WOODSTOCK — If you’re looking for a family friendly Halloween activity this weekend, consider stopping by the Woodstock Haunted House.
Don’t be deterred by the name — the haunted house, which is located at the Masonic Lodge at 30 Pleasant St. in downtown Woodstock — is intended for children ages 6 to 12 years old.
Brad Prescott, one of the Masons organizing the event, described it as “scary by surprise instead of scary by gore.”
With (fake) bloody displays limited, the haunted house aims to provide entertainment, not scares.
“We have a couple scenes that are kind of gross, but for the most part our intent is for everybody to have fun and walk out laughing,” Prescott said in a phone interview last week.
It’s the second year the Masons are hosting a haunted house. Last year, more than 550 people visited the haunted house, which was held on the Friday and Saturday before Halloween.
“It was such a success — and so appreciated — that we expanded it to two weekends plus Halloween night,” Prescott said.
This year, the haunted house will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Fridays, Oct. 20 and 27; Saturdays, Oct. 21 and 28; and Monday, Oct. 31. There is a $5 suggested donation for admission; a portion of the proceeds benefit Zack’s Place. Last year, the haunted house raised around $2,500 for the nonprofit organization.
More than 130 people volunteer to work as actors in the haunted house and to help with the setup.
While the haunted house is directed at children, Prescott said organizers were pleasantly surprised that people of all ages attended.
“What we found last year even though that was our demographic target, we ended up receiving a lot of adults,” Prescott said. Young adults and older adults visited without children. “It was a wonderful community event.”
For more information about the Woodstock Haunted House, email BradPrescottAIA@gmail.com.
Here’s a look at other upcoming family friendly Halloween events. A full list of Halloween events in the Upper Valley can be found at articles.vnews.com/Upper-Valley-Halloween-events-2023-52453692:
Haunted Village Theater in Barnard: Saturday, Oct. 21, 5 to 9 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 22, 4 to 8 p.m. A theatrical walking tour around Barnard with seasonally haunting stories and scenes. Tours every 30 minutes, first two each day are family-friendly. Adults, $20; students, $15; kids 12 and under, $10. Dinner available. More information: barnarts.org.
Spooky STEM Day at the American Precision Museum in Windsor: Saturday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. American Precision Museum, 196 Main St. Learn about essential manufacturing principles and processes like patterns, programming, and repeatability through hands-on, creepy, crafty STEM activities. Free. More information: americanprecision.org/events/mfgday2023/.
Dresden Neighborhood Halloween Walk N’Roll in Hanover: Sunday, Oct. 29, noon to 2 p.m. Dresden Neighborhood, Woodmore Street. Families are invited to scoot, bike, walk and play on calmed streets. Music, costumes, games and snacks. No trick-or-treating. Rain or shine. Free. More information: williamwyoung22@gmail.com or 603-667-7758.
Spooky Trail in New London: Sunday, Oct. 29, 6 to 8 p.m. Trail behind Kearsarge Professional Development Center, Cougar Court. Younger kids version, 6 to 7 p.m.; older kids version, 7 to 8 p.m. Trail ends in parking lot at Spring Ledge Farm. Flashlights and headlamps recommended. Cohosted by New London Barn Playhouse. Admission is by donation to the recreation department. More information: nl-nh.com/recreation.
Liz Sauchelli can be reacehd at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221.
