Nathaniel Clark – A&E Editor

nuc5002@psu.edu

What are you doing to celebrate the Halloween season? This is sometimes hard for many college students, especially as Trick or Treating, the holiday’s main tradition, is now not valid for them. While many students may go to parties, watch scary movies or just eat nostalgic candies, some wish to get more out of the season. If that is the case, do I have the list for you? Here are a few special Erie staples to help you celebrate the Halloween season:

Port Farms’ Fall Harvest:

Port Farm is located just 30 minutes south of Behrend in Waterford, PA. The farm offers a variety of events throughout the year, their Fall Harvest is the most iconic. While this Fall Harvest is more Autumn-based than Halloween, this all-ages event is a great way to appreciate this season’s less spooky traditions. Under the Autumn air, visitors can enjoy wagon rides, an 8-acre corn maze, animal exhibits, and a variety of seasonal staples. If you want to enjoy the Autumn colors outside of campus, you cannot go wrong at Port Farms’ Fall Harvest. 

Port Farms is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays. The Fall Harvest’s final day is October 30.

Adventures Erie:

If you are looking for something closer to campus, you should head down to Adventures Erie at Lake Pleasant. Less than 15 minutes from campus, the location offers Halloween-based spins on its regular attractions. This includes their haunted mini golf which occurs on the fictional Lake UnPleasant. While playing on the 18-hole course, you will encounter Halloween decorations, animatronics, illusions, flying ghosts, and the collection of monsters, fiends, and cryptids that follow you through the course. There is also a zombie laser tag where you and a group of friends face off against zombie hoards on Adventures Erie’s massive outdoor laser tag course. 

Haunted mini golf is offered every Friday and Saturday in October from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. while the zombie tag is only offered on Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 

Erie ZooBoo:

If you have not had the chance to visit Erie’s Zoo, why not go during their annual ZooBoo? On their website, the zoo advertises the event as being “scary, but not too scary Halloween family fun.” Between 10 booths and a variety of other locations around the zoo, attendates can go Trick or Treating, venture through the scavenger hunt, find yetis, and even hear a joke from a bridge troll. You can even have a chat with a nice collection of talking pumpkins!

Erie’s ZooBoo is offered Wednesday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. along with extended Saturday and Sunday hours starting at noon. 

Eeriebyss Factory of Terror: 

Located on Erie’s West 12th Street is the Eeriebyss Factory of Terror. Placed directly in Erie’s old factory district, Eeriebyss was created out of the interior of an abandoned, 120-year-old factory. Using this old factory as its set piece, Eeriebyss has its creatures, known as The Griswold Ghouls, terrifying the haunt’s attendants throughout half a mile of this abandoned setting. Luckily for all, Eeriebyss is all under one roof, making the possibility of bad weather not a deterrent for all who dare to go inside. Additionally, Eeriebyss is the only wheelchair-accessible haunt in Erie County. 

If you dare to explore the old Griswold factory, Eeriebyss is open on Fridays and Saturdays in October from 7 p.m. to 12 p.m. with shortened hours on Sundays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. They also offer some scares in the Spring, but those dates have not been announced.

“Halloween Legends” at the Yahn Planetarium

With some students not having vehicle access, Behrend’s Yahn Planetarium has a Halloween treat for anyone interested. On October 29, the planetarium will use its space to tell local Erie legends and tales. While this event will be open to the public, Behrend students will not have to pay the $5 cost. This event will be offered at both 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively.

Now that you know what is available in the Erie area, I hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween!