From a graveyard tour to a spin on the merry-go-round, the Paper City is ready for Halloween.
The Holyoke Merry-Go-Round offers a special Halloween treat for youngsters. Halloween in Holyoke will be celebrated in advance of the spooktacular holiday with events planned for both the kiddies alongside some more adult fun at Heritage State Park and at Wistariahurst Museum.
Wistariahurst Museum on 238 Cabot St. is offering several fun-filled events at its haunted doorsteps, where visitors both young and old can head for some ghoulish fun and eerie entertainment.
It all begins on Friday, 7 to 9 p.m. ,with Mysteries of the Mansion, designed mainly for adults, which includes a scavenger hunt through the elegant Skinner Mansion.
“Knowing a little history about the Skinner family might help for our scavenger hunt, which we are encouraging people to come dressed for in costume, if they want, like maybe a gumshoe. There will be word jumbles to solve, puzzles, and pictures to find with the help of some clues,” said Marjorie Latham, program coordinator at the museum.
Reservations are required by calling the museum at (413) 322-5660. Registration is $20 per team of four or $6 for individuals who will be placed on a team.
On Saturday, the museum joins forces with Holyoke’s Park and Recreation Department for Jeepers Creepers: Ghouls & Goblins! from 1 to 4 p.m.. The event will include music, magic performances, games, storytelling, crafts, goodie bags and more.
Admission is $2 per child or $10 for families of five or more children. All are encouraged to come dressed in costume for a parade and contest led by the Holyoke High School Marching Band.
Registration is suggested for the event – held rain or shine – by calling (413) 322-5620.
Also on Saturday, there will be a Candlelight Tour of Wistariahurst for visitors brave enough to walk the darkened hallways and rooms of the spooky Skinner Mansion during a rare guided tour at night.
“Tourists will learn the eerie and spooky hidden secrets of the mansion such as a disastrous tea service once held there and its legendary gardener who met an untimely death. And, we’ll have elements of sound and music, so it’s going to be a little spooky,” said Latham.
The first tour is sold out, but there is another at 8 p.m., which requires reservation by calling (413) 322-5660. Tickets are $10 per person.
The fun continues on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round where the antique carousel’s horses will be decorated for Halloween and visitors will be welcomed by the creepy staff as part of its annual Boo Blast! Those who want to join in the scary merriment will need to dress in costume to receive a half-price ride ($1 instead of the regular $2 ticket). There will also be treats for all.
“We invite everyone to come dressed in their scariest, funniest, or oddest costume as the Merry-Go-Round whirls around to some spookier than usual sounds,” said Marianne Holden, operations manager at the merry-go-round.
The carousel is located at Holyoke Heritage State Park on 221 Appleton St. For more information, call (413) 538-9838.
The Boo Blast! continues on Sunday as part of the larger Halloween in the Park, supported by the Parks and Recreation Department, set for noon to 4 p.m., which also includes special events at the park’s Visitors’ Center and Children’s Museum at Holyoke on 444 Dwight St.
There will be half-price admission (regular tickets are $6) for kids in costume or those who bring two non-perishable food items to be donated to Kate’s Kitchen. Children can also participate in a craft event, get a Halloween tattoo, and much more. For more information, call the museum at (413) 536-KIDS.
Also on Sunday, the Children’s Museum will hold its 2nd Annual Monster Dash and 5K Run/Walk at 11 a.m. around Ashley Reservoir beginning at the Elks Lodge on 250 Whitney Avenue in Holyoke. The fun Kids Dash will be held at the Elks around noon following the 5K run/walk.
“This is a fund-raiser for us, and despite the snow last year, we made about $2,000,” said Alison O’Donald, who serves on the museum’s board of directors.
“We’ve planned it as a fun event, something for the kids and whole family to enjoy,” she added.
Following the healthy run, walk, and dash, there will be food, games, and a DJ playing music at the Elks Lodge.
Registration for the event is $20 for individuals and $40 for families, including up to two adults and two children. To register online, follow the link provided by clicking on events at the bottom of the Children’s Museum home page.
“For those who want to make a last minute decision to participate, we’ll also be taking registrations beginning at 10 a.m. on the day of the event,” said O’Donald.