In a year where nothing seems real -- and everything is scary -- Halloween has to be the perfect holiday. All smoke and mirrors, right? So we rounded up for you some of the most fun you can have around Northwest Arkansas -- and we hope you have a great time!
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Hollerween at The Holler
The Holler is celebrating the spookiest time of the year with Hollerween! The hangout space at 8th Street Market in Bentonville will have festivities all Halloween weekend including live music, food specials and holiday fun for the whole family. Stop by with the kids on Oct. 31 for trick-or-treating and play Pumpkin Shuffle on the shuffleboard court. (Reservations encouraged.) There will also be a costume voting contest for kids and adults.
WHEN -- 11 a.m. Oct. 29-8 p.m. Nov. 1
WHERE -- 8th Street Market in Bentonville
COST -- Varies by activity
INFO -- alocalhangout.com
FYI -- Masks are required; costume masks do not count.
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Banshee Manor
Masks are nothing new to Halloween, right? But this is the first year that the proprietors of haunted attractions have to make sure those masks protect the public, not just help scare them.
Banshee Manor in Fayetteville, one of the region's most popular and elaborate haunts, promises "the scares will still be there." But making the magic will certainly be different in the time of covid-19, says its founder, Jonna Summers. Summers had to wrestle not only with her own concerns but with getting approval from the Health Department.
"All area haunted attractions, including Banshee Manor, had to submit a plan showing our floor plan, occupancy rates, how we will maintain social distancing, our cleaning protocols and posting of signage for the mask mandate," she explains. "We also had to share our policy for screening and recording temperatures of all our staff to make sure they're healthy."
Summers' haunt comes with a full-blown storyline that grows every year. Banshee Manor is set in a medieval castle populated by a Scottish lord "notorious for being ruthless and evil."
"The Banshee has grown tired of all the death and has become a vengeful spirit, trapping the McCraulic clan inside the walls of the manor, along with the tortured souls of their victims," she explains.
"I've always been in love with Halloween and obsessed with haunted houses," Summers reminisces. "I actively started working a little over 10 years ago to make my dream of owning my own haunted house a reality, learning everything I could about both the business and the creativity involved in such a venture. October 2020 will be the fifth season of Banshee Manor, and I'm proud how it has grown and improved every year."
FAQ
Banshee Manor
WHEN -- 7-11 p.m. Oct. 30-31
WHERE -- Inside Lokomotion Family Fun Park in Fayetteville
COST -- $10 per soul
INFO -- bansheemanor.com
FYI -- No one younger than 6 allowed; ages 6-13 must be accompanied by an adult.
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Virtual Ghost Walk
The Rogers Historical Museum's annual Ghost Walk event began in 2013, when former Director Gaye Bland came up with the idea and "did everything that first year," says the museum's current director, Serena Barnett. "We've hosted it three other years since -- 2015, 2017, 2018 -- [so] this will be our fifth year for this event.
"In the past, groups of 12 to 15, led by a guide holding a lantern, would begin at the museum and walk around downtown, encountering our five or so costumed storytellers on the trail," Barnett explains. "We've also served refreshments at the end.
"Due to the pandemic this year, we decided to instead host this event virtually on Zoom for one night only. The nature of walking tours limits the amount of participants to small groups. That is why we usually host this event for multiple nights throughout October. Offering the tour virtually allows us to have all registrants touring together at the same time."
As for the stories, "you'll just have to wait to discover what ghosts we have in store for this year," Barnett teases. "We sift through hundreds of old obituaries when choosing our ghost stories. What we look for is a connection to Benton County or nearby counties in Northwest Arkansas and southwest Missouri, something that happened around here or something that happened to someone from here. Any unusual happenings resulting in an untimely death and detailed murder stories certainly make for interesting ghost story retellings.
"Each 'ghost' actor is given the obit and maybe a bit more information, and they write up how they want to portray the incident after doing research and figuring out the angle they want to take it from," she explains. "They then dress in character for the time period and tell the story."
Registration is open at eventbrite.com or call the museum by Oct. 28. Registrants will be emailed a Zoom link by noon on Oct. 29.
FAQ
Virtual Ghost Walk
WHEN -- 7 p.m. Oct. 29
WHERE -- Online via Rogers Historical Museum
COST -- Free
INFO -- Register at eventbrite.com or call 621-1154
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Live Scoring the Silents: Halloween Edition
After a covid-induced hiatus, Trillium Salon Series is bringing back its Live Scoring the Silents program just in time for Halloween. In partnership with Likewise: a community + co-working space in Fayetteville, Trillium will be screening F.W. Murnau's vampire classic "Nosferatu" on the Likewise's open-air, covered parking deck.
"I think that it's going to be beautiful and resonant and chilling, honestly," shares Mallory Berry, Likewise co-founder. The space "has these scalloped features in the ceiling and that, plus the concrete, really allows the sound to reverberate in a unique way. That, coupled with this classic horror film, is just going to be a really fascinating experience, both visually and acoustically."
The open-air, but covered, design of the space allows Likewise to provide a safe option for gathering, even into the colder months, Berry says.
"It's definitely strange to be enforcing those policies that are so antithetical to what we desire as humans for interaction, but I have noticed that it seems everyone has just had this longing for connection and in-person interaction in that way."
An improvised score will be performed live over the film by new music group Thought Form Collective. An ever-evolving group of musicians and composers, Thought Form Collective strives to highlight living composers and champion their music around Northwest Arkansas.
Because of limited, socially distanced seating, RSVPs are required. Doors at 7 p.m. with the screening at 7:30 p.m.
This event, originally scheduled for Oct. 29, has been moved to Nov. 4.
FAQ
Live Scoring the Silents: Halloween Edition
'Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror'
WHEN -- 7 p.m. Nov. 4
WHERE -- Likewise Community, 70 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville
COST -- $20 suggested donation
INFO -- trilliumsalonseries.com, members.likewise.community/events
FYI -- Masks required.
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Pumpkins In The City
During the daytime, it's all demonstrating craftsmen, legendary cowboys presenting yesteryear lore, "best in the western business" of chuckwagon cooking and plenty of sweet mountain music during the Harvest Festival at Silver Dollar City in Branson.
Then, as 5:30 p.m. strikes the old water clock, says spokeswoman Lisa Rau, thousands of hand-carved pumpkins come aglow, as Pumpkin Plaza heats up with pumpkin-centric, glow-in-the-dark entertainment, and all the famous -- "and highly creative" -- pumpkin food options call from every corner.
"The variety is impressive from pumpkin funnel cakes and homemade pumpkin ice cream to pumpkin cappuccino," Rau says.
Pumpkins in the City also includes Pumpkin Pal "meet and greets" and entertainment in the Pumpkin Plaza and glow-in-the-dark goodies and treats through Oct. 31.
FAQ
Pumpkins in the City
WHEN -- 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Oct. 28-29; 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Oct. 30-31
WHERE -- Silver Dollar City in Branson
COST -- All ages $62 before noon
INFO -- silverdollarcity.com
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Screampark
Branson's Haunted Screampark includes the Mirror Maze, Project X, Prison Riot, The Meat Locker, the Haunted Graveyard, Slashers, The Doll House, the Boiler Room and Doctor of the Dead, along with three escape rooms -- Nuclear Meltdown, Zombie Apocalypse and Haunted House.
Hours are 7-10 p.m. Oct. 25; 7-11 p.m. Oct. 29; and 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 30-31. From 7-10:30 p.m. Nov. 1, it's "extreme night" when "all normal rules are thrown out the window. "Be prepared to be grabbed, tortured, and harassed on the last day of the Halloween season."
Admission is $20 per person at 236 Wild Valley Way in Reeds Spring, Mo.
INFO -- bransonhauntedscreampark.com
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Pumpkin Fest
The Shepherd's Pumpkin Fest at Shepherd of the Hills in Branson includes a hayride, pumpkin painting, a corn pit, a petting zoo, "build your own scarecrow," a hay bale maze, pumpkin bowling, bounce houses and more.
Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 30-31, and admission starts at $8.95 for ages 4 and older.
INFO -- theshepherdofthehills.com
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Victory Films
Live theater is off through the end of the year at Arkansas Public Theatre in Rogers, so the historic venue is going back to its roots. The Victory Theater opened as a film house in 1927 -- and the sound system was installed in 1929 when the "talkies" came along. Now the beloved community gathering space is offering a safe cinematic experience to movie lovers with "something for everyone" in the Victory Film Series.
"In our beautiful historic theater, there's nothing like seeing something at the Victory," enthuses Joseph Farmer, executive director at APT. "It's more of an event and experience than it is just going to see a movie."
Each film chosen for the series is tied to a significant date or reason for the showing. For instance, this past weekend's films were selected in recognition of director Sam Rami's birthday ("Drag Me to Hell") and to celebrate the original Oct. 25, 1978, release date of the classic "Halloween."
For the weekend of the spookiest holiday, APT will show the 1953 version of the alien epic "War of the Worlds" on Oct. 30 and the 1984 cult favorite "Beetlejuice" on Halloween night.
WHEN -- 7 o'clock both nights
WHERE -- 116 S. Second St. in Rogers
COST -- $10
INFO -- 631-8988, arkansaspublictheatre.org
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A Nightmare on Block Street
In lieu of the 14th annual Beat Bachs Halloween Dance Party, Pinpoint bar in Fayetteville has nixed the dancing and instead turned the underground bar into a Halloween pop-up bar through the end of October. Themed areas and booths, chilling pinball machines, a spooked out menu and specials for all you ghouls in costume, A Nightmare on Block Street goes all out for the Beat Bachs tradition.
Very limited seating, no reservations taken during the pop-up, no groups larger than 10. No cover charge, no tickets, 21 and up.
Hours are 5 p.m.-midnight Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, through Oct. 31.
INFO -- beatbachshalloween.com
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Exeter Corn Maze
A fun, family experience in southwest Missouri, the Exeter Corn Maze is 35 miles from Bella Vista. Entry fees begin at $5 for adults and $10 for children, which includes all barnyard activities. The Corn Maze armband includes the barnyard activities and the corn maze and costs $12 for adults and $15 for children. There are additional activities offered.
Barnyard activities include swings, ziplines, corn pit, climbing wall and net, petting zoo and more.
The 8-acre kid friendly corn maze offers fun for all ages.
A 60-acre pumpkin patch offers pumpkins ranging from $2 to $5.
In addition to the pumpkin patch and corn maze, attractions include the haunted barn, zombie paintball, hayrides, haunted corn maze, pumpkin jump, cow train, corn cannons, pumpkin cannon, paintball shootout shack, movie room, photo-ops, archery tag and go karts.
The Exeter Corn Maze will be open until Nov. 8. There is food available on site and a general store.
FAQ
Exeter Corn Maze
WHEN -- Hours vary by attraction, with the maze opening at noon Friday-Sunday
WHERE -- State Highway MM in Exeter, Mo.
COST -- $5-$20
INFO -- 877-846-3959 or exetercornmaze.com
This roundup was compiled by Becca Martin-Brown and Jocelyn Murphy.