I’m one of those people that can’t even watch a commercial for a scary movie without having to turn all the lights on in the house – indefinitely. My kids, on the other hand, inherited some weird recessive gene that makes them not only WANT to subject themselves to as many terrors as possible, but they actually seem to enjoy it. If you fall into the latter category, then, boy, have I got a list scary Halloween events for you.
The following attractions highlight the horrors of Halloween throughout the Richmond area. From eerie ghost tours terrifying farms featuring clowns (yes, clowns), there’s no shortage of ways to freak yourself out this October. Just know that while you’re scaring the the be-jeezus out of yourself, I’ll be at home – with all the lights on.
Special Events
(Chronological order)
Quill Hill Theater Presents: Dracula
Dominion Art Center
Libby S. Gottwald Playhouse
600 E. Grace St.
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 340-0115
When: September 15 – October 8, 2016
Remaining showtimes: Oct. 6 @ 7pm; Oct. 7 @ 8pm; Oct. 8 @ 8pm
Cost: $32/adults; $27/seniors; $22/ RVATA ; $17/students
Costumes? No
Ages: May not be suitable for children or others with sensitivity to violence, smoke effects and strobe lighting
This chilling stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s timeless horror novel brings Count Dracula to life in front of your very eyes. Offering theatrical thrills, horrifying drama and a timeless tale of nightmarish love, Dracula is must-see if you like your horror to be more artistic in nature. Be warned – the show is graphic and uses stage effects like smoke and strobe lights, so it can be intense for those with sensitivities. Get tickets the Dominion Arts Center Box Office, click here to order online or call 1-800-514-3849.
Fancy Me Mad: Graveyard Tour and Tales from Edgar Allen Poe
St. John’s Church
2401 E. Broad St
Richmond, VA 23223
(804) 648-5015
When: Saturday, October 22, 2016; 5:30pm – 8pm
Cost: $5
Costumes? No
Ages: May not be ideal for younger participants
The St. John’s Church Foundation teams with the Poe Museum to bring you this hauntingly historic walk through the St. John’s graveyard where the spirits of Eliza Poe (Poe’s mother); George Wythe and his murderous nephew; and a Confederate Soldier searching for Elizabeth Van Lew, the infamous Union spy, just might appear. The tour begins at 5:30, followed by an appearance from Edgar Allen Poe himself at 7:00 inside the church. Purchase tickets online here.
Voices from the Shadows: A Walk Through Hallowed Ground
Pamplin Historical Park
6125 Boydton Plank Road
Petersburg, VA 23803
(804) 861-2408 or 1(877) PAMPLIN (877-726-7546)
When: Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29, 2016; 7pm – 8:30pm
Cost: $10/adults; $5/children (ages 6-12); Free to park members
Costumes? No
Ages: Family-friendly
Experience Pamplin Historical Park like you never have before with this after-dark tour through the park’s notoriously haunted grounds. Join a costumed guide on a thrilling, lantern-lit journey through historical sites and Civil War landmarks as you learn about chilling characters and deeds from the past. Reservations are required, so be sure to book right away. Click here for more details.
Haunted Henricus Overnight Event
Henricus Historical Park
251 Henricus Park Rd
Chester, VA 23836
(804) 318-8797
When: Saturday, October 29 – Sunday @ 9pm – October 30, 2016 @ 9am
Cost: $25/person
Costumes? No
Ages: 13+ years (all participants ages 13-17 MUST be accompanied by an adult)
Spend a night in the second oldest English settlement in America and test your bravery as you take part in a real-life paranormal investigation. Not for the weak of heart (or knees), this spooky overnight excursion tests your nerves and challenges your investigative skills. All participants must register by calling (804) 748-1611.
Richmond Zombie Walk
Meeting Point: Boat Lake in Byrd Park (Boat Lake Drive)
Starting Point: 2901 W Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221 (in front of Dixie Donuts)
When: October 29, 2016; Meet at 1pm, walk begins at 2:30
Cost: Free to participate, but there is a suggested $5 donation to the American Cancer Society
Costumes? Oh…ABSOLUTELY
Ages: Family-friendly (at your discretion)
Calling all zombies…it’s that time of year again! Of course, we mean time for the 12th Annual Richmond Zombie Walk benefitting the American Cancer Society. Don your finest undead apparel and head down to Boat Lake in Byrd Park and get ready to limp, lurch or otherwise drag yourself through Carytown, ending at the Byrd Theater. This mass gathering of the undead is all about having fun – even if you’re super creepy while you’re doing it. Stay in character, but don’t scare anyone who doesn’t want to participate, and you might just survive the day. Learn more online at Richmond Zombie Walk.
Ongoing Events
(Alphabetical order)
Ashland Berry Farm: Terror on the Farm
12607 Old Ridge Rd
Beaverdam, Virginia 23015
(804) 227-3601
When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday, October 1-30, 2016 @ 7pm
Special event dates on Thursday, October 20 and 27 @ 7pm and Monday, October 31 @ 7pm
*Ticket sales end at 11pm on Friday and Saturday and 10pm on Thursday and Sunday
Cost: $10-$20 for individual events or $30 for an all-inclusive Scream Pass
Costumes? No
Ages: Recommended for adults, but left to parents’ discretion for children
A family-friendly farm by day, Ashland Berry Farm transforms into a world of terror at night. Starting at 7pm, brave souls can experience four distinctively terrifying events, including Booger Woods ($20), Frightmare Hall ($10), the Realm of Tortured Souls ($10) and 3D Dead-End ($10). Purchase tickets for events separately or grab a Scream Pass for $30 and “enjoy” as many of these haunts as you can handle. Learn more at Terror on the Farm.
Blood Lake Haunted Trail
Windy Hill Sports Complex
16500 Midlothian Turnpike
Midlothian, VA 23113
info@bloodlakeva.com
When: Fridays and Saturdays, October 7-29 2016; 7:30pm-11pm
*Ticket sales end at 10:45pm
Cost: Trail only: $12/adults and $10/kids (9-14); Trail + 1 event: $15/adults and $13/kids (9-14); Terror Trio (all three events): $20/adults and $17/kids (9-14)
Costumes? No
Ages: Children 9 and up (under 9 not admitted, under 10 not admitted to Z-Alamo)
I’m not sure who thinks that walking along a haunted trail in the dead of night is a good idea, but apparently plenty of people do, which is why Blood Lake Haunted Trail is frightfully popular. In it’s 9th season, this Halloween event takes over the Windy Hill Sports Complex to bring you three terrifying events, including The Sound of Screaming Haunted Trail where the Vine-Trap family will haunt your nightmares; the Z-Alamo Zombie Airsoft Experience, a target range where it’s you against the zombie apocalypse; and Crypt Escape, a haunted escape room where only your wits will save you from a bloodthirsty vampire. If you’re a braver person than me, visit Blood Lake to purchase tickets online.
Chesterfield Berry Farm: RVA Fright Nights
26002 Pear Orchard Road
Moseley, Virginia
(804) 739-2404
When: Fridays and Saturdays, September 30 – October 29; 7pm – 11pm
*Ticket sales end at 10pm
Cost: $25 for an all-inclusive Fright Nights’ Scream Pass. Call for individual event pricing.
Costumes? No
Ages: 12 years and up
The Chesterfield Berry Farm is one of the area’s most beloved family destinations. But during the month of October, the ghouls come out and all bets are off. Join other daring adventurers every weekend this month and see how far your nerves will take you through experiences like Grimstone Manor, the Dark Harvest Freakshow, “Bloodshed” and a real-“life” ghost hunt. Purchase event tickets separately or get an all-inclusive Fright Nights’ Scream Pass for $25. Visit RVA Fright Nights to learn more.
Creepy Hollow Scream Park
14437 Stone Horse Creek Rd
Glen Allen, VA 23059
(804) 346-FEAR
info@richmondscreams.com
When: October 7-9, 14-15, 20-23, 27-31, 2016; Gates open at 7pm and the screams start at 7:30
*Ticket sales end at 11pm on Friday and Saturday and 10pm on Thursday and Sunday
Cost: $24 (Scream Forest, Staple’s Mill and Axl’s Fun House) or $34 (All events + Speed Pass)
Costumes? No
Ages: Not recommended for small children
Known as Richmond’s #1 haunt for a reason, the Creepy Hollow Scream Park takes terror to the next level. The Scream Park features more than 50 live actors, amazing animatronics and terrifying illusions that will take you deep into “Creepy Hollow” and all the horrors that live there. The park’s main attraction is Scream Forest, a haunted hayride that takes you deep into the woods, where you are dropped off (which may or may not seem like a good idea at the time) and left to find your way back…if you can. Along the way, you’ll encounter, Staple’s Mill, a haunted house of horrifying experiments and Axl’s Fun House where an array of nightmares, complete with clowns, awaits. Learn more and purchase tickets at Scream Forest or Creepy Hollow Scream Park.
Eerie Nights: Ghost Tours
100 N 17th St. (Main St. Side of the 17th St. Farmer’s Market)
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 833-1845
info@eerienights.com
When: June-September: Fridays and Saturdays @ 8pm. November 4 and 5 @ 8pm
October: Fridays @ 8pm and Saturdays @ 8pm and 10pm
Special tours available Friday, October 21 and 28 @ 10pm and Monday, October 31 @ 8pm
Cost: $14/person; $12/seniors (60+); $12/military (with ID); $10/person for group of 10+
Costumes? No
Ages: Families are welcome, but anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult
The “ghoul guides” at Eerie Nights provide a theatrically thrilling walk through the streets of Richmond. Costumed guides (complete with ghostly make-up and theatrical effects) will take you to numerous haunted, historical sites and paranormal hotbeds and provide you with a detailed account of what happened to cause these frightful spirits to stick around. Participants should be in good health as there will be up to one and half hours of walking, not to mention more than a few frights. Click here for a detailed list of tour times, to book a private tour or to purchase advance tickets.
Halloween Haunt at King’s Dominion
16000 Theme Park Way
Doswell,VA 23047
When: Every Friday (7pm – Midnight) , Saturday (10:30am – Midnight) and Sunday (10:30am – 10pm), September 30 – October 30, 2016
Cost: Admission (click here for pricing)
Costumes? No
Ages: Not recommended for children under 13
Halloween Haunt is back for the 2016 season – with a vengeance. Featuring all new mazes, terrors and attractions to frighten even the bravest souls, this event does not disappoint if you’re looking for a serious scare this Halloween. Beginning at 7pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in October, the park transforms into a fully immersive horror experience. This year’s event includes nine mazes, six scare zones and six live shows, along with more than 20 thrill rides throughout the park. Come for the day to enjoy King’s Dominion as you know it and love it, then stay for the haunting – or just come at night to experience two brand new mazes, an all-new show and a vampire-themed bar that will leave you with chills.
Haunts of Richmond: Ghost Tours
Various departure points in Downtown Richmond
Click here for listings
(866) RVA-BOO1 (or 1-866-782-2661)
info@hauntsofrichmond.com
When: Friday and Saturday, October 1-31 @ 9pm. Special tours @ 7:30pm in the month of October and additional tour, Monday, October 31, 2016 @ 9pm
Cost: $16/Adult; $12/Child at the door. $2 discount provided for advance online purchase.
Costumes? No
Ages: May not be ideal for younger participants. Use parental discretion.
In the heart of Richmond, one of the Virginia’s oldest and most haunted cities, hundreds of spirits are said to lurk in quiet corners and dark alleys once the sun goes down. Join the professional ghost guides at Haunts of Richmond for a spectacularly creepy walk through the familiar streets and historical sites that you know and love. But be prepared, everything changes after dark. Tours include Shadows of Shockoe, Church Hill Chillers and Haunted Capitol Hill. To learn about private tours and special events or to book in advance (recommended), visit Haunts of Richmond. Please note that tours require walking for up to 75 minutes.
Petersburg Haunts: Ghost Tours
Tours depart from the Petersburg Courthouse
7 Courthouse Ave
Petersburg, VA 23803
(804) 943-8653
When: Fridays and Saturdays, September 30 – October 29, 2016 @ 7pm. Special October 31, 2016 tour @ 7pm.
Cost: $26/person
Costumes? No – except Halloween when costumes will be judged for a prize!
Ages: Families are welcome, but anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
This guided, lantern-lit walking tour takes you through the hauntingly rich streets of Petersburg, visiting historic sites such as the Centre Hill Mansion, The Black Swan, Dodson’s Tavern, the Trapezium House, The Siege Museum and many more along the way. You’ll discover a dark, and perhaps unknown, past as you learn about historic figures that decided not to leave – even after death. Tours last approximately 90-minutes and flashlights are encouraged. Visit Petersburg Haunts to learn more or to purchase advance tickets. Please note, reservations are required!
*Join the Halloween tour in your best costume and you might just win a free tour!
Red Vein Haunted House at Hanover Vegetable Farm
13580 Ashland Rd
Ashland, VA 23005
(804) 829-FEAR
info@redveinhaunt.com
When: October 14-15, 21-23 and 27-31, 2016
Gates open at 7pm with tours running from 7:30pm – 11pm (Fridays and Saturdays) and 7:30 – 10pm (Thursdays, Sundays and Halloween night)
Cost: $15 at the door; $13 online (up until 1 hour before tour time)
Costumes? No
Ages: Not recommended for children under 13
As the legend goes, Lord Thomas Redvyn and his wife, Emily, came to Massachusetts from Europe in the late 17th century. After mysterious deaths and disappearances occurred in their Puritan community, Emily became suspect and the Redvyns vanished…only to appear in Virginia years later. Emily Redvyn’s wicked reputation only grew and she was eventually executed as a witch. When a local paranormal group heard her story while investigating a cult called The Red Vein Army, it was discovered that her final resting place was on the present-day site of Hanover Vegetable Farm. This October, that same group will be giving historical tours of the farm in hopes of discovering the truth of Emily Redvyn’s malevolent past. Join them if you have the nerve. Learn more at Red Vein Haunt.
Richmond Ghouls: Ghost Tours by Trolley
100 N 17th St. (Main St. Side of the 17th St. Farmer’s Market)
Richmond, VA 23219
(804) 833-1845
info@richmondghouls.com
When: Saturdays, June 11 – October 31 @ 9pm (special tour Halloween night)
Cost: $26/person
Costumes? No
Ages: Families are welcome, but anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult
Hop aboard this haunted trolley as your guide, a ghost from the 1920s, takes you to haunted sites throughout the city, offering eerie tales of wicked deeds and long-forgotten legends that make up the fabric of Richmond. As the sister tour of Eerie nights, Richmond Ghouls offers an equally interactive experience, but from the comfort of a trolley car – if you can call dark streets and paranormal terrors “comfortable.” Click here to book a private tour or to purchase advance tickets.
Total Terror
Pleasant View Farm
24819 Pear Orchard Rd
Moseley, VA 23120
When: Friday and Saturday, October 14-29, 2016 and Sunday, October 30, 2016; 7pm-11pm
*Ticket sales end at 10:45pm
Cost: $20
Costumes? No
Ages: Recommended for children a minimum of 8 years and up
Don’t let the fact that this attraction takes place at “Pleasant View Farm” lull you into a false sense of security. After the sun goes down, the views are anything but pleasant as ghastly clowns and nightmares galore take over the farm. Experience Resurrection Circus, The House of Nightmares, Blood Mines and Scarecrow’s Revenge on this horror-filled haunted farm. Tickets are available on-site only, so get there early to reserve your spot…if you dare. Also, note that a large portion of this event’s proceeds go to the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. Visit Total Terror online or check out their Facebook page to learn more.
And there you have it…Richmond’s most terrifying events and attractions. All I can say is, good luck with that! And, of course, let us know if you have a favorite on this list or if there’s an especially good haunt that we’ve left off!
