Trenton (October 3, 2011) - From haunted hayrides to holiday parades, there’s plenty of ghoulish activities for the family to enjoy around the Garden State this Halloween season, according to Grace Hanlon, Executive Director of the New Jersey Division of Travel & Tourism.
"Halloween is a time when many indoor and outdoor attractions convert their operations to celebrate the colorful autumn holiday. Raise your spirits, cook up some ghost stories and gather the family together to make eerie looking Jack-o-Lanterns. Halloween is fun for grown-ups and kids alike in New Jersey as the lush green landscapes explodes with shades of crimson and orange," said Hanlon.
The following is a sampling of the festivities and festivals occurring around the state:
Experience the "thrills by day, chills by night" of Six Flag Great Adventure’s Frightfest in Jackson. Now through October 31, visitors can roam the haunted midways to encounter the spooky sites at the 140-acre "scream park." www.sixflags.com, 732-928-2000.
South Jersey Pumpkin Show Fall Festival in Egg Harbor City, October 8-9, celebrates the harvest of pumpkins with more than 100 artists and craftsmen, the South Jersey Pumpkin Weigh Off, live bands and more. http://www.sjpumpkinshow.com/, 856-765-0118.
Nighttime Corn Maze and Harvest Moon Hayride, October 14-15, 21-22, 28-29 - Enjoy a nighttime corn maze (bring your flashlight!), a harvest moon hayride, a campfire, a country music DJ, and unlimited Hot & Cold Cider at Alstede Farms in Chester. www.alstedefarms.com, 908-879-7189.
Halloween Happenings in Victorian Cape May, October 14-31 - Two weeks of specially-themed tours and events including Ghostwriter Trolley Rides, Miss Parmentier's Psychic Tea, Historic Haunts Combination Tours, Phantoms of the Physick Estate and the annual Cape May Halloween Parade on October 23, and much more to help you get into the "spirit" of the season. www.capemaymac.org, 609-884-5404.
Clinton Red Mill’s “Haunted Mill,” October 15-29 - Thousands of excited adults and families line up to experience a Mill transformed into a ghoulishly frightening chamber of horrors. Rated one of the best haunted venues in New Jersey, the Haunted Mill never ceases to thrill Halloween lovers. www.theredmill.org, 908-735-4101.
See pumpkins get airborne at the Last Fling Pumpkin Sling, October 22 – 23 in Harmony Township. Watch as enthusiasts use their catapults and medieval-looking trebuchets to fling a pumpkin as far as it will go. The event also features food and crafts and a kids’ activity tent. http://pumpkinsling.com/, 908-283-0721.
Pirates and sea captains long lost at sea walk the boardwalk for a night of screams at the “Haunted Tuckerton Seaport,” October 28-29. Hayrides, food, refreshments and a non-scary pumpkin patch for the little ones. Fun for the whole family! www.tuckertonseaport.org, 609-296-8868.
Check out www.visitnj.org for a day-by-day calendar of spooky happenings in the Garden State this month as well as valuable travel deals, festivals and activities happening all year long. Take this rare opportunity to enjoy the festival of colors with a weekend getaway, embark on outdoor adventure or hike the winding trails nestled in the heart of the state – now THAT’s New Jersey!
