Other West Virginia Halloween events
Halloween is big in West Virginia, and it keeps getting bigger.
Staples such as the ghost tours in Lewisburg and Parkersburg and West Virginia State Penitentiary Dungeon of Horrors are back, along with Morgantown favorite Rich’s Fright Farm in Smithfield, Pa.
But other attractions, such as the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, which began hosting Halloween tours last year, continue to grow in popularity.
Some groups, meanwhile, are building on the state’s rich legends — most notably, Mothman.
Below is a sampling of Halloween happenings in West Virginia:
• Eleanor —Putnam County Parks and Recreation is again inviting guests to the Haunted Barn at Eleanor Park Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31. It runs from 7 to 11 p.m. This year’s title is “Nightmares.”
The cost is $5 for adults and $3 for children. Call (304) 562-0518.
• Institute —West Virginia State University’s Speakeasy Singles Dance and Costume Contest is scheduled for 8 p.m. at the Wilson Student Union.
Prizes are awarded in several categories. The cost is $10.
Contact (304) 776-3205 (304) 744-1955 for more information.
• Lewisburg —The famed candlelight tours of Lewisburg begin at 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday night through Oct. 31. The ghost tours include the historic downtown district and Old Stone Cemetery. They begin at General Lewis Inn on Washington Street.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students. Children under 7 get in free.
For more information, call (304) 256-8687 or visit www.greenbrierwv.com.
• Moundsville —The West Virginia State Penitentiary again is hosting its popular Dungeon of Horrors tours Oct. 2 to 31. While ghost hunts happen year-round at the prison, the Dungeon of Horrors transforms the facility into a truly horrifying experience.
Tickets are $18 and are available at www.wvpentours.com. They sell out quickly, so be sure to pre-order.
• Mount Storm —Looking for family-friendly Halloween fun? Abram’s Creek Lodge and Campground in Grant County has something.
The Haunted Forest tour is scheduled for 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. Oct. 27 – 29. It runs 6 p.m. to midnight Oct. 30 and 31.
The cost is $7 per person, and kids get in free.
The event features a bonfire, refreshments, a DJ, a Halloween party and a costume contest.
Visit www.abramscreek.com/haunted-forest.html or call (304) 446-5383 for more information.
• Parkersburg —The Parkersburg ghost tours are schedule for Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 30 and 31. The two-hour tours begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Blennerhassett Hotel, located at 4th and Market Streets.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and students and $6 for children 13 and under. Call (304) 428-7978 or visit www.hauntedparkersburg.com for more information.
• Point Pleasant —The 2009 Mothman Festival is over, but the Mothman Museum is hosting a special Oct. 31 tour of the forest and TNT where Mothman has been sited. The tour starts at 10 p.m. and leaves from the museum. Tickets are $19.95 and $14.95 for children 11 and under. Visit www.mothmanmuseum.com for more information.
• Tomlinson —The Tomlinson Run State Park is hosting Haunted Hayride Oct. 23 to 25. The cost is $2. Contact (304) 564-3651.
• Weston —The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum is again opening its doors – Oct. 1 to 31 – for one of the state’s creepiest and most unique Halloween tours. The former Weston State Hospital is scary enough without the “lunatics,” but the facility is nightmarish in October.
Tickets are $15 for general admission and $25 for VIP admission. They can be purchased online at www.theasylumwv.com.
The asylum also is hosting a Witch’s Ball Oct. 31. Tickets are $15, and the event features a costume contest.
Contact Danny at letters@graffitiwv.com