A Guide to October Mischief
Festivals, Corn mazes, Spooky tours and more!
Twilight Cemetery Tour “Madness, Murder, Untimely Deaths, and Strange Coincidences”
On Sunday, October 18 at 4:30 p.m., join Gloria May for a rare opportunity to explore Greenridge Cemetery at dusk. Navigate the tombs and monuments while unearthing tales of Saratoga’s most notable residents who have resided at Greenridge since 1844. Come discover the final resting place of many individuals who made Saratoga Springs their home while getting in the spooky spirit of the season. There are many stories – from heartwarming to scandalous – tied to the people buried there. If you are brave enough, join us for this spooky walk where the truth of this tale, and many others, may be even more unsettling than ghost stories! This special program lasts approximately 90 minutes and requires walking and standing on varied terrain. Tours will be limited to thirty, and tickets must be purchased in advance. The cost per tour is $25 for SSPF members and $30 for non-members. For additional information on this program, or to purchase tickets visit www.saratogapreservation.org, call 518-587-5030, or email Dianne Winter, Development Director, at dwinter@saratogapreservation.org.
West Mountain’s Fall Festival
October 10-11, October 17-18 & October 24-25, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Scenic hay wagon and chairlift rides, fall food and beverage menus in the main lodge, local outdoor and indoor vendors, pumpkin painting and inflatables, live music, mountaintop picnic packages and yoga, aerial treetop adventure, and more! Please visit https://westmountain.com/fall-festival/ for activity tickets and information.
Haunted Saratoga Ghost Tours
Come walk with us and hear the stories of Haunted Saratoga. Hear the stories that have lived on in our city for hundreds of years. They will enchant, entertain, and perhaps even scare you. Our 90-minute long walking tour will take you in search of the countless ghosts rumored to haunt the city. Total walking distance is less than a mile, covered at a very leisurely pace so that you can enjoy Saratoga’s many infamous ghosts and haunted locations. The tour covers parts of Congress Park and downtown Saratoga Springs. Specific meeting instructions will be sent by email when the tours are booked. Friday and Saturday through October. Cost is $25 adults, $15 for children. HauntedSaratogaTours.com
HAUNTED CORN MAZE
Are you wondering what comes out at night in the corn maze? Stop by and enter our Field of Screams Friday and Saturday nights in October to find out! You will never experience anything quite like the Field of Screams! Every twist and turn in the maze will hold a new surprise for you. As you navigate your way through the corn maze, with just a flashlight to light your way, anticipation and fear will build inside of you. There are demons and ghouls around every bend…masked men with chainsaws following behind you…haunted buildings within the maze to pass thru…and many more surprises that will make you laugh and cry. The Haunted Maze is a unique experience that will have you coming back year after year. We are the stalk of the town. Schuyler Farms, Route 29 – Schuylerville. Visit schuylerfarms.com for more details.
NIGHTMARES AT LIBERTY RIDGE FARM
As the sun sets over Liberty Ridge, the Farm turns into a haunted nightmare. Featuring 5 haunted attractions, all at 1 location. Each attraction is scarier than the one before, sure to leave everyone who enters trembling with fear. Nightmares is a journey into the heart of darkness, where the only way to survive is to keep moving forward…For more information, or to buy tickets, visit LRFnightmares.com.
HAUNTED HAYRIDES
This year’s walk-through attractions include Brutality, Blood Moon Farm, Dead Root Dwelling, The Last Inn, Doom County FEARgrounds and Martin’s Memorial Hospital. Enjoy our midway Feartainment featuring interactive creatures, music, concession stand, souvenir stand, and photo booth. Book your reservation now online or by calling 518-884-9122. For more Information, visit https://doublemhauntedhayrides.com/reservations/
FRIGHT FEST
Weekends, through October 25. Fright Fest brings haunted attractions, scare zones, live entertainment, night rides, limited-time food and drinks, and immersive Halloween thrills to Great Escape after dark. For days, times, details and ticket information, visit https://www.sixflags.com/greatescape/events/fright-fest.
Boo Fest by Day
Weekends through October 25. Boo Fest brings family-friendly Halloween fun to Great Escape with festive daytime activities made for younger guests and families. This fall tradition gives kids and parents a fun way to celebrate the season together with special entertainment, themed activities, and favorite rides in a playful Halloween setting. Families can enjoy kid-friendly experiences like a costume contest for children 12 and under, a Trick-or-Treat Trail, a Halloween scavenger hunt, interactive dance parties, a hay maze, and arts and crafts at Boo Fest Central. With so much to do throughout the park, Boo Fest is a great way to make fall memories together and enjoy the excitement of Halloween without the scares. For details, visit https://www.sixflags.com/greatescape/events/kids-boo-fest.
Halloween Weekend Haunted House
Join us at The Fraternal Order of Eagles, 80 Main St., South Glens Falls, for a night of frights, screams & thrills as the Haunted House takes over Halloween weekend. October 30, 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. and October 31, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Dare to enter…if you’re brave enough! The scares are waiting!
Her Self-Inflicted Decapitation
Friday, October 30, 6 – 8 p.m. at Brookside Museum, 21 Fairground Ave, Ballston Spa. Celebrate spooky season by attending the premiere of this horror short, directed by local filmmaker Noah Manglapus. Filmed exclusively at Saratoga County History Center, this short film offers a ghostly, behind-the-scenes view of Brookside Museum. Enjoy hot popcorn, soft drinks, and a good scare. Come in historical dress, a Halloween costume, or as you are. Screening with a director introduction and Q&A to follow. Tickets are $5.
Concert by Candlelight
Hundreds of flickering candles, live music and a fairly spooky finale will set the stage for a fundraiser supporting Mostly Modern Projects (MMP), the Saratoga Springs-based nonprofit working to bring the music of today’s classical composers to audiences, musicians, and communities around the world. FAB5: Concert by Candlelight & Fall Fundraiser will take place on Friday, October 30, at 7:00 p.m. at Saratoga Arts in Saratoga Springs. Ticketing details are available at https://mostlymodernprojects.org/event/mostly-moderns-fab5-by-candlelight/.
The Haunting History of Mt. McGregor Halloween Special
History can certainly be dark and spooky. Other than the death of a U.S. president, Mt. McGregor has had its share of tragedies. Join Grant Cottage staff member Ben Kemp on October 31 at 1 p.m. as he shares true tales of mystery and misfortune on the mountain from the last 150 years. Note: some program content involves discussing elements of death, self-harm, and suffering and may be considered too graphic for sensitive audiences. www.grantcottage.org.