Get ready for Halloween 2017's parade of role players: demonic creatures, pasty-skinned vampires, muscled superheroes, dainty princesses, fantasy witches and wild-eyed chainsaw murderers. It's less than two weeks to Oct.
Get ready for Halloween 2017's parade of role players: demonic creatures, pasty-skinned vampires, muscled superheroes, dainty princesses, fantasy witches and wild-eyed chainsaw murderers.
It's less than two weeks to Oct. 31 when a portal opens between the spirit world and the temporal world. In this anything-can-happen night of wonders, we celebrate dishing out handfuls of candy, decorating candle-lit jack-o'-lanterns and searching out bone-chilling encounters.
There are a whole range of celebrations going on across the region whether you're looking for a family friendly jaunt or an adults-only bone-chilling scarefest.
• Halloween Haunt
Friday, Oct. 20 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Servus Credit Union Place
In a warm up to Halloween, Servus Credit Union Place gears up for a series of family activities that feature a lockdown haunted house, laser tag, a just dance zone and a fairytale trail themed room.
The little ones can burn off energy on giant inflatables and in an inflated haunted house specially designed for munchkins. Ghoulish games, freaky crafts and creepy crawlies from a petting zoo are also within reach.
Admission is a drop-in fee or membership.
• Night of Fear Festival
Oct. 20 and 21
Kinsmen Hall
Now enjoying its fourth edition in St. Albert, an expanded Night of Fear Festival returns with a professionally designed haunted house, graveyard, virtual reality horror games, a fashion show and costume contests.
Magicians as well as Madame Riccaboni, a fortune telling "bone thrower" and a tarot card reader tread through the world of illusion, destiny and the supernatural.
Nicole Saskiw of World Vendors first launched Night of Fear at the St. Albert Curling Club in 2014 with approximately 500 people attending. Last year the festival attracted 2,000 visitors and demand this year is expected to increase.
One of the big attractions is the spooky graveyard visitors must walk through to reach a bleak haunted house filled with spine-chilling traps that bring out everyone's deepest fears.
"The graveyard gives people something to look at while they're standing in line waiting to get into the haunted house," said Saskiw adding children under age eight are not permitted into the house.
"There are four main areas. We have about 20 actors in costume. When everything is in full swing expect to see things that are people's worst fears – clowns, dolls, gore. And a lot of people are afraid when they can't see something. Our goal is to make this an uncomfortable experience and to put people on edge."
Both Friday and Saturday the action runs from 6 p.m. to midnight. Friday night's entertainment kicks off at 7 p.m. with Edmonton indie horror flick
Zombie Grrl followed at 9 p.m. by D'Bommbe Squad, a risque burlesque troupe.
Pop singer Kayla Papiani steps onto the stage at 9:30 p.m. belting out an hour of dance music and paranormal writer Erika Knudsen gives a 20-minute reading on her latest book,
The Azamate Chronicles, a tale about a young man haunted by visions of the dead.
"Taken by the Azamate, he discovers his special gifts and must battle an ancient spirit."
Saturday swings into the fun with a Kids' Festival running from 4 p.m to 6 p.m. A scavenger hunt through straw bales, pumpkin activities, candle making, mask making and scooping handfuls of candy are part of the fun.
"We have a costume parade at 5 p.m. and we encourage kids to come dressed in their costumes.
Saturday evening turns into a night of creativity as Michelle Menard Haute Couture exhibits a fantasy Gothic collection at 6 p.m.
"A lot of Michelle's designs are made with tissue paper and lace. She has 10 models and this show will be one to take notice."
Next on the bill at 7 p.m. is novelist Matthew Gillies' reading of
The Acute Physiologies of Grotesque Monstrosities. Following the horror reading is a Q & A.
Visitors have a chance to dance along to Michael Jackson's spooky hit
Thriller as tribute artist Robert L'Hirondelle slides into his alter ego.
"Robert's been involved in charitable performances across Alberta. He's Edmonton's premiere Michael Jackson impersonator. His moves are awesome. He's almost identical. When I saw him, I felt I was seeing the authentic Michael Jackson."
Night of Fear also donates a portion of its profits to Little Warriors, a regional charity that supports children who are survivors of sexual abuse.
"In my heart, Halloween is for kids and I have a special place for kids of sexual abuse. Little Warriors does an amazing job and I don't see a better charity to support," said Saskiw, mother of a special needs child.
"There are so many vulnerable young children this happens to and I find it mind-blowing. It breaks my heart. Prevention, education and treatment is so they don't have to go through that."
Early-bird tickets until Friday 6 p.m. are $12.60 adults, $10.50 kids, five and under are free. Door admission is $15 adults, $12 kids and five and under free.
• Haunted Pumpkin Festival
Oct. 21, 22 and 28, 29
Prairie Gardens
Bon Accord
One of the region's longest running outdoor Halloween festivals, the Haunted Pumpkin Festival is a catch-all of seasonal entertainment that runs the gamut from puppet shows, a pumpkin canon and folk music to magic shows, a drumming circle, story tellers and a corn maze.
Gates are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Individual tickets $15. Family rate of four or more $14.50.
• Spooktacular
Oct. 27 and 28 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Fort Edmonton Park
It's the witching hour at Fort Edmonton Park and time to let the imagination run wild. At this 18-plus event, the further you go in the park, the darker and more unnerving it gets.
There are terrors hiding everywhere from the drifting fog in low spots to those innocent looking hot pies for sale. Check out the historical live action horror show with exhumed sideshow oddities and long-forgotten dusty bones.
Up the hair-raising fright at a screening of the 1976 thriller
The Omen. For tickets visit http://www.fortedmontonpark.ca
