Top U.S. haunted houses, Halloween events

No longer just for the little monsters, Halloween has evolved into an event for everyone — and a great excuse to hit the road for a fun and/or frightening adventure. Here’s a look at some of the top Halloween events from coast to coast.

• Key West Fantasy Fest

Once a slow period for Key West hotels and other businesses, October is sizzling in the southernmost U.S. city thanks to Fantasy Fest,
which runs October 17 to 26. Loosely linked to Halloween, it’s a series
of over-the-top parades, performances and parties, including the Wild
and Kinky Luau, the Pet Masquerade and Parade, the Pirate Wenches in
Paradise contest, Sloppy Joe’s 25th annual Toga Party, the Pimp and Ho
Party and, well, you get the idea.

• Universal Orlando — Halloween Horror Nights

If you’re looking for some serious Florida frights, check out Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando, which continues through November 1. Described by
one critic as “the country’s best Halloween event,” it includes haunted
houses, live shows and “scare zones” featuring an assortment of
monsters and maniacs wandering darkened studio streets as Bloody Mary
brings frightening urban legends to life.

• Universal Hollywood — Halloween Horror Nights

On the other coast, our friend Freddy Krueger is loose on the backlot
at Universal Studios Hollywood. Halloween Horror Nights frights include
a Backlot Terror Tram, a Nightmare on Elm Street maze, new scare zones,
and another maze featuring killers from the new film “The Strangers.”
It continues through November 1.

• West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval

For a different kind of Halloween adventure, head to West Hollywood for Carnaval 2008.
The city hosts a series of events — including a Drag Race and Beauty
Pageant and Doggy Costume Conest on October 26 — that culminate on
October 31 with a giant costume party along Santa Monica Boulevard from
6 to 11 p.m. Some 300,000 revelers are expected at the party, which
describes itself as the world’s largest adult, outdoor Halloween event.
Tip: Don’t take the kids to this one.

• Village Halloween Parade

New York City’s Village Halloween Parade touts itself as the country’s
largest, “most wildly creative” participatory event. Indeed, millions
are expected to join 50 bands, hundreds of puppets, some 60,000
elaborately costumed marchers and muchmore at the parade, which runs
along 6th Avenue from Spring Street to 21st Street starting at 7 p.m.
on October 31.

• Terror Behind the Walls

One of the most inherently creepy events may be Terror Behind the Walls, now in its 18th year at the abandoned Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia.
“Terror,” which runs through November 2, features 140 actors,
animatronic props, digital sound effects and Hollywood-caliber costumes
and makeup. But the star is the aging, 11-acre gothic prison, a
National Historic Landmark that is said to be haunted. Reservations are
recommended.

• Bates Motel

Twenty miles west of Philadelphia, you can check into the “Psycho”-inspired Bates Motel Haunted House, promising what it calls the “most incredible display of terror and mayhem” this side of Hollywood (not recommended for kids under 8 or people with heart conditions). If you can handle it, the frights continue with the Haunted Hayride, a 25-minute ride through a haunted forest at Arasapha Farm.

• Salem, Massachusetts — Haunted Happenings

Salem, Massachusetts, near Boston could make a good case for being one of the world’s Halloween capitals. And throughout October it offers up Haunted Happenings, a series of alternately disturbing and historic events highlighting its enduring association with witchcraft. Among the highlights is “Spiritways: A Night in Besieged Salem Village,” described as a terrifying, full-immersion visit to the Salem of the infamous “afflicted girls” (not recommended for young children). At “Cry Innocent: the People vs. Bridget Bishop,” audience members are on a 1692 jury as Bridget Bishop is brought up on witchcraft charges. Visitors also can check out the popular Salem Witch Museum.

• San Francisco Halloween Festival

San Francisco’s hosting what it calls an all-inclusive, all-ages festival in the parking lot of AT&T Ballpark from 4 p.m. to midnight. It will include a haunted house, a food pavilion, classic horror movies, music, performance art and more. The festival says the streets surrounding Lot A will be transformed into a “safe and fun Halloween wonderland” featuring ghosts, zombies, black cats, drag queens and a whole lot more.

• Krewe of Boo, New Orleans

The obvious go-to destination during Mardi Gras season, New Orleans’
is making a move to become a Halloween hot spot with its inaugural Krewe of Boo
Parade on October 31. The Uptown event — featuring 22 floats and
hundreds of costumed characters along St. Charles Avenue and Canal
Street — promises a family-friendly parade mixing Halloween-style fun
with New Orleans tradition. Following the parade is the Halloween
Costume Expose, which is expected to attract several thousand
partygoers.

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