The Tallahassee Museum is hosting the 13th Annual Halloween Howl this Friday and Saturday.
This spooky event will last from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will include a number of both frightening and fun-filled features and activities that just about anyone can enjoy.
“The entire museum is completely transformed,” said Lisa Scully, public relations and marketing coordinator for the museum. “There are even ghosts hanging from the trees; there will be an activity for every age group.”
One of the most popular is the “Haunted Trail of Horrors” which leads visitors through an eerie outdoor path filled with ghostly terrors and creepy surprises. This feature is only available after the sunset and is geared toward adolescents and adults.
D.J. Bland, 18, a freshman pre-pharmacy candidate from Miami, said he might be attending the event.
“I’m a big kid,” Bland said. “If there’s cotton candy and I get to dress up then I’m definitely going to go.”
There are many activities targeting the younger crowd as well. The “Farm Games” for example are old fashioned, carnival like events, while “Wizards’ Alley” features creative games like spooky arts and crafts, magical potion making and a haunted caboose.
A “Monster Maze” costume contest and “Not so Spooky Haunted Trail” will also be available.
Some students on campus are planning to have their younger family members enjoy the festivities, rather than themselves.
Camille Forde, 19, a sophomore history education student from Ft. Lauderdale, does not celebrate the holiday but said the festivities are great for younger children.
“I have a niece and a nephew that I think would love Halloween Howl,” Forde said. “They love to play games and be around other kids their age. I think it’s great.”
Limited varieties of Halloween festivities are another reason why some students are getting excited for events such as this one.
Ty Anderson, 18, a freshman political science student from Roanoke, Va., said that most of the events target college students who typically attend parties and social functions held at clubs.
“If you’re not a big club person then there is almost nothing for you to do,” Anderson said.
Brashaad Mayweather, 22, a fourth-year business administration student from Baltimore agrees.
“[Majority] of the college students would [attend] if something was actually offered,” Mayweather said. “If I knew of a haunted house or scary Halloween event I would definitely go.”
The admission for Halloween Howl is $10 for adults and $8 for children, aged 4 to 15. Members of the museum receive a $2 discount.
Proceeds go to the museum and assist with maintenance of the facility and educational programs for kids throughout the remainder of the year.
The event was started in 1994 and has been a success every year since.
Jen Loyde-Pain, volunteer coordinator for the Tallahassee Museum predicts, it will be a another success.
“We expect at least 1,000 visitors and are in need of a few hundred volunteers,” Loyde-Pain said. “I know it will be a great turn out,”
Other annual events hosted by the Tallahassee Museum include the Jazz & Blues Festival in March and the Swamp Stomp in July.
For more information on Halloween Howl, museum membership requirements or volunteer opportunities, call (850) 575- 8684 or visit their website, www.tallahasseemuseum.org.