by Julie Weaver
There
are many activities and haunted abodes to choose from this year, so get
out there and scare
someone — even if that someone happens to be yourself. There are even
some
out-of-town choices for those of you who don’t wish to brave the annual
Sixth
Street debacle. Anyway, don’t forget your costume — and no, that
plastic pig’s
nose you bought at the flea market doesn’t count!
Haunted Houses
CACTUS JACK’S TRAIL OF FRIGHT HAYRIDE, 13233 Hwy. 71 W., 8 mi. from the“Y” at
Oak Hill. The hayrides run October 27-31, continuously from dusk to
11pm. Rates
are $6 per person ($5 per person for groups of five or more). Call
263-2388 for
more information.
GRUSEUM, Westgate Mall, Ben White & Lamar. Sponsored by the Austin
Children’s Museum, the Gruseum is a “not-too-scary fun house” for kids
ages
three to eight. Gruseum goers will be able to stroll down “Treat
Street” and
tour zany houses. The end of the tour includes the “Fun Room” where
kids can
make and take fun Halloween crafts, enjoy face painting, and more. The
fun
house is open Oct. 27-29; Friday 4-8pm, Saturday noon-8pm, and Sunday
noon-5pm.
$3 per person. Call 472-2499 for more info.
HAUNTED HAYRIDES, Rolling Oaks Mall, 1604 Nacogdoches, in San Antonio.
If you
want to get out of town for the holiday, Haunted Hayrides is a great
annual
stand-by. Beginning at dark, ghosts and goblins pop out at hayriders at
every
turn, as well as plenty of other spooky surprises. Reservations are
necessary,
and tickets are $9.95 for adults; $5.95 ages 5-12; and free for ages 4
and
under (snacks are included in the ticket price). Call 210/651-5666 for
reservations.
NIGHTMARE FACTORY, 2101 W. Ben White. Back for yet another year, NF is
becoming
an annual tradition here in Austin. Central Texas’ largest haunted
house, the
factory features almost 6,000 square feet of dark mazes, horrifying
monsters,
and cutting-edge special effects, all to the cataclysmic background of
a
digitally mastered, custom soundtrack. Over a half-a-dozen new scenes
have been
added since last year’s production, and they’ve even included a
gruesome
graveyard using a collection of tombstones from the films Texas
Chainsaw
Massacre and My Boyfriend’s Back. The house is open every
night
through Oct. 31, 7:30pm-midnight. Admission is $7. Discounts are at
Half Price
Books and DoubleDave’s Pizza. Call 445-FEAR for more info. To get a
sneak peak
of the house, check out NF’s Web Page at
http://www.io.com/~nightime/
PIONEER FARM, 11418 Sprinkle Cut-Off Rd. A wonderful Austin treat for
the kids
(and adults alike, for that matter), the farm will present its annual
holiday
shenanigans for three nights only. Participants can explore a dark
haunted
barn, jump on a hayride where they can see the spirits of lost cowboys
ascending from “boot hill,” and witness a driverless stagecoach
attempting to
escape a band of ghost robbers. Scary stories and a mad scientist show
are also
a highlight. A variety of snacks will be featured. Admission is $4
adults, $2
children 3-12. All proceeds benefit ongoing projects at Pioneer Farm,
and with
the latest cut-backs in city funding, they could really use our
support! Oct
27, 28 & 31, dark-9:30pm. Call 837-1215 for more information.
SCREAM IN THE DARK, Ol’ Burnet Opry House, on the Square in Burnet, TX,
512/756-2217. You’ll have to drive a bit, but this one sounds worth it.
With
over 30 years of experience in the fine art of horror, creators Robin
&
Helen Stevens have put the finishing touches on this special haunted
house and
are ready for guests. The venue features 17 rooms of interactive
terror,
including a forest of ghosts, a graveyard where nothing stays buried, a
morgue
filled with bodies that won’t let you out, and Earthquake Tunnel that
spins you
around, a spaceship filled with aliens, and much more. The house runs
October
27-31, 6:30-9:30pm (plus 1-3pm on Sat-Sun). Tickets are $6 adults, $4
seniors
and children under 12, with $2 discount coupons available at many Hill
Country
businesses in and around Burnet. Call 512/756-2217 for more
information.
WELLS BRANCH HOMESTEAD, 2106 Klattenhoff. The Homestead is putting on a
Halloween Haunted House and Trick or Treat Trail, and all are invited.
The
event will be held Tue, October 31, from 5:30-8:30pm, so get the
kiddies
dressed up early! No phone number was given, so just show up in your
finest
spooky digs.
Halloween Events
Thu, October 26: THE MAD MONKS HALLOWEEN SHOW, featuring the zany antics of Monks’ Night
Out,
Austin’s popular sketch, improv, and musical comedy troupe, will be
held from
10pm until “The Witching Hour,” on the main stage at Esther’s Follies,
Sixth
& Red River. The show includes all-new sketches, improv games, and
musical
comedy from the Monks. There’s also some great tunes from the Monks’
“Haunted”
House Band, Snafu Manchu. Cover is $5 at the door, or get in free by
wearing a
costume! Call 453-MONK for details.
A HALLOWEEN HAUNTED HOUSE for kids age 5 and up will be held from
5:30-7pm at
the Terrazas Branch Library, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez. Everyone is
encouraged to
wear a costume. Call 472-7312 for more information.
A MONSTER CONCERT will be held at 7pm at McCallum High School, 5600
Sunshine
Dr. A dinner and auction will be featured, and all proceeds will
benefit
programs at the school. Call
414-2519 for more information.
Fri, October 27:
A HALLOWEEN PARTY RIDE, in celebration of Critical Mass’ secondanniversary,
will be held at 4:30pm at the West Mall fountain on the UT campus, 23rd
&
Guadalupe. The event will feature bikes, costumes, historic
reenactments,
music, and more.
Sat, October 28:
NIGHTWALKERS: GOTHIC HORROR MOVIES is the latest release by Austinauthor Bruce
Lanier Wright, and includes a critical look at horror films circa 1957
and
beyond and features over 100 stills and full-color poster
reproductions. A
booksigning will be held from 5-7pm at Adventures in Crime & Space
Books,
609 W. Sixth. The event will feature a costume contest, so dress up as
your
favorite character from the horror hall of fame and get a chance to win
a free
book or other nifty prizes. Call 473-2665 for more information.
THE 10TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN BALL of the Waterloo Counseling Center will
be held
at 9pm at the Omni Austin Hotel, 700 San Jacinto. This year’s event
will
feature the traditional costume contests, including the most coveted
J.D.
Hooper Memorial Best Drag Award, along with best male, female, and
group
costumes. There will also be drawings for prizes. Tickets are $15, and
are
available at Liberty Books, Book People, LOBO, Celebration, and the
Waterloo
Counseling Center. Call 329-9922 for details.
A HALLOWEEN BLOCK PARTY, sponsored by the Downtown Georgetown
Association, will
be held at the courthouse square in Georgetown. The event will feature
a
variety of family activities, including arts and crafts, face painting,
food
and beverages, games, a pumpkin carving contest, and more. In
conjunction with
the party, the Palace Theatre in Georgetown will host a screening of
the 1953
classic, Invaders From Mars, on the east side of the courthouse
square.
Admission is free, and the film will begin around 9pm. Bring a chair or
blanket. Call 863-9619 for more info.
A HALLOWEEN HORROR BASH and Carnival for kids will be hosted by Terra
Toys. The
event features a free carnival, a costume contest, scary stories, a
pin-the-cat-on-the-witch game, face painting, refreshments, palm
readings, and
more. Children may also make lollipop ghosts, puppets, and Halloween
talismans.
The “bash” will be held from noon-2pm at the shop, 1708 S. Congress.
Call
445-4489 for details.
MAKE YOUR OWN MONSTER LUNCH BOX at Crossroads Bookstop’s party and
storytime
for children, 3-4pm at the shop, 9070 Research. Refreshments will be
provided.
Space is limited, so call 451-5798 to make reservations.
A HALLOWEEN BUNNY HOP will be held at 7pm at the Shady Hollow Community
Center,
3303 Doe Run (off Brodie Ln.). Costumes are optional, but prizes will
be
awarded for best rabbit costume, best “other animal” costume, and best
“un-animal” costume. A silent auction will be featured, as well as
music,
refreshments, and more. Proceeds will benefit the Austin-based House
Rabbit
Resource Network. $5 per person; $8 for couples; $10 families. Call
282-9518
for details.
CREATURES OF THE NIGHT: Myths and Realities is an event for children,
hosted by
the Lower Colorado River Authority and Travis County Parks, to be held
from
7-10pm, at Pace Bend Park. Educational as well as fun, the evening will
feature
hayrides, face painting, storytelling by the fire, and more. Admission
is free,
but there is a $5 per vehicle fee ($10 to camp). Call 473-9437 for more
information; 264-1482 for directions to the park.
THE 3RD ANNUAL BOO RUN RUN of the Witte Museum in San Antonio is a
Halloween
costume fun-run for both children and adults. The one-mile run/walk
through
Brackenridge Park kicks off at 10:30am at the museum, 3801 Broadway, in
San
Antonio. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes, and all proceeds
benefit
the museum. Prizes for best costume will be awarded in several
categories.
Refreshments will be provided. Call 210/820-2126 for details.
Sun, October 29:
A “SPOOKTACULAR” HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL, sponsored by the Parks andRecreation
Department, will be held 6-8pm at Auditorium Shores on Town Lake. Each
of
Austin’s 15 recreation centers will join in the fun by setting up their
own
Halloween booths, and activities include dart throws, cake walks, face
painting, fortune tellers, pumpkin carving, story telling, roller
skating, and
more. Also highlighted will be a presentation of real bats and owls by
the
Austin Nature Center, and safety demonstrations by the Austin Fire
Dept. Call
499-6738 for info.
A PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST will be held 1-4:30pm at the Umlauf Sculpture
Garden
& Museum, 605 Robert E. Lee Rd. Actually two contests — one for
adults,
one for children — the event will be judged by visitors of the museum.
Call
445-5582 for details.
A HALLOWEEN FAMILY COSTUME PARADE will be begin at 1pm in Zilker Park.
Rapper
Police Ice will be on hand to entertain participants. Family groups
will gather
in costume in the Zilker Park Moonlight Tower parking lot at 1pm; the
parade
will begin at 2pm and will proceed to the Hillside Theatre, across from
Barton
Springs Pool. After the judging, refreshments and favors will be
provided. Cost
is $13 per costumed family; free for observers. Proceeds will benefit
Travis
County REACT, a non-profit volunteer organization that provides
communications
and other services for a dozen or more community events each year. Call
836-2861 for info.
HALLOWEEN CHILDREN’S CONCERTS, performed by the Austin Symphony, will
be held
1:30 & 3:30pm at the Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress. Geared for
families
with children aged 3-10, the concert will feature a variety of musical
pieces
designed to capture the imagination of the young audience. Kids will
also be
introduced to various instruments in the orchestra and learn about the
music
being performed. Everyone is encouraged to come in costume. Tickets are
$4-$5
for children, $5-$6 for adults, and are available at all UTTM
TicketCenters.
Call 472-5411 for tickets; 476-6064 for more information.
THE 6TH ANNUAL CHILDREN’S COSTUME PARADE of the Travis County Farmers’
Market
will be held at 2pm at the market, 6701 Burnet. There will be apple
bobbing,
pumping painting, pumpkin carving contests, and more. Admission is
free. Call
454-1002 for more information.
Monday, Oct. 30:
HALLOWEEN STORYTELLING for children will be presented by the ArboretumStorytellers at 6-7:30pm, at the Terrazas Branch Library, 1105 E. Cesar
Chavez.
Call 472-7312 for more info.
Tuesday, Oct. 31:
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW will be screened in a special showing at10pm at
Northcross 6 Theaters in Northcross Mall on Anderson Ln. Join the live
cast as
they celebrate Halloween in style. Call 834-4146 for more info.
A HALLOWEEN MASQUERADE BALL will be held 8pm-midnight at Little City
Espresso
Bar & Cafe, 916 Congress. Those with the most creative costumes
will be
awarded prizes that include artwork, Little Cityware (T-shirts), and
more. Cula
du Cafe will perform a “jazz flavored” version of their high-energy
sets, led
by Joey del Lago and Elias Haslanger, and refreshments and a buffet
will also
be featured. Proceeds benefit Christopher House. Tickets are $10. Call
476-2489
for details.
HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES will be held from 6-8pm at the South Austin
Recreation
Center, 1100 Cumberland Rd. The center’s Advisory Board will offer a
“Stop the
Violence” Trick or Treat Village and costume parade/contest, as well as
musical
entertainment by Police Ice and other local talent. Admission for each
attraction will be $1, with all proceeds benefiting youth programs at
the
center. Call 444-6601 for more information.
THE BLUEBONNET MARKET will hold a fun and safe alternative to
trick-or-treating, 5-8pm at the market, 310 Neches. Designed for
children 12
and under, the event will include trick-or-treating at the 70 shops
within the
market, apple bobbing, costume contests, scary surprises, and more.
Call
476-3484 for information.
“BOO AT THE ZOO” for the young ones will be held 6:30-8:30pm at the
Austin Zoo,
10807 Rawhide Trail. Featured is a not-so-scary train ride,
trick-or-treat
bags, and kids can explore the zoo’s grounds with flashlights.
Admission is $4
adults, $3.50 children age 3-13, and free for age 3 and under. Call
288-1490.
HALLOWEEN AT TOAD HALL Children’s Bookstore will feature a spooky
storytime, a
costume style show, photos of the little gremlins, and more. The event
will be
held from 10:30-11am, at the shop, 1206 W. 38th, in the 26 Doors
Shopping
Center. Proceeds from the sales of photos will benefit Junior Helping
Hand.
Call 323-2665 for more information.
THE 7TH ANNUAL FREE HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL of Seton Northwest Hospital will
be held
from 5:30-8pm, at 11111 Research Blvd. Game booths, costume contests,
balloon
artists, face painting, and trick-or-treating in the hospital. Call
323-1000
for more information.
A SAFE HALLOWEEN for the kids is sponsored by Austin-Area Nursing Homes
and the
Capital Area Social Activity Coordinators Association. Nursing homes in
neighborhoods across Austin invite children to participate in their
various
Halloween activities on Tue, October 31. Halloween “happenings” include
trick-or-treating, Halloween parties, carnivals, haunted houses, and
more. Call
444-6708 for a list of locations nearest you.
“HALLELUJAH! NIGHT” FOR KIDS is a Halloween Alternative sponsored by
the
Central Assembly of God Church, 7650 Ed Bluestein Blvd. The festival
will be
held 5-8:30pm, and features pony rides, a petting zoo, Sumo wrestling,
a castle
moonwalk, a dunking booth, bell ringer, a hay ride, and more. Call
926-2387 for
details.
IF YOU’RE UP FOR A ROAD TRIP, Scott & White Hospital in Temple, TX
will
offer a safe alternative to neighborhood trick-or-treating with a
Halloween
KidFest and Spook House, 6:30-9:30pm in the McClane Dining Room on the
first
floor of the hospital, 2401 S. 31st in Temple. Children aged 13 and
under are
invited to come dressed in costume to enjoy carnival-like games, food,
a visit
with “Batman” and his friends, and much more. Call 817/724-3047 for
information.
Ongoing
HALLOWEEN AT ESTHER’S FOLLIES will be held October 26-29, 8 & 10pm,at
Esther’s Pool, 525 E. Sixth. Join the Esther’s crew as they dish up a
White
House Halloween. Poor Chelsea Clinton has bad dreams and is visited by
spirits
— the ghosts of Halloween Passed-up, Bob Dole, Janet Reno, Robert
Packwood,
and a host of others too horrible to mention. The Witches of East Sixth
will
conjure up a new magical stew of political and social recipes —
straight out
of Macbeth’s time, but with an update for what’s in the news today. At
the
Vampire’s Home for the Bicuspid-ly Impaired, all the old bloodsuckers
are
lamenting about the younger, Anne Rice creatures of the night ruining
their fun
and invading their turf. All this and more. Tickets are $10 Thu; $12
Fri; and
$14 on Sat. A special show on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2pm will benefit Big
Brothers/Big Sisters. Call 320-0553 for more information.
A TWILIGHT MURDER MYSTERY, sponsored by the Austin Steam Train
Association,
will be held Sat-Sun, October 28-29, 7-9pm, aboard the Hill Country
Flyer,
Central Texas’ old-time passenger steam train. In the spirit of Agatha
Christie, The Capital City Mystery Players will perform while
passengers gather
clues and try to guess “whodunit” as the mystery unfolds. The coach
fare for
the Murder Series is $35 per person, and includes a light snack and
complimentary soft drink. If you can’t make the mystery train, day
trips run at
10am and return around 5pm, with a three-hour layover in Burnet. While
there,
you can check out the Scream in the Dark haunted house. Fares for the
day trips
are $24 adults, $10 for kids 13 and under; or Pullman and parlor car
fares are
$38 adults, $19 kids 13 and under. Call 477-8468 for reservations.
TRAVIS HEIGHTS’ GREAT PUMPKIN PATCH is currently underway at Grace
United
Methodist Church. Pumpkins of all sizes will be sold, and a
storytelling
session for children will be held from 10am-noon, Mon-Fri, during the
run of
the patch, now through October 30. Strings of pumpkin lights, bales of
hay,
scarecrows, and even a black cat create a fun atmosphere to entertain
people as
they shop for the perfect orange globe. Call 442-5944 for details.
Dia de los Muertos
IN CELEBRATION OF DAY OF THE DEAD, El Interior (1009 West Lynn) willdisplay a
traditional-style Mexican Zapotec Indian ofrenda (altar), which is
filled with
food, flowers, and candles. In conjunction with the exhibit, the famous
short
film, Day of the Dead, by designers Ray and Charles Eames, will
be shown
continuously throughout the exhibit’s run, October 27-November 5
(Mon-Sat,
10am-6pm; Sun, noon-5pm). Light refreshments will be served. Call
474-8680 for
details.
IN COMMEMORATION OF DIA DE LOS MUERTOS (Day of the Dead), ALLGO (Austin
Latino/a Lesbian and Gay Organization) and La Pe�a will sponsor
a series
of events to honor and celebrate the lives of those lost to violence,
substance
abuse, and AIDS. The Latino and African-American communities are
disproportionately affected by these issues, and this year’s series
will focus
on the commonalities and mutual influences found in the two
communities’
traditions related to death and dying. All of the programs are free and
open to
the public. Sun, October 29, 2-4pm features an Altar-Building Workshop
and
Photography Exhibit at Coronado Studios, 1707 E. Sixth. A 7pm mass will
be held
Thu, Nov. 2 at Cristo Rey Church, 2110 E. Second; high mass will be
held the
same day and time at St. Mary’s, 203 E. 10th. A Community procession
will
follow at 8pm, from Cristo Rey to Our Lady Family Center (SW corner of
E. Sixth
& Chicon); a dedication and celebration will be held at 8:30pm,
featuring
Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklorico. Call 472-2001 for details.
A DAY OF THE DEAD ALTAR-BUILDING WORKSHOP with Dennis Medina and
Michael
Martinez will be held Mon, Oct. 30, 11:30am-2pm, at ACC, Rio Grande
Student
Lounge, 1212 Rio Grande. Call 483-7595 for more info.
A PE�A PARA LOS MUERTOS: A Tribute to the Dead will feature
music,
poetry, and theatre by some of Austin’s finest talent. Performers
include
Centzontle, Correo A�reo, Antonio Dionisio, Angel Iba�ez,
Lourdes
Perez, Ana Sisnett, Harold McMillan, Angeles Romero, Amy McKeller,
Ivory
Newsom, and Sally Jacques. The first pe�a will be held on Sun,
Oct. 29,
4pm, at Chicago House, 607 Trinity ($5; proceeds will benefit Chicago
House).
The second pe�a is scheduled for Mon, October 30, 7pm, at ACC
Riverside,
1020 Blvd. Free. Call 442-5986 or 495-7167 for details.
MEXIC-ARTE MUSEUM announces their annual Dia de los Muertos Parade, to
be held
Sat, November 4, beginning at 6pm. The group will meet on Sixth Street
in East
Austin and then proceed west under I-35 to Congress Ave. The parade
will end up
at the museum, Fifth & Congress, around 7pm. Once there, Dia de los
Muertos
activities will commence, including a skit by Teatro Comunitario en
Espa�ol, music and other entertainment, refreshments, and a
display of
artwork by master printmaker Jos� Guadalupe Posada. Admission
for all
activities is free. Call 480-9373 for more information.
This article appears in October 27 • 1995 and October 27 • 1995 (Cover).