Halloween is less than a month away, and everyone is preparing for the Harvest season. The leaves are falling, the air is crisp and everything smells like pumpkin spice. As October gets into full swing, travelers will be looking for haunted cultural events to check out as the spooky season takes off.
This Harvest season, there are plenty of haunted cultural events happening across the country. From trolley rides through deserted graveyards to cultural celebrations honoring ancestors, there’s something for the entire family coast to coast. Here are a few haunted cultural events taking place in United States destinations.
Explore the Real Life Halloweentown on Portland
Halloween during most millennials’ childhood was incomplete without sitting down to watch “Halloweentown” as a family. The original film was released in 1998, and travelers can head west to Portland to visit the real Halloweentown. St. Helens, the filming site of the nostalgic movie hosts events every Halloween season. The Spirit of Halloweentown festival takes place from Sept. 16 to Oct. 31. There’s plenty of family friendly fun including trick-or-treating, costume contests and a haunted tour of the town.
Celebrate La Dia De Los Muertos in San Antonio
This is the 11th year of the Dia De Los Muertos festival in San Antonio. Each year, travelers visit the city to join in festivities honoring the Mexican holiday and their respective deceased family and friends. The event will take over Hemisfair in San Antonio on Oct. 28 to Oct. 29. A beloved cultural event in the city, the festival will include live musical performances, an array of vendors and an altar making competition honoring the dead.
Celebrate Halloween With a Twist at Arts in the Dark in Chicago
Recognized as one of the top six Halloween events in the world, Arts In The Dark will be parading down Chicago’s State Street on Oct. 21 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Arts In The Dark is a free parade experience with eerie puppets, spooky music and creative floats. The parade will move south from Lake to Van Buren. No matter rain or shine, travelers can expect the event to take place and showcase Chicago’s haunting creativity.
Visit Ghosts and Gravestones in St. Augustine
One of the oldest cities in America, it’s no surprise many believe that St. Augustine, Florida, is haunted. Travelers can find out for themselves on the St. Augustine: Ghosts and Gravestones Old Town Trolley Tour. The 80-minute tour takes guests through the town’s haunted jail, the Huguenot and Tolomato cemetery and the Potter’s Wax Museum. With a hidden history of murder and mystery, this haunted tour in St. Augustine is full of ghosts and ghouls around every corner.
Find the Witches in Salem
Witch culture is still alive and well in Salem. Home of the infamous 1692 witch trials, Salem would be amiss without a legion of haunted cultural events for travelers to enjoy. Visitors can enjoy a haunted ferry ride to Salem’s Witch Museum. There’s a Haunted Happenings Grand Parade to kick off the Halloween season and events happening all month long in honor of the witches who once walked Salem’s streets.
