We hope you had your filling of turkey and apple pie on the Thanksgiving weekend, because while some Halloween events around the Kawarthas region this month will have you snacking on candy, others may leave you without an appetite.
Today, we know Halloween as a day for putting on costumes, collecting candy, and getting your fright on. However, the original celebration dates to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain occurring at the end of summer. With winter being associated with human death, it was believed that on the day of the new year, the boundary between the living and dead blurred, so the Celts would wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
When the Catholic church declared November 1st as All Saints Day (or All Hallows Day), the day before it (the night of Samhain) became known as All-Hallows Eve, which has turned into the Halloween we know today.
Celebrations around the region this year range from family-friendly fundraisers and educational events, to the most terrifying haunts that will be sure to get your heart racing, bones chilling, and blood pumping.
Halloweek at Pie Eyed Monk in Lindsay (October 23 – 31)
Creative Force and Pie Eyed Monk (8 Cambridge St. N.) in Lindsay are once again gearing up for a whole week of frights with Halloweek. The restaurant and brewery is hosting a line-up of new and annual events from Wednesday, October 23 until Thursday, October 31.
Running at the venue during the week is a dinner and the screening of the classic film that reinvented the slasher-horror genre, Scream (October 23, 6:30 p.m.), Halloween trivia with prizes (October 24, 6:30 p.m.), the annual HallowQueen Drag Show for ages 19+ (October 25, 7:30 p.m.), and the Thriller Halloween Dance for ages 19 + (October 26, 9 p.m.).
Pie Eyed Monk will also be hosting their haunted house on October 25 and 26 and 30 and 31, as well as the Boos and Brews haunted corn maze at Stellmar Farm (136 Sand Bar Rd., Little Britain) on October 18, 25, and 26. (Editor’s note: the haunted house has been cancelled).
Visit creativeforce.ca/halloweek for more information and to purchase tickets.
Spooky All Hallows’ Eve at Lang Pioneer Village in Keene (October 25 & 26)
Get dressed up in your best costumes for the annual Spooky All Hallows’ Eve at Lang Pioneer Village Museum (104 Lang Rd., Keene) on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26.
Open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night, the village will transport you back in time with an array of spooky displays and introduce to you the origins of favourite Halloween traditions.
Alongside learning about the origins of trick-or-treating, the story of werewolves, and the history of coffins and body snatching, highlights include wagon rides, magic shows, face painting, festive snacks and drinks, a séance, fortune telling, and much more.
Tickets cost $15 for adults, $10 for students and seniors (60+), $7 for youth aged 2-14, and free for children under 2. For $40, families can get a pass inclusive of two adults and up to four youth. Buy advance tickets at www.langpioneervillage.ca/events/all-hallows-eve/.
Tour of the Medieval Macabre and Gruesome History at Blades of Glory in Hastings (October 25 & 26)
Visit Blades of Glory Medieval Entertainment & Educational Park (122 Dunlay Road, Hastings) on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26 for a tour of the medieval macabre and to learn about history’s bone-chilling darker side.
This 40-minute tour will take visitors to learn about the origins of vampires, witches, and the most prolific female serial killer in medieval history. Without any made-up villains or jump scares, the tour includes nothing but terrifyingly true stories of heinous people and gruesome events. With a display of torture devices, the ghost walk ends with a festive execution.
The tour is rated for mature audiences and anyone under 18 requires parental supervision. General admission costs $30 and must be purchased in advance online at bladesofglory.ca.
Haunted Forest Walk at Go Away Acres in Minden (October 25 – 27)
For those who can handle a fright, get spooked for a good cause during the fourth Haunted Forest Walk at Go Away Acres (1043 Turntable Dr., Minden).
This is not just any walk in the park: the more than 500 risk-taking visitors who walked through last year will tell you not to stray off path, as you don’t know what awaits you in the Haunted Forest. And this year promises even more terrifying scenes!
Admission for the event is $3 with proceeds going towards the Minden Community Food Centre. The forest is open from 7 to 10 p.m. on October 25, 26, and 27. The event is not recommended for kids under 10. Follow along on Facebook for more information.
Get Your Spook On in Millbrook (October 26)
Locals and visitors to downtown Millbrook will be getting their sweet treats early this year with the Get Your Spook On event happening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 26.
Getting the whole village in the spooky spirit, the event will see businesses in the downtown open for trick-or-treaters dressed up in their best costumes. Now that’s a sweet deal!
Halloween in the Booro in downtown Peterborough (October 26)
For family-friendly fun in downtown Peterborough, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is presenting Halloween in the Booro from 5 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 26.
The free event features spooky family fun including trick-or-treating and late-night shopping at nearly 30 downtown businesses, haunted characters stationed throughout the downtown to greet treat-or-treaters and shoppers, and a scavenger hunt for kids.
For more details, including a list of participating businesses and a trick-or-treating map, visit theboro.ca/halloween-in-the-boooro/.
Haunting in Minden Hills (October 26)
The annual Haunting in Minden Hills is once again taking over the Minden Hills Cultural Centre (176 Bobcaygeon Rd, Minden) on Saturday, October 26 from noon to 6 p.m.
The full day includes pumpkin carving, a witch dance workshop, paranormal haunted house tour, costume parade, storytime, face painting, spooky games, and more.
Admission is by donation. Visit www.mindenhills.ca for more information.
Reel Creatures at The Claymore Pub & Table in Cobourg (October 26)
On Saturday, October 26, join Film Access Northumberland at The Claymore Pub & Table (95 King Street W., Cobourg) for Reel Creatures, featuring the screening of two acclaimed Canadian horror films with in-person discussions. Enjoy popcorn and a pint from the pub through a pay-as-you-go menu accessible throughout the evening.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., the horror fest will kick off with a screening of the short film Storage Room B, about two co-workers being locked at the office during a zombie apocalypse, which earned second runner-up spot for the Film Forward Award at the 2023 Eye2Eye Film Festival. Director Scott Dion Brown will then talk about some of the decisions he made, such as why he set the film in just one room and why he used only a single camera angle.
Next will be a screening of the feature film Cult Hero, about a control freak trying to save her hubby from an Owen Sound “wellness centre” by teaming up with a washed-up cult-buster. Director Jesse Thomas Cook and actress Liv Collis will both be in discussion following the screening.
Tickets cost $15 and can be booked in advance or at the door. Visit www.filmaccessnorthumberland.ca/reel-creatures for more information or to buy tickets.
Lindsay Little Theatre Halloween Party (October 26)
Join the Lindsay Little Theatre at the Lindsay Curling Club (18 Peel St., Lindsay) for a Halloween Party and Looney Auction in support of the community theatre at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 26.
Show off your best Halloween costume for the chance to win the costume contest, get drinks from the licensed bar, participate in a thrilling auction for a cause, and enjoy live entertainment from Glenn Ottaway, Linda Brown, and Reece David.
Tickets for the fundraiser cost $20 and can be purchased at www.lindsaylittletheatre.com.
“A Night at the Grand Ghoul Opry” at Bancroft Village Playhouse (October 30 – November 3)
Tweed & Company Theatre is bringing an original production to the stage at Bancroft Village Playhouse this Halloween season with A Night at the Grand Ghoul Opry.
The ghouls, ghosts, and monsters of classic literature are fed up with sharing the spotlight with Twilight vampires and zombies on streaming services, and decide to host their own concert. Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy, and more come together to bare their souls with reimagined country and rock songs.
The special Halloween event will see the whole theatre transformed with a pre-concert haunted house, along with a costume contest, adult trick-or-treating, themed drinks, and, of course, the hilarious and haunting music of the underworld.
A Night at the Grand Ghoul Opry runs nightly from Wednesday, October 30 to Saturday, November 2 at 7 p.m. with matinee 2 p.m. performances on October 31, November 2, and November 3. Tickets cost $38.50 for adults, $33.50 for seniors (65+), $25 for arts workers, and $23.50 for students and youth. Visit www.villageplayhouse.ca/a-night-at-the-grand-ghoul-opry for more information and tickets.
Spooky home display at 4 Payne Crescent in Port Hope (until October 31)
One Port Hope family has gone above and beyond on their home decorations to show their love for Halloween. From witches and jack-o-lanterns to scarecrows and skeletons, there’s no shortage of spooky displays at 4 Payne Crescent.
Visitors are encouraged to drive by to enjoy the frightening sights and sounds, or get out of their vehicles and see what other spooky surprises await on the property. A great option for young kids and those who scare easily, the display includes nothing that jumps out or moves — aside from what might move in the wind, or from other spirits and forces that might be at play.
The fog, lighting, and music will be on display every night from 7 to 11 p.m. for the week leading up to Halloween. Just as with last year, on Halloween night, a new Victorian witches tea party will be set up in the garage to add to the display.
To give back to the community through their impressive display, the family is collecting donations for Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank’s Port Hope location.
