Although fewer and fewer kids go door-to-door trick or treating, Halloween is still packed with eerie magnetism. From small kids to the young at heart, it's an unofficial holiday to scout costumes, gobble bags of candy and take part in a spine-chilling scare.
What is this magical allure? Is it the chance to dress up like blood-sucking vampires, disoriented time travellers or frothy fairies? Is it the parties serving snacks of dead men's eyes and blood punch? Or is it the hair-raising magic of a netherworld that only cracks open into our universe at this time of year?
Regardless, the creepy fun is surfacing everywhere and two proven events that keep attracting the crowds year after year are the Scarecrow Festival at Northlands and Fort Edmonton Park's Spooktacular.
Oct. 14 to 16
A great place to visit with children, the Scarecrow Festival revs up the spook factor with a haunted house, a whispering tomb, magic makeup, a pumpkin house, wax hands moulds and scarecrow-making.
Now in its 19th rendition, it originally debuted as a small event in 1993 at the Strathcona Farmers' Market. Its dual role was to create a fun, safe environment for children to enjoy Halloween while raising funds for the ABC Head Start program.
ABC Head Start backs low-income families with a complete preschool support program to help kids prepare for a successful educational experience.
Festival chairperson Brenda McClelland has been onboard for two years. "As a parent of two young kids, I'm always looking for something my kids can wear their Halloween costume to more than one time. This festival is safe. It's warm. You aren't outside in the cold and it's a great cause I believe in."
One top-notch event ringed with long line-ups is the 1,200-square-foot haunted house operated annually by the University of Alberta's Lambda Chi fraternity.
Constructed as wall sections, the haunted house contains fake hallways and six rooms, each with a different theme. Deliberately gory and bloody, the visitor is privy to body parts, dead baby dolls, zombies and skeletons.
"The clown room is the creepiest for me. There are strobe lights and we even have an epilepsy warning sign," said Kevin Smith, Lambda Chi vice-president internal.
Most visitors are teenagers, however some children as young as six have walked through the house. "We have people as tour guides and if there is a safety issue, we get them out."
An eager spookaholic, Smith is gung-ho about the cause.
"Also it's such a good time. It's good to get that adrenalin rush. If you go with a group of friends, you feed off each other and it amplifies the experience."
A second event that sees about 1,000 young children each day is the Whispering Tomb, an Egyptian tomb with inscribed hieroglyphics that is used to awaken a sleeping witch.
Two other exciting attractions are the wax hands, where visitors are encouraged to dip their hands in warm liquid that hardens into disembodied looking hands, and Mortal Wounds, where a movie makeup artist creates real-looking scars, cuts and wounds.
"The makeup can even look like there's a piece of glass wedged into your arm or fork stuck in your leg. He's very talented," McClelland said.
Some of the more laid-back events are Brain Bucket Basketball with a chalice basket decorated with Frankenstein and skeletons. And then there's a tribute to the fiery jack-o-lantern at the Pumpkin House.
And the Creepy Crawly Cove is a cool line-up of "icky" creatures from Big Al's Aquarium that range from spiders and bugs to a slithery boa constrictor.
Last year 14,000 people attended and this year McClelland in hoping for even more.
Festival hours are Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3. Kids under two years are free. Game and activity coupons are 50 cents each.
For more information visit www.northlands.com
Oct. 28 and 29
Unlike the Scarecrow Festival, Spooktacular is an outdoor festival scattered in three main areas throughout Fort Edmonton Park. With a pedigree that stretches back well over a decade, the festival pulls in about 5,000 visitors for this two-day extravaganza and advance tickets sell quickly.
Ghostly cobwebbed buildings, street performers, a Michael Jackson dance performance, magic shows, a maze, treat stops and activities all create suspense.
In addition, 200 volunteer actors dress in Halloween costumes as a variety of characters to ramp up the fun.
But it's the nighttime outdoor ambience that gives Spooktacular a sinister quality.
"We light it up and the coloured lights spook it up. Last year a fog came in from the river and changed the entire event. It sure upped the creep factor," said Sean Buchanan, special events program manager for City of Edmonton.
Preschool children are generally shepherded to Blatchford Field Hangar for indoor festivities with games, activities, face painting and treats. This year's theme is Alice in Wonderland's Beyond the Looking Glass.
The preteen crowd is invited to the 1905 and 1920 streets themed Treats and Trickery: Witch is Witch. These two streets combine a bug demonstration, magic shows, mazes, and treat stops.
But one of the biggest crowd pleasers in recent years has been the University of Alberta Dancers performing Michael Jackson's Thriller.
"When we started it, there wasn't anybody doing it. But it's become a tradition and they come dressed as close to the video character as possible."
The eeriness takes a quantum leap on 1885 Street, a valley for lost souls. This street will combine street performance and scary walk-ins. Buchanan is keeping the cards close to his chest on this one.
"We don't want to go gory and gross and rattle people. It's more about the suggestion. It's the old-fashioned scene where you don't know what's around the corner."
He adds the event is a great opportunity to dress up in costume. Some memorable standouts have been ghost busters, Star Trek enthusiasts, furry animals and superheroes.
"Just remember to be practical and stay warm."
Friday and Saturday hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Advance admission to Spooktacular is $17 and $20 at the door. Children under two are free. Tickets can be purchased online at www.fortedmontonpark.ca.
