Area Halloween events abound

#Middlebury #Halloween

Area Halloween events abound today, Friday, Oct. 27, through Tuesday, Oct. 31. We’ll list them first, so you can see what is available. Scroll down for a more detailed description of each event.

Ongoing: Annual yard display and food bank donation at the Hitt residence in Middlebury.

Friday, Oct. 27

• Phantomphest at the Mattatuck Museum
• 10th Annual Washington Green Cemetery Tour
• Woodbury Lions Club Haunted Hayride

Saturday, Oct. 28

• Halloween Fun at the Osborne Estate in Derby
• Kellog Environmental Center Halloween activities
• Trick or Trunk – Middlebury
• Southbury’s Trick or Treat Spooktacular
• All Hollow’s Eve at The Glebe House
• Woodbury Lions Club Haunted Hayride

Sunday, Oct. 29

• Waterbury Symphony Orchestra Phantom of the Opera

Tuesday, Oct. 31

• Trick or Trunk and Pumpkin Carving Contest – Woodbury
• Halloween Party – Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department

Hitt family yard display and food bank collection

The Hitt family “dogs” enjoy the annual Halloween display. The display delights viewers and collects donations for the Middlebury Food Bank. (Dan Hitt photo)

Middlebury’s Hitt family has again created a horrifying front yard Halloween display to delight viewers and encourage them to contribute nonperishable items for the Middlebury Food Bank. Drive by their display at 533 Three Mile Hill Road in Middlebury through Wednesday, Nov. 1, and bring a nonperishable donation to put in the bin.

Friday, Oct. 27

Phantomphest @ The MATT

The Palace Theater and the Mattatuck Museum, are cohosting PHANTOMPHEST today, Friday, Oct. 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $45.

Join the Palace Theater and Mattatuck Museum for a masquerade cocktail reception and exclusive preview of the original Maria Björnson costumes from the first production of “The Phantom of the Opera.” Enjoy music, hors d’oeuvres and surprise guest appearances in the Museum’s Orton P. Camp, Jr. History Exhibit surrounded by exquisite costumes from the original production of The Phantom of The Opera.

Food is by Verbena Catering with signature dessert provided by Sweet Maria’s. Special entertainment is also planned. Tickets include beer, wine, and plentiful hors d’ouevres. To purchase tickets visit mattmuseum.org or call 203-753-0381, ext. 130.

10th Annual Washington Green Cemetery Tour

The scene at a past Washington Green Cemetery tour. (Gunn Historical Museum photo)

The Gunn Historical Museum’s 10th Annual Washington Green Cemetery Tour will take place today, Friday, Oct. 27, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The 10th anniversary will bring back some of the favorite characters from the past decade. Groups of visitors will be led by tour guides dressed in vintage attire along a path of 1,000 luminarias through the cemetery to meet some of Washington’s unforgettable residents from the past, brought to life by costumed actors who will tell the sad, amusing and sometimes horrific stories of their lives.

To attend, go to the Gunn Historical Museum to get numbered tickets for the tours on a first-come first-serve basis starting at 6:15 p.m, and continuing until the tickets run out. Tours of the cemetery depart from the Museum in groups of 18 people every eight minutes between 6:30 and 8:30 pm and last approximately one hour. Refreshments, face painting for kids and a Halloween-themed movie will be shown in the Wykeham Room of the Gunn Library, where attendees can wait inside for their tour group to depart.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a flashlight, dress warmly, wear comfortable walking shoes, and carpool since parking is limited. The rain date for the tour is Sunday, Oct. 29, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. There is no fee to attend for the tour, but donations are greatly appreciated.

The Gunn Historical Museum and the Gunn Memorial Library are at 5 Wykeham Road in Washington, Conn. Contact 860-868-7756 or info@gunnhistoricalmuseum.org for information or visit www.gunnmuseum.org.

The Woodbury Lions Club’s 27th Annual Haunted Hayride and 3D Haunted Barn

Friday and Saturday, Oct. 27 and 28, starting from Mitchell School. Tractor-towed wagons will carry guests around some of the spooky fields and cemeteries in Woodbury. The 3D Haunted Barn is all new this year. As always, the Lions Club has created a scary good time for all.

Hayride tickets are $12 for adults; $6 for children under 10. Tickets are available at Mitchell School from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Refreshments will be sold at the school.

Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017

Halloween Fun for Families at the Kellogg Estate in Derby

Several events are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Osborne Homestead Museum and Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby.

The Osborne Homestead Museum will offer special tours and a scavenger hunt highlighting some of the gruesome tales of the artworks, such as the legend of the warrior Queen Tomyris. Find gooey treasures, herbs from the witch’s garden, ghoulish gourds, and more on the museum scavenger hunt. The museum tour and scavenger hunt are safe (non-scary) and appropriate for children under the age of 12.

At the Kellogg Environmental Center at 10 a.m., find out “Hoo’s for Dinner?” with an owl pellet activity and at 1:30 p.m. hear stories about bones in the “Bag of Bones” activity. All ages are welcome.  The activities at the Center are family oriented and educational.

Both facilities are at 500 Hawthorne Ave. off of Route 34 in Derby. For additional information call 203-734-2513 or email donna.kingston@ct.gov.

Middlebury’s Annual Halloween “Trick or Trunk”

Decorate your vehicle and fill your trunk with candy for a “Howling Ghoul” time Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. in the Memorial Middle School parking lot. Setup will be from 12 – 1 p.m. and Trick or Trunk will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Don’t forget your costume!

Southbury’s Trick or Treat Spooktacular

Costumed children and family members of ALL ages are invited to visit Center Firehouse at 461 Main St. S. in Southbury Saturday, Oct. 28, between 4 and 7 p.m. The firehouse will be transformed into a spectacular maze of themes through which you can walk and collect treats. This is NOT a haunted house, so it is appropriate for children and adults of all ages.

Costumed members of the Southbury Volunteer Firemen’s Association, Ladies Auxiliary, and Junior Corps will be sure to delight young and old alike at this spectacular event. Remember to bring a bag to collect candy! There will also be a Touch-a-Truck and Meet & Greet event with volunteer firefighters in the upper parking lot.

Outdoor entertainment is sponsored by the Southbury Parks and Recreation. Bossy Frog Band will perform at 4:15 pm.

Park at Town Hall, Parks and Rec and Pomperaug Elementary School. The event is free, but nonperishable items for the Southbury Food Bank are appreciated. For more information, call the SVFA business office 203-262-0615.

All Hollow’s Eve at the Glebe House in Woodbury

Due to the incredible response of visitors to All Hollow’s Eve Oct. 21, the Glebe House Museum will have an encore presentation of the Haunted Museum. The Witch of Woodbury, Moll Cramer; Tarot readings by Madame Suzolo also will return for this fabulously spooky evening. The event Saturday, Oct. 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Glebe House Museum at 49 Hollow Road in Woodbury costs $10 per adult, $5 for children 8 to 12 and children under 8 are free. Tickets are available at the door. All proceeds directly benefit the Glebe House Museum’s education programs.

Sunday Oct. 29

The Waterbury Symphony Orchestra celebrates Halloween

The WSO joins “The Phantom of the Opera” at 3 p.m. at Naugatuck Valley Community College in the Fine Arts Center. With the 1925 silent horror film featuring Lon Chaney in the role of the tortured main character projected on a giant screen, the WSO will bring the suspense to life by performing music of Tchaikovsky, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Schubert, Liszt and others. Guest artist Donald Sosin is one of today’s leading silent film composers.

Conductor Leif Bjaland will offer pre-concert insights from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Tickets $20, $35 and $55 ($5 child with adult ticket; $10 college student with ID). Costumes are encourage for all.

Tuesday, Oct. 31

Woodbury Trick or Trunk

Tuesday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 7:30 p.m, in Hollow Park at 43 Hollow Road in Woodbury. RAIN OR SHINE EVENT!

TRUNKERS must register in advance. Register online by going to  woodburyparksandrec.org and clicking on Community events, emailing jmiller@woodburyct.org or calling at 203-263-3113.

Bring your car to Hollow Park on Halloween night. Park your car, open your DECORATED trunk, sit out on your lawn chairs and watch the children trick or treat from car to car while you hand out candy to all of the trick or treaters!

Civic groups and businesses are welcome. Doors open at 5 p.m. for those cars decorating their trunks; please arrive no later than 5:30 p.m. to decorate (no cars can leave the area until 7:30 p.m.). If you need a larger-than-standard size parking spot (10′ across, 20′ deep), let parks and rec know in advance.There will be prizes for best decorated trunk!

TREATERS
Doors open for treaters at 6 p.m. Admission is a non-perishable food item for the Food Bank and a bag of candy for the Trunkers. Bring your car; walk-ins are not permitted. All children must be accompanied by an adult and all adults must be accompanied by children. No alcohol or clowns! Please limit cars to one per family.

PUMPKIN CARVING CONTEST
Please bring a carved Jack-O’-Lantern to be displayed at the event. Pumpkins for the contest must be in place by 7 p.m. (Pumpkins may be dropped off at the Park and Recreation Office all day Oct. 31 for those not attending Trick or Trunk.). Must write name and phone number on pumpkin in permanent marker. Prizes will be awarded. Need not be present to win.

Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department Halloween Party

Costume party with prizes for costumes Tuesday, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m. At the Middlebury Fire House on Tucker Hill Road in Middlebury. Refreshments.