Haunted Graveyards and Witches Dungeon Deliver Chills and Thrills

It is that spooky time of year again and Bristol Connecticut in the Litchfield Hills is "spook central"! 

For chills, make haste to the Haunted Graveyard at Lake Compounce Family Theme Park in Bristol, which has been called "The granddaddy of the horrifically good time." An unholy order of monks keep watch over the graves in the dark caverns of the Catacombs here and a dark and misty fog envelops the graveyard where zombies and night stalkers have wakened from the dead. Some are real, others are amazing animatronic creations made by The Haunted Graveyard's crazed staff. Recommended for adults, teens and very brave children, the park opens at dusk weekends from through November 1, and runs to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, to 10 p.m. on Sundays. Lake Compounce will also be operating 17 thrill rides including Boulder Dash, Ghost Hunt, Down Time, and Zoomerang. Proceeds will benefit the American Diabetes Associations. For tickets visit https://www.lakecompounce.com or http://hauntedgraveyard.com.

This will be the 48th year for the annual Witches Dungeon Halloween Classic Movies Museum in Bristol. The Graveyard Of Classic Ghouls sets the atmosphere as you enter the dungeon where accurate life-size figures of Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, and others are featured in 13 scenes or dioramas based on the vintage movie chillers. Many of the figures are made from the actual life casts of the actor's faces, plus some original costumes or props, in a wax museum style setting with special voice tracks by Vincent Price, Mark Hamill, and John Agar. Many Hollywood props are on display and vintage films may be shown outdoors, weather permitting.

While waiting for each wax museum tour, you can view actual film props, actor's life casts and movie posters, or step into our film room, to view classic silent horror movies, shown on film, not video. Featuring far more life size figures & original movie props than we have ever had on display before! Figures based on the classic films of Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi and more.

The new location for Witches Dungeon is 98 Summer Street, Bristol Historical Society in Bristol.  The hours are Friday through Sunday evenings, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Oct. 24-26 and Oct. 31 – Nov. 2.  The Museum is not recommended for children under age 7.   For additional information visit http://www.preservehollywood.org.

Halloween Thrills and Chills in Litchfield Hills CT

It is that spooky time of year again and Bristol Connecticut in the Litchfield Hills is "spook central"! 

For chills, make haste to the Haunted Graveyard at Lake Compounce Family Theme Park in Bristol, which has been called "The granddaddy of the horrifically good time." 

An unholy order of monks keep watch over the graves in the dark caverns of the Catacombs here and a dark and misty fog envelops the graveyard where zombies and night stalkers have wakened from the dead. Some are real, others are amazing animatronic creations made by The Haunted Graveyard's crazed staff. Recommended for adults, teens and very brave children, the park opens at dusk weekends from from October 4-27, and runs to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, to 10 p.m. on Sundays. 

If you go to www.hauntedgraveyard.com you can download a $3 off adult combo admission that is valid on 10/18, 20, 25, and 27 that is good for up to 4 people. Lake Compounce will also be operating 17 thrill rides including Boulder Dash, Ghost Hunt, Down Time, and Zoomerang. Proceeds will benefit the American Diabetes Associations.  For information on Lake Compounce www.lakecompounce.com.

This will be the 47th year for the annual Witches Dungeon Halloween Classic Movies Museum in Bristol. The Graveyard Of Classic Ghouls sets the atmosphere as you enter the dungeon where accurate life-size figures of Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, and others are featured in 13 scenes or dioramas based on the vintage movie chillers. 

Many of the figures are made from the actual life casts of the actor's faces, plus some original costumes or props, in a wax museum style setting with special voice tracks by Vincent Price, Mark Hamill, and John Agar. Many Hollywood props are on display and vintage films may be shown outdoors, weather permitting. 

Special highlights this year include a display of original movie props and weather permitting showing of silent horror classics on an outdoor screen.  Hours are Friday through Sunday evenings, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Oct. 18-20, 25-27 and Oct. 31 – Nov. 3. The Museum is not recommended for children under age 7.  For more information visit www.preservehollywood.org.

For area information www.litchfieldhills.com

Halloween.... historically... in Litchfield Hills and Fairfield County....

At the historic Glebe House Museum on Hollow Rd. in Woodbury on Saturday, October 26 costumed spirits will lead the way through the Ancient Burying grounds, where 30 of Woodbury's most famous and infamous 'spirits' await at their grave sites to relate tales from the darker side of 18th and 19th century Woodbury. There will be a spooky candlelit tour in the museum itself and stories and tales from Moll Cramer, the Witch of Woodbury, told in the Museum cottage. Madame Suzolo will be offering Tarot Card readings and there will be free fall refreshments for all. The Hollow will be closed to traffic and the area, including the walk to and through the cemetery will be lit with over 200 luminaries. Hours are 5 pm to 8:30 p.m.  Individual tickets are $12 and Family tickets Mom, Dad and their children are $25.

The rain date is October 27. www.theglebehouse.org.

The 6^th Annual Washington Green Cemetery Tour, with a special Swedish immigrant theme, will take place on Friday October 25 from 6:30-8:30pm.  Costumed guides will lead groups of visitors every ten minutes from the Gunn Museum to the Washington Green Cemetery where the town’s departed citizens will be stationed at their gravestones to tell their tales of tragedy and triumph. Tour groups will follow a magical path of 1,000 luminaries spanning a quarter mile through the shadowy cemetery and hear the lively and dramatic stories of Washington's Swedish immigrants. The costumed character actors stationed at each gravestone will share the perilous tales of their travels to America, their work as domestics on estates in Washington owned by wealthy New Yorkers, and so much more. The Gunn Museum is located at 5 Wykeham Road, at the intersection of Wykeham Road and Route 47, on Washington Green. Rain date is Oct. 27. www.gunnlibrary.org/museum.html

The Hurd House in Woodbury on Hollow Rd. one of the oldest houses in the Western part of Connecticut is hosting a Halloween bash from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. on October 26.  Children are invited to come to this magnificent historic house in costume and listen to a spooky tale, sip cider by the fire and afterward join the scavenger hunt for some ghoulish fun!  This event is free.

On October 26, Rain date Oct. 27, Plymouth is holding a PumpkinFest on the Green, 10 Park Street from 4 to 7 p.m. Bring your carved jack-o-lantern to enter the carving contest prizes; will be awarded. At 6 p.m. all the pumpkins will be lit for a spectacular display. Other event activities include face painting, live music, lantern tours of the old burying ground and a costume parade led by a bagpiper

On October 27 at 6 p.m. the Fairfield Museum and History Center on 370 Beach Road in Fairfield will host a bone chilling walking tour that explores Fairfield’s haunting legends and folklore as night descends. Participants will hear about body snatching in the cemetery, ghost legends at the Tavern and stand on the site where wary townsfolk tested alleged witches in the 17^th century.  Cost is $8 per person. www.fairfieldhistory.org

As the sun sets, the spirits come out to play…take a lantern-lit tour through the Mill Hill graveyard in Norwalk on Friday, October 25 and Saturday, October 26 at 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.  Listen to new chilling tales from the Norwalk spirits at “A Haunting at Mill Hill”.  Meet Anna Howard, the spirit that roams the Norwalk River and Margaret Gale, the wife of an organ grinder, who met her untimely end along a deserted Norwalk road, plus more stories of murder, death and destruction! Refreshments follow each tour in the historic Little Red Schoolhouse. Limited space on each tour, book early! Event held indoors during inclement weather.  Bring a flashlight.  For tickets call 203-846-0525 or visit www.norwalkhistoricalsociety.org.  Cost: Adults/Teens (ages 13 & up): $14, Child (ages 8-12): $9

Monster Mash at the Stepping Stones Museum For Children Oct. 26

It will be a night of tricks and treats as Stepping Stones Museum for Children welcomes all into its halls of wonder for the museum’s annual Halloween party. Celebrate this mystifying holiday the Stepping Stones way at Monster Mash: Questions and Mysteries on Saturday, October 26, from 6:00 – 8:30 pm.  You’re sure to have a monstrously-good time during the museum’s kid-friendly costume party. It’s a night to quench the curiosity in everyone!

Monster Mash: Questions and Mysteries will be a spellbinding night jam-packed with not-so-scary family fun. Guests can meander through the museum on a scavenger hunt, find out what is fact or fiction as their minds are boggled by the wonders of real life. They will make their own magnifying glass, uncover mysterious messages and scrawl their own secrets with invisible ink, use their nose to sniff out solutions to questions and use their hands to feel for the answers. Of course there will be masquerading down the catwalk during the spooktacular costume fashion show and the BOO-tiful evening will end when they strut their stuff in the puzzling parade throughout the museum.  

Don’t fret about bringing the littlest visitors.  At this Halloween party, we won’t have you crying for your “mummy.” There will be age-appropriate activities for all visitors, so that the whole family can enjoy this costume party.

Tickets for this event cost $10 per person for museum members and $12 per person for non-members.  Children under the age of one will be admitted for free.  Monster Mash tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.  Registration is required.  Space is limited, so register early.  Call 203 899 0606, ext. 247, or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org/monstermash.

About Stepping Stones Museum for Children

Stepping Stones Museum for Children in Norwalk, Conn., is an award-winning, private, non-profit 501(c)(3) children’s museum committed to broadening and enriching the lives of children and families. Located on five acres in Mathews Park, the LEED Gold certified museum encompasses five hands-on galleries, state-of-the-art Multimedia Gallery, Family and Teacher Resource Center, cafe and retail store.

Stepping Stones is located at 303 West Avenue, exit 14N or 15S off I-95 in Norwalk. Museum hours are Labor Day through Memorial Day, Tuesday—Sunday and holiday Mondays from 10 am-5pm; and Memorial Day through Labor Day, Monday-Sunday from 10 am-5 pm. Admission is $15 for adults and children and $10 for seniors. Children under 1 are free. To learn more, call 203 899 0606 or visit www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.

For area information www.visitfairfieldcountyct.com

October Fun in Stamford

October is a busy month at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center and many family fun activities to celebrate the fall are planned. On October 13 for example, the Stamford Nature Center is planning a scarecrow-making contest that will take place from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.  Families are invited to create a life-size scarecrow that will be exhibited and entered in the scarecrow contest at Harvest Festival on Oct. 19 & 20. Materials are provided but families are encouraged to bring clothing or accessories to help with their creation.

On Monday, October 14 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. visitors are invited to explore the lives of the Woodland Indians that lived in Connecticut, as well as native cultures throughout the country.  Start the day off with a tour of the galleries and the newest exhibition, By Her Hand, to view Native art and the photographs of Edward S. Curtis. Stories will be told and a special hike on the trails will be offered that will highlight how Woodland Indians used the land, what food they ate and even how they brushed their teeth! Kids can create their own totem animal necklace, pinch pot and talking stick. The day will end around a campfire with a favorite campfire treat – S’mores!

On Friday, October 18 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., the Museum and Nature Center will host an Oktoberfest on the Meadow that will feature Oktoberfest brews, Oktoberfest food favorites from Old Heidelberg, and live music from The Bavarian Boys, everyone’s favorite oompah band!  Each advance ticket purchased includes a commemorative SM&NC Oktoberfest 2013 pilsner glass. Advance tickets must be purchased by midnight on October 17.  In advance:SM&NC Member: $60 | Non-Member: $75 at the door: SM&NC Member $70 | Non-Member $85.  This event is for adults only.

The Harvest Festival is taking place this year on Oct. 19 and 20 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and celebrates the fall season with a multitude of autumn themed events. Apple cider demonstrations, a scarecrow contest, pumpkin carving, a costume parade, and an apple slingshot contest are sure to provide fun for the whole family. Farm animal demonstrations, face-painting, live music, storytelling, children’s crafts, hayrides and much more round out the fun.  New this year at the Festival are food trucks including: Cowabunga, Hot off the Grille, LobsterCraft, Maddy's Food Truck, Skinny Pines and The Spud Stud. Daily Admission Fees: Members: $5 per person. Non-Members: $10 per person. Family PLUS and Director’s Circle Members and all children 3 & under: Free.

On Friday, October 25, the SM&NC will host a Spooktacular Animal Adventure from 6-6:45 for ages 3-6 and 7:15 – 8:15 for kids 6 and older.  Naturalists from Animal Embassy will introduce kids to some of the animals that haunt their dreams, make their "skin crawl," and the hair stand up on the back of their necks!  Naturalists will demystify these amazing creatures and help families to cross the line from fear to respect and appreciation. Members $5 per person/ Non-members $8 per person. 

On Sunday, October 27, from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. don your Halloween costume and head up to Heckscher Farm to trick or treat with your favorite farm friends! Grab a map and head off in search of different “treats” at the trick or treating stations around Heckscher Farm and find out what Dakota the Clydesdale, the calves Moose and Monty, or the new little piglets have to offer. Then, celebrate all things creepy and crawly at the annual “Ick Fest” at Overbrook Nature Center building where you can visit snakes, tarantulas, lizards, worms and other animals!

Stamford Museum & Nature Center

Stamford Museum & Nature Center, a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization, is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of art and popular culture, the natural and agricultural sciences, and history. The Museum is a vital cultural and educational resource for the community, and a focal point for family activity and interaction, seeking to inspire creativity, foster self-discovery, promote environmental stewardship and nurture an appreciation for lifelong learning through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events that enhance the visitor’s experience of its unique site.

Stamford Museum & Nature Center is located at 39 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT (3/4 mile North of Merritt Parkway Exit 35.) For more information call 203.322.1646 or visit www.stamfordmuseum.orgwww.stamfordmuseum.org.

Hours: Heckscher Farm, daily 9 am – 5 pm; Animal Embassy, Tues. – Sun. 10 am – 2 pm; Nature’s Playground, daily 9 am – 5 pm; Bendel Mansion (main building), Mon. – Sat. 9 am – 5 pm; Sun. 11 am – 5 pm.