Editorial Staff
Halloween, set for next Friday, is fast approaching. Here are some events you’ll want to know about this spooky season, with options for kiddos as well as adults.
For Kids: Halloween Fun in Essex – October 27
The Essex Historical Society and Shipbuilding Museum will host its annual
Halloween Happenings & Apple Armada on
Monday, October 27 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at the Museum Schoolhouse and Burial Ground, 28 Main Street.
The free outdoor event includes a candy hunt, spooky stories, snacks, pumpkin decorating, and plenty of seasonal fun. The evening ends with the launch of the Apple Armada—floating apple boats set sail from the Causeway Bridge at 5 p.m. Costumes welcome.
The Apple Armada alone is worth the entire event; it’s priceless watching the little kiddos cheering on their tiny fruit vessels as they slide along under the Essex River culvert.
Note: This event will be canceled in case of inclement weather.
Details at
essexshipbuilding.org.
For Kids: Halloween Party at Memorial School – October 31
Manchester’s annual Children’s Halloween Party will take place on Friday, October 31 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Memorial School, with entry at the gymnasium entrance closest to Summer Street. Look for signage at the door. The event is drop-in style—families are welcome to stop by for a slice of pizza and a drink in the cafeteria before heading out to trick-or-treat. Kids will receive a goodie bag and a glow-in-the-dark necklace promoting this year’s safety motto: “Be Seen on Halloween.” The party is sponsored by the Manchester Halloween Committee and the Parks and Recreation Committee, with support from the Manchester Police and Fire Departments. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated and may be dropped in the pumpkins at the event or mailed to: Manchester Halloween Committee, P.O. Box 1422, Manchester, MA 01944.
For adults, here are some options for the Spooky Season!
- At the Gloucester Stage Co., it’s the Edgar Allan Poe Double Header, created and performed by Livy Scanlon. This is the imaginative one-person retelling of Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado. At turns dark and darkly funny, this 60-minute solo show is staged as a séance, inviting audiences to conjure two of Poe’s most notorious narrators. In The Tell-Tale Heart, a nervous caregiver is driven to madness by an irrational obsession. In The Cask of Amontillado, the aggrieved Montresor lures his rival Fortunato to an untimely fate. Two nights, Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25. Info at gloucesterstage.com/poe
- At Hammond Castle Museum in Magnolia, it’s Silent Movie Nights: The Phantom of the Opera & Metropolis with Live Accompaniment by Peter Krasinski. Watch two cinematic classics showing on successive nights with live musical accompaniment by internationally acclaimed pianist Peter Krasinski in the museum’s Great Hall. Phantom of the Opera, Sunday, October 26 and Metropolis, Monday, October 27. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with performances at 7 p.m. Info and tickets at bit.ly/SilentMoviesHCM
- Again, at Hammond Castle, it’s Costumes & Candlelight: Hammond Castle Museum After Dark. Sip and stroll the museum illuminated by candlelight, with live piano music setting the mood. Perfect for adults to enjoy Halloween week without the crush of crowds while getting Instagram-worthy photos. Age 13+, and costumes strongly encouraged! Cocktails & mocktails available for purchase.
- Tuesday, October 28 and Wednesday, October 29. Info: bit.ly/CostumesHCM. Also, on Tuesday, October 28 in Manchester, enjoy a seasonally appropriate North Shore Horticultural Society lecture by Bonnie Power, “Spiders: The Most Misunderstood Garden Protector.” Spiders are valuable apex predators in our gardens. Learn more about a very underappreciated group of garden arthropods from a spider expert. At Sacred Heart Parish Hall in Manchester. Social time starts at 7 p.m., lecture at 7:30 p.m.
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