31. The farm is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to its website. The cost is $10 per person.

• Elwood Orchards (54 Elwood Road in Londonderry; 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com) opens its corn maze for night admission on Fridays and Saturdays (last admission is at 9 p.m.). The maze is also open daily at 9 a.m., last entrance at 5 p.m.. Admission costs $12; children 5 and under get in for free.

• Coppal House Farm (118 N. River Road, Lee, nhcornmaze.com) has a flashlight night corn maze on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time and are $15. Flashlights will not be provided. Additionally there is a daytime maze open on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Daytime admission can be purchased at the farm stand and costs $10 for adults and $8 for children, students, seniors and military. For both events, children under age 4 get in free.

• Take photos with the pumpkin man and then check out the corn maze at Brookdale Fruit Farm (41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com) Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $4 per person.

• Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 335-1992, rochesteroperahouse.com) presents a stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz through Sunday, Nov. 3, with showtimes on Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. Tickets range from $26 to $32. Visit rochesteroperahouse.com to purchase tickets.

• Hocus Pocus(PG, 1993) will screen at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) Friday, Oct. 18, through Thursday, Oct. 24, at 12:45, 3:50 and 7 p.m. (6:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 23).

• Spookville: A Nightmare on Chestnut Street, a haunted attraction designed by SCARE NH (Secondhand Costume Annual Redistribution Effort), will open Friday, Oct. 18, and run Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 6 to 9 p.m. and Halloween night from 6 to 9 p.m. The attraction also has sessions on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that are “sensory safe/ fright-light days,” according to scarenh.org/spookville. The attraction is at 1 Chestnut St. in Nashua and admission is free with any donations going to the organization to help with its efforts, which include the annual attraction and the collection of new and gently used costumes to give away to kids in need, the website said.

• The Strand (20 Third St., Dover, thestranddover.com) will present Break A Leg Legally’s eighth annual live production of Dracula Friday, Oct. 18, through Sunday, Oct. 27, with shows Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $18 for matinees, $20 for evening performances. See breakaleglegally.com.

• The Portsmouth Farmers Market (1 Junkins Ave.) will host a Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 8 a.m. to noon. For $10 participants can choose a pumpkin to smash with a mallet, a two-by-four or “the trusty ol’ Louisville Slugger.” For $5 they can bring their own pumpkin to smash. See portsmouthhalloweenparade.org.

• Devriendt Farm (178 S. Mast St., Goffstown, devriendtfarm.com) opens its corn maze (and its pumpkin patch) on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at its 47 Story Road location.

• The Animal Rescue League of NH (rescueleague.org) will host a Howl-O-Ween 5K run Saturday, Oct. 19, beginning at 10 a.m. at Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester, 641-2005, milb.com/new-hampshire). This is a dog-friendly run/walk that benefits the Rescue League. Participants can purchase a special timed bib for their dog. Visit rescueleague.org/howloween5k.

• The Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Regatta in downtown Goffstown takes place Saturday, Oct. 19, and Sunday, Oct. 20, with a variety of events each day as well as vendor booths throughout the weekend. See goffstownmainstreet.org/pumpkin-regatta.

• Windham Recreation Department will hold its annual Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct. 19, in Griffin Park. See windhamnh.gov for more on this family fun event.

• Cake Theatre (12 Veterans Square, Laconia, 677-6360, thecaketheatre.com) will host three Halloween with Recycled Percussion performances: Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets begin at $49. There will also be a Spook N’ Groove hangout and dance party Friday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. with special drinks and snacks, including the Cake’s signature cotton candy and candy bar. This event is family-friendly and promises a night of spooky fun for all ages. Tickets are $15 and available through the Cake’s website.

• The City of Nashuawill host its Halloween Boo Bash on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Greeley Park (100 Concord St.). Activities include hay rides, pumpkin decorating, a haunted house and a bonfire. Costumes are encouraged and admission is free. Visit nashuanh.gov.

• Watch Hocus Pocusin Derryfield Park in Manchester on Saturday, Oct. 19, outside starting at dusk. Bring chairs and blankets; concessions will be available for purchase, according to a post on the Manchester Parks & Recreation department Facebook page.

• Step into the Halloween spirit with a Graveyard Walk at Castle in the Clouds (455 Old Mountain Road, Moultonborough, 476-5900, castleintheclouds.org). This outdoor history walk spans approximately 2 miles over varied terrain, offering insights into the rich past of this remarkable estate. Tickets are $15 each and available through the Castle’s website. Pre-registration is required. The Walk will take place on Saturdays and Mondays throughout October, from 3 to 5 p.m.

• The 18th annual Celebrate Samhain festival will be held on Sunday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Nashua (2 Somerset Pkwy., Nashua, 886-1200, hilton.com/en/hotels/ashssdt-doubletree-nashua).The Samhain Festival is a celebration of the final harvest and of those who have passed and will feature vendors, artisans, psychic readings and a ritual led by Serenity Coven to honor the dead. Admission is $12 or $10 with the donation of a nonperishable food item. Visit facebook.com/ NHSamhain.

• The Groovy Witch (332 Central Ave., Dover, 312-9267, groovywitch.com) is hosting Dover’s third annual Witches Market on Sunday, Oct. 20, from noon to 5 p.m. The Witches Market is a community event that highlights local artisans and small businesses specializing in witchcraft, magic, herbalism, spiritual readings and handmade mystical items. It’s in the Dover City Hall Auditorium but also spills out onto Central Ave. for an outdoor experience. Visit eventbrite.com to reserve a spot or for more information.

• Der Golem (1920) will screen at Wilton Town Hall Theatres (40 Main St., Wilton; find them on Facebook) on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 p.m., with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free, though a $10 donation is suggested.

• The Seacoast Repertory Theatre(125 Bow St., Portsmouth, seacoastrep.org) will present Lizzie! A Lizzie Borden Rock Musical through Sunday, Oct. 27, with shows on Sunday, Oct. 20, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 25, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $37. The content warning includes “adult themes, description of abuse, blood/gore, suicidal idealtion/attempted suicide,” according to the website.

• The Friends of the Salem NH Historical Society will host their annual Salem Soul-Stroll, Sunday, Oct. 20, from 3 to 5 p.m. This will be a tour of the Salem Burying Ground at The Salem Common. Meet at the Old Town Hall (310 Main St., Salem). Children under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

• The Haunted History of New England is a one-hour slide presentation at the Derry Public Library (64 E. Broadway, Derry, 432-6140, derrypl.org) on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The presentation compares present-day photographs of all the sites to historical period photographs, and melds historical fact together with legend and myth to produce an interesting new look at events that really happened and the stories of hauntings that followed them. This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required. Visit the Library’s website.

• The Lost World (1925), a silent film based on Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel about dinosaurs found by “modern” explorers, will screen at the Flying Monkey (39 S. Main St., Plymouth, flyingmonkeynh.com) on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. The presentation features live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

• On Thursday, Oct. 24, Friday, Oct. 25, and Saturday, Oct. 26, Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, 783-9511, shakers.org) will host Ghost Encounter Tours at 5, 6 and 7 p.m. The 45-minute tours will explore the evolution of spiritualism in Shaker faith and will include “firsthand accounts of otherworldly encounters,” according to the website. Tickets purchased in advance are $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. Tickets cost $25 day of. Register at shakers.org.

• Ghosts on the Banke is a family-friendly Halloween event. Trick-or-treat outdoors from house to historic house at the Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, 433-1100, strawberybanke.org) with jack-o’-lanterns lighting the way in Portsmouth’s oldest waterfront neighborhood. Meet wayward pirates and a mysterious fortune-teller, listen to ghostly tales, construct a giant spider web, dance to tunes and play games for prizes. This event will take place Thursday, Oct. 24, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25, at 5 and 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, at 5 and 6:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and children, less for infants and Museum members.

• Manchester City Library (405 Pine St., Manchester, 624-6550, manchesterlibrary.org) will partner with local historian Stan Garrity for a walk through Manchester’s forgotten history in a Tour of the Valley Street Cemetery on Friday, Oct. 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. Hear the fascinating stories of some of the Cemetery’s more obscure residents. The event will start in the rotunda of the Main Library at 2 p.m. From there, participants will walk as a group to the cemetery for the tour before returning to the Main Library rotunda around 4 p.m. This is a free event, but pre-registration on the Library’s website is recommended.

• The Witch of Weston Tower is back and haunting McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet Way, Manchester, 622-6159, mcintyreskiarea.com) Oct. 25 through Oct. 27. Take a scenic chairlift ride and travel the treacherous trail on a tractor to the Witch of Weston Tower. Guests are welcome to climb the stairs of Weston Tower and see the most spooktacular views of Manchester. Proceeds benefit the Manchester Historic Association. Hours are Friday, Oct. 25, 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 26, noon to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 27, noon to 6 p.m. Tickets are $5 to $22 and are available at ticketscandy.com.

• On Friday, Oct. 25, there will be a Downtown Trick-or-Treat and Zombie Walk on Main Street in Rochester. Businesses downtown will be handing out candy from 4 to 6 p.m. Zombies will be taking a new route from the Citizens Bank parking lot to Bridge Street, around River Street and back to North Main Street.

• InTown Concord (49 S. Main St., Concord, 226-2150, intownconcord.org) will host a Halloween Howl on Friday, Oct. 25, on Main Street from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. There will be Wicked fun on Main Street for community trick-or-treating, festive costumes and decor, and plenty of ghoulish games and activities for the whole family to enjoy.

• Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone (PG, 2001) will screen at Chunky’s in Manchester, chunkys.com, Friday, Oct. 25, through Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 6:30 p.m.

• The Park Theatre (19 Main St., Jaffrey, 532-9300, theparktheatre.org) is hosting Halloweenie at the Park, featuring some scary movies. On Friday, Oct. 25, there will be a showing of the 1960 movie 13 Ghosts (featuring “Illusion-O” glasses to see the ghosts) at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 26, Yellow Brick Road (PG, 1984), a horror movie filmed in Lancaster, New Hampshire, will play at 7 p.m., followed by a live Zoom interview with the director. On Thursday, Oct. 31, beginning at 4 p.m., the theater will continue its tradition of giving out treats to trick-or-treaters, as well as screenings of 1987’s The Monster Squad at 6 p.m. and Little Shop of Horrors with Jack Nicholson at 7:45 p.m. Visit theparktheatre.org/halloweenie for event details and to purchase tickets.

• Nosferatu (1922), a silent film directed by F.W. Murnau, will be presented with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis at the Derry Opera House (29 W. Broadway, Derry) on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m.

• Disney’s Descendants will be presented by Epping Community Theater (38 Ladds Lane, Epping, eppingtheater.org) on Friday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $15 for ages 12 and under.

• The New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival will take place Saturday, Oct. 26, starting with a road race at 9 a.m. and running through a laser show at 7 p.m. Events include an arts and crafts fair, a pet parade, food trucks, lots of pumpkin activities and more. See nhpumpkinfestival.com.

• The Wilton Main Street Association will host The Haunting of Wilton on Saturday, Oct. 26, with various events throughout the day. At 2 p.m. there will be a costume parade down Main Street, followed by trick-or-treating with Main Street merchants. There will be a Bizarre Bazaar, a Haunted trail and more.Visit visitwilton.com.

• The third annual Halloween Howl Hustle for Housing is a 5K that will benefit Fellowship Housing Opportunities. The adult 5K costs $40 and will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Masonic Lodge (53 Iron Works Road, Concord). Registration will end on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 11:59 p.m. To register visit runsignup.com/ halloweenhowlhustle5k.

• The Amherst Orthodontics Trick or Trot 3K will be held at Backyard Brewery and Kitchen (1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-3545, backyardbrewerynh.com) on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. Participants ages 9 and up are welcome to participate in the race, and preregistration is encouraged. Registration costs between $15 and $25 at runreg.com/trick-or-trot-3k. Pre-race activities will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will include a Kids’ Halloween Festival with magic, animals, and vendors, a magic show on stage, and Lil’ Pumpkin Fun Runs (100m dash) for young children. Visit millenniumrunning.com/trick-or-trot.

• The Exeter Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a Halloween parade and costume contest on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Swasey Parkway. The costume contest will be judged at 10:30 a.m., and the parade will begin at 11 a.m. From noon to 3 p.m. there will be trick-or-treating downtown. Visit exeternh. gov.

• Join the town of Merrimack for its 32nd annual Halloween Party on Saturday, Oct. 26, from noon to 3 p.m. at Wasserman Park (116 Naticook Road). There will be a costume contest and a pumpkin race car derby along with free games, crafts and face painting. Visit merrimackparksandrec.org.

• The 18th annual Dover Zombie Walk will take place on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2 p.m. Zombies will assemble at the Dover Chamber of Commerce and shuffle their carcasses down to Henry Law Park for games, goodies, giveaways and costume contests for kids and adults alike. Visit facebook.com/doverzombiewalk.

• The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring.org) will presentFright Night!, a horror-themed comedy night presented by the improv and comedy group Stranger Than Fiction, on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Admission is $15.

• Dracula will be presented by PUSH Physical Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. at Stockbridge Theatre (5 Pinkerton St., Derry, pinkertonacademy.org/stockbridge-theatre). Tickets cost $15 to $35.

• Monster Mash Teen Cabaret will be presented by the Majestic Academy Teens at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester, majestictheatre.net) on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15.

• Kiki’s Delivery Service (G, 1989) will screen Saturday, Oct. 26, through Wednesday, Oct. 30, at Apple Cinemas in Hooksett and Merrimack, O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square in Epping, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run. See FathomEvents.com for times and for which screenings are dubbed or subtitled..

• Bedford Event Center (379 S. River Road, Bedford, 997-7741, bedfordeventcenter.com) will host the second annual Fall Artisan Fair Sunday, Oct. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event will include food trucks, dozens of local art vendors, free Halloween-themed kids’ activities, and trick-or-treating.

• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PG-13, 2024) will screen at Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com) as part of a five-course farmer’s dinner on Sunday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. Dinners (with a vegetarian option) are $75 per person, $110 with a wine package.

• There will be a lecture, “The Capital Crime of Witchcraft: What the Primary Sources Tell Us,” at Rodgers Memorial Library (194 Derry Road, Hudson, 886-6030, rodgerslibrary.org) on Tuesday, Oct. 29, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. This presentation will explore an array of prosecutions in 1600s-era New England. This is a free event, but pre-registration is recommended.

• The Lon Chaney Halloween Creepfest Double Feature brings The Unknown (1927) and West of Zanzibar (1928) featuring live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis at the Rex Theatre in Manchester (palacetheatre.org) on Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m.

• Fathom Events will screen Coraline (PG, 2009) in celebration of its 15th anniversary with shows on Thursday, Oct. 31, and Friday, Nov. 1, at Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem (4 and 7 p.m.) and Regal Fox Run in Newington (1 and 7 p.m.). See FathomEvents.com.

• Vampire Circus will offer a mix of circus cabaret and theater on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre at Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord; ccanh.com). Tickets cost $44 through $64.

• The Portsmouth Halloween Parade will take place on Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. Visit portsmouthhalloweenparade.org for the parade route and details.

• The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring.org) will present The Fall of the House of Usher Thursday, Oct. 31, through Sunday, Nov. 17. The Halloween opening night of this adaptation of an Edgar Allen Poe short story will be presented at 9 p.m.; thereafter shows will be at 7 p.m. on Thursdays; 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets cost $29 general admission; $26 for students, 65+, military and first responders. A Players’ Ring email described the show as PG-13.

• A live production of Beetlejuice will be presented by Riverbend Youth Company Friday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 3, at the Amato Center for the Arts (56 Mont Vernon St., Milford, amatocenter.org/riverbend-youth-company). Shows are at 7:30 pm. on Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday; tickets cost $15, $10 for seniors and children.

• Stay with that Halloweeny vibe of the supernatural at Magic Rocks with illusionist Leon Eitenne on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 4 and 7:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $35.

Spooky season of fun

Movies, dances, meals and more grown-up Halloween fun

Compiled by John Fladd
[email protected]

If a scary movie is more your speed or you want to start your Halloween partying before the big week, here are some events aimed at the 18+ (and in some cases 21+) crowd.

• Enjoy a Halloween Wine Cave Igloo Experience at Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) until the end of October. This private wine tasting will be in a darkened igloo where blacklights enhance the experience. Choose from a flight of four wines, or indulge in a single glass. There will be a complimentary charcuterie board with nuts, meats, cheeses and crackers. Tickets are $100, with additional guests for $50. Reservations at the Averill House website.

• Enjoy a spooky evening on the water with a Haunted Winnipesaukee Ghost Story Cruise by Mount Washington Cruises (211 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, 366-5531, cruisenh.com). The cruise will last from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights through Saturday, Oct. 26. Tickets are $60 each and available at cruisenh.com.

• The Conjuring (R, 2013) will screen at Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com) on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the October Classic Horror Movie Collection series. Tickets cost $5 (plus fees), which also gets you a $5 food voucher for use that night.

• Test your It and Misery knowledge at Stephen King movies trivia with Heather at Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com) on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m.

• The Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth, 433-4472, seacoastrep.org) presents Nick Dear’s adaptation of Frankenstein on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 and 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 26, at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m. Tickets start at $37. The website recommends the show for 18+ as it has “graphic depictions of violence and sexual assault [and] adult content.”

• Brookline Events Center (269 Route 130, Brookline, 673-4474) will hold a Halloween DJ dance with Bernie & Bob on Friday, Oct. 18, at 7 p.m. The cost is $10 at the door.

• Auspicious Brew (1 Washington St., Dover, 953-7240, auspiciousbrew.com) will host a Spooky Soirée Drag Night with Raya Sunshine on Friday, Oct. 18, at 8 p.m., tickets $12, and a Fall Swap & Sip (Halloween costume edition) on Tuesday, Oct. 22, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. — bring five to 10 fall garments, housewares or Halloween costumes to swap.

• Red Rivers Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord, redrivertheatres.org) will hold its annual screening with audience participation of Rocky Horror Picture Show (R, 1975) on Fridays and Saturdays from Oct. 18 through Oct. 26 at 10 p.m. Tickets are $25 for this 18+ event (16+ with an adult). “We provide the props, you provide the costumes, and we all enjoy a night of interactive, movie-going naughtiness. There will be prizes for best costumes so we expect you to BRING IT! Audience participation is expected — this is NOT a quiet night out at the movies!” said the website, which specifies no outside props are allowed.

• Join the Royal Palace Dance Studio (373 S. Willow St., Manchester, 621-9119, royalpalacedance.com) Saturday, Oct. 19, at 6:30 p.m. for a sultry Halloween Tango & Tarot Social with complimentary drinks, appetizers, a psychic, and festive fun. Tickets are $45 through eventbrite.com.

• Salsa Secrets Studio (2800 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, 584-2985) will hold a Spooky Dance Social on Saturday, Oct. 19, beginning with an intermediate dance class at 7:30 p.m., followed by social dancing until 10:30 p.m. See salsasecretsdance.com.

• An unrated release of Saw (2004) will screen as part of a celebration of its 20th anniversary via Fathom Events on Sunday, Oct. 20, at Apple Cinemas in Merrimack and Hooksett (at 7 p.m.), Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem (4 and 7 p.m.), O’neil Brickyard Cinemas in Epping (4 and 7 p.m.) and Regal Fox Run in Newington (4 and 7 p.m.) as well as Wednesday, Oct. 23, at Apple Cinemas in Merrimack and Hooksett (at 7 p.m.), Cinemark Rockingham Park in Salem (7 p.m.), O’neil Brickyard Cinemas in Epping (4:25 and 7 p.m.) and Regal Fox Run in Newington (4 and 7 p.m.). See fathomevents.com.

• It’s Boo-ze and Cookies “A Halloween Cookie Decorating Class with Drinks” at The Hill Bar & Grille (McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Way in Manchester) on Wednesday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 for one ticket, $80 for two and include a beer or wine (or non-alcoholic drink), four cookies, decorating materials and instruction, according to a post on The Hill’s Facebook page where you can purchase tickets. Children welcome with an adult, the post said.

• Test your knowledge of frightening films at a 21+ Horror Movie Trivia Night at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. Gather your team to crown yourself the ultimate fan with a Chunky’s Gift Card for the top three teams. $6 will secure a spot and a $5 food voucher. Be advised: Each player needs to purchase a ticket; one ticket does not reserve an entire team.

• Also at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) there will be a screening of the original Halloween(1978, R) on Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5, which gets a food voucher that can be used on the night of the viewing.

• To Share Brewing (720 Union St., Manchester, tosharebrewing.com) will offer a Beer & Candy Pairing Thursday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Oct. 27. The pairing of an assortment of To Share brews and classic Halloween candy will only last as long as the candy, so get in early.

• Catch the murder mystery dinner show Death of a Gangster at the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 4 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $48.75.

• It’s the Buzz, Brews & Boos Halloween Party at The Hill Bar & Grille (McIntyre Ski Area, 50 Chalet Way in Manchester) on Saturday, Oct. 26, from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets cost $40 and are available through The Hill’s Facebook post about the event, which describes the 21+ party as featuring Rock 101’s Greg and the Morning Buzz, a Halloween contest, a DJ, an appetizer buffet and more.

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show will return to Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 9 p.m. This is a one-night-only viewing party with props and costumes encouraged. Tickets cost $10.

• The Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St., Portsmouth, seacoastrep.org) will present The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live! On Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m.; Thursday, Oct. 31, at 8 and 11:59 p.m., and Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. “Make no mistake, this is not a showing of the classic film — this is a fully produced, spectacular production of the original stage show, featuring a top tier cast of wild & untamed performers and an electric live band,” according to the website. No props. Tickets start at $37.

• Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester, chunkys.com) will hold a 21+ screening of 2001’s Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone on Thursday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. Costumes are encouraged (free admission to a future movie for those who show up in Harry Potter gear) and the event will feature specialty themed cocktails available for purchase, according to the website.