Haunted happenings
Filed Under Events | October 7, 2008
We’ve just updated your source for all the pumpkin patches, mazes and spooktacular fun that you can have this month. We’ve gone a bit broader than our usual age range and in the same vein as our infamous strike list we will keep updating this list as we find more spooky stuff, so you may want to bookmark this page on our site. And just a warning, you’ll need impressive time management skills to fit in everything that’s going on this month!
And we’d like to remind you up front, as we’ve done our best to confirm all the details of each event but always call or visit a website for event info before you head out just in case any changes have been made since we posted it. And of course, have fun!
One Off Events
Halloween Preschool Party at Sunset Community Centre
October 31st, 10 am – Noon, Sunset Community Centre, 6810 Main Street
Kids from one to five can don their costumes and get in on the Halloween action early with play gym fun, face painting, cookie decorating, arts & crafts and more. Get your tickets in advance to avoid unhappy little ghouls: www.mysunset.net
Halloween Spook-tac-ular
October 31st, 1 – 5 pm, Strathcona Community Centre Gym, 601 Keefer St.
Kids from six to 13 can play spook-tac-ular carnival events and games of skill and chance. Plus Bandwagon will be performing at 4:15 pm: www.heartofthecityfestival.com
Halloween Carnival & Trick-or-Treat Trek
October 31st, 3 pm – 6 pm, Coal Harbour Community Centre, 480 Broughton St.
Kids from two to six can enjoy creepy crafts, terrifying treats and a bouncy castle, plus the folks at the community centre have gone ahead and planning a safe trick-or-treat route for tots: vancouver.ca/parks/cc/westend
Yaletown Halloween Trick Or Treat Parade
October 31st, 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm, Yaletown
Yaletown merchants are opening their doors for trick-or-treating, so come in costume, stock up and also enjoy the Halloween Parade which starts at the Roundhouse at 4:30 and winds its way through Yaletown: www.yaletowninfo.com
Halloween at Oakridge
October 31st, 4 – 5:45 pm, Oakridge Mall, 650 West 41st Ave.
Come in costume and trick-or-treat for charity – the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice – from 4 to 5 and then enjoy kids’ entertainment in the West Galleria near the Sony store from 5 to 5:45. For kids 12 and under: oakridge.shopping.ca
Halloween Carnival
October 31st, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm, Killarney Community Centre, 6260 Killarney Street
The community centre will be “spooktacular” for kids from three – 12 with games, bouncy castles, a haunted house, face-painting, grab-bags and more. Costumes aren’t mandatory, but that doesn’t mean you can’t don them: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca
Halloween Carnvial at Sunset Community Centre
October 31st, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm, Sunset Community Centre, 6810 Main Street
Gosh, the Sunset Community Centre is hopping with Halloween spirit. Kids of three and over can play carnival games, have their fortunes told, touch ooey gooey surprises, create crafts and slime and more: www.mysunset.net
Halloween Family Fireworks Spectacular
October 31st, 8:30 pm, Inter River Park, Lilloet Road South of the Equestrian Centre
Enjoy the popular Halloween fireworks display and nosh on hotdogs and coffee courtesy of the Mt. Seymour Lions Club. Call 604.987.7529 for details
Burnaby
Halloween Howl
October 30th, 7 – 9 pm, CG Brown Memorial Pool, 3702 Kensington Avenue, Burnaby
Bring your bathing suit and your costume for this event that combines games, a haunted house, candy and door prizes. Kids under seven must be accompanied by a parent while swimming: www.burnaby.ca
Halloween on the Heights
October 31st, 4 pm – 8:30 pm, Burnaby Heights
The Vancouver Heights neighbourhood goes all out for Halloween with trick or treating with merchants, Halloween trains running at Confederation Park’s Burnaby Central Railway and a fabulous fireworks display capping off the evening: www.burnabyheights.com
Coquitlam
Trick-or-Treating at Coquitlam Centre
October 31st, 4 pm – 5 pm, Coquitlam Centre, 2929 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam
Dress up and get in on the goodies at Coquitlam Centre, but only if you’re 12 or under: www.coquitlamcentre.com
Delta
10th Annual Pumpkinfest
October 30th, 5 pm – 7 pm, Ladner Village, 48th Avenue
Kids from preschool age all the way up to grade three can partake in Ladner Village’s carved pumpkin and Halloween costume contests: www.corp.delta.bc.ca
Halloween Haunted Family Night
October 30th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, McKee Heritage House, 5155 47 Avenue, Delta
Take a spooky tour of the haunted house at the McKee Heritage House, trick or treat at the McKee Seniors’ Rec Centre or visit the Mad Scientist at the Boys & Girls Club: www.corp.delta.bc.ca
Halloween Roaming Rascals
October 31st, 9:15 am – 11:45 am, Sungod Recreation Centre, 7815 112th Street, Delta
The rascals will be roaming with a spooky twist including a little haunted house, trick-or-treats for the tots, and more: www.corp.delta.bc.ca
Halloween Family Storytime
October 30th, 7 pm – 8 pm, McKee Seniors Recreation Centre, 4705 Arthur Drive, Delta
The whole family will enjoy this evening of Halloween stories, songs and crafts: www.corp.delta.bc.ca
Maple Ridge
Ghost Ridge Haunted House
October 26th – 30th, 6 – 9 pm, Maple Ridge Fairgrounds 23448 – 105th Ave & Lougheed Hwy
This annual fundraiser which benefits charities in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows provides lots of spooky fun for the whole family: www.ghostridge.org
Ongoing Events
The Stanley Park Hallowe’en Ghost Train
October 10th – November 1st, 6 pm – 10 pm, Stanley Park Miniature Railway
The year the beloved, spooky train has a pirate theme thanks to the Mortal Coil Performance Society you’ll be haunted by shipwrecks, devilish pirates, mermaid ghosts, secret treasures and more. Plus the park’ll be hopping with pirate hat making, the Haunted Children’s Farmyard and from Thursday to Sunday nights you can visit the Storytelling Tent courtesy of Once Upon a Huckleberry Bush. We’ve got the shivers: vancouver.ca/parks/events/ghosttrain/
Creatures of the Night
Some evenings from October 9th – November 1st, 7 pm – 9:30 pm, Stanley Park Ecology Centre [http://www.stanleyparkecology.ca/news/library/maps/mapSPESLocations.php]
The pirates theme from the ghost train is carrying over to the Ecology Centre’s “Creature’s of the Night” walk that’ll navigate you through the treacherous waters of the nocturnal creatures of Stanley Park. Watch out for flying squirrels: www.stanleyparkecology.ca
Children’s Halloween Festival
October 11th – 31st, 10 am – 5 pm & 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm, Bear Creek Park Train, 13750 – 88th Avenue, Surrey
Younger kids will want to ride the Pumpkin Express Train in the day, while those jonesing for more thrills and chills can ride after dark. There’ll also be Halloween crafts and games and you can even pick up a pie to take home: bctrains.com
World of the Weird
October 16th – 19th, 23rd – 26th & 30th – 31st, Vancouver Aquarium, 845 Avison Way
Here’s your chance to get nose to nose with nature’s nightmares and explore the Aquarium’s famous Haunted Hallway. We’ve got shivers already: www.vanaqua.org
Haunted Pirate Ghost Ship
October 25 – November 2nd, Noon – 4 pm, Vancouver Maritime Museum
Young pirates under 10 won’t want to miss this chance to visit the museum’s haunted pirate ghost ship. And if they do it in costume their admission will be free, though their accompanying adult will still have to pay. On weekends they can also partake of haunted pirate activities and crafts. Arrr matey: www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
Metropolis Mystery Manor
ongoing to October 31st, Mondays thru Saturdays 1 pm – 4 pm & 6 pm – 9 pm, Sundays 11 am – 2pm & 3 pm – 6 pm, Grand Court, Metropolis Mall
All proceeds from this spectacular, spooky mansion go towards the Rotary Club of Burnaby: www.metropolisatmetrotown.com
Eerie Nights of Fright
October 29th – November 1st, 6 pm – 10 pm, Fort Langley
There’ll be sword fights, gallows, pirates and haunted buildings when the BC Renaissance Festival and other community partners transform Fort Langley into one of the spookiest places to be this Halloween: www.pc.gc.ca
Pumpkin Patches
Aldor Acres Pumpkin Patch
ongoing to October 31st, 9 am – 5 pm, Aldor Acres, 24990 – 84th. Avenue, Langley
Pick a pumpkin or two, partake of a hayride and learn about farm animals and how they live and get up close and personal in their hands-on petting zoo: www.aldoracres.com
Richmond Country Farms
October 6th – 30th, Weekdays 9 am – 2 pm, Weekends 10 am – 4:30 pm, 12900 Steveston Highway, Richmond
Famous for their pumpkin patch, you’ll also find a corn maze, sing-along hay rides and entertainers like Polly Pumpkin, Strawberry Shortcake and Korny Corn: www.countrypumpkinpatch.ca
Westham Island Herb Farm Pumpkin Patch
ongoing to October 31st, 9 am – 5 pm, Westham Island Herb Farm, 4690 Kirkland Road
Delta
Not just a Pumpkin Patch but Ladner’s self professed Halloween headquarters. In addition to pumpkins you’ll find a great display of scarecrows, a spooktacular haunted Quonset hut and you can catch the seasonal decorating spirit by stocking up on ornamental gourds, corn stalks, miniature and full size hay bales and more. And, as we mentioned last year, you can combine it with a trip to the Reifel Island Bird Sanctuary just down the street: www.westhamislandherb.ca
This is just a smattering of the pumpkin patches and corn mazes springing up around town. Click here for a full listing of the pumpkin and corn fun around BC.
Need last minute Halloween help? Check out last year’s article on Halloween safety or this week’s article on eco-friendly Halloween ideas. This list was updated on October 29th.
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[...] a deep breath after all the Halloween festivities, speaking of which we have more additions to our haunted happenings for tomorrow and a few events that span the weekend as well. So be sure to check it out. And [...]
[...] for ideas. You can also roast your pumpkin seeds and save them for healthy snacks, compost your locally-purchased jack-o-lantern when it starts to fade and use big piles of fall leaves as part of your [...]