Autumn is probably my favorite time of the year and Halloween my favorite holiday. The crisp, cool air, the cranberry and other harvests, and of course the foliage. I love Halloween because it just seems to be more fun without the hassle of some other holidays. There's no big feast to cook, no mega shopping, no rush. When my children were younger I would decorate my entire yard with jack-o-lanterns galore, harvest themes and the like. Never too scary, but definitely fun. It would take about two weeks to complete.
I don't do that anymore. There just doesn't seem to be time. But I still enjoy the dilemma of my friend's children about "what to be", trick-or-treaters, and the fact that, on November 1st, its OVER! The other holidays seem to linger on more for some reason. The only leftover is the candy!
I thought I'd give you some events occurring on the Cape surrounding Halloween. There seems to be many available for most ages. I'm also going to include some from Plymouth and Salem (one of my old stomping grounds). I hope you'll find something that will make you want to get out and enjoy the season!
These are provided by CapeCodTravel.com and you can find other events throughout the year at their website.
Friday, October 26
Haunted Forest, 5:45pm-8:15pm. Explore the forest in the dark. Suitable for ages 3-12. Wear your costume, refreshments & games, guided walks leave every 15 minutes. Space limited, reservations requested. Non-member adults $12; children $10. Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, off Route 6, S. Wellfleet. 508-349-2615.
October 26 & 27
Haunted Pirate Ship Aboard the Mayflower II, 5:30pm-8pm. Haunted pirate ship designed for children of all ages. Mayflower II, Plymouth Harbor, Plymouth. 508-746-1622.
Saturday, October 27
Halloween Celebration, 5pm-8pm. Benefits the Cape Cod Children’s Place. Wine & beer tasting, gourmet foods. Performance by Crabgrass, the Cape’s premier bluegrass band. $50; $90 for 2. Candleberry Inn, 1882 Main St., Brewster. 508-896-3300.
Halloween Stroll, 1pm-3pm. Main Street, Orleans.
Fall Family Festival, 1pm-4pm. Centerville Historical Museum, 513 Main Street, Centerville. 508-775-0331.
Ghosts, Myths & Legends Tour, 5:30pm & 7pm. $10 per person. Reservations required. Historical Society of Old Yarmouth, Yarmouth Port. 508-375-0124.
Sunday, October 28
Music at the Mansion, 4pm-5pm. A celebration of song. Highfield Hall, 56 Highfield Drive, Falmouth. 508-495-1878.
Wednesday, October 31
Children’s Halloween Celebration, time TBA. Pilgrim Monument & Provincetown Museum, High Pole Hill Rd, Provincetown. 508-487-1310.
Safe Trick or Treat, Cape Cod Mall, Route 132, Hyannis.
Safe Trick or Treat, Main Street, Hyannis.
Annual Halloween Children’s Parade, 10am. Begins at the Brewster Ladies’ Library, Rte 6A and continues to the Brewster General Store. Children are encouraged to dress. Brewster.
Plymouth is also a fun place to be at this time of year. The Lantern Ghost tours are a hoot and there are several for almost any age group. Not to be missed! There are plenty of other events throughout October and November and something for everyone.
http://www.visit-plymouth.com/deadofnight.htm
Salem seems to become the hub of the universe this time of year for obvious reasons. I lived there for about four years in my younger days and loved every minute of it! I went back a few months ago and while much has changed, much more has pretty much stayed the same. It's hard to change a place with so much history. The strangest thing for me was driving in Salem. I was a public transportation girl or walked everywhere! Driving in Salem was a new experience. I recommend that, if you go, find a spot, park the car and hoof it. You'll find a lot of nooks and crannies you'll miss if trying to drive everywhere.
There's entirely too much to list here so I'll just provide the link with all the haunted happenings. Enjoy! http://www.salemweb.com/hh/
Boston is also a great bet this time of year. Again so much to do, so little time! Here's a link to a site that appears to have it all.
http://boston.citysearch.com/roundup/38068
Happy Halloween!