Fun Halloween Themed Activities in RI for the whole family

Fall in Rhode Island is a beautiful season with cool temperatures, beautiful colors, and plenty of activities to do with friends and family. New England has a history of mysterious happenings, eerie locales, and spooky tales, and Rhode Island inspires its fair share of  stories. As we countdown to Halloween, here are five spooky (and not so spooky) Halloween themed activities to do in Rhode Island.

Starting with a not so scary activity, pumpkin picking is a popular outing during the fall in Rhode Island. Whether picked from a field, or from a stand at the farm, there are many things to do with the pumpkin once you take it home: Hollow it out and make a jack-o’-lantern; paint a face or a picture, and use it for decoration; roast the pumpkin seeds, or find a delicious recipe for the pumpkin. Just don’t carve it too early, or it will be rotten before Halloween!

Every year, the town of Gloucester hosts a Scarecrow Festival, where residents are encouraged to build scarecrows along the Main Street. It was started as a fun way to keep crows away, and welcome guests, and it has turned into a large event, attracting many out of town visitors. One day of the event is dedicated to voting for the best representation of specific categories, such as scariest, funniest, or most creative. Families, businesses, and organizations can build and submit their scarecrow design, which will be on display several weeks through October. Visit glocesterscarecrowfestival.org for more details.

Corn mazes and hay rides can be a leisurely activity for a Sunday afternoon, or they can be turned spooky at night. Many local farms offer fund mazes, with punch points to make it like a scavenger hunt. Some begin or end in a hayride. Venues like Scary Acres take it a step further, and open at night with people dressed in scary costumes to scare you as you take a hayride to the haunted corn maze. Hope you find your way out of the exit before someone catches you - There’s only one way in, and one way out! 

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Another local spooky attraction is the Haunted Labyrinth in Cranston, RI. Located in the Rejoice In Hope Youth Center, volunteers spend all summer planning a theme, building the set pieces, and putting together a walk-through haunted house, which is then stocked with scary faces and people trying to scare you! Look out for people moving, slamming doors, strobe lights, and other special effects that will be sure to delight and spook you.

For some more authentic scary places, visit a local grave site. Mercy Brown’s grave in Exeter is popular due to the legend that she was reportedly a vampire. Her heartless body now lies under her marked tombstone after it was exhumed and the heart removed and burned to lift the vampire curse that was said to have plagued her family.  For rumors ghost sightings, visit the School Street Graveyard in North Kingstown, or the Old Veteran Cemetery in Warwick. Visitors have reported seeing dark figures, shadows and flashes of light, and trees that seem to come to life at night. If you are looking for a real scare, a cemetery might be the destination for you!