This year’s Halloween Haunt features four new Scare Zones, and a new show, plus all the returning favorites.
Popular returning haunted attractions include Backwoods Bayou, Blackout, C.H.A.O.S., Coney Maul, Dance of the Macabre, Field of Screams, KillMart, Madame Fatale’s Cavern of Terror: Lights Out!, Pumpkin Eater, Slaughter House, Urgent Scare and Wolf Pack. New this season are four new Scare Zones: International Street Fear, Shipwrecked, Rivertown Reaping and Zombie Mall; and a new show, Drums of the Dead.
Running every Friday and Saturday night through Oct.26, the 13th annual Halloween Haunt will feature nine haunted mazes, seven scare zones, three live stage shows and hundreds of assorted clowns, ghouls, vampires, werewolves and zombies lurking in the shadows throughout the park. Plus, enjoy the park’s roller coasters and many other major attractions, which are included with admission. More information is available on the park’s website at visitkingsisland.com.
Tickets for Halloween Haunt are as low as $33.99 when purchased in advance online or through Kings Island’s mobile app, which Android and iPhone users can download for free. Admission to the event is free for 2019 and 2020 Gold and Platinum Passholders. Guests looking to make the most of a night at Halloween Haunt can add Fright Lane to bypass waiting in line to experience each of the nine haunted mazes once. (Parents, be advised. Halloween Haunt includes graphic scenes, suggestive themes and intense imagery and is intended for mature audiences. This event is not recommended for children.)
Great Pumpkin Fest
Ideal for families and children of all ages, The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Island will return to the park on Saturdays and Sundays through Sunday, Oct. 27 from noon to 7 p.m.
New for 2019, The Great Pumpkin Fest will move from its former location at Soak City Water Park to its new home in Planet Snoopy. This family-friendly, fun attraction includes live entertainment, mazes, trick-or-treating and much more. Guests of all ages will enjoy Halloween-themed festivities, and make memories that will last a lifetime. More details at visitkingsisland.com.
HalloTween
New this year at Kings Island, HalloTween will offer spooky-fun haunts for young scare-seekers ages 7-14. Created for ghouls of all ages, abbreviated versions of select Halloween Haunt attractions have been transformed into daytime, interactive, family-friendly challenges that will test guests’ courage without the fear of running into monsters. Go to visitkingsisland.com for more information.
Operation Pumpkin
In its seventh year, Operation Pumpkin will be held Friday through Sunday, Oct. 11-13, in downtown Hamilton. Hours are 11 a.m to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Entertainment for the weekend includes giant, sculpted pumpkins, as well as the award-winning pumpkin and watermelon weigh-off. Additional headlining entertainment will include the Naked Karate Girls on Friday night, Free Fallin: A Tribute to Tom Petty on Saturday night and Dangerous Jim and the Slims on Sunday.
The festival will host the popular Lil’ Miss Punkin contest on Saturday and the crowd favorite Pet Parade on Sunday. There will be a Kid’s Zone with free activities all weekend, along with arts and crafts vendors. Plus, food and beverages will be available for purchase. The event is free and open to the public. For more details, visit www.operation-pumpkin.org.
Zombie Ball “Dance of the UnDead” at Pyramid Hill
Pyramid Hill’s 5th annual Zombie Ball, “Dance of the UnDead” will be held on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
At the ball, guests dress up like zombies, vampires, mummies and other creative characters. Highlights throughout the evening will include live music presented by 3rd Street Music, cocktails, a buffet and much more. Plus, attendees will have an opportunity to arrive by hearse (with a ticket upgrade of $10 per individual/or $15 for couples.)
Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park & Museum is located at 1763 Hamilton-Cleves Road in Hamilton. Tickets start at $30 for individuals and $50 for couples (ages 21 and over). Other special event packages are also available, including a Zombie Club Package, which includes admission for two, a family membership, swag and more. For more details, visit www.pyramidhill.org.
Jack O’ Lantern Junction
Jack O’ Lantern Junction at EnterTRAINment Junction features family-friendly Halloween fun with an indoor, no-scare walk-through trick-or-treat maze with ghosts, skeletons, cobwebs and multiple treat stations. It’s also home to the area’s only indoor Pumpkin Patch (where kids get a free mini-pumpkin), plus Halloween crafts, a talking pumpkin, and a Halloweenville miniature animated display.
Outside, there is a kid-size straw maze, and Halloween-themed hand-cranked train cars and electric train ride (weather permitting). All other EnterTRAINment attractions are also open, including the World’s Largest Indoor Model Train Display. EnterTRAINment Junction is located at 7379 Squire Court, West Chester. The attraction is open through Thursday, Oct. 31. Tickets start at $9.95. Go to www.entertrainmentjunction.com, or call (513) 898-8000 for more details.
Monster Bash
Presented by Broad Street Bash, thousands of costumed attendees are gearing up for the annual Monster Bash, Middletown’s city-wide Halloween party, on Saturday, Oct. 12. The live music event will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Governor’s Square Park. The line-up includes opener Justice 5 and Inspector 12 as the headliner. Big Time Pharaohs will perform during intermission.
This free, family-friendly event includes costume contests. Food and drink will be available for purchase. More details at www.LongLiveTheBash.com or, visit the Broad Street Bash Facebook page.
The Howl
You and your furry friends can celebrate Halloween at The Howl, which will return on Saturday, Oct. 19 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Voice of America MetroPark at 7850 VOA Park Drive.
Dress up your pet and join the “Pupper Costume Parade,” along with a trick-or-treat trail for both children and dogs. The trick-or-treat trail is open from noon to 3 p.m. The parade starts at 1:30 p.m. Dog prizes for cutest, scariest, best duo/group and most original categories are awarded in the parade. Explore the vendors, participate in the doggy obstacle course, and consider participating in the 2.4-mile “Doggy Dash” fun run at noon. If you don’t have a pet, no worries, area rescue centers will have adoptable dogs available for guests to walk.
The cost is $5 through Oct. 14, and $6 per dog afterward. There will be photo opportunities available. For more information, go to www.yourmetroparks.net, or call (513) 867-5835.
The Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park
Featured attractions include Phobia Face Your Fears, Temple of Terror, Killer Klowns, Dr. Pyscho’s Haunted Estate, Zombie Sniper Patrol, Middletown Haunted Trail and more. Tickets start at $19.99.
The Land of Illusion Haunted Scream Park is located at 8762 Thomas Road, in Madison Twp., just outside of Middletown. The park is open Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Thursdays and Sundays from 8 p.m. to midnight (in October only.) For more information, go to www.LandOfIllusion.com, or call (513) 423-9960.
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