It’s the spookiest time of year and local businesses and organizations are already busy setting up for Halloween.
The Mystic Aquarium has the Halloween spirit and will host its fifth annual Sea Scare evnet on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24 and 25 from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
The two frightful nights will feature many festivities against a backdrop of the ocean’s dark and mysterious waters, including game stops, creepy exploration stations, special animal shows, and trick-or-treating down a trail lit with hundreds of carved jack o’ lanterns. Marketing Coordinator Cassandra Meyers said the jack o’ lanterns will be donated by local Boy and Girl Scout troops, some from Rhode Island and most from Connecticut.
“Basically we have a fun arrangement with [the scouts],” Meyers explained. “For each carved pumpkin that is donated, there is a scout that is admitted into Sea Scare for free. It’s a great partnership that we have with the scouts and they get to show off their masterpiece to their family and friends.”
She said carving the pumpkins also encourages the scouts’ creativity and the aquarium created pumpkin-carving contests so the winners will be awarded after the event.
Children and families will also have the chance to listen to haunted storytellers that will be accompanied by Halloween games.
“We have all sorts of fun Halloween games,” Meyers said. “We’re going to have a ring toss, a putting-green, bean bag toss…we have all of these games so people of all ages can do them.”
For the Halloween event, Meyers said, the Marsh Trek area of the aquarium will turn into Ship Wrecks and Sea Creatures, an exhibit for the older crowd to enjoy Halloween that will enhance the flavor of the evening.
Meyers said the evening is geared to be safe and a fun experience for all ages.
For more information, call 860-572-5955 or visit mysticaquarium.org.
Nautical Nightmares
Tickets to attend the Mystic Seaport’s seventh annual Nautical Nightmares event can now be purchased for the general public. Families and friends attending will be given an hour-long tour and told a tale about Captain McDougal, his missing ship, and an eerie figurehead that has washed up on shore.
Megan Weaver, supervisor of interpretation and artistic director of dramatic productions, said Nautical Nightmares has a cast of about 13 members plus a crew of about seven to nine spirits, ghosts, and townspeople who will be wandering the village.
She described the story line as fictional and historical. She believes this year’s production went in a different direction than in previous years. “There’s only one story line versus several, and the audience gets to participate in solving the mystery,” she said. “I’m hoping it will be very scary and fun as well.”
She added that a tour leaves every 15 minutes and that it is not recommended for children younger than age 10.
“There are some scary elements and kids under 10 might find it a little upsetting,” Weaver said.
The Nautical Nightmares tour route is not wheelchair-accessible and includes several steps.
“The show also goes on rain or shine, so people should be ready to bear the elements,” she added.
Nautical Nightmares at Mystic Seaport starts Oct. 17. The theatrical performances will be held nightly Oct. 17 to 19 and Oct. 23 to 26 at 6 p.m. On Halloween, the tours will begin at 7 p.m. Advance reservations are strongly recommended for the popular event. For more information, call 860-572-5315.
Spooky Nature Trail at Denison Pequotsepos
Jennifer Johnson, director of marketing and communications of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, said the center is ready to host its Spooky Nature Trail Oct. 24 and 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Johnson said the Halloween event is geared toward children age 4 and up and that all children need to be accompanied by an adult.
“[The Spooky Nature Trail] is not gory,” Johnson said. “It’s really designed to play up a magical forest type of feel.”
She said in a recent release that the trail will be a spooky self-guided tour where one may meet nymphs and fairies, wild animals, and other frightful and delightful creatures.
“In addition to the haunted woods, participants will enjoy Halloween treats and cider, spooky crafts for children, games, and up-close visits with the Nature Center’s resident snakes, turtles, and frogs,” continued the release, adding that anyone attending should bring a flashlight and that tickets may be purchased at the door.
“It’s a parent’s judgment call if their kids will be interested in the event,” she said. She said there might be big spider webs for people to go through and actors jumping out to cause a surprise throughout the trail but noted there won’t be any fake blood or roaring chain saws.
“Also inside [the center], we have children’s crafts that are Halloween-themed planned,” she added.
For more information, call 860-536-1216.
...And More
Halloween Stonington Style takes place Friday, Oct. 24 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Stonington Community Center. For more information, call 860-535-2476.
The Groton Library will host a Spooky Films program on Friday, Oct. 10 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and a Harvest Festival of traditional harvest crafts and games at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11 in the children’s department. Adults and teenagers are invited to listen to Faye Ringel, Coast Guard professor and author of New England’s Gothic Literature, discuss the topic of vampires on Thursday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Drop-in crafts are available on Halloween, Oct. 31 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for preschoolers. For more information, call 860-441-6750.
The Groton Senior Center will host a Halloween luncheon on Oct. 21 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. For more information, call 860-441-6785.
If you know of an event happening for Halloween that was not mentioned, post the event on the Times Community Web site, www.Zip06.com.