"Halloween can be hard in Bella Vista," muses Bailley Kinser, event coordinator for the Bella Vista Public Library. "We're so spread out, and the roads are too dangerous for trick-or-treating. Having a Halloween celebration at the library seems like the perfect solution."
The Spooktacular is now in its 13th year -- predating Kinser's job with the library -- but she's proud to say "it's really staggering to see how big it's become."
"The last time we held Spooktacular, we had over 500 kids from all over Northwest Arkansas and southern Missouri," she says. "Our primary audience is young families. The event is designed with kids in mind, so it's not too scary. We have lots of smiling jack-o-lanterns and friendly ghosts."
When Kinser starts talking about the fall festival, her excitement is contagious.
"For Spooktacular, we turn our Encore! Bookstore into a not-so-scary Haunted Bookstore walk-through," she explains. "All the lights are out, and we put up some spooky Halloween lights, jack-o-lanterns, spiderwebs -- you name it, we've got it! There's always a few creepy guests as well, like Cecil the Skeleton.
"It is so much fun to watch the kids walk through the store because they are so fascinated by all of the decorations and characters that we put up in there!
"We usually have a witch's cottage where the kids can come meet our own resident witch and get their picture with her," Kinser goes on, "but with our construction, we've had to move her -- so this year we're thrilled to announce the Witch's Woods."
She has to give that witch a "shout-out," Kinser adds -- "in part because she is a crowd favorite and in part because she's my mother."
Kinser says she's grateful for everyone that helps with the event.
"The Scott Family Amazeum is having a Hallow-STEAM station. Super Science NWA is making cotton candy. Kings Kettlecorn is providing, you guessed it, kettlecorn."
But her favorite part of the Spooktacular every year is the hayride.
"Our limited parking means that attendees have to park at the Baptist Church up the hill," Kinser says. "To help prevent this from being an inconvenience, we have a hayride that transports guests to and from the event. It is so much fun to ride down Dickens Place on a chilly fall afternoon with everyone in their costumes. It's very nostalgic and fun."
FAQ
Spooktacular
WHEN — 2-4 p.m. Oct. 20
WHERE — Bella Vista Public Library, 11 Dickens Place in Bella Vista
COST — Free
INFO — 855-1753
Haunted Houses
Banshee Manor Haunted House
WHEN — 7-11 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays through October
and 7-10 p.m. Oct. 31
WHERE — 4520 N. College Ave.,
Fayetteville
COST — $10
INFO — bansheemanor.com
Haunted Skeleton House
When — 7-10 p.m. Oct. 31
Where — Skeleton House, 20 Sandridge Dr. in Bella Vista
Cost — Donation to NWA Bully Haven Rescue or the Bella Vista Community Involvement Coat Drive
Info — (479) 899-5117
Zombie Event
at Modern Mission
WHEN — 7-10 p.m. Oct. 25-26
WHERE — 3484 E. Joyce Blvd., Fayetteville
COST — $25
INFO —595-0055 or modernmission.com
The Expelled Haunted House
WHEN — 7-11 p.m. every Friday and
Saturday in October; Oct. 31; Nov. 2
WHERE — 29555 Arkansas 23, Huntsville
COST — $10-$20
INFO — theexpelled.com
Nightmares Haunted House
WHEN — Dusk-midnight every
Friday and Saturday in October; Oct. 25; Oct. 31-Nov. 2
WHERE — 3706 N.W. Frontage Road, Bentonville
COST — $20-$30
INFO — nightmareshauntedho…
Warehouse of Fear
& Swamp Walker
WHEN — 6:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October and Oct. 31
WHERE — 17023 Chambers Springs Road, Siloam Springs
COST — $15
INFO — 524-0014 or riversideentertainm…
Carpenter’s Mortuary Spook House
WHEN — 7-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays in October, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31-Nov. 2
WHERE — 136 E. Main St., Gentry
COST — $13
INFO — mortuarystudios.com
The Haunted Prison and Trail of Terrors
WHEN — 7 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays in October and Oct. 31-Nov. 2
WHERE — 3138 Dora Road, Van Buren
COST — $20
INFO — facebook.com/Thehau…
Shepherd’s Spooktacular
WHEN — Friday-Sunday through Oct. 27
WHERE — Shepherd of the Hills, 5586 W. 76 Country Blvd, Branson
COST — $8-$30
INFO — (417) 334-4191 or explorebranson.com
Other Events
Ghouls Night Out
WHEN — 7:30-11:30 p.m. Oct. 24
WHERE — Meteor Guitar Gallery, 128 W. Central Ave., Bentonville
COST — $50
INFO — meteorguitargallery…
NWACC Fall Festival
WHEN — 6-9 p.m. Oct. 25
WHERE — Bogle Plaza on the NWACC Bentonville Campus
COST — Free
INFO — nwacc.edu/events/fa…
Cavern Tavern Brews & Boos
WHEN — 5-9 p.m. Oct. 25
WHERE — Bluff Dweller’s Cave, 163
Cave Road, Noel, Mo.
COST — $19.99
INFO — (417) 475-3666
Voices from
Eureka’s Silent City
WHEN — One-hour guided walking tours begin at 5:30 p.m. and leave every 20 minutes with the last tour at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 25-26
WHERE — Eureka Springs Municipal Cemetery; parking is at the former Victoria Inn (4028 E. Van Buren St.) with free shuttle service to the cemetery. There is no parking at the cemetery.
COST — $15 for adults; $5 for children 12 and younger; advance tickets at all Cornerstone Bank locations, Chamber of Commerce and the Eureka Springs Historical Museum
INFO — 253-9417
DTR Halloween Ball
When — 8-10 p.m. Oct. 26
Where — Moonbroch Brewing Co., 117 W. Walnut St., Rogers
Cost — $40
Info — (479) 936-5487 or downtownrogersinc.o…
Halloween Fest
When — 4-7 p.m. Oct. 26
Where — Shiloh Square, 106 W. Emma Ave., Springdale
Cost — Free
Info — (479) 750-8185 or ar-springdale.civic…
Eureka Springs Zombie Crawl
WHEN — 6:30 p.m Oct. 26
WHERE — Spring Street in downtown Eureka Springs
COST — Free
INFO — eurekaspringszombie…
Cave Pumpkin Patch
WHEN — 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 26
WHERE — Bluff Dweller’s Cave, 163 Cave Road, Noel, Mo.
COST — Free
INFO — (417) 475-3666
Halloween in the Hollow
WHEN — 9:30 p.m.-midnight Oct. 26
WHERE — Crystal Bridges Museum, 600 Museum Way, Bentonville
COST — $25
INFO — 418-5774 or crystalbridges.org.
Ghost Lantern Tours
WHEN — 6-9 p.m. Oct. 26
WHERE — Bluff Dweller’s Cave, 163 Cave Road, Noel, Mo.
COST — $17
INFO — (417) 475-3666
Trick Art Treat
WHEN — Noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 27
WHERE — In the North Forest at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
COST — Free
INFO — crystalbridges.org
Trick or Treat at the Library
When — 4-6 p.m. Oct. 31
Where — Farmington Public Library, 175 W. Cimarron Way
Cost — Free
Info — (479) 267-2674
Howl-O-Ween Dog Party
When — 7-10 p.m. Oct. 31
Where — Columbus House Brewery, 701 W. North St., Fayetteville
Cost — Free
Info — Columbushousebrewer…
Caty Perry Costume Party
When — 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31
Where — Nomads Trailside, 1863 N. Pluto Drive, Fayetteville
Cost — Free, 10% of food sales benefit Fayetteville Animal Shelter
Info — (479) 879-7573
Fright Night Halloween Pub Crawl
When — 5-11 p.m. Oct. 31
Where — Dickson Street, Fayetteville
Cost — $15
Info — facebook.com/Fright…
Rocky Horror Picture Show
When — 7-11 p.m. Oct. 31
Where — Walton Arts Center, 495 W. Dickson St., Fayetteville
Cost — $20
Info — (479) 443-5600 or waltonartscenter.org
Murder at the Hunted Winery
When — 6:30-9:30 p.m. Oct. 31
Where — Sassafras Springs Vineyard, 6461 E. Guy Terry Road, Springdale
Cost — $50 (price includes dinner)
Info — (479) 419-4999 or sassafrasspringsvin…
Mall-O-Ween
WHEN — 5-7:30 p.m. Oct. 31
WHERE — Frisco Station Mall, 100 N. Dixieland Road, Rogers
COST — Free
INFO — 936-9885
— Send additional Halloween events to
NAN What's Up on 10/20/2019