The Haunted Train at Look Park in a previous year.
Reminder Publishing submitted photo
NORTHAMPTON — The Haunted Train at Look Park is returning once again for seven days during the month of October including a Fall Festival celebration culminating the annual Halloween celebrations.
The Haunted Trains will kick off on Friday, Oct. 17 and will run for seven evenings during the month, weather dependent.
Trains will open on Oct. 17-19, again from Oct. 24-26, and the final day on Oct. 30, from 4-8 p.m.
For the third straight year, one of the dates will also feature the Fall Festival at Haunted Train. On Saturday, Oct. 25 from noon to 8:30 p.m., the public is invited to Look Park for food and beverages, live music and activities for people of all ages.
“The Fall Festival is fairly new, this will be just the third time we’ve done it. A couple of years ago we were just brainstorming trying to make the Haunted Trains more fun not just for the kids, but for family and adults alike to come. And so, we have been doing the one day festival,” explained Look Park Operations Director Mark Penney. “But the Haunted Train has been happening for years and years, decades here. The train goes around, the fields are decorated with Halloween décor and there are scarers, not really scary, just great for little kids.”
The Fall Festival will include local food trucks, Kidzland Ghoulish Games from 1-4 p.m. hosted by Northampton Parks and Recreation, live music with performances by Tom & Corrie, Mr. Liam & Maxxtone, costume contests, Boneyard Brews Beer Garden, expanded craft vendors, face painting, hot cider and fresh cider donuts, and of course train rides throughout the day, including the usual Haunted Train in the evening.
“We like to have a fun time here and thought the local people would love to have a fall festival since they’re all the rage. In September and October, there’s something going on, so, we wanted to do something. So, we incorporated local bands for live music, local food trucks, our own craft adult beverage farm, two of our own beers at two local breweries make for us,” said Penney.
Penney thanked Northampton Parks & Recreation for partnering with them to host the Fall Festival and lead much of the activities planned for the day. The KidzLand Fall Fun games and activities require a $10 wristband per child — ages 3 and up — and gives access to the KidzLand area, featuring a bounce slide, carnival games, crafts and more. Children 2 and under are free.
Entry to Look Park for these upcoming events is $10 for vehicle entry and activities inside will be free besides food, drink and the KidzLand portion of events being hosted by Parks & Recreation.
“[Northampton Parks & Recreation] love Look Park and they do a lot of things here. They took care of the children’s games, arts and crafts, bounce houses, Halloween themed games for little ones,” added Penney.
Also new this year with the Fall Festival is a partnership with the Northampton Parents Center who will be taking over the Look Park mini golf course to do a fundraiser within the festival. The portion of the festival is also free, but a suggested donation will be accepted and will go to support the Northampton Parents Center.
Penney noted the thrills of the Haunted Train rides are not akin to those seen at your average haunted house this time of year and said it is good fun for children. The event does note that for little ones who want a non-scary Haunted Train ride to please arrive before nightfall, even if the regular scares are not too scary.
“I say its family-friendly. It’s not the really scare and gore style like some of the other ones around the valley that go with these more extreme effects haunted houses, and McCray’s Farm, they have a lot more fright factors than we do. This is great for 3-12-year-olds,” added Penney.
For more information on the return of the Haunted Train at Look Park as well as the Oct. 25 Fall festival event, visit lookpark.org/events or follow the Look Park Facebook page.
Penney said the event has become such a favorite of the community over the years and he hopes families and people of all ages come out once again for the good and not-too-spooky times.
“I think the Haunted Trains has been going on for so long now that it’s to the point where people who went as kids now have their own children, so it’s a great thing to bring their kids back so they can experience the same things that they did 20 years ago when they were a little one,” Penney said. “It’s one of those rare events where the entire family, there is something for everybody. The kids will be happy with the train and arts and crafts, but we would really love to see more families, people who don’t have kids, young adults, come out because the music lineup is really spectacular. The curated adult beverage menu is really good. We got some really fun food trucks, so it’s really something for everybody as opposed to just families with little kids.”
