Four things to do for Halloween to get your scream on
Halloween is literally the best holiday of the entire year, and no one does it weirder than Austin. Here’s a list of some cool things to check out this Halloween season.
SCREAM HOLLOW
Located 35 miles east of Austin in Smithville, Scream Hollow hosts three different haunted attractions, a park and two cafes and stretches out for 20 miles. A cheaper alternative to the House of Torment, tickets range from $5 to $25, depending on how many attractions participants want to experience. This park targets all ages, with a smaller and less-scary park for younger children and a full café bakery and bar for food and drink. They also offer free parking, since it is located in the outskirts of Bastrop.
This year’s three attractions are Mansion of Terror, Lost Pines Zombie City and Slaughter Circus. This park is open every weekend from 7 p.m. to midnight until November 1.
SCARE FOR A CURE
Scare for a Cure does an annual haunted house for a good cause. Tickets cost $40 and can only be purchased online; they include a free pass to the Boneyard Dance Macabre, a costume dance party that costs $10 without the purchase of the $40 tickets. This year, their concept is Dread Asylum where a Dr. Timor offers tours of his facility to “help with your phobias.”
Blood and gore will accompany your journey, as well as running, crawling and dodging. The haunted house is located in Manor, TX at J Lorraine Ghost Town and is open every Friday and Saturday until the 31st. All proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Resource Center for Texas.
CAMP HALLOWEEKEND: A HAUNTED ADULT SLEEPAWAY CAMP
Do512 and the Alamo Drafthouse are doing something new this year as the season changes. If you’re looking for a getaway, sign up for Camp Halloweekend! Alamo and Do512 are throwing it back to simpler times of summer sleepaway camps, where campers share bug spray and sleep in squeaky bunks; but they’ve added a twist. Located at Camp Champions in Marble Falls, camp games and festivities will adjourn with live music and free food and drinks.
Outdoor screenings of camp classics like Wet Hot American Summer and old school scary movies will also be playing. On Halloween night, campers will enjoy a ton of Halloween-esque activities: an “Evil Dead II” quote-along, a “Halloween DJ dance party,” a costume contest and a performance of Black Sabbath songs by local Austin tribute band, Brown Sabbath. Tickets cost $350 for the whole weekend from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
HALLOWEEN ATX ART MARKET
If haunted houses and scary stuff late at night just aren’t your thing, you can check out an art show instead. The Halloween ATX Art Market is a free family-and-pet-friendly outdoor event held at El Mercado on S. 1st street on Halloween morning. Austin’s art scene is always cool to check out, and they guarantee treats and Tex-mex on the flyer, which is always a plus. Open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the art market is definitely a place to mellow out during the crazy festivities of the best holiday of the year.