Halloween Happenings In East Lyme, Old Lyme, and Lyme

It's time to get into the spirit of Halloween and there are plenty of scary, faerie, and fun events happening in East Lyme, Old Lyme, and Lyme from now until October 31.

As it's not so easy to trick or treat in sprawling towns such as Lyme and Old Lyme, where houses are often far apart, the towns have organized special events for little ones on Halloween itself. Read on to see what's happening.  

Friday, October 26

East Lyme Youth Services promises a scary good time at the "Haunted Barn" at the Smith-Harris House, 33 Society Road, East Lyme. "The Haunted Barn" will be open from 7 to 10 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation of $2, and 50 percent of the proceeds will go to Share & Care in East Lyme.

Saturday, October 27

The Florence Griswold Museum, 96 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, will hold a Halloween Costume Parade & Pumpkin Party beginning at 11 a.m. The event is free with admission and children are encouraged to dress in faerie garb to march around the Wee Faerie Trail. Prizes will be awarded for Best Faerie, Elf and Gnome costumes.

The Halloween fun doesn't stop there, though. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. there will be treats and hands-on crafts and Choreographer/Dancer L’Ana Burtona will lead a Faerie Circle Dance at 2 p.m. 

Sunday, October 27

On Sunday, Niantic will hold its annual Halloween Parade. The event, which is sponsored by the East Lyme Business Organization and the East Lyme Parks & Rec. Department begins at 1 p.m. to give children time to "trick or treat" their way around the Main Street shops and downtown businesses.

The parade itself starts from Hole-in-the-Wall Beach at 2 p.m. There will be prizes awarded for best costumes and, of course, there will be candy! For more information, contact Terri Smith at (860) 691-0528 or e-mail jsmith5@snet.net.

Wednesday, October 31

The Lymes' Youth Service Bureau celebrates Halloween with free family event for children ages one year to second grade featuring games, crafts, storytelling, face painting and more at 59 Lyme Street in Old Lyme from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

The really big event is a costume parade led by a firetruck down Lyme Street starting at the firehouse at 6:30 p.m. For more information contact Lymes’ Youth Service Bureau at (860) 434-7208 or go online www.lysb.org. 

Scary Fun in Neighboring Towns

In Waterford

Friday, Oct. 26, 2012

What: A Walk of Ukleja’s Haunted Tree Farm
When: 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Ukleja’s Tree Farm
Cost: $7 adults, $4 kids 5-12, kids under 4 are free
About: The is a walking tour of the tree farm that includes a troll bridge and a newly unearthed cemetery. The tour is suitable for all ages, and concludes with hot chocolate, apple cider and cider donuts. To top it off, $1 from the tour will be donated to WATERFORDrama, the Waterford High School drama club.

What: Trail of Horror
When: 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: 2 Old Barry Road
Cost: Free, although cost of entry is a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Waterford food bank. Cash donations will be donated to the Waterford Animal Shelter.
About: The trail of horror runs on Friday and Saturday. Help out a good cause!

What: Free Trick or Treating
When: The event begins at 6:45 p.m.
Cost: Free!
Where: New London Rehab and Care of Waterford
About: Trick or treat at the Waterford center on Clark Lane in a safe and fun environment. I believe the people who are at the center will be as excited as the children getting candy. The event ends with cookies and punch. 
Contact Julie Gilbert  at 860-442-0471 for more information.

Saturday, Oct. 27, 2012

What: Crystal Mall Kidgits Halloween party & Mall-O-Ween
When: 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Crystal Mall
Cost: Free to browse
About: The Crystal Mall is encouraging children to dress up for the event. At the event there will be mummy wrapping, scary scratch art, foam pumpkin decorating, Halloween tattoos, Halloween jeweled necklaces, goodie bags and a raffle. Participating stores will be giving out candy to children as well. 

What: Ukleja’s Haunted Tree Farm
When: 6 to 9 p.m.
Where: Ukleja’s Tree Farm
Cost: $7 adults, $4 kids 5-12, kids under 4 are free
About: The is a walking tour of the tree farm that includes a troll bridge and a newly unearthed cemetery. The tour is suitable for all ages, and concludes with hot chocolate, apple cider and cider donuts. To top it off, $1 from the tour will be donated to WATERFORDrama, the Waterford High School drama club.

What: Trail of Horror
When: 5 to 9 p.m.
Where: 2 Old Barry Road
Cost: Free, although cost of entry is a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Waterford food bank. Cash donations will be donated to the Waterford Animal Shelter.
About: The trail of horror runs on Friday and Saturday. Help out a good cause!

Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2012

What: Halloween Party
When: 6:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: Quaker Hill Fire Company
Cost: Free!
About: The annual Halloween party at Quaker Hill Fire Company, complete with free pizza, popcorn, soda and candy treats. There are also contests for best costumes, depending on age, and also one for best overall costume, most original costume and best homemade costume. Good for children of all ages.

In New London

On the weekend of Oct. 28-29 the streets of New London will turn decidedly spooky when the downtown is transformed into Halloween Town. Open Oct. 28th from 6-10 p.m., and Oct. 29th from 3-10 p.m., Halloween Town will include free events, such as a pirate ship, hayrides, trick-or-treating, ghouls and goblins.

In Baltic

Located in the village of Baltic, just outside of Norwich, The Dark Manor haunted house marks its 8thyear in the fright business this year. The Norwich Bulletin has called it the “scariest haunted house in Connecticut,” and the Dark Manor actually is two attractions in one; a two-story haunted house and an outdoor graveyard/haunted village. The Dark Manor opens for the season on Oct. 5.

In Mystic

Mystic Seaport in Mystic will once again this year host its Sights & Frights Halloween attraction on Fridays and Saturdays, October 19-20 and 26-27, from 6-9:30 p.m. Kids are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes as they walk through the recreated 19th century whaling village where they'll meet characters in period garb, here ghostly pirate stories and "be entertained by musicians singing eerie tunes of long ago."

In East Hampton

Also kid-friendly is Pumpkintown USA, operated by the Peszynski family in East Hampton, owners of Paul’s & Sandy’s Too on Route 66. Each year since 1990 the Peszynski family has turned a large portion of their business property over to dozens of pumpkin “people,” including Duncan MacPumpkin, Leroy Butternut and Penelope Parton, who make up the small village of “Pumpkintown.” The attraction, which opens Sept. 22, includes food, rides and dozens of pumpkins for sale.