Have a ghoulishly good time with family-friendly Halloween events and experiences in Vermont
If you're fancying a frightfully fun family-friendly Halloween season, there is plenty to do around greater Chittenden County that promises just a moderate dose of fear.
From costumes to community pumpkin carving, 5ks and food, trick-or-treating and teddy bears, the next couple of weeks are packed with events and experiences celebrating the season.
Here is a taste of what is going on across the area.
Community Events
Halloween in Winooski 2022 is building on a tradition that was forged a few years ago that includes a display of 1,000 jack-o-lanterns. You can get in on the action by delivering pumpkins, carving your own, or participating in a variety of events the weekend of Oct. 29 and 30 at Rotary Park. On Saturday, Oct. 29, from 4 to 10 p.m. there will be a scavenger hunt for kids, live music and the pumpkin carving contest in addition to the nightly lighting of the jack-o-lanterns. More details at http://downtownwinooski.org/halloween/.
The Essex community is hosting the Maple Street Pumpkin Palooza again this year. Trick-or-treaters can follow a trail visiting tents along the way and marvel at the "pumpkin castle," 600 jack-o-lanterns arranged into a tall pumpkin display. Essex Junction and Essex town residents get a discount if they purchase tickets in advance at $5 for groups of five or less. The night of the event, anyone can purchase tickets for $10 per group. The festivities are Saturday, Oct. 29, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Maple Street Park, 75 Maple St. Advanced tickets and more information at www.ejrp.org.
Show off your costume
Could your little one be the best costumed cutie? Enter a photo into the ECHO Costume Contest through their social media channels or take a photo in a specially designed area at ECHO and enter until Oct. 31. The winner gets a free 3D movie at the center's theater. Details on Instagram at echo_vt.
Costumes are also encouraged during Fletcher Free Library's trick-or-treating event that includes pop-up storytimes and drop-in crafts for children ages 10 and under and their families. Drop-in Sunday, Oct. 30, from noon to 4 p.m. at 235 College St. in Burlington. More information in the program and events section at https://fletcherfree.org/.
Run away - not from fright but for fun
Ready to see how fast you are at getting away from danger while donning a costume? The Halloween Hustle 5K on Saturday, Oct. 29, could be for you. The event also includes a 1K for kids. Registration begins at 9:15 a.m. at Maple Street Park, 75 Maple St. in Essex Junction. Kids are free. Adult tickets are $15 in advance or $20 on race day. More information at https://www.essexjunction.org/departments/ejrp.
Costumes are also encouraged for the Ooky Spooky 5K Halloween run that benefits the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS), hosted by Rock Point School in Burlington. The event is Saturday, Oct. 22. Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the school, 1 Rock Point Road. The path goes through school grounds, the Burlington bike path and North Beach and is geared for all ages and abilities. The suggested donation is $15 for adults and $5 for kids under 13. More information at www.rockpointschool.org.
Halloween Treats & Decoration
Need some devilishly delectable Halloween treats for the big day? Kids in the Kitchen: A Halloween Meal event gets youth involved in making decorative Halloween-inspired food. On Monday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 8 p.m. Marci Lutsky will help kids ages 7 to 13 make the vegetarian dishes broccoli eyeball meatballs, mummy calzones and spooky chocolate pudding graveyard cups. The class is at Champlain Valley Union High School, 369 CVU Road, Hinesburg. More information and sign up at https://cvsdvt.ce.eleyo.com/course/1621/fall-winter-2022/kids-in-the-kitchen-a-halloween-meal.
Need some more Halloween decorations or gifts. Vermont Teddy Bear has plenty of frightfully furry options for sale this time of year including a zombie love bear, a glow-in-the-dark skeleton bear, a black cat themed one and plenty others in costume. Check out the selection or purchase at https://www.vermontteddybear.com/occasions/halloween.
Frightful Films
At Essex Cinemas a variety of Halloween-themed movies will be shown between now and All Hallows Eve. Shows include Bram Stoker's Dracula, a double feature: Creature From Black Lagoon and Phantom Of The Opera and Spirited Away. More information on showtimes and tickets at https://www.essexcinemas.com/. The theater is located at 21 Essex Way in Essex.
Colchester's Sunset Drive-In theater is showing scary double features. Their October list of offerings includes the movie Halloween Ends paired with Smile and on another screen is Beetlejuice and Gremlins. The theater is at 155 Porters Point Road and is open Friday through Sunday evenings. More information, including showtimes and tickets at https://sunsetdrivein.com/ or by calling 802-862-1800.
Halloween Hayrides
Want the quintessential spooky Halloween hayride experience for groups of 20 or less? Breakaway Farm in Grand Isle runs wagons through the countryside every 20 minutes on their property. Frightful characters may reach toward participants on the ride. Children under 14 need a parent present to sign a waiver. Hayrides run Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21 and 22 from 6 to 10 p.m. The farm is located at 16 U.S. 2. Tickets are $15; advanced tickets are recommended, although some will be available at the gate. More information and purchase tickets at https://www.breakaway-farm.com/slayrides.html.
Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Family-Friendly Halloween events in Vermont
