Halloween will soon be here, drawing out trick or treaters, but October is also a month for people seeking thrills and goosebumps.
If you fall into the latter categories, there is still time to attend a haunted house or spooky activity before the jack-o’-lanterns are replaced by Thanksgiving decorations.
Here are a few places to get goosebumps around Springfield.
Carter Brothers Haunted Hayrides
Where: 1580 S. Sherman Blvd., Springfield
What: “Carter Brothers Haunted Hayrides offers a fun-filled haunted hayride experience that will keep entire families laughing and screaming all night long!” their website reads, adding that the activity has been happening for 42 years.
When: 7 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 1
Cost: $15, cash only
Abe’s Haunted Hollow
Where: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield (212 N 6th St.)
What: “Spooky fun takes center stage” at the ALPLM which transforms into Abe’s Haunted Hollow, “a Halloween wonderland filled with free games, music, and costumes for all ages.
Guests can explore exhibits “haunted” by creepy characters, experience spooky lighting and special effects, walk through a giant pumpkin, and even join a séance with Mrs. Lincoln herself.”
There will be crafts and games, fun prizes, a DJ, an an “eerie selfie station.”
When: 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 25
Cost: Free
Springfield Hauntings
Where: The walking tour (not non-stop walking) spans about a dozen blocks in Springfield.
What: “Considered ‘Lincoln’s hometown, Springfield holds many secrets about our sixteenth president – including stories of spiritualism, seances and grave robbery. This is a place that is both historically rich and very haunted!”, the website reads.
When: 7 p.m. on Oct. 24, Oct. 25, and Nov. 1
Cost: $22 for adults (ages 13 and older) and $15 for children (ages 8-12)
Terror On the Square
Where: 119 S. Seventh St., Petersburg
What: “A unique professional haunted tour with Disney-style illusions set in an actual 1930s funeral home,” the website reads. The guided tour features “many ghost illusions and special effects” and has been in business for more than 30 years.
When: 7 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 1
Cost: General Admission is $25
Area 66 Haunted School
Where: 908 Veterans Memorial Drive, Livingston
What: “The school comes alive at night, according to the group’s Facebook page. “The school ran normally for 75 years, but what caused it to close? Haunted attraction inside a 1926 high school on Route 66! Paranormal meets extraterrestrial.”
When: 7 to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 1
Cost: $20
Boo Crew Haunted House
Where: 11083 Buckhart Road, Mechanicsburg
What: “Boo Crew is a professional-level haunted house run 100% by volunteers, with all profits going to charity,” their website reads. “Our goal each season is to create a unique experience that our customers will love, and fear.”
The haunted house is owned and operated by the Rochester Lions Club.
“We consistently rate high for scare factor, ambiance and characters who give 100% to their performance,” the site adds.
When: Fridays and Saturdays through Nov. 1. The event is closed on Halloween.
Cost: Cost depends on group size. A single admission is $35.
Tom Ackerman covers breaking news and trending news along with general news for the Springfield State Journal-Register. He can be reached at tackerman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Haunted houses and other spooky activities around Springfield
Reporting by Tom Ackerman, Springfield State Journal-Register / State Journal-Register
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