24 minute read
Midcentral States
Places to Go: Jurassic Gardens
VOLO — No day-off-school adventure could compare with a journey through Jurassic Gardens. And this Columbus Day, your child’s opportunity to step into this immersive thrill arrives free of charge. You read that right. Children 12 and younger are invited to enjoy Volo Museum’s all-new indoor dinosaur park for free on Oct. 11, with up to five youngsters admitted for each paying adult. Hours at the Volo Museum and Jurassic Gardens are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Featuring tail-waving ceratosauruses, breathtaking T-Rexes and a theater-quality sound system that brings it all to life, Jurassic Gardens boasts an unparalleled wow factor.
“We have built something truly special here,” said Brian Grams, director of the museum at 27582 Volo Village Road, Volo. “With Columbus Day being a day off school, we wanted to show it off and encourage even more families to come and experience it.”
Jurassic Gardens opened in mid-May after Volo Museum crews spent roughly a year transforming a former mercantile mall into a gloaming, frond- and animatronic dinosaur-filled spectacle. Against a chatter-and-screech backdrop of watchful velociraptors and pterodactyls, budding paleontologists may enjoy the skeleton dig area, one of the available hands-on activities. A sluice mine for fossil or gem panning, a gift shop and an arcade also are available, as is a dino-themed, outdoor playground.
Grams said visitors to date have been amazed by the life-like exhibits and the quality of the surrounding atmosphere. “I like to go over there and just watch kids taking it all in sometimes,” he said. “Adults too, for that matter. We really hope the public takes us up on our Columbus Day offer.”
Regular admission cost for those 5 and older to visit Jurassic Gardens is $15.95, with those 4 and younger admitted free. Combo tickets — permitting entry to both Jurassic Gardens and Volo Museum as well as a second consecutive day’s entry free — are regularly $31.95 for adults and $24.95 for children ages 5 to 12. On Columbus Day, combo tickets for children ages 5 to 12 will be available for just $9.
The Volo Museum is following state COVID guidelines; masking may be required when indoors. For other details, visit volocars.com, find Volo Auto Museum or Jurassic Gardens on Facebook, or call 815-385-3644.
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Go, Do, See Harvest Days & Nights
INDIANAPOLIS - Harvest at Newfields is back with a month-long celebration! This nightly ticketed event features thousands of glowing pumpkins along a hidden path at Newfields. The spooky (not scary) outdoor walking experience guides guests around twists and turns of the enchanted forest, an eerie ghost train, and a grand-finale at Mischief Manor on the Lilly Allee. Ghosts and friends alike can enjoy festive fall beverages and light snacks as they wander amongst glowing jacko-lanterns.
On the weekends, guests are invited to explore the magnificently decked-out garden with thousands of Indiana-grown pumpkins blanketing the campus. Enjoy an array of horticulture displays in the crisp fall air. October at Newfields will be filled with Instagram-worthy moments, art-making activities for the littlest guests, world travels via a beer passport, visits from local vendors and much more!
At Harvest Days, guests are invited to explore the magnificently decked out garden with thousands of Indiana-grown pumpkins blanketing the campus. Enjoy a cornucopia of dynamic horticulture displays in the crisp fall air. Weekends will bring special activations from many of Newfields’ most beloved partners such as Sun King Brewing Co., Half Liter, and Smoking Goose. October at Newfields will be filled with plenty of Instagram-worthy moments, art making activities for our littlest guests, world travels via beer tastings, visits from local vendors and much more!
Advance tickets are required for Harvest Days and Harvest Nights. Ticket prices are $25 for night and $18 for days. Daytime hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. while nighttime hours are 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. with the final entry at 11 p.m.
Newfields is a privately funded nonprofit organization with the mission to enrich lives through exceptional experiences with art and nature. The health and safety of our guests, staff, members and volunteers remains a top priority at Newfields. For tickets and more information, visit https://discovernewfields.org/harvest For more information on Indiana, >CLICK HERE
Go, Do, See School Halls Full of Haunts
Are you looking for a scary good time this October? If so, you and your friends are cordially invited to the Historic Hall School House for a “hauntingly” good time!
Located on Hurt Road near Monrovia in Morgan County, Hall’s Haunted Halls is designed to be horrifically gruesome and terrifying. Most who are brave enough to visit will find extremely scary. The evil that’s lurking within this Spooky Old School House will have your heart pounding and your eyes frantically searching for a way out!!!
The doors will “creep” open at 7 p.m. and “slam shut” at 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday in October. But wimps and children under the age of 10 are not permitted- unless they are accompanied by an adult over the age of 18. Also, this attraction is not recommended for those with certain heart conditions. You are welcome but you should enter at your own risk!
At Hall’s Haunted Halls the organizers want everyone to enjoy their time. However, there are some specific guide lines. PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE RULES FOR THE HAUNTED HOUSE PRIOR TO PURCHASING TICKETS OR ENTERING. These rules can be found online at hallcivic.org.
This Haunted House is 100% Volunteer Operated. Proceeds go to the preservation of the Hall School House and to other charitable and community causes. Snacks and refreshments provided by the Boy Scouts are available for a reasonable price.
The Grim Reaper invites you to come to his School Of Horror, if you have the courage this October! Join: Pennywise IT, Michael Meyers, Scream, Freddy Krueger, Saw, Leatherface and a cast of many more. You will want to visit our new scenes. Oh! and do plan to visit the Maze on your way out; Chances are, you will be lost in there Forever!!! Remember, the next scream you hear may be your own!
Tickets are $15 CASH ONLY at the door and $12 online. Children 9 and under, tickets are $7 at the door only For tickets and more information, visit http://hallcivic.org/?page_id=83
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Who ya gonna call? You just might want to call in some ghost busters after experiencing some of Iowa’s reportedly haunted locations! Take our tour and you’ll find former schoolhouses, cemetaries, jailhouses, creepy old houses and maybe even a ghost-
Villisca Ax Murder House
VILLISCA - Site of the largest unsolved crime in Iowa. Visitors have reported everything from a door opening and closing on its own, feeling chills and being pinched to hearing children laughing and playing with toys in empty rooms. Experience these sensations and more where eight people, including six children, were murdered in their sleep over 100 years ago by an unknown killer. The house has been restored to its 1912 status. Want to spend the night? You can. But will you make it through the night? Maybe. Overnight stays are available year-round by appointment. Daytime tours are are from 1 - 3:30 p.m. and close at 4 p.m.. from April through October. A weather-beaten sign warns rather than welcomes. This is the “Murder House”.
Independence State Mental Health Institute
INDEPENDENCE - As the second asylum built in Iowa, the Independence hospital was constructed in 1873 to relieve the overcrowding at the Mount Pleasant State Hospital. While most of the building is still in use, an old wing was turned into a “Days of Yore” museum that features a disturbing look back through time at how society treated people suffering from mental illness. You can tour the older wings and the hospital’s graveyard by appointment. Visitors have reported hearing whispers, feeling cold drafts, having the feeling that they are being watched and even hearing disembodied screams.
Farrar Schoolhouse
FARRAR -Built in 1921 on donated farmland, the once abandoned schoolhouse sits isolated with only a few buildings around, including a 150-year-old cemetery across the street. After closing its doors in 2001 and sitting abandoned for five years, a local couple purchased the building and quickly realized that it was not completely empty. Voices, slamming doors, shadow people and orbs commonly appear. A small boy was spotted standing motionless on the stairwell. An unseen figure helped steady one of the owners who lost their balance on the stairs. You can experience all of this for yourself by scheduling a daylight tour with the owners, while the bravest visitors can spend the night.
Franklin Hotel
STRAWBERRY POINT - Dating back to the 1900s, this fully restored Victorian Hotel will take visitors back in time with its vintage lobby, dining room and staircase. However, throughout its history it has attracted some visitors that refuse to leave. Many claim the hotel is home to two ghosts. One is a woman named Lily who wears a lavender gown and can be heard singing or moaning. She frequents what
The Top Haunted Spots to Visit in Iowa
used to be her room, moving furniture to her preference and walking to and from the lobby. The other is a former merchant known as Leo, who operated the hotel’s laundry for 30 years and can be heard ringing the hotel’s old bell message system.
Banwell (Terror) Bridge
FORT DODGE - There are many tales behind this rural bridge, but the most popular is rather gruesome. It is said that a woman brought her children to the bridge to watch the trains pass below. Instead, she threw each child over the bridge railings, watching as they were struck and killed before jumping in front of the train herself. Locals warn against stopping your car on the bridge without locking the doors and windows as the woman’s spirit may try to throw you off. Visitors who are brave enough to exit their vehicles report seeing strange orbs, hearing voices in the woods or a woman moaning beneath the bridge and finding strange handprints on their car windows. Today, it’s a modest one-lane bridge over Union Pacific Railroad tracks. And it’s seen a lot of violent deaths, according to the locals. the
Mars Hill Church and Cemetery
OTTUMWA _This log cabin church is the only one of its kind still in use in the United States. It’s also the largest log building in Iowa. The church and cemetery’s history draw many visitors every year. The building was once an active stop on the Underground Railroad and the cemetery marks the final resting place of at least one veteran from every single American war. Today, it is known as one of the creepiest spots in Iowa and is where occasional ritual masses are held in the middle of the night with pentagrams and candles being left behind as evidence. The location also has its share of spirits who are believed to be slaves who never made it to freedom. only three-story revolving jail ever built, the Squirrel Cage Jail already has an interesting history. Built in 1885 and used until 1969, today it is a museum and tourist attraction featuring many unexplainable occurrences. Visitors touring the jail often report seeing or hearing several ghosts, including that of the jail’s first resident and a young girl dressed entirely in gray. From opening and closing doors and strange lights to disembodied voices and apparitions, this historical building will be sure to give you the creeps.
Matthias Ham House
DUBUQUE - Known as a “textbook haunting,” this home-turned-museum offers plenty of history and scares for visitors. The home’s former owner, Mathias Ham, came to Dubuque in 1833 to take advantage of the steamboat business. Several family members died here, including Ham, his first wife and their daughter May. Also, an intruder was shot and killed by their daughter, Sarah. Since, several mysterious activities have been reported.
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Places to Go: Svensk Hyllningsfest
Occurring in October of odd numbered years, the residents of Lindsborg, Little Sweden U.S.A., host a community-wide festival and don traditional Swedish folk costumes to celebrate the Swedish pioneers who settled the Smoky Valley in 1868 – 1869. This year the dates are Oct. 8-9.
The festival features art and crafts, special foods, ethnic music, and other special entertainment while Swedish folk dancers and musicians add to the flavor of the festival. The Grand Parade will be Oct. 9th at 10 a.m. Newcomers have as much fun “becoming Swedish” as do the long time residents. This community closeness may be the highest tribute we can pay to the immigrants who also exemplified this kind of unity - a fitting legacy for future residents of the Smoky Valley.
Folk dancing and folk music lend a unique character and spirit to Svensk Hyllningsfest. The Dancers - from eager young grade school students who have been practicing for months, to the Lindsborg Swedish Folk Dancers (high school age students) and the Lindsborg Folkdanslag (their adult counterparts) - are charming and enthusiastic performers.
The festival also features live demonstrations of cooking, arts, crafts, and folk costumes among others. The parade, featuring area marching bands, floats, antique cars, and other parade entries, is a key attraction. See here for the full schedule.
One of the best loved events at each Hyllningsfest is the authentic Swedish Smörgåsbord. The reason is simple – the food. Savor the Smörgåsbord, a Scandinavian feast. Most of the food is prepared from recipes handed down from the early Swedish settlers of the Smoky Valley area. Some of the food is purchased from vendors of Swedish imports while other food is prepared and donated by people of the community. Expect delicious entrees and dies, salads, desserts and drinks. Table settings are at 5 and 7 p.m. with only 200 places sold at each setting. Tickets are now on sale at $29.99 each meal on either day.
Other Swedis foods will be available from the food vendors along the food court. So you shouldn’t go away hungry. For more information or to get tickets, visit online at https://www.svenskhyllningsfest.org/ For more information on Kansas,
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Minnesota’s spookiest season is back. Whether you’re looking for frightful fun or not-so-scary tricks and treats, you are sure to find just the right attraction in Minnessota to celebrate Halloween this year.
In the heart of Canal Park, set against the majestic Aerial Lift Bridge, is a Great Lakes vessel you can’t miss—and won’t want to. Find thrills in Duluth at the William A. Irvin Haunted Ship Tours. Each year, for the month of October the Irvin transforms itself into a haunted ship, where the ghosts come alive. Your worst nightmares will come to life and it will seem like they will never end.
This self-guided tour in the historic ore ship will take you through dark, eerie hallways, where you encounter mysterious sightings and spooks at every turn. During the self-guided tour, you’ll see how the once historic ore ship has been flipped inside out to reveal its true identity.
The haunting of the Irvin is not just a rumor; mysterious sightings have been recorded. Don’t be too sure the flickering lights and slamming doors are part of the act because the ghosts are known to appear at any time. Walking through the dark, you’ll get the feeling that you’re never alone -- because you won’t be. In this ship, no place is safe. This year, dates open are the weekends of Oct. 7-9, 14-16, 20-23, and 28-30. Hours are 6:30 - 10 p.m. each evening. Admisstion is $15 per person. For tickets or more information, visit online at https://duluthhauntedship.com/
Places to Go: The Haunted Ship
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Things to Do:
Festival of Freaks
You better watch out and be very, very scared because the Freaks Fair is back, bigger and scarier than ever! This attraction near Warrensburg will be open five terrifying nights this Halloween Season: Oct. 22, 23, 29, 30, and 31st!
Hours are from 7:30 p.m. -11:30 p.m. each night with a special kick-off opening night show - The Mass Monster Dragfest. The only night you can view is the very first night, Oct. 22. So plan to come early. This year the Freaks Fair is going to make you scream through three different Scare Zones for the price of one $10 ticket!
-THE DEADLIEST SHOW ON EARTH-
You will venture through a sinister sideshow, hosted by Jolly Fiend and his carnival of misfit clowns and freaks of nature...
-HERETIC HOUSE-
While we were looking over the land where Freaks Fair resides, we found what we thought was an old abandoned church. Turns out it’s not abandoned at all and something very wicked lives inside...
-KILLBILLY COMPOUND-
You will have to find your way out of this slasher shack. A fog filled maze with gruesome characters lurking around every corner...
We really hope you can make it out this year. We are “dying” to see you!
While the brave at heart make their way through the Freak Fair Haunted House, A family-friendly Carnival will be held inside Twin Oaks Event Center. “It keeps the kids busy and they can have fun, too,” said Bethany Sowash, co-owner of the event center. “All ages are wel-
come.” While the carnival has free admission, there are fees for various booths in order to participate. For example, the popular “SmashCar” is back. “For a little bit of money, the kids can beat the heck out of that car,” said Bethany. “They love it!” New this year is an ax-throwing booth. ou just never know what you will find at this carnival, except loads of entertaining fun!
A hayride will take you across the street to the Savage Haunted House, which features the Cemetery of Lost Souls. Instead of the usual maze, there will be a long, long winding track to follow. Price is also $10. New tricks and new attractions are in store, so don’t miss it. -Free Parking in front of Twin Oaks Event Center. -Indoor Restrooms / Sanitize Stations. -Freaks Fair is not handicap accessible at this time. -Freaks Fair is an Indoor & Outdoor haunted walk through with uneven terrain in some areas. -Please dress accordantly.
Address: 126 SW 400th Rd, Warrensburg MO 64093 For more information visit www.freaksfair. com and https://www.thesavagehauntedhouse.com/
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Things To Do: Solve the Mystery
They’re back! Join your fellow partners in crime in Cambridge, Ohio for Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Claustrophobic Conundrum.
Local playwright Anne Chlovechok has penned this, her seventh original Sherlock Holmes mystery especially for Cambridge.
Famous Consulting Detective Sherlock Holmes and his friend and assistant, Dr. John Watson, have returned to Cambridge for another
Murder Mystery Weekend Adventure! Join them and all their associates on Friday and Saturday, November 5 and 6 as they take on the Case of the Claustrophobic Conundrum.
In town for the wedding of their old friend Sgt. Podlowski, the pair has no sooner checked into the Colonel Taylor Inn than things start to go wrong. Who is behind the small mishaps and the rather larger question of a murder in the old sewer system that runs beneath the city? Could it be their old nemesis Professor James Moriarty?
Come help us solve the mystery? Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Claustrophobic Conundrum Friday, November 5 & Saturday, November 6, 202
Join your fellow partners in crime on Friday evening for the first act. Start to formulate your theories as Holmes and Watson set about solving the case.
Act II takes place the following morning when you match your theories to the local authorities and London’s unofficial police detective. Continue your quest on Saturday afternoon as you search for clues throughout our quaint community. your clue sheet for an opportunity to win the grand prize of $250!
So what are you waiting for? Order your Baker Street Package today! Once you place your order, please contact the Cambridge/Guernsey County Visitors & Convention Bureau to confirm date and room preference at info@ VisitGuernseyCounty.com or 800933-5480.
Deadline for registration is October 22, 2021.
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Things To Do: Be Very, Very Afraid!
What’s Eerie? Scary? Full of fear? The Lake Eerie Fearfest, of course. It’s always exciting and lots of fun, but very, very scary!
Experience this award-winning, number one Haunted House in Ohio. Looking for the best haunted house in Ohio?! Lake EERIE Fearfest at Ghostly Manor Thrill Center is the one haunted house in Ohio you don’t want to miss this haunted house season!
Ghostly Manor Thrill Center — a family-friendly destination in Perkins Township, about four miles south of Cedar Point, that provides 3D mini golf, a 4D motion theater, Skateworld, bounce houses, an escape room and a laser maze — also gets in on the season scares activities by hosting the fearfest on its grounds. They have done so each year since 2012.
What to expect: FearFest is in addition to the Ghostly Manor’s regular, indoor haunted house, which is open year round. Day has turned into night and you find yourself locked in an asylum of horrors with several others. The only exit to freedom is by solving puzzles before insane doctors and nurses use you for experimentation and observation. There will be three haunted houses to explore outside, in addition to the indoor Ghostly Manor attractions.
Find out why Haunted Attraction Magazine ranked us the #1 Haunted House in Ohio, Forbes Magazine lists us in its Top 10 Haunted Attractions in the country, and The Scare Factor rated us #3 Must See Haunts!
Ghostly Manor is open noon to 5 p.m. (8 p.m. on Wednesday family nights and 11 p.m. weekends.)The fearfest is open weekends from 8-11 p.m. Tickets are now on sale for $25 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://lakeeeriefearfest. com/ and https://www.ghostlymanor.com/
Need a place stay this weekend? Stay nearby at the Econo Lodge Inn & Suites in Sandusky, Ohio. We look forward to seeing you this Haunted House season! This is definately going to be a “season of screams.”
Things to Do:
See Whats New at The Haunted Hydro FREMONT - The Awakening has unfolded and a new journey into FEAR is upon us. Prepare yourself to Experience The Haunted Hydro.
Navigate the Monstrous Woods ... Creep across the Cursed Courtyard and into the Legendary Haunted Hydro... One way in... one way out... one Mega Haunt! Never in Hydro History has there been an Experience like this! And it doesn’t end ..IF...you make it out of the Hydro. Then you’ll take a stroll thru Panic Alley where you can enter one of our four $5 Escape Experiences and enter to win Awesome prizes if you succeed. Don’t miss out on our 32nd Season! It’s time to get your Scare on... come Experience The Hydro...
The ALL-NEW “Panic Alley” has four different five-minute escape challenges for you to experience. If you meet the challenges, then you will receive a HYDRO FLASK STICKER and get to enter the grand prize drawing of $1,000.00 in FRIENDSHIP GIFT CARDS, Neil ZAZA - “One Dark Night” Oct. 29 Concert Tickets plus nightly CD Drawings, Sasquatch GQ Energy Drink Nightly drawings and MORE... (16 and over restriction to enter).
The First one is the NEIL ZAZA CONCERT CAPER: The Concert is sold out! But this shady character has recruited you to help him avoid security and sneak in thru the maintenance building. Will you see the show or get BUSTED!
QUANTUM ESCAPE: Crazy Bob is lost in time. It’s up to you and Young Crazy Bob to set things right! Can you help Crazy Bob in time or will he be lost to the ages?
Hydro Mega Tickets are $25 Online ($30 on site) which includes the Haunted Hydro and the Monstrous Woods The Panic Alley Escapes are $5 each.
“Last year we ended up doing timed ticketing and having a virtual Q where folks wait in their cars until it is their turn and it worked out so well... we are doing it again this year,” said co-owner Beth Turner.
To purchase tickets or more information, visit http://www.thehauntedhydro. com/index.html
Potion Makers Prophecy: You have been cho-
sen by the alchemists to become an apprentice IF you can make the proper potion before time runs out.
BIG TOP TERROR - Build a scare: chaos is coming and you have 5 minutes to find and prepare his outfit before he arrives.
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Things to Do: At Lake Lawn Resort
DELAVAN - Lake Lawn Resort, located on beautiful Delavan Lake, just minutes from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and only 90 minutes from downtown Chicago, welcomes Midwesterners to kick back and enjoy romantic weekends, girlfriend getaways, family-fun activities, and more, this fall and winter.
“We have so much planned and have something for everyone to enjoy at the resort,” says Dave Sekeres, general manager, Lake Lawn Resort. “We are thrilled to bring back our annual Family Fall Festival and are planning Halloween and holiday getaways for families. There are a lot of exciting things in store at the resort, and we can’t wait for our guests and locals alike to experience it all.”
A historic Midwest resort, Lake Lawn Resort is a full-service getaway destination set on two miles of Delavan Lake shoreline with 250 wooded acres. There are plenty of activities and fun to be had - and keep socially distant as needed - at the resort’s 271 guest rooms, restaurants, spa, golf course, and breathtaking lakefront. • Spooky Boat Tours are every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1p.m. to 2:30p.m. (Oct. 15 to Nov. 4). Priced at $12.50 per child and $27.50 per adult, resort guests and locals are invited on the haunted Lake Lawn Queen for an hour and a half tour while hearing scary stories about Delavan Lake. A full bar will be offering snacks and beverages. • The Lake Lawn Queen continues to haunt the lake with a spooky adult Halloween Boat Bash (Oct 29 and 30 from 7p.m. to 9p.m.) Priced at $40 per person, the bash features a two-hour party with a DJ, cash bar, ghoulish snacks, costume contest, and more.
• Mr. Pickles’ magic show entertains during the Family Halloween Boat Party on the Lake Lawn Queen (Oct. 31 from 12p.m. to 2p.m.). This family-friendly floating Halloween magic show includes lunch and costs $30 for adults with cash bar, and $15 per child. • Overnight packages and a full weekend of fun is planned during Family Fall Festival over Columbus Day weekend (Oct. 8-10). Packages include overnight accommodations, unlimited mini golf, $50 resort credit, and of course, pumpkins. A variety of classic family yard games and activities including a Mr. Pickles’ magic show, wagon rides, pumpkin decorating, and scarecrow building is complimentary to all resort guests. Donut decorating and caramel apple decorating will also be available at the festival’s food and
beverage stations. • Based on the movie “Psycho,” – dress, wig, knife, and all – the resort is thrilled to host two Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre performances (Nov. 19 and 20). Priced at $70 per person, the evening includes a multi-course dinner and an evening of solving a grisly murder. • With weekday rates starting at $129 per night, the Autumn Escape to the Lake package includes a one-night stay with a $75 dining credit along with 15% off spa services and golf. In addition, guests receive a bounce back coupon for 50% off their next stay.
Visit lakelawnresort.com
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