If you’d told me five months ago that the next time I’d be writing a blog post, it would be right before Halloween, I probably would have been a little bummed, to be honest. This year has been a whole big bag of crazy pants, but it’s also taught me a lot about recognizing and really appreciating the simple joys in life—especially when things don’t go how I’d initially planned. And now, as the weather starts to get chillier and the days become shorter, I’m realizing how grateful I am for the people who are working so hard to figure out safe, fun ways to celebrate this season and bring little doses of “normal” to a very strange time.
And oh, yeah—this time around, we were going in costume.
*Cue dance music*
On the evening our tickets were scheduled, Brad and I arrived at The Henry Ford around dusk and snapped some photos in front of the museum before masking up and heading inside Greenfield Village. I hadn’t been inside the village since last December or so, so walking in was like visiting the home of an old friend I hadn’t seen in ages. Except, of course . . . now, it was filled with lots of spooky creatures.
The village evoked all of its usual magic, with the main difference being that there were fewer people (due to capacity changes) than we were used to. The wide-open space was actually really nice, and gave us the opportunity to see and photograph most things we were interested in without having to wait on crowds of people. Even the character interactions felt the same, save for the fact that costumed actors stayed behind physical barriers (fences, ropes, etc.) to discourage guests from getting too close. Live music performances also carried on as usual, as well as storytellers—all spaced at a safe distance from guests.
The main attraction of the evening? Definitely the Hallowe’en Express! New in 2020, the Hallowe’en Express is a train excursion that takes passengers on a ghostly ride around the perimeter of Greenfield Village. Featuring an eerie narration and lots of spooky sights (ghosts, wayward travelers, and even Bigfoot make appearances), this tour is a fun way* to get into the Halloween spirit while taking in areas of Greenfield Village you might never have gotten the chance to see before.
