Mayhem Mansion
The eerie drive down Decoursey Pike perfectly set the scene for the impending experience I had at Mayhem Mansion. Once arriving and jumping in line, a just-as-eerie video played for those of us waiting to enter the house, telling a sinister tale to set the scene. Here’s the short version: Robert Haverford, a bootlegger during the prohibition era, lost his daughter to illness soon after she became sick, and during her funeral — held at their own mansion — Haverford poisoned the guests with his liquor and then killed himself.
Today, the Mansion keeps Haverford’s spirit alive with its haunting thrills, though big changes have been made from previous seasons so that returning guests don’t know what to expect. You’ll be invited into the house through the front door instead of sneaking through a window as in years past (it’s now used as an escape route) and quickly discover that each room tells its own creepy tale. There’s a bar that requires you to exchange your soul for a drink, a playroom with children looking for new heads for their dolls and a dining room that serves a dinner “of your friends.” And those are just three of the rooms you’ll encounter during your 15-20 minute stay inside (the length depends on how eager you are to escape).
Though the mansion was understaffed on the night I visited, the actors were still over-the-top scary. The surprisingly youthful talent inside know how to get your heart racing and never once stray from their characters. They know just what corners to jump out of and what to say to keep scares alive throughout the experience.
This fundraising-based haunted house raises money for Boone County’s Cops and Kids Program, in which children go shopping with officers during the holiday season. So although the Mayhem Mansion is bound to give you a scare, there’s nothing frightening about your well-spent ticket money. — MAGGIE FULMER
Friday-Saturday until ‘Extreme Night’ on Nov. 5. $15; $10 10 and under. 13966 Decoursey Pike, Morning View, Ky., 859-392-0027l, themayhemmansion.com.
Land of Illusion
Let’s get this out of the way upfront: I don’t like clowns (and this whole creepy clown surge isn’t helping). The makeup, the over-exaggerated features, the giddy voices — I hate it all. So imagine my elation when the first creature to approach me inside the Land of Illusion was a giant, nearly 10-foot-tall clown, complete with too-long arms, a toothy grin and a strange, cartoonish gun.
And that’s just the beginning. The “scream park” has an entire attraction devoted to clowns — it’s one of four haunted houses on the premises. Other features include live concerts, a zombie-hunting shooter experience, a haunted trail through the woods, a 40-foot-tall freefall ride and a (much-needed) full-service bar.
The Killer Klowns house is difficult to miss: You enter through the open mouth of a supersized clown face. Inside, glowing neon paint creates a 3-D effect, and costumed actors stalk, prod and laugh at you every step of the way. (I swear these actors smell fear — they were much more interested in me here than in any other haunted house I visited.) You’ll make your way through spiraling tunnels, a disheveled classroom and a maze flanked by clowns wielding chainsaws.
The park’s three other houses are the Voodoo Bayou Shanty, Dr. Psycho’s Haunted Estate and the India Jones-esque Temple of Terror. Removing my fear of clowns from the equation, each house was equally frightening, implementing jump scares, convincing decorations and zealous actors. The swampy shanty is filled with remnants of dark magic — potions, brews and specimens — and the mad scientist-themed Dr. Psycho’s boasts surgical equipment, a few patients and the crazed doctor himself.
The Temple of Terror stood out from the rest with embellishments that seemed straight off a movie set, from wooden bridges and realistic plants to scrawled hieroglyphics and sliding floor tiles.
For an additional fee, guests can hop aboard a military-style truck at the Zombie Sniper Patrol. The open vehicle is flanked with mounted paintball guns, and riders are challenged to hunt down zombified actors Walking Dead-style. With about a 5-minute duration, the ride is a little short, but the Patrol is well worth the price. — EMILY BEGLEY
Friday-Sunday through Oct. 30. $35.99 general admission; $19.99 Zombie Sniper Patrol; $10 Demon Drop. 8762 Thomas Road, Middletown, 513-423-9960, landofillusion.com.
Halloween Haunt
Featuring a deadly board game, blood-thirsty sorority girls, a gruesome grocery store and a host of other peculiar scares, nothing is off limits at Kings Islands’ 10th-annual Halloween Haunt. Eleven mazes, three scare zones and live entertainment are situated throughout the park in addition to 600 snarling, stalking and convincingly costumed actors. Twenty of KI’s renowned thrill rides are also in operation, including its newest and aptly themed coaster Banshee, the world’s longest inverted coaster.
New to Haunt this year is Field of Screams, a 10,000-square-foot outdoor maze guarded by a hoard of deranged farmers. Much of this attraction simply consists of figuring out where to go — mazegoers are given little guidance as they navigate their ways through towering corn stalks, with many paths dead-ending into monsters. Make your way to this maze early — the wait was a little over an hour on opening night. The hefty line seemed a little excessive after only spending around five minutes in the maze itself; granted, my boyfriend and I did luck out on choosing mostly correct paths.
There is, however, a way to skip the line here and at nearly every other haunted attraction throughout the park. Purchasing a “skeleton key” with general admission (beginning at $65.99) grants you access to the Fright Lane on half of the haunted mazes, meaning you can jump straight to the front of the line at each indicated attraction once (keys come with a card indicating where Fright Lanes are accessible, and employees hole-punch each location you have visited to prevent fast-pass re-entry). This perk comes with a special bonus: the majority of haunted attractions feature a special room only accessible to those with a skeleton key, one of which includes live, writhing snakes — not all of which are caged. The keys themselves are even fun and unique souvenirs, which, all things combined, makes the additional price worth its weight. — EMILY BEGLEY
Friday-Saturday through Oct. 29. Tickets start at $30.99. Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, 513-754-5700, visitkingsisland.com.
Dent Schoolhouse
In this day and age full of computer-generated imagery, the glorified “zombie apocalypse,” romantic vampires, sexy teenage werewolves and Stanger Things, I’m afraid popular culture might be exploiting the things we once feared to the point of disinterest — it’s hard to convince a kid of the boogey man under the bed these days. More people are terrified of the missing headphone jack on the new iPhone 7 than they are of ghosts, ghouls and other classic evil things.
This calls for innovation. We want virtual reality, something that feels so real that sometimes it’s hard to realize that it isn’t. We’re harder to convince nowadays; we need authenticity to feel truly afraid. Luckily, we have a haunted house in the area that does this very well.
According to legend, the Dent Schoolhouse first opened in 1894. The school was highly regarded until the years between 1942 and 1955, when several students vanished. The mystery continued until the rotting smell of flesh led curious wanderers into the basement, where they found the bodies of the missing children tucked into barrels wedged behind a brick wall.
The culprit? The school’s creepy-looking janitor and Dent Schoolhouse’s poster boy: Charlie McFree. Today, he lives on — find him throughout the schoolhouse freaking out little kids and taking terrifying selfies with them.
The amount of work and effort that goes into the feel of this haunted house is what makes it so effectively scary and presumably also why the teenagers behind me in line started the tour laughing but left in tears. Every single room has a different aesthetic and design that helps pull you into the story of the deranged janitor’s killing spree. There are rooms that involve carving bodies into pieces, classrooms with dead students and teachers and — my personal favorite — a ballroom-style room that looks like a prom night from hell.
The sheer size of this haunted house can make you feel a bit helpless; it took us about half an hour to get through, with room after room presenting a new environment and characters that constantly make you jump and run. Just when you think it’s over, you end up outside the schoolhouse and inside the onsite Queen City Slaughterhouse, which is equipped with lunatic butchers and everyone’s favorite deathly terrifying weapon: the chainsaw. It’s like living a very orchestrated, detailed nightmare that never seems to end. — KYLER DAVIS
Select dates through Nov. 5. $20 general admission; $35 fast pass. 5963 Harrison Ave., Dent, 513-445-9767, frightsite.com.
U.S.S. Nightmare
Upon boarding the U.S.S. Nightmare, you are surrounded by vintage photos of the victims of the U.S.S. Mitchell Massacre. Their ghosts lurk the halls of the ship and are pleased to haunt (or hunt) when visitors arrive. The ship looks friendly enough with sinister red and black walls that look like they could ooze blood at any moment. A dead butler greets guests in the foyer and tells the tale of Billy Bob, a visitor that did not respect the ghosts’ home. Visitors are then promptly splattered with Billy Bob’s blood and told they will endure the same fate — if they’re not careful.
Through the ship, you’ll enter rooms with rattling floors and lights that flicker on and off; be cautious nothing appears from the darkness.
One room is cramped with barrels and boxes all the way to the ceiling, and more and more shipmates creep out to stalk guests in the next room. During a recent visit, the ghost my group met screamed “HAIR” and communicated with a summoned demon that awaited us in the boiler room. As we crouched through small corridors, pushed through inflatable walls and dodged fake spider webs, we arrived at a wormhole. That led us to everyone’s favorite part: the clown maze.
The maze is complete with strobe lights and multiple statues and ghosts, so you can never really tell who or what is real. We began to pull back white and black curtains covering the walls again and again and went in circles, maybe five times. We were undoubtedly and officially lost for a good 10 minutes.
Finally, we found other rooms like the kitchen and its maggot-infested sink, and then Annabelle’s room, where her mother lay ripped in half on her bed, intestines trickling onto the sheets. We climbed through rafters and saw a ghost with a live snake, who led us into the morgue, one of the darkest rooms on the ship. We pushed our way through body bags and saw a doctor operating on a bloody man, his face ripped apart and missing his mandible.
Once in the boiler room, a bloody ghost clanged on pots and pans. As we maneuvered through this room, we were on the lookout for a demon. At the very end, he arrived with a chainsaw right above our heads. I crouched to the floor and looked at his saw, maybe a foot away from my face. — MADISON ASHLEY
Select dates through Nov. 5. $30. 101 Riverboat Row, Newport, Ky., 859-740-2293, ussnightmare.com.
BALLS AND MASQUERADES
Cincinnati Halloween Masquerade
The Pandora Society hosts a magically sinister masquerade at the Southgate House Revival. Bust out your wands, robes and death eater masks: This year’s theme is “Shadows of Knockturn Alley,” inspired by the Dark Arts-devoted shopping area from the Harry Potter series. Eclectic performances throughout the evening include live music by LOVECRUSH 88, belly dancing from Troupe Roja and an appearance by drag queen Stixen Stones. NOIR, a monthly dance night with ’80s Alternative and New Wave music, begins upstairs at 10 p.m. 8 p.m. Oct. 15. $15 advance; $20 at the door. Southgate House Revival, 111 E. Sixth St., Newport, Ky., thepandorasociety.com/halloween.
The Malice Ball
Christian Moerlein transforms into a dark and elegant underworld for this Over-the-Rhine brewers masquerade. Entertainment includes performances by Pones Inc., a photo booth manned by Frameri Eyewear and music by DJ ETrayn, plus plenty of food and booze, with bartenders from Thunderdome and other local haunts pouring drinks throughout the evening. Come dressed to impress — whether you choose a frightful, chic or traditional look, mask and makeup artists will be on hand to help perfect your vision. Compete in a costume contest for a chance to win prizes like an overnight stay at downtown’s 21c Museum Hotel and a 10-class pass to The Yoga Bar. Proceeds benefit OTR Chamber’s Business First Grant Program. 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Oct. 29. $25 advance; $30 at the door. Bockfest Hall, Christian Moerlein Brewing Co., 1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine, otrchamber.com.
Oakley Masquerade
Venture inside this scary South Beach-style nightclub, where local craft beers, wine and top-shelf liquors abound in a haunted lounge. Taste some light hors d’oeuvres before participating in a silent auction and preserving your look in a photobooth. Guests are asked to arrive in costume, and all proceeds benefit the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless. 8 p.m.-midnight Oct. 14. $33. 20th Century Theater, 3021 Madison Road, Oakley, oakleymasquerade.com.
Zombie Ball: Dance of the UnDead
A lively — er, deadly? — party at Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum. Dress as your favorite undead character and head to the park’s grand pavilion, where an open bar will serve beer, wine and specialty cocktails throughout the evening. Brave a jaunt on a haunted hayride and preserve your ghoulish look in a zombie photo booth. For a few extra bucks, couples can select a Zombie Romance Package, in which they’ll pull up to the event’s “blood-red carpet” in a hearse. Your chariot awaits. 7-11 p.m. Oct. 15. $40 individual; $75 couples; $100 Zombie Romance Package. Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, 1763 Hamilton Cleves Road, Hamilton, pyramidhill.org.
FARMS AND FESTS
Country Pumpkins Fall Festival
Pick your own pumpkins, navigate a 4-acre corn maze and befriend some barnyard animals at Country Pumpkins farm. Other attractions include a hay maze, turbo slide, kiddie corn maze, cotton wagon ride and a new Extreme Launcher, which challenges guests to hurl tennis balls at targets in a field. Pumpkins, gourds, squash, mums, straw and Indian corn are also for sale. Daily through Oct. 31. Activity prices vary. Country Pumpkin Farm, 1835 Sherman Mount Zion Road, Dry Ridge, Ky., countrypumpkinsky.com.
Fall Farm Fun Weekends at Gorman Heritage Farm
Pick pumpkins, take a hay ride, visit with some friendly barnyard animals and test your aim with a pumpkin slingshot at Gorman Heritage Farm. Members can also cut and take home an unlimited number of sunflowers for $10. Saturdays in October. $5 adults; $3 seniors and children ages 3-17. Gorman Heritage Farm, 10052 Reading Road, Evendale, gormanfarm.org.
Irons Fruit Farm
This fourth-generation family farm celebrates fall the old-fashioned way. Take a hayride to a you-pick pumpkin patch, master a winding corn maze and stop by the bakery for apple fritters, pies, cookies and cinnamon-cider donuts. Special events like live music, artisan booths and costume days occur each weekend in October; check online for a current schedule. Fall Days Saturdays and Sundays in October. Free admission. Irons Fruit Farm, 1640 Stubbs Mills Road, Lebanon, ironsfruitfarm.com.
Kinman Farms Fall Fest Adventure
Take a hayride to the back of Kinman Farm, where you’ll find picnic shelters, bonfires, games, a carnival tent and a 5-acre corn maze. Grab some lunch at Kinman’s Grill, which serves up hot dogs, brats, metts, pulled-pork sandwiches and caramel apple slices, and enjoy live bands every weekend (go online for a current schedule). Kids can hop aboard the Great Pumpkin Express, a small train that chugs through a cornfield, or take a ride on one of the farm’s petite ponies. Don’t miss apple dumplings and pumpkin sugar cookies from Mammaw’s Apple Kitchen & Patio, which also serves hot and cold drinks. 5-10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday; noon-7 p.m. Sunday through Oct. 31. $7. Kinman Farms, 4175 Burlington Pike, Burlington, Ky., kinmanfarmsfallfest.com.
Hidden Valley Fruit Farm
Pet a pig, pick a pumpkin and sip some fresh-pressed apple cider. This historical family farm hosts Fall Fun Days Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 23, with Pumpkin Days taking over Oct. 29 and 30. Book a hayride and meet some friendly barnyard animals, including a pair of llamas with fabulous toothy underbites. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30. Free admission. Hidden Valley Fruit Farm, 5474 State Route 48, Lebanon, hiddenvalleyfruitfarm.com.
Old West Fest: Halloween Ghost Town
Lace up your cowboy boots: Old West Fest is getting spooky. The authentic Wild West festival transforms into a ghost town in honor of All Hallows’ Eve. Be regaled with tales of the old West, join in on a family sing-along, catch a roping, whipping and spinning saloon show and watch a fake (but convincing) gun fight. Oct. 15-16. $12.99 adults; $9.99 children. 1449 Greenbush Cobb Road, Williamsburg, oldwestfestival.com.
Renaissance Festival: Tricks or Treats Weekend
The Renaissance Festival comes to a close with a special “Tricks or Treats” weekend. Little lords and ladies, prepare thyselves for pumpkin painting and treat-or-treating throughout the recreated 16th-century English village. The 30-acre fest includes a fascinating artisan marketplace, complete with metalsmiths, candle-makers, glass-blowers and stone-carvers; old-fashioned games and activities like archery, axe throws and darts; a slew of fantastical carnival rides; and continuous live entertainment like jousting, fire-jugglers and circus performers. Oct. 22-23. $21.95 adults; $19.95 seniors; $9.95 kids 5-12. 10542 E. State Route 73, Waynesville, renfestival.com.
HAYRIDES AND ATTRACTIONS
Highway 50 Fright Field
This local haunt is located on an authentic 1830s farm adjacent to a real Indian archaeological site. Travel through a towering cornfield and follow a trail into a patch of haunted woods. New this year is a nighttime corn maze, which challenges brave guests to find their way out of winding stalks in the dark. Fright Field also features family-friendly fun in the daytime, including cornmeal-grinding, candle-dipping, gem-mining and barnyard friends. 8 p.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays in October. $12 adults; $10 kids. 11294 U.S. Highway 50, North Bend, highway50frightfield.com.
Lewisburg Haunted Cave
Descend into the underworld — literally. This haunted cave — the world’s longest haunted attraction — is located 80 feet below ground in the Lewisburg Limestone Mine and features 500 feet of haunted bridges. Learn more about the mine on a historic (and scare-free) wagon ride hosted by the Lewisburg Historical Society. Keep an eye out for some creepy critters — the cave is home to the largest brown bat population in Ohio. Fridays and Saturdays through October. $17 adults; $8 children 10 and under; $8 wagon rides. 4392 Swishers Mill Road, Lewisburg, hauntedcaveatlewisburg.com.
Mount Healthy Haunted Hall
Experience 20 difference scenes at this favorite local haunt, featuring a host of classic creatures like the Wolfman, Frankenstein and zombies. In addition to its central house, the Hall is comprised of five tents, backyard areas and a swirling, brain-bending vortex. Popular scenes returning this year include the Hellavator, Satan and Bate’s Motel (hey Norman!). Friday-Sunday through Oct. 29. $10; $2 discount with canned good donation. 7700 Seward Ave., Mount Healthy, mthealthyhauntedhall.com.
Sandyland Acres Haunted Hayride
Hold on tight: During this hellish hayride through a cornfield, riders are stalked and taunted by creatures hidden amongst the crops. Familiar faces like Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Leatherface and a bloodied take on Santa Claus appear alongside zombies, backwoodsmen, clowns and chainsaw-wielders. If the ride leaves you wanting for more farmland frights, take a jaunt through the onsite Farmer’s Revenge, an indoor attraction that challenges trespassers to escape a very displeased farmer. Weekends through Oct. 29. $12 Hayride; $10 Farmer’s Revenge; $20 combo ticket. 4172 Belleview Road, Petersburg, Ky., sandylandacres.com.
Wilmington Haunted Hollow Ride
Hop on a bus straight outta hell and be trailed by fire-belching semis. Riders will venture through fog-filled tunnels, an abandoned mine, an eerie hallow and more, with peculiar creatures hitching rides along the way. Other onsite attractions include a corn maze and two indoor haunted houses: the Nightmare Penitentiary and the Slaughter Hotel. Fridays and Saturdays through October. $15; $25 combo; $37 full-access pass. 1261 W. Dalton Road, Wilmington, wilmingtonhauntedhollowride.com.
LIGHT FRIGHTS
All Hallow’s Eve at Dinsmore Homestead
Celebrate Halloween the old-fashioned way at the Dinsmore Homestead, a historic site at which visitors can learn about rural life in the 19th and early-20th centuries. The event includes heritage activities, crafts, storytelling and trick-or-treating. Costumes are encouraged. 5-8 p.m. Oct. 29. $7 adults; $3 children. Dinsmore Homestead, 5656 Burlington Pike, Burlington, Ky., dinsmorefarm.org.
Fall-O-Ween at Coney Island
Trick-or-treat through the Creep County Fair, a not-so-scary town comprised of whimsical kid-sized buildings and a host of slightly spooky characters. Other activities include pumpkin painting, a Halloween-themed magic show, pony rides, a pumpkin launch and an apple pie school, where kids can create their own pies. Catch a showing of Fright Lights, a choreographed light show set to popular Halloween tunes. Coney’s Classic Rides will also be in operation. 1-7 p.m. select weekends through Oct. 23. $11; children 2 and under free; parking $5 per vehicle. Coney Island, 6201 Kellogg Ave., California, coneyislandpark.com.
The Great Pumpkin Fest at Kings Island
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the classic animated special It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. What better place to celebrate than Kings Island’s Peanuts-themed Planet Snoopy? This light-fright event preludes Halloween Haunt Saturdays and Sundays throughout October, featuring treat-or-treating, live themed shows, a petting farm and more. Discover ingredients used in spells and potions at Lucy’s Witches Kitchen, converse with a talking pumpkin named Patch and create a masterpiece at Woodstock’s Coloring Station. Noon-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30. Tickets start at $39.99. Kings Island, 6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, visitkingsisland.com.
Halloween Nights at Parky’s Farm
Spooky light displays glow throughout the farm during this annual family-friendly event. Take a wagon ride through the displays, stop by a fun house and play a round of glow-in-the-dark mini golf. Thursday-Sunday Oct. 13-30. $8; free children under 2. Parky’s Farm, 10073 Daly Road, Green Hills, greatparks.org.
HallZOOween
Halloween at the Cincinnati Zoo is “always hairy, never scary.” Expect special animal encounters, treat-or-treat stations, a “scare-ousel” and more throughout the grounds. Take a magical ride aboard the Hogwarts Express — keep an eye out for Hedwig —and stop by Phil Dalton’s Theater of Illusion show at 1 and 3 p.m. daily. Polar bears, elephants and many other animals will receive pumpkins as a special Halloween treat; a complete schedule of other animal enrichment activities is available online. Be on the lookout for one of two golden Frisch’s Big Boy statues hidden each day of HallZOOween — the keen visitors who find them will receive $150 worth of zoo merchandise. Come dressed in costume and get a little wild. Noon-5 p.m. select weekends through Oct. 30. Free with zoo admission: $18 adults; $13 children and seniors. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Avondale, cincinnatizoo.org.
Haunted Village at Heritage Village Museum
Ghouls, witches and a mad scientist beckon guests inside the village during six nights of slightly scary fun. Come dressed in costume and trick-or-treat throughout the village, which also offers face painting, balloon animal making and a variety of spooky games. Guests can also take a stroll into a cemetery — if they dare. 6-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Oct. 29. $10; free for museum members. Sharon Woods Park, 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville, 513-563-9484, heritagevillagecincinnati.org.
Howl at the Moon: A Spooky Family Arts Night
This family-friendly event features an artist, craft and vendor fair, a haunted house, Halloween-themed activities and live music by the Jericho Old Time Band. Paint a pumpkin, play Halloween games and get up close and personal with spooky creatures like barn owls thanks to the Wild Hearts Zoo. The Oxford Community Arts Center has also teamed up with Miami University’s Student for the Promotion of Writing program to host a ghost story contest; short stories submitted by students grades 1 through 8 will be read as part of the event. 5-8 p.m. Oct. 26. Free. Oxford Community Arts Center, 10 South College Ave., Oxford, oxarts.org.
Jack-o’-Lantern Junction
Enter EnterTRAINment Junction through a trick-or-treat maze populated with kind-hearted ghosts and skeletons. Kids: Make your way to Halloweenville, a miniature animated display, hop aboard one of two spooky outdoor trains and go on a jack-o’-lantern scavenger hunt. The Junction features the only indoor pumpkin patch in the area — kids receive a free mini pumpkin — and the world’s largest indoor train display remains open to guests throughout the event. Through Oct. 31. $13.95 adults; $11.95 seniors; $9.95 children. EnterTRAINment Junction, 7379 Squire Court, West Chester, 513-898-8000, entertrainmentjunction.com.
Magic Forest Halloween Hikes at Caldwell Nature Preserve
Walk through a trail illuminated by jack-o’-lanterns at the Caldwell Nature Preserve — you’ll meet costumed characters from history and nature along the way. Hikes last approximately one hour and are recommended for children ages 3-10. Oct 16-17. $6. Caldwell Nature Center, 430 W. North Bend Road, Carthage, cincinnatiparks.com.
Spooktacular Aerospace Fun
This family-friendly, costumes-encouraged event at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is scary educational. A variety of Halloween-themed aerospace stations throughout the museum will feature hands-on activities — learn about air vortices by shooting Halloween targets and discover density while bobbing for apples. Other activities include a spooky scavenger hunt, Halloween skee-ball and jack-o’-lantern cornhole. Kids can also build their own Halloween ring glider to take home. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Oct. 29. Free. National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, 1100 Spaatz St., Dayton, nationalmuseum.af.mil.
ONSTAGE
Creepy Classics for Halloween
Expect familiar melodies from Star Wars, Wicked, Pirates of the Caribbean and more during the Cincinnati Metropolitan Orchestra’s fall concert. The group will present a variety of spooky classics like “March to the Scaffold” and “Danse Macabre” as well as selections from Beauty and the Beast and Harry Potter. Costumes encouraged. 3 p.m. Oct. 23. Free. Seton Performance Hall, Seton High School, 3901 Glenway Ave., Price Hill, gocmo.org.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Great Scott! Local theater group the Denton Affair performs the cult-classic Rocky Horror Picture Show every other Saturday at the Esquire Theatre. Audience members are encouraged to dress up for the performance and to bring flashlights, noisemakers ad bells, but are asked to leave the toilet paper, rice, confetti and toast at home. Special Halloween shows 9:30 and 1:55 p.m. Oct. 29. $9.75. Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, esquiretheatre.com.
PARADES AND COSTUME CONTESTS
Halloween Skate Party on Fountain Square
One day after its seasonal grand opening, the ice rink on Fountain Square becomes the setting for this (literally) chilling costume party. Noon-11 p.m. Oct. 29. $6 admission; $4 skate rental. Fountain Square, 520 Vine St., Downtown, myfountainsquare.com.
Howling Pooch Parade
A costume contest for pups and their people that includes prizes for Best Costume, Best Dog Trick and Best Tail-Wagger. The event also includes agility demonstrations, pet vendors, refreshments and raffles. Proceeds benefit Wyoming Youth Services. 1 p.m. registration; 2 p.m. parade Oct. 23. Free to attend; $10-$15 registration. Wyoming Civic Center, 1 Washington Ave., Wyoming, wyomingyouthservices.com.
MainStrasse Dog Pawrade
Costume-clad canines parade along the Sixth Street Promenade. Three prestigious pooches will take home a prize for their impeccable fashion senses. Stick around to browse pet-friendly vendors and to trick-or-treat at MainStrasse businesses. This year’s theme is “fairy tale favorite.” 12:30-3:30 p.m. Oct 23. $5 entry. MainStrasse Village, Covington, Ky., mainstrasse.org.
TOURS
Cincinnati Ghost Tour
Professional tour guide, author, actor and top hat enthusiast Roy Heizer takes tourgoers on a ghostly jaunt through Clifton. Tours last approximately 90 minutes. 7:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday through October; 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday November and December. $15 (cash only). Tours begin and end at 295 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, cincinnatighosttour.com.
Covington is Haunted Tour
With dozens of historical buildings and Victorian structures, it comes as no surprise that Covington boasts a good ghost story or two. Follow a skilled guide into the shadows to learn about neighborhood feuds, heated controversies and the city’s lingering spirits. Through Oct. 29. $20. Tours begin at Molly Malone’s, 112 E. Fourth St., Covington, Ky., americanlegacytours.com.
Haunted House: The Taft at Night
Back this year by popular demand, this tour regales guests with nearly two century’s worth of ghostly tales (the Taft opened its doors in 1820). The museum is said to be haunted by several ghosts, the most famous of whom is Annie, cofounder of the Taft and wife of Charles Phelps Taft. Some also claim to hear a phantom baby’s cries. Tourgoers will work to solve mysteries, create painted lanterns and enjoy themed food, drinks and music. 6-9 p.m. Oct. 13. $20; $15 members. Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike St., Downtown, taftmuseum.org.
Newport is Haunted Tour
Murder, suicide, decapitation: It’s all on the table during this American Legacy Tour, which leads guests through Newport by lantern light. You’ll learn the history of Bobby Mackey’s Music World — which Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures calls the “most haunted nightclub in America” — and about some of the city’s most vicious and unsolved crimes. Tours last between 90 minutes and two hours. Through Oct. 29. $20. Tours begin at 18 E. Fifth St., Newport, Ky., americanlegacytours.com.
Queen City is Haunted Tour
Get a glimpse at Cincinnati’s dark side. This tour covers grisly murders, death and other disturbing tales within the city’s storied past. Tourgoers will stop by Music Hall, said to be one of the most haunted buildings in the area and where human remains were also recently unearthed during construction on the location. Tours last between 90 minutes and two hours. Dates vary. $20. Tours begin at 1332 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, americanlegacytours.com.
Bobby Mackey’s Music World Ghost Tours
Murder. A slaughterhouse. The mob. Satanic rituals. That’s a pretty powerful equation for ghostly activity, and Bobby Mackey’s Music World in no way disappoints. Deemed the “most haunted nightclub in America” by Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures, the bar is believed to be home to powerful spirits, and not all of them are friendly. Take a two-hour private ghost tour of the building or book a five-hour paranormal investigation. Tours available by appointment. Prices vary. Bobby Mackey’s Music World, 44 Licking Pike, Wilder, Ky., 859-431-5588, bobbymackey.com.
This article appears in Oct 12-19, 2016.