The only thing you need to be afraid of this Halloween season is not eating enough candy corn. We’re confident you’ll come up with the perfect costume and will make every attempt to stretch the actual holiday on Monday, October 31 into many days as humanly (or zombie-ly) possible. That’s were we come in. We’ve assembled a cauldron of Halloween themed events all in this one handy guide. Have fun out there while you scream, dance, binge on candy, dress up and suck the lifeblood out of October by diving headfirst into Halloween as if the zombie apocalypse was actually headed our way. (which it very well could be, we’ve received conflicting reports.)
Stuck on costume ideas? Have no fear! Check out 5 Maine-inspired Halloween costume ideas for 2015 (plus 12 more from years past!)
Cemetery tours!
Historic cemetery tours around Portland unearth the stories of the people who made the city what it is
Portland Press Herald file photo
Destination Haunt
7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, 7 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and 6:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday through Oct. 30. Destination Haunt, 249 Lord Road, Lebanon. $20 general admission, skip the line add $10 per ticket. destinationhaunt.com
Forget what you think you know about haunted houses because Destination Haunt isn’t that at all. Rather it’s a haunted execution center, hobo village, buried alive cemetery, boatyard, maze and clownhouse. You read that right, clownhouse. You’ll take a self-guided tour into the very heart of terror through woods and buildings.
Tithi Luadthong/Shutterstock.com
House of the Dead
6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, 6:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Through Oct. 30. 1364 Main St. (in the Shaw’s parking lot), Sanford. $8. www.morbidproductions.com
Downtown Sanfordmight seem innocent enough but wait until you hit the House of the Dead at the Shaw’s plaza. You’ll shriek your head off. To get in the mood, visit their website full of creepy sounds and visuals!
Night Terrors Haunted Woods Walk
7 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Take Flight aerial adventure course, 506 Blue Star Memorial Highway, Kittery. $15 general admission. $35 sipline with zombies (call 439-8838 for zipline reservations) www.nightterrorshauntedwalk.com and www.facebook.com
This is a walk in the woods that will haunt your dreams probably forever. And if you’re looking to up the ante on terror, try the Zip Line with zombies during which you’ll “soar over the gore just out of the reach from the creepy clutches.”
Photo courtesy of Junkins Haunted Estate
Junkins Haunted Estate
6:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 21 to 23 and 28 to 31. Junkins Haunted Estate. 87 Wilson Road Kittery. Free, donations appreciated. www.facebook.com
Traipse around two acres of Halloweed dedazzled land. You’ll make your way through a haunted swamp that’s a quarter of a mile long. Darkness will creep in and the cost of candy could quite possibly be your soul. Boo!
The tunnels of Fort Knox on the Penobscot River will be taken over by ghosts during Fright at the Fort.
Fright at the Fort
5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29. Fort Knox, Bucksport. $10 per person ($5 for 12 and under), $13 express tickets ($7 for 12 and under). fortknox.maineguide.com/fright
Nothing says Halloween quite like an old fort, in this case Fort Knox in Bucksport. Wander through the old, cold halls and be freaked out by this year’s “Out of this World” theme. We wish you the best of luck!
Ghostport
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 22. Bucksport. Facebook.
Things kick off at 10 a.m. and it goes for 12 hours! Ghostport is the annual festival in downtown Bucksport and has Halloween themed events for the whole family including a kids’ costume parade down Main St. and Jonathan Buck’s Race the the Grave along with a horror movie screening. Take part in a pumpkin carving contest and/or launch your pumpkin into the Penobscot River. Fireworks, food, live music, Ghostport’s got it all.
Image courtesy of GoodWill
GhoulWill Ball
7:30 to 11:30 p.m. Oct. 22. Portland Club, 156 State St., Portland, $15. eventbrite.com
Snack. Drinks. Costumes. Dancing. Boom! GhoulWill Ball will be a night to remember with music from Motor Booty Affair and hosts Blake & Eva from the Coast 93.1 Morning Show. There will be costume contests so dress accordingly.
Staff Photo by Jill Brady, Tue, Jul 31, 2001: This is a Maine Historical Society image of the Longfellow House as seen in 1903. The museum had been open for two years. Visible in the background to the right is the beginnings of the library building.
Longfellow’s “Haunted House”
6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31. Wadsworth-Longfellow House, 489 Congress St., Portland. $20, $15 MHS members. www.mainehistory.org
For one dark and stormy hour you’ll be at the mercy of guide James Horrigan who will lead you through a tour that’s based on Longfellow’s “Haunted Houses” poem. The spirits of various family members that died in the Wadsworth-Longfellow House will be evoked and when it’s all over, you’ll repair to the ell of the house for beverages, including the adult kind.
There’s also a 30-minute family tour that’s followed by cider and cookies on Oct. 22 and 29 at 5 p.m. Kids must be with an advance registration is required. Family tour tickets are $15, $10 for MHS members.
Image courtesy of Friends of Kotzschmar Organ
Halloween Silent Film Night – “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde”
7:30 p.m. Saturday Oct. 29. Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle St., Portland. $13 to $18. free for 12 and under. porttix.com
The Kotzschmar Organ knows how to do Halloween better than most of us. This year world famous organist Jonathan Ortloff will be accompanying the 1920 silent film that stars John Barrymore as a scientist with a seriously evil alter ego.
Everett Historical/Shutterstock.com
‘POE: Tales of Fear & Suspense’
Dinner at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31 and Nov. 4, 5, 11 and 12. Clay Hill Farm, 220 Clay Hill Road, Cape Neddick. $18 plus cost of dinner. www.clayhillfarm.com
Local actor Kirk Simpson channels the spirit and body of ghoulish poetry master Edgar Allan Poe as he performs dramatic readings of Poe’s most famous works. Dinner will also have macabre theme to get ready to enjoy the glorious gloom!
Monster Mash and Costume Parade
10:30 a.m. to Noon, Oct. 30. Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine, 142 Free St., Portland. Free with museum admission. kitetails.org
Don your costume a day early and celebrate Halloween kid style at Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine in Portland. The Monster Mash and Costume parade is one part dance party and one part costume showcase, complete with a Halloween photo booth. Your little ones will be led by a friendly witch and treats will be doled out by an astronaut, beekeeper and other colorful characters. If your kiddo doesn’t have a costume, they can borrow one. BYOTB. (bring your own treat bag, though they also have those to lend.)
Time to Face Your Fears
5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30, 31 and Nov. 1. The Haunted Castle’s Keep, 2634 Bristol Rd., New Harbor. Free. www.facebook.com
Immerse yourself in demons and ghouls at the annual scare-fest in New Harbor. Come willing to face your phobias and you’ll be rewarded with things to feed your sweet tooth. The Haunted Castle’s Keep is just past Reilly’s store, just look for the fog bank on the left.
Haunted Hayrides
6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 28 & 29. Skowhegan Fairgrounds, $5, must be at least five years old. www.skowheganchamber.com
This ride has every intention of scaring the daylights out of you so keep that in mind when you decide who to bring with you…including yourself. Expect all sorts of scary spectacles and specters to chill you right down to your rattling bones.
Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour
7 p.m. Oct. 10, 15, 17, 20, 24, 27 and 30. Bangor Historical Society/Thomas A. Hill House, 159 Union St., Bangor. $10 adults, $5 for 12 and under. www.bangorhistoricalsociety.org
Hear stories of unsolved mysteries, murders and long-gone relatives who might still be lurking around in the form of local ghost. The tours makes it way through downtown Bangor. Tours last between 60 and 90 minutes.
Red Cloak Haunted History Tours
Thursday and Friday. Walking tours are 7 p.m. and cemetery tours are at 5:30 p.m. through Oct. 30 in Camden, Damariscotta, Wiscasset, Boothbay Harbor, Bath, Hallowell and Rockland. $15 adults, $7 children. redcloakhauntedhistorytours.com
Just follow the lady in the red cloak and you’ll be led around some of midcoast Maine’s villages. You’ll hear spooky tales about unsolved mysteries, hauntings, ghosts and other oddities at each village… all told by lantern light. Of if you’re more of a cemetery person you can learn their haunted histories. Cold. Dead. Fun.
Wicked Walking Tours
8 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturdays and there’s a walk at 8 p.m. on Halloween night. Tours start at Bell Buoy Park, Commercial Street, Portland. $19.99 adults, $16.99 active military/seniors, $13 for 12 and under. wickedwalkingtours.com
Wicked Walking Tours uses local actors and comedians to share stories of the city’s past in a fun and entertaining way. Many stories are told during this 70-minute tour and you’ll hear about legends and history of haunted Portland including tales of The Disembodied Diva and murderous pirates.
Yarmouth Pumpkin Run 5k and Kids 1k Fun Run
9 a.m. (5K) October 29 (costume contest at 10 a.m. and kids fun run at 10:15 a.m.), Yarmouth High School, 286 W Elm St, Yarmouth. $20 for 5K, $10 for fun run, $10 for dogs. www.yarmouthcommunityservices.org
Costumes are optional but fun isn’t, especially if you bring your pooch along for this annual Halloween fun run. Proceeds benefit the Yarmouth Lunch Crunch Program, which provides free meals to kids all summer long.
Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox
“Rocky Horror Picture Show”
10 p.m. Oct. 31. , Westbrook Cinemgaic and Saco Cinemagic. www.cinemagicmovies.com
It’s just a jump to the left…and then a step to the right! That’s right people, it’s “Rocky Horror Picture Show” on Halloween night! Leave the squirt guns at home but they might allow toast in! Let’s do the time warp again!!!
Halloween Potluck & Scary Readings
5:30 p.m. Oct. 28. The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, 86 Townsend Ave. Free, donations accepted. boothbayoperahouse.com
The possibly haunted Boothbay Opera House will be festooned with Halloween decor and you’re invited to gather with fellow Halloween fans for a night of community potlucking and scary readings. Bring a main dish, side dish, salad or dessert and a serving utensil. A plate and fork will also come in handy as will some dough for the bar which most certainly will be open. Note, this fun night is for grown-ups and not suggested for families with young children.
All Souls Walk
Noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 29. Starts at the Brick Store Museum, 117 Main St., Kennebunk. $10 per person, $30 per family. thenonantumresort.com
Join this narrated walk with costumed interpreters stationed throughout Hope Cemetery. You’ll visit graves and hear tales of Kennebunk residents from the past three centuries who are now six feet under. Or are they? This is a family friendly walk so bring the kids.
SPACE Halloween Party
8:30 p.m. Oc. 29 , SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. $10. www.space538.org
All of your pan-generational pop dreams can come true on Halloween weekend at SPACE. Sunset Hearts will be The Smiths, The Blood Caps will be New Order, The English Muffins will be Bikini Kill and members of Leveret and Superorder will be LCD Soundsystem! There will also be a fabulous Halloween photo booth by Samuel Cousins Photography. Do you need to wear a costume? Take one guess!
Haunted City Hall
6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 29. City Hall, 389 Congress St., Portland, $8 in advance, $10 at the door. 808-5400. Facebook.
For one night only City Hall in Portland will be haunted! They are pulling out all the stops so you can expect to hear the story of how Captain Christopher Leavitt struck a deal with demons to grant him safe passage across the Atlantic so that he could settle in the city we now call Portland. It’s entirely possible that while on the tour you’ll rub shoulders with demons, grim reapers, corpses and other ghoulish creatures. You’ll also be entertained by fortune tellers, balloon artists and other surprise guests.
Photo by Tom Couture
Purple Brainz 4: A Halloween Tribute to Prince
9 p.m. Oct. 29. Port City Music Hall, 504 Congress St., Portland, $12 in advance, $15 day of show, 18-plus. portcitymusichall.com
This year’s Purple Brainz Halloween Prince tribute has even more meaning now that his royal badness is no longer walking among us mere mortals. Dean Ford embodies Prince with every fiber of his being and he his band, The Keepsakes will be pouring through a ton of classic Prince tunes. This night will have you seeing the world through purple colored glasses and you’ll party like it’s 1999.
The Awesome Halloween Party
8 p.m. Oct. 29, Portland House of Music and Events, 25 Temple St., Portland. $10. www.portlandhouseofmusic.com
Dance the night away to spectacular 80s hits from Portland band The Awesome. From Hall and Oates to Human League, Tears for Dears, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper and well…you get the idea! All 80s…all night! And heck year wear a costume!
Freaky 5K
10 a.m. Oct. 29. (registration at 9 a.m., costume contest at 9:45 a.m.), Colby College Field House, Waterville. $15 students, $25 adults. www.hghw.org
This is a race that celebrates imagination and creativity when it comes to Halloween costumes. Don your favorite one as you merrily jog through town in support of Hardy Girls Healthy Women. There’s a costume contest with categories of Scariest, Best Team, Most Creative and Hardiest (this one goes to the team or individual whose costume highlights a ruckus causer).