Guide to Annual Halloween Activities in Raleigh NC
Though the Celts and Romans with an assist from the Catholic Church get the credit for the early beginning, much has been changed since the Irish brought the tradition with them during the Potato famine.
In my fathers generation the pranks were more like tipping outhouses and the like. Today most often the pranks have been left behind and like most every other holiday we Americans have a party of some sort.
In some neighborhoods we still see the door to door Trick or Treating but in many places this has been replaced by school parties and Trick or Treating at the local Mall.
Raleigh is no different. Many of the local schools and churches organize local events. These are not usually widely publicized but usually the church offices and PTAs can let you know if they are having an event.
For the general public there are community wide events that are being held in Raleigh. Some are quite unique and take advantage of the semi-rural nature of the city.
One favorite with children is the Halloween Trail at Durant Nature Park in North Raleigh. Here the trails are turned into mildly spooky dimly lit trails with interesting events to be seen along the walk.
Normally at this time of the year the trails are closed at night, but for a night or two near Halloween the ghosts come out to mingle.
There are hayrides, games and activities in the area by the waterfront. Up in the meeting area there are ghost stories by the campfire. There is usually a haunted house to add to the environment of the evening.
It is amazing how different a trail can look at night.
This program is designed for families with every effort to please the small ones.
The trail is scheduled to be open October 21 and October 22, from 6-9 p.m.
For more information on the Halloween Trail at Durant Nature Park Contact:
Durant Park Manager
8305 Camp Durant Road
Raleigh, NC 27614
919-870-2871
The Natural History Halloween is a real crowd pleaser.
If your child likes bugs, spiders, snakes and live animals the Museum’s got a treat for them. If the skeleton of a nineteen foot tall sloth would be more impressive, they have on of these too.
The staff at the museum has a reputation for coming up with games and activities that will leave your child with a fantastic memory. The celebration focuses on activities for children 2 to 12 years of age.
Children are encouraged to come in costume and they can enter a contest by 3 p.m. for the chance to win a prize
The event is scheduled for October 28, 11 AM – 5 PM
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
11 W. Jones St.
Bicentennial Plaza
Raleigh, NC 27601
919-733-7450
Haunted Mordecai is an opportunity for visitors to learn about sightings at the Mordecai House. Paranormal researchers, storytellers and musicians will be at the house. The staff has additional activities planned.
This is a fantastic historical site on its own merits. The event should prove an interesting evening.
The event is October 28 from 5PM
Call 857-4362 for details of the event.
The Mordecai House
1 Mimosa Street
Raleigh NC 27604
(919) 834-4844
The Fall Festival at Chavis Community Center is another option for the younger generation.
Scheduled for October 26 at 6PM
This event promises games, activities and prizes for the kids. The community center is just south of downtown.
For details 831-6989
Chavis Community Center
505 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Raleigh, NC 27601
Trunk or Treat is the Halloween event for the old North Raleigh area.
The planners recommend that you dress in your Halloween best and go trunk or treating. Candy, hay rides and activities are planned.
There is a contest for the best decorated trunk, truck bed or van. So if you happen to be a Tim Taylor sort this may be the Halloween activity for you. Of course don’t forget to bring the kids.
For details call (919) 870-2880
Optimist Community Center
5900 Whittier Dr
Raleigh, NC 27609
The Frightmare Haunted House is indeed in Raleigh.
I don’t think this is for the real little ones but for those folks that just have to have a good scare.
This may be you cup of bl� tea.
The haunted house will be open seven days. 6-9 sun-thurs and 6-12 fri-sat.
For information call: (919) 272-4102
Ticket Price should be $10.00 at the door.
1505 Capital Blvd
Raleigh, NC
Perhaps you are in need of more adult entertainment. O’Dwyers a Wake Forest Pub is having a Halloween Party Sat Oct 28. It goes from 10 PM to 1:30 AM.
Halloween Party
O’Dwyers Pub
Shoppes at Heritage
3325 Rogers Rd
Wake Forest, NC 27587
contact for info: (919) 562 8368
The Dive Bar is another place for the adult crowd that on October 31st has their Halloween Show.
Phone: (919) 832-9363
The Dive Bar
3 Glenwood Ave.
Raleigh, NC 27603
Edgewater Place Shopping Center is having a Fall Festival October 22. 11am-4pm.
Contact (919) 247-8699 for information.
Edgewater Place Shopping Center
Highway 64 & Rogers Ln
Raleigh, NC 27610
(919) 792-0343
For those who are willing to travel a bit from Raleigh there are a plethora of other offerings.
Morehead Planetarium will celebrate Halloween season with special star show called “Scare-o-lina Skies”.
This is a twenty to forty minute drive from Raleigh depending on the part of the city you are in.
The adult version of the show will be shown on Saturday, 28 at 8 PM
They will play a version more suitable for younger children on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 4:30 p.m.
Morehead Planetarium
250 E. Franklin St.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-962-1236
Still further to the west is North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro.
This is a ninety minute drive from Raleigh no matter where you live.
They have a Boo at the Zoo program for October 28th and 29th.
In addition to one of America’s best Zoos, they will have trick or treating, clowns and magicians. They usually have transportation through the park which is very large.
NC Zoological Park
4401 Zoo Parkway
Asheboro, NC 27205
800-488-0444
These are just an inkling of the Halloween opportunities in the Raleigh area. There will be many smaller venues that provide little or no notice to the public that they are planning something.
There are also a lot of local groups that will have member only functions. If you happen to belong to a school, church, fraternal organization or business organization the best source of holiday events is usually found in their fliers.
If you are going to be in a specific town during the holiday the local chamber, vistors bureau or the city website may contain events specific to that town that may not be advertised elsewhere.
Personally I like Halloween. I still remember going out with my brothers from house to house. Seeing all the bright smiling faces of folks who tried to figure out just what we were in our homemade costumes.
With planning the costumes, making the costumes, wearing the costumes, trudging for what seemed to be miles and hours and then eating chocolate things until you never wanted to see another chocolate thing; Halloween took days to accomplish.
It left memories of my brothers and sister that still live to this day. I even remember times some of us confused our costumes with having powers of real super heroes.
One of my brothers thought he could fly like Superman. He hit every stair on the way down, thirteen if I remember right. He survived the flight but I’m not sure if he’s ever recovered from the humiliation a house load of brothers can heap on.
Hope you have a wonderful holiday season.
