As it turns out, it's a good thing I didn't shy away from the event. What I originally imagined as a super-creepy haunted village was actually a lot of fun--just the right amount of spooky (not scary) for families with small kids (and people like me who have a low level of scare-tolerance).
Above: Costumed kids trick-or-treat outside the Main Street Emporium.
The village looked awesome. Jack-o'-lanterns lined the streets (remind me to get in on the carving action next year!), side shows and movies waited in every corner, and candy stations dotted the path for a little trick-or-treating fun. I was actually surprised to find out that the event was set up as a self-guided tour along a pumpkin-lit path (rather than a free-for-all throughout the village), but I kind of liked that idea better since it didn't involve wandering into dark, hundreds-of-years-old houses in the middle of the night.
Above: Fun-loving skeletons play music and dance on the village gazebo.
Above: A pop-up theater played old Betty Boop and Looney Tunes-type movies.
Above: Stages were set up for dramatic readings of stories such as The Tell-Tale Heart and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Above: The FOOD. This gigantic caramel apple officially made my night.
One of my favorite stops? The singing Jack-o'-lanterns, of course! These guys put on an awesome show.
"Jaaaack-o'-lannnntern . . . "
Lots of colorfully-costumed characters also greeted us along the way, taking on an old-time Halloween style:
But Halloween isn't Halloween without at least a little spook, right? No worries--there was plenty of that (it just wasn't over-the-top terrifying).
Above: Ghostly Woman Wandering In The Night
Above: Creepy McCreep Face, a.k.a., "The Face on the Wall."
He talked to passersby and contributed to the general creep factor of the evening.
Above: What lies beyond this "doorway?" Dun dun dunnn.
On the way out, I had to catch a glimpse of the Headless Horseman, who had been riding through the village all night. How does a person accurately guide a horse in the dark without eyes, anyway? Galloping past the onlooking crowd, the costumed Sleepy Hollow villain took a swipe at us with his sword, but I ducked out of the way just in time. And I'm sure you're glad that I lived to tell the tale.
Camera flashes have a way of taking the fear factor out of some things, but to have this guy charge towards you in the dark--you forget for a second that he's not really out to make you his next prize.
