Remember those old-school Halloween nights, when you’d wander the neighborhood past decorated yards for treats? These days, that feels like ancient history.
But there’s good news for those who love a classic holiday experience: Halloween Town is back.
On hiatus since the pandemic, Halloween Town (http://halloweentownnh.thelaurafoundation.org) in East Madison, New Hampshire, returns Oct. 21.
Twelve years ago, Stevo Harding, director of Camp Tohkomeupog was looking at the empty cabins post-season. He realized that with the combination of active alumni, the connection their neighbor and owners of Purity Spring Resort had to the Laura Foundation for Autism and Epilepsy (http://thelaurafoundation.org) and the general desire for classic events, they may be just the right spot for Halloween fun.
The first year they decorated a handful of cabins for trick or treating, brought in some food and added a few games and activities. About 300 folks attended. But word got out fast and just a few years later they were bringing in over 4,000 people, offering a full carnival-like vibe and raising as much as $50,000 each year for the foundation.
Now, he said, they are happy to be back at it.
The camp alumni along with the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce pitch in with the themes, decorating and treat giveaways. There’s no fee to attend.
Cabins and “haunted” experiences are set along the “Trick or Treat Trail.” Cabin themes are grouped by age (or fright endurance level), with the sweetest and calmest coming first and the fright vibe rising as you move along. The idea is that families can choose their comfort level and never stumble upon something that might scare a younger child. And since it’s set all in a circle, you’re never far from the center of things.
Cabin decorators come up with new themes each year, but there are some classics, like the Harry Potter cabin, Candy Land cabin and Vampire cabin. They all have front and back doors so you meander through and then head along the path to the next.
The path is dotted with kids of all ages in their Halloween costumes, wearing comfortable walking shoes (keep in mind, you are at a camp area at night; good walking shoes are just smart) and flashlights. Just as Harding imagined, it feels like your neighborhood did back in the day.
That’s all free, but there’s more, and each helps support the foundation. There’s a tent filled with classic carnival games as well as lots of food choices,.
This year, among other choices, you’ll find the Cheese Louise Food Truck (famed for over-the-top great grilled cheese), an apple crisp booth, hot dog station and more. You’ll also find classic carnival fare like burgers, fries, and pizza.
The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m. with an added 3-4 p.m. hour for the very young children. It happens rain or shine, because so does Halloween.
Parking gets busy but you’ll find it; the nearby King Pine Ski Resort has lots and is an easy walk.
And while you can attend and head home, making it a family getaway is easy. Purity Spring Resort (https://www.purityspring.com) has lodging and packages based around the event, and lots of other fun activities in a beautiful woodsy setting.
And bustling North Conway, where there’s every kind of lodging imaginable, is only about 15 miles away. That means you can tack on other fun too, like a scenic ride on the North Conway Railroad, shopping in the center of town or a nice autumn mountain hike.
While an evening at Halloween Town is totally free, Harding asks guests to remember that when they choose to add on the things that have a price, you’re helping a foundation that’s a big supporter of the Autism community.
“It’s a lot of fun and we want it to always been accessible to all,” he said. “But we also like that it makes a difference.”
