29 wicked weekend Halloween events, Part 1 – September Spooks

in Disney, Entertainment, Walt Disney World

Halloween time has finally crawled from the casket and scores of spooky celebrations are coming to life around the nation!  To help guide fans of fiendish fall fun, ITM has assembled a swinging wake of 29 wicked weekend wonders.

We’ve unearthed spirited selections from ghost to ghost.  Enjoy eerie experiences like haunted history tours, fearsome festivals and pumpkin-powered events from mild, family-friendly, to totally terrifying trauma for every weekend from now through Halloween and beyond.

This first wicked weekend installment finds a dozen delightfully dark spooky September selections from around the nation.  Many of these events take place multiple dates and continue through Halloween. Others are one weekend or even one-day-only eerie experiences.

1. September 7: A Ghostly Experience – Ghost Tour of St Augustine, FL

Get into the Halloween spirit with St Augustine’s Original Ghost Tour.  Check out the haunted history of the nation’s oldest city. Tours dearly depart nightly.  However, as popularity increases closer to Halloween, try this wicked weekend adventure early in the season.

2. September 8: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party – Walt Disney World, FL

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (Walt Disney World, Florida) actually got the jump on Halloween happenings in mid-August this year.  The first night of this family-friendly Disney special ticket event sold out and is sure to remain popular through its final performance on Halloween night.  Dig up our ITM coverage here.

3. September 9: Bonaventure Cemetery Tour – Savannah, GA

Well known for being one of the most haunted cities in America, Savannah is rich in history and haunts.  With its skull-shaped map of grave sites, Bonaventure Cemetery has its share of paranormal patrons. Daytime tours of this hauntingly beautiful site materialize at 10 AM and 2 PM.

4. September 14: Halloween Horror Nights – Universal Orlando Resort, FL

Putting the “wicked” in Wicked Weekends, the nation’s number one Halloween event kicks off its 2018 fright festival on September 14th (select nights through November 3rd). With 10 haunted houses, scare zones and event exclusive merchandise, this Universal Orlando Resort thrill is a definite “to die for” party (stalk ITM’s coverage here).  Halloween Horror nights also takes place at Universal Studios’ theme parks in Hollywood (9/14–11/3), Japan (8/7-11/4), and Singapore (9/27-10/31).

5. September 15: Scream Hollow Wicked Halloween Park

Featured on Travel Channel, Scream Hollow Wicked Halloween Park boasts 4 Haunted Houses, a restaurant, live music, and more.  The event covers 20 acres and runs weekends from September 14 -November 2.  The grounds come back to life on weekends in December for Scream Hollow Presents Twisted Christmas (Wonderland by Day/ Wicked by Night). Visit their website for additional eerie event details and tickets.

6. September 16: Six Flags Fright Fest

Shows like “The Ringmaster’s Cabaret,” “Love at First Fright, and “Uprising: Nightly Call of the Dead” join haunted attractions (Massacre Medical Center, The Gates of Hell, Infestation, Big Top Terror, Manslaughter Manor and Hell Fest) for a Six Flags Great America (Chicago) of Halloween horrors. This special ticket event takes place select dates from September 15th through October 28th.  Visit their website for all of the dark details and ticket information.

7. September 21: Knott’s Scary Farm

With roaming Clowns, Ghost Town Streets, long running California theme park Knott’s Berry Farm transforms into Knott’s Scary Farm select nights from September 20th through Halloween.  This year’s lineup includes new nightmare shows, Conjure -Magic and Mirth at the Birdcage Theater, Hacks! Cutting Room Floor, and The Hanging.  Nine nightmarish haunts including an all new “Dark Entities” maze and four fearsome scare zones keep this 45-year long tradition of wicked weekend fun going (making it the longest running, and largest -160 acres- Halloween theme park event).  Dive into ITM’s coverage of the event here.

8. September 22: Sea World’s Halloween Spooktacular

Central Florida’s Sea World home hosts an adorable family-friendly Halloween event that’s well suited for younger audiences.  Ocean themed characters dot the “fantasea” trick or treat trail, Mermaid’s greet guests and a Halloween dance party provide plenty of lighthearted haunt-less fun.  “Sesame Street’s Countdown to Halloween” and “Pet’s Ahoy” shows serve as additional entertainment for this wicked weekend event that runs from September 22nd through October 28th. Deep sea details and sea-worthy schedules are available on the event web page.

9. September 23: Cedar Point HalloWeekends

148-year-old Cedar Point amusement park finds it home in Sandusky, Ohio. From mid-September through October 28 this Lake Erie entertainment complex hosts a pair of fall festivities.  During the day (9/15 – 9/28) The Great Pumpkin Fest, a family friendly event with live entertainment, sets up shop on Saturdays and Sundays.  Once night falls, the park becomes “Haunt at HalloWeekend” with scare zones, shows (including live performances by Midnight Syndicate) and haunted houses (Friday and Saturday nights).  Cedar Point’s website harbors all the pumpkin-powered details.

10. September 28: Return to Sleepy Hollow

Ichabod Crane’s worst nightmare calls Fort Wilderness campgrounds (Walt Disney Word, FL) his haunting grounds from September 28 through Halloween (select nights at 8 & 10 pm).  In addition to in-person photo-op appearances, the headless one and his dark steed are featured in the Disney animated classic “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” which is pesented during the event at Tri-Circle D stables.  Add-on dessert parties are also available before the 8 PM showing or after the 10 PM gathering.  Reservations are strongly recommended, details can be found on the Disney Parks Blog.

11. September 29: Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween

“For years, this group of hand selected artists have gathered together in the spirit of Halloween.  On this day of magic, the veil is lifted and you are invited into an enchanting world, celebrating the very best in Halloween art.” (event website).  This enchanting art attraction takes place in Marshall, MI for one day only.  A special “Early Buy Event” happens from 8 AM to 10 AM ($20) and then the show opens to everyone from 10 AM to 3 AM ($5).  Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween’s website reveals all the decorative details.

12. September 30: Queen Mary’s Dark Harbor

The final wicked weekend event of September takes place around and on board the legendary– and haunted– Queen Mary in Long Beach California.  For 23 select nights from September 27th through November 2nd brave visitors can experience “Mazes and Monsters,” nightly shows, rides and even a “haunted hookah lounge.” For the ultimate in spirited fun, stay overnight in one of the trans-Atlantic-liner-turned-hotel’s cabins.  Various ticket options and eerie event details materialize here.  Investigate past year’s Dark Harbor experiences by setting sail for ITM’s coverage of the haunted attraction.

While only a devilish dozen events are listed above, there’s plenty of fiendish fun and fall fear to go around.  Many of these wicked weekend spooky September suggestions continue through (and beyond) Halloween.  There’s even more Halloween happenings to dig up in part 2, so keep the cemetery gates open and be sure to return for October’s opportunities (13-29).

Source and images: A Ghostly Experience, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween, Bonaventure Cemetery Tours, Halloween Horror Nights, Scream Hollow Wicked Halloween Park, Six Flags Fright Fest, Knott’s Scary Farm, Sea World’s Halloween Spooktacular, Cedar Point HalloWeekends, Return to Sleepy Hollow, Bewitching Peddlers of Halloween, Queen Mary Dark Harbor

 

in Disney, Entertainment, Walt Disney World

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