As October and Halloween grow closer I’m sure most of you are wondering what types of events will be going on during the month leading up to All Hallows Eve. From haunted houses and festivals to pumpkin patches and ghost tours, Oahu has it all. Although I cannot provide a list with every single thing that will be happening in the near future, I can list a few of the more popular festive events occurring all over the island! Here are a handful of ideas to help you get into the Halloween spirit this October!
Aloun Farms Pumpkin Festival
(91-1440 Farrington Highway, Kapolei) $
This adorable pumpkin patch is definitely one of my favorite places to visit on the island to help me get into the Halloween spirit! Unlike other pumpkin patches, this one gives you full the experience when it comes to picking the perfect pumpkin. There are fields filled with pumpkins ranging in color, size and shape! Once you find the right pumpkin you have to actually cut it off the vine, unlike others where you just grab it and go. Once you find your pumpkin the fun isn’t over, you can either go on a free Hayride, try out some farm fresh food, take a ride on a pony, play some games or walk through the sunflower field! In past years people have been able to pick their own sunflowers right out of the field as well as other farm grown items. Admission into the pumpkin patch is $3.00 and free for those who are under the age of 2. Parking is free as well. This pumpkin patch is a cash-only event, but they normally have ATMs on site for those who do not have cash on hand. Aloun Farms Pumpkin Patch opening weekend starts on Saturday, October 13 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. They will be open every Saturday and Sunday until Halloween. Aloun Farms has something for everyone, so get out there and have some fun this season!
Haunted Plantation
(94-695 Waipahu Street) $$
If you are looking for more of a thrill this Halloween season, then Haunted Plantation might just be the event for you! First off, this is the real deal, and not child-friendly. On their website, they explicitly say that this event is not for anyone under the age of 13, anyone with breathing or heart problems as well as pregnant women due to how intense the experience can be. This frightening event takes place in a “haunted plantation” in Waipahu with over 60 actors in full costume ready to give you nightmares. This event has become so popular over the years that it has been seen on popular outlets like the Travel Channel, BuzzFeed and Syfy. If you are still interested in this frightening fun experience, then you have 10 different dates you can choose to visit them on. Dates include: October 12,13,14,19,20,21,26,27,28 & 31. Haunted Plantation is open every night from 7 pm to 11 pm except for Halloween in which they will be closing early at 9:00 PM. Due to high attendance in past years, it is recommended to purchase tickets as soon as the booth opens at 6:15 PM. Ticket prices range from general admission at $15, fast-pass at $20 and $30 for VIP front of the line access. If you want to get a real scare out of this Halloween season then I highly suggest giving Haunted Plantation a visit, if you can handle it.
Psycho Movie Showing
(Ward Theater & Kahala Theater) $$
If you are looking for something fun to do on actual Halloween night and love classic thrillers, then this is probably the event for you! Consolidated Theaters Ward is doing a special showing of the original slasher film Psycho at 7:00 PM in one of their TITAN LUXE theaters. Consolidated Kahala Theater is also doing a showing at 7:00 PM as well. For those of you who have not seen the movie before it is rated R and runs about an hour and forty-nine minutes long. This movie is considered one of the classics as it was created by Alfred Hitchcock. I will not give too much away about the movie but just know it led to the more modern horror movies we see today. Tickets are priced at $11 each with a small service fee if you buy them online. From what I can tell Psycho is being shown in smaller theater’s, so I would get tickets as soon as possible if you want to see this nightmarish movie on the big screen.
Waimanalo Country Farms
(41-225 Lupe Street) $
If you are a big fan of pumpkin patches and visiting one just isn’t enough or if you live on the East-side, then you should make the trip over to Waimanalo Country Farms! This adorable pumpkin patch is located right along the mountainside but has a view of the ocean as well. Unlike Aloun Farms, these pumpkins have already been picked off the vine but they still last just as long! This pumpkin patch also has the cutest petting zoo with all types of farm animals to interact with, plus you can feed the animals for a small fee! Train rides through the farmland are another fun option for both young and old. If none of that has peaked your interest yet, then there is also a section of the patch called the “Lil’ Rascal Zone” for smaller children and an entire area dedicated to launching pumpkins out of their pumpkin cannon! Waimanalo Farms opens on October 6th and will remain open until October 31. Monday through Friday are normally dedicated to educational groups as well as school groups so make sure you visit the farm on a weekend. Their hours on Saturdays and Sundays are 9-5 pm. Admission is free and so is parking so make sure to visit this family farm this season.
Skeleton Key Hawaii Haunted Attraction
(171-A Hamakua Dr. Kailua) $$
If you are up for a good scare and find yourself in Kailua, then consider visiting the Skeleton Key Hawaii Haunted Attraction. This year’s theme is “Carnevil of Screams!” This haunted attraction is put on by Skeleton Key Hawaii as well as Jorge Garcia, an actor from Hawaii Five-O. This attraction is not for the faint of heart and also has quite a few warnings for those who have medical conditions and/or pregnant. This event will have days specially designated for children to come as they will not have actors doing jump scares and hand out candy instead. All of the proceeds from this attraction are donated to the Kailua Onstage Arts Theater, which is a nonprofit. Event dates include October: 12,13,19,20,21,25,26,27,28,30 & 31. Skeleton Key opens at 7:00 PM every night and closes at 10:00 PM. General admission is $15 and fast passes are $20. If you are feeling brave and want to explore this old haunted boardwalk, by all means, purchase a ticket and enjoy the frighteningly fun moments!
Hallowbaloo 2018: Music, Arts, and Craft Beer Festival
(Chinatown) $$
If haunted houses and pumpkin patches are not your thing, then maybe a Halloween craft beer festival is! This year is the 11th Annual Hallowbaloo Festival! The festival has everything from a $1000 costume contest and food trucks to 3 music stages, craft beer tastings and much more! 11 different dance clubs will also be involved with Hallowbaloo and are joining in on the spooky fun! The street festival is designated for all those over the age 21 unless accompanied by a parent. The event is located in Chinatown Arts District but stretches out to the Aloha clock tower and areas of downtown. Tickets cost anywhere from $15 to $55 depending on what event you would like to attend. The festival is held on Saturday, October 27 and starts at 5:00 PM. If you are over 21 then this may be the perfect event to help you celebrate Halloween this year!
Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween
(Your dorm room)
Lastly, if you do not exactly have the money to attend these events or maybe you would rather just stay inside and enjoy the season in a more relaxed way, then check out Freeform’s 31 Nights of Halloween movie schedule! That’s right, Freeform (formally known as ABC Family) made the decision this year to change their traditional 13 Nights of Halloween to 31! The 31 Nights of Halloween may have already started but there are still 3 weeks’ worth of movies to enjoy! Everything from Hocus Pocus and the Addams Family to The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Goonies can be found on the Freeform channel. Each day of the week includes a variety of creepily fun movies to watch while doing homework or carving pumpkins. Freeform never fails when it comes to their Halloween movie marathons, so grab a friend and some Halloween candy and settle in for a boo-tiful month of Halloween movies!
Even though most of us can no longer go out and trick or treat, that does not mean we cannot still go out and have some fun this Halloween! Whether you decide to stay in and have a horror movie marathon or go out and pick yourself a few pumpkins, enjoy the season and all it has to offer! Be safe out there and have a Happy Halloween!