As the leaves continue to change colors and the weather grows increasing colder, it almost feels like Michigan is expecting something big.
No, I don’t mean snow. I mean Halloween.
Growing up, Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. The costumes, the parties, the pumpkins and even the candy corn … Every bit of it excites me. As I got older, the parties were no longer full of cookies and cupcakes. Some of them didn’t even have costumes. The horror!
This year, as I made my Halloween game plan, I sought out to find as many diverse activities as I could to make this Halloween as spook-tacular as possible.
Always a favorite, haunted houses and forests topped my list of to-do’s. There are many options for haunted house fans:
Wiard’s Orchard in Ypsilanti has six options for those who enjoy being scared: The Ultimate Haunted Barn, the Asylum, The Mineshaft, Hayrides of the Lost, The Labyrinth and Alien Caged Clowns.
For $16 you can be terrorized by any one of these attractions, but for $32 you can complete ALL of them. As a bonus, many businesses around town have coupons for a small amount off of the ticket price. You can find more information at www.hauntedhousemichigan.com.
If you feel like taking a drive, there is another haunted house in Adrian. This one boasts being the lowest priced haunted house anywhere at only $10. If you manage to find a coupon – Halloween City has them right now – you can get in for only $5 plus one canned good. More information can be found at www.myhaunting.com.
Pinckney has a Terrorfied Forest and Terrorfied Manor. Covering 30 acres, this attraction rings in at $9 for the Manor alone, $18 for the Forest or a $25 combo pack for both.
On Oct. 17 & 24 students can get the combo for only $20.00 by showing their student IDs. You can find more information at www.terrorfied.com.
If scary isn’t your bag –it wasn’t mine for a few years – there are other options for making this Halloween a fun one.
Woodruff’s is having its third annual Zombie Ball Friday, Oct. 21. The cover is $5.
The Dexter Community Players are performing “Evil Dead: The Musical” at Copeland Theatre Oct. 21-30. Tickets are $17f or the “Splatter Zone,” or $15 for general admission. Call (734) 726-0355 for reservations.
Necto, an 18 dance club in downtown Ann Arbor, is hosting several events:
• College Night’s annual Halloween Bash & Costume Contest on October 27th. Cover is $5; ladies get in free before 11:30 p.m. with College ID.
• Pride presents … The Largest Annual Gay Halloween Party & Costume Contest on Oct. 28. Cover is $ 5 for 21 and $8 for 18-20; guys with college IDs are free until 11 p.m.
For something completely different than haunted barns and zombie balls, I find myself drawn to the days of my childhood and carving pumpkins.
Corner Brewery is having a pumpkin carving party and contest on Oct. 25 6-9 p.m. There is no cover, but you might have to bring your own pumpkin.
The Whittaker Road branch of the Ypsilanti District Library is also having a pumpkin contest, but this one is no-carve. Registration is free, but required. Call 482-4110, ext. 1340, to save your place.
One of the best parts about Halloween is trick-or-treating. This writer is, apparently, too old now to take part of this time-honored tradition, and with no children of my own, will not be taking part in the pillowcase madness this year. For those of you who can – or are anyway – this can be done in most neighborhoods close to campus. If you have children, a great option is Trunk-Or-Treat, an event put on at the United Methodist Church on Packard in Ypsilanti. This event is a free and safe alternative to walking around poorly lit neighborhoods.
No matter what you add to your Halloween to-do checklist, make sure it’s something you will remember for years to come. Make a game plan. Make snacks. Bring friends, bring cameras and make memories.
