Frightastic Halloween Event for Adults
Fall — what a wonderful time of year. When most people think of this season, they picture the vibrant colors of the trees, the scent of pumpkin and earthy aromas, and the sound of laughter as families explore corn mazes and interact with farm animals.
Although I love all those things, my favorite part of fall is Halloween and the haunted attractions that creep out of the shadows for a month of joyous bone-chilling screams.
For those who dare, here are some of the haunted attractions this season. Leave your kids at home and crawl through the area's scariest haunted events.
13 Nights at Jiminy Hancock
Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, Hancock
Days: Sept. 26, 27; Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 24, 25, 30, and 31.
Head to one of the most popular haunted events in the region to get your scare on. The popular ski resort transforms into a Haunted House to scare adventurers out of their wits.
What unknown horrors await you from base to summit? The resort's grounds and buildings are decorated to instill terror as hidden actors give the willing participants a fright.
The age recommendation is age 10 and older. Haunted House admission costs $29.
Not scared enough? No worries the resort also welcomes participants to take a ride through the darkness with the resort's Mountain Coaster for $18 a ride.
The Scream and Scare Package includes one trip through "13 Nights" and two rides on the coaster for $49.
The Christiansen's Tavern will be open to purchase drinks, dinner, or a snack Friday and Saturday.
Purgatory Road
Stationery Factory, Dalton
Days: Oct. 17, 18, 24, and 25, from 7 to 10 p.m.
This haunted attraction will not only scare your socks off but also benefits Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention. This year, the event has moved indoors at the Stationary Factory.
Tickets are $15 and are sold at the door. This event is recommended for ages 12 and up.
It is recommended that participants show up early as there are a limited number of tickets available. More information here.
There is also a not-scary child-friendly version of the event, Purgatory Road Junior, which will take place at 190 Cleveland Road, on Oct. 11, 12, 18, and 19 from noon to 3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for children and $5 for adults. More information here.
Ghost Tours and Paranormal Investigations
Throughout October, Hancock Shaker Village opens its doors at night for a spine-chilling evening featuring Shaker ghosts and mystery.
Participants will walk the dark paths of the village, venture into the cellar of the Trustees' Office to see gravestones, hear stories of ghost sightings, and learn about the Shakers' role in the spiritualist movement.
Tours will take place on Oct. 17, 18, 23 through 25, and 30 at 7 p.m. The recommended age for this spooky experience is age 12 and older. Tickets for this 90-minute adventure are limited and can be purchased here.
The Village also has a kid-friendly version of its Haunted Hancock series on Oct. 18 and 25. Kids between the ages of 8 and 12 can take a 45-minute spooky walk through the village and visit the Brick Dwelling. Additionally, on Oct. 18 there will be a Halloween Pumpkin Extravaganza, during which visitors can wear their costumes, trick-or-treat, meet Valerian the Garden Witch, decorate a pumpkin, and visit the Dwelling kitchen.
All year long, Ventfort Hall hosts ghost tours with "Ghosts of the Berkshires" author Robert Oakes. What better time to experience the haunting event than when the barrier between the living and the dead is blurred?
Oakes will lead guests through the rooms and halls of the estate sharing tales of its hauntings.
"Stand in the places where the encounters occurred, listen to the firsthand accounts of those who experienced them, and maybe even experience something unusual yourself. This is not an active investigation," the museum's website said.
Admission is $30 and the minimum age to attend is age 12. Reservations are required. To purchase tickets call 413-637-3206.
Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Payment is required to make a reservation for an event.
The day after Halloween, Ventfort Hall will also hold a paranormal investigation of the estate with non-fiction author and paranormal investigator David Raby.
Before the investigation, Raby will give a brief history of the lives that once graced the hallways, and possibly still reside within them.
Tickets are $25 to $45 per person. More information on Ventfort Hall events here.
The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home, also holds tours of the haunted estate, during which untold stories of its former dwellers that will be revealed.
During the two-hour-long ghost tour, participants will be guided by veteran tour guides through the darkened halls of the turn-of-the-last-century home.
The tour contains adult content that is not appropriate for children under 12.
Children under age 12 will not be admitted, however, the museum also has ghost tours for kids, which will feature tales of spooky encounters designed for kids, ages 6 thru 12.
More information on the Mount's Ghost Tours here.
Outside the County
Not scared enough? OK, continue the haunted crawl outside the county.
Field of Horrors
100 Farrell Road, Troy, N.Y.
Face the "Walking Trail of Terror" a little more than 40 minutes outside the county, where participants will be led through a sadistic slaughterhouse of a deranged madman and into a field of vicious killers.
It takes at least two hours to get through all the haunted attractions. There will also be food vendors on site.
There will be a sneak peak weekend on Sept. 27 and 28. The event will then run every Friday through Sunday until Oct. 31. However, on Nov. 1 there will be an extreme scare night to conclude your spooky season with a bang.
Tickets cost $40 and are only valid for one night. Anyone under 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Adults do not have to pay admission if they are not going through the attractions. More information here.
