HAUNTED HAVENS
By Carl Tietze and Neil Petkus
October 2005 - First things first, and we all know that Halloween
is all about costumes. Fortunately, the Halloween Outlet at 540 West Boylston
Street is open 7 days a week in October and has anything and everything
you need to create the perfect costume or throw the perfect Halloween
party. This year the word for guys is that Batman, Dr. Doom, any one of
the Jedi Knights featured in Revenge of the Sith, and perennial favorite
Elvis, the Kind himself, are all cool choices. For the ladies, Wonderwoman,
Supergirl, Harry Potter chum Hermoine and Little Red Riding Hood are at
the top of the list. And couples might want to try Princess Amadala and
Anakin Skywalker for that star-crossed lover look from a galaxy far, far
away. 508- 852-4500.
You can also head to Halloween Costume World at 480 Water St. in Fitchburg
to choose from New England’s largest costume selection. And after
you’ve gotten your costume, plan to check out the insane Haunted
Mansion – room after room of gloriously gory displays of decapitation,
decomposition, torture, impalings, reanimation…all the good stuff!
If you dare, call 1-877-U SCREAM or creep over to www.halloweencostumeworld.com.
Wallum’s Haunted Forest in Douglas, MA is open Friday – Sunday
nights, 6 -9pm – all month long. This creepy nighttime experience
really will give you the chills – and that’s why visitors
are not allowed to enter the forest without signing a waiver!!!! Admission
for getting scared out of your skin is only $2 – and check out www.geocities.com/wallumsforest/
for more info!
Family fun flourishes in the form of hayrides, train rides, pumpkin pageantry
and giveaways galore at the EcoTarium (225 Harrington Way) on October
28, starting at 5:30 p.m. Costumes are encouraged but not mandatory and
admission is $10 for adults and $8 for children under 12.
The Haunted Forest at Southwick’s Zoo is the perfect not-too-scary,
nottoo- tame way to celebrate the season. Ride the Haunted Ride, weave
your way through the Maze of
Madness, play some games at the Kids’ Creepy Corner. There are concessions
and novelty items, too!! Come join in the Spoooooky Fun for Everyone,
the Forest is open Fridays – Sundays from 6-9pm, October 14 –
30. Call 800-258-9182 ext 11 for details and check www.southwickszoo.com.
Even the website (www.bhmansion.com/)
for Barrett’s Haunted Mansion will make you jump (and it should
definitely win the prize for best Halloween site!) It’s obvious
these guys take Halloween seriously ~ the mansion is designed to deliver
the maximum scare factor so be prepared to deal with ghouls, shrieks,
blood and more! Head to the site for more information on what’s
in store…and on the hours of (insert evil laugh here) operation.
Or call one of the Mansion Ghouls at 781–871-4573.
The Manor Restaurant in West Boylston (42 West Boylston Street) is holding
an allages\ Halloween Party on October 28. Prizes will be awarded for
the best costumes. You must be 21+ to drink and tickets are $15. Call
(508) 835-4722 for more information.
Club Raw (281 Main Street) is throwing an October 25 Halloween shindig
with music provided by Fading Still. Guys, listen up, the lady with the
sexiest costume wins $100. www.rawworcester.com
Tammany Hall’s Annual Halloween Bash features live music by Oak
Street and always sports some of the craziest costumes in Worcester. www.tamhall.com
The Phantom of the Opera Halloween Bash at Mechanic’s Hall creeps
into town on October 30 from 2:30-4:30 and features the original classic
1927 film accompanied by organist David Peckham. Admission is $10 and
a reception will follow (additional admission). (508) 752-0888.
If you’re a Haunted House-Head, try Berwick’s Haunted Attraction,”horrifying
visitors for the last 23 years,” open this October on Fridays, Saturdays
and Sundays at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $8 for all victims…er…visitors...and
there’s free popcorn and free parking. The theme is different each
year but this year is shaping up to be fiercer and more frightening than
ever.. 335 West Street (Intersection of West and Manley Streets, West
Bridgewater, MA). All proceeds benefit the Berwick Boys Foundation
If you’re really gutsy and looking for a more “real”
haunted experience, you might want to work up the courage to venture out
to Spider Gates Cemetery (the actual name is\ Friends’ Cemetery
but the Spider name is more fitting because of the wrought iron gates
at the entrance – they’re surrounded by creepy spiderweb patters)
in Leicester. The site dates back over 200 years and is reportedly haunted
by some paranormal…beings. The cemetery’s history is full
of myth and old ghost stories and is not for the faint of heart ~ even
in the daytime the scene is eerie.
Anyone can visit the cemetery during daylight hours but visitors are asked
to be as respectful of the burial area.
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