It comes to the surprise of no one that I LOVE Halloween! I am so sad we are nearing the end of October but who is ready for Halloween weekend!? I'm still working on my costume...let's just say if I can pull it off, it might be my favorite costume to date. While I do blog here from Birmingham, AL and this post will be about Halloween Happenings in my city, there will also be some suggestions and ides for those of you in other states/cities since Halloween fun is everywhere!
1. Halloween Themed Treats
My pick: The Heavenly Donut Co.
If you follow me you know that I run lots of races and one of the main reasons I do (besides health) is because I have a sweet tooth! Running for donuts is an actual thing for me. Halloween is the perfect time for spooky treats. One of my favorite local donut shops has the cutest themed donuts (there is one that looks like an owl that is almost too cute to eat). These are perfect to take into work this week or for a party you might be having this weekend! Check your local bakeries to see what they have in store and if you aren't close to any local shops then national chains Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme can help you out.
2. Sloss Fright Furnace
If you live in Bham then you know about Sloss Furnaces. The furnaces are a huge landmark that is a throwback to the steel and industrial days in the South. They host many events throughout the year including concerts, music festivals, 5k's and even weddings. But come October people know it's home to Sloss Fright Furnace. Now the furnaces look creepy during the day so just imagine what the vibe is after dark. Throw in the legend that the furnaces are actually haunted and you have yourself the perfect Halloween outing!
I actually went to Sloss this past weekend with friends and we had a great time. Essentially there are three "hauntings" you can experience the main one would obviously be the Furnace Tour which as the name would imply takes you through the furnace. You and your group will have to walk single file through the tour but the good news is you will be in a large group so you can stick close. Personally, I smiled the entire time and didn't find it particularly horrifying. It was fun for me but I did have friends that were more jumpy and if the actors sense that you are scared they will single you out and yell, chase, etc. However, the actors can not touch you but be mindful and don't touch them either. It was $24 for the experience and also came with a ticket for Outbreak 2 which is a zombie filled maze that sees if you can survive the Zombie Apocalypse (just a warning there is running, climbing, chasing, crawl spaces and tunnels and obstacles in this maze). For an extra $4 you can pay a visit to the Conjuring Room which was well...an experience. All of these "hauntings" are fun and while some teens/adults that spook easily and children would find it scary the majority would find it to be a fun thrill.
Check out ticket options here and dates (it's open every day this week) here!
3. Local Haunted House AttractionsCheck out ticket options here and dates (it's open every day this week) here!
My pick: Atrox Factory
There are several options when it comes to haunted houses in the Bham area and it doesn't get much scarier than Atrox Factory located in Leeds, AL. For $20 you get a real scare and by scary take it from someone who doesn't scare easily that I find this place terrifying. Sloss is a good warm-up if you think that it is scary I would steer clear of here. At Atrox they can touch you and by touching it is usually just a hand on your shoulder, touching hair, light poke on your side, etc. There are rooms where you will be in complete darkness and people will be around you so I have warned you! Now if you are brave and laugh at the sight of Michael Myers stalking with a butcher knife on Halloween night then you will love it! The scenery, sets and designs are excellent quality and there is a reason it has been voted one of the scariest attractions in the country. My advice is to try it out, there are exits so you can leave and try my trick of smiling and pretending (even if you are) not to be scared. Also, wear a baseball cap if you are nervous about the slight touching plus you can pull the cap over your eyes if things get too intense for you.
The lines do get crowded and long (especially with this week being Halloween) buy your tickets online and for a little extra you can get VIP status aka you don't have to wait in line and other pass options. Get all ticket and time info here plus any other needed info! They also offer celebrity appearances and this week just happens to be Tony Moran aka Michael Myers himself (how appropriate for the holiday).
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| Photo Credit: Atrox Factory |
If you are looking for a way to support a good cause while listening to one of the best albums of ALL time then I highly recommend Howls and Growls coming this Friday night (Oct 30th at 7pm). I have been to several Black Jacket Symphony shows and they are incredible! If you don't know who they are, it is essentially a live cover of famous albums. The singers and artists are always on point and I like how this performance also is giving proceeds to a fabulous charity. Get your tickets here!
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| Photo Credit: Greater Birmingham Humane Society |
Not into Thriller? If you want something else to do on Friday night, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra Presents: Psycho starting at 8pm. The orchestra will be performing LIVE with the movie (can you imagine how the shower scene score will sound live? Chills!) get your tickets right here!
5. Filed of Screams
Now this is a new event coming to the Magic City this year but from the description it sounds pretty awesome! During the day it will be a festival-carnival type event complete with a zombie 5k starting at 8am with the festival beginning at 11am. Then that night(7:30pm) there is a Halloween costume gala where you wear your Halloween best! The main thing that strikes me about this event is that it is for all ages and the gala being a special treat for adults. The event will also utilize the lovely Regions Baseball Field which is one of my favorite spots in the city! Get event details here along with prices and tickets!
If this still isn't enough Halloween goodness you can always take a visit over to the Birmingham Zoo for the classic annual Boo at the Zoo which is happening every night this week starting at 5pm. Or if on Halloween you want to get a little more party into your monster mash then go to the Lakeview District in downtown where local bars such as Innisfree, Side Bar, Moe's and more are sure to be serving up some tricks and treats as well as spooky libations for a fun time! If you are going out to the bars, be careful and please do not drink and drive! Get your friend or someone at the bar to call you a cab. Halloween is about going out and having FUN but we don't need any real life horror reenactments. I also love Avondale Brewery and they will be having a Bone Thugs-N-Harmony concert that night and you can get tickets here!
There will be plenty going on so I'm sure you will have a spooktacular (yay puns) time at whatever you choose to do! If you don't live in the Ham then just check you local hangouts, online, paper, social media, etc. to see what's happening in your city! Everything I listed, is a good chance there is some similar equivalent to it in your town or city. Whether you are hitting the town, screaming in a haunted house, or just watching scary movies with your friends at home, have a fabulous time and make the most of this scary day!
Boo!
Happy Hauntings!
xoxo,
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