BY EVAN MUSIL AND LILIANA FANNIN
1. Spirits of the Silent City
OCT. 11-12 AND 18-19, 6 P.M. | FOREST HOME CEMETERY
Ever heard a ghost story straight from the source? The nearly 175-year-old Forest Home Cemetery is the resting place of many a remarkable Milwaukeean, and this nighttime tour takes visitors grave to grave to hear about the dead from actors playing their lingering spirits.
The mood is less frightful, more delightful, says Sara Tomilin, executive director of Forest Home Historic Preservation Association, and atmospheric lighting heightens the sculptural beauty in the cemetery. Subjects include the wives of the beer barons, and trailblazers like war correspondent Dickey Chapelle. $40.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
2. Meadowbrook Haunted Forest
TUESDAYS – SUNDAYS | MEADOWBROOK PUMPKIN FARM AND MARKET
For those who prefer their screams to echo in the open air, this outdoor maze fits the bill. Starting in a dense forest, travelers wander past animatronic monsters, eerie lights, and other perilous creatures into a cornfield – a trek totaling 40 minutes. If you’d rather not get lost in the dark, the corn maze is open for scareless hours during the day.
3. Novak Manor
FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS IN OCT., 6-10 P.M. | 9730 W. MONTANA AVE., WEST ALLIS
Riffing off a popular West Allis holiday tradition (for a different holiday), this home is sometimes called “Candy Corn Lane.” But the nickname belies the spine-chilling nature of this homespun haunted house. Fridays and Saturdays until Oct. 26, the Novak family and a cast of volunteers serve top-notch scares for charity.
Their walk-through is outfitted with air cannons, animatronics and the smell of death. It’s a popular haunt, but it almost didn’t happen this year. Last October, the City of West Allis told Novak Manor it had to shut down because of zoning restrictions. But in May, the city council approved a special permit for the home, letting the frights continue.
4. A&J’s HalloweenHouse
THROUGHOUT THE MONTH | 2943 S. CLEMENT AVE.
Since 2004, a devilishly decked-out house has been giving Bay View the creeps. Homeowners Andy Reid and Jamie Beauchamp-Reid spend months planning and crafting large, elaborate, ghoul-filled displays, such as a haunted Wheel of Fortune and a Ghostbusters capture battle.
This year’s creation pokes fun at the idea of aliens building the pyramids – expect flying saucers, ancient mummies and “some pretty big structures,” says Reid. “You’re really going to have to walk around and peek around corners.” Donations are encouraged to Pathfinders, an organization supporting local youth facing crisis.
5. Pabst Mansion Illuminating the Dark Tours
THROUGH OCT. 21, PLUS HALLOWEEN | PABST MANSION
After-hours, dimly lit tours of the Pabst Mansion will take visitors throughout the mansion, guided by candlelight. Plus, this tour ventures beyond the regular tour to see the basement and hidden compartments. Tickets are for sale now online.
6. Halloween Legends & Lore
OCT. 11-12, 12-19 AND 25-26, 5:30 – 9:30 P.M. | OLD WORLD WISCONSIN
At Old World Wisconsin’s six Legends & Lore evenings, guests can experience scary folktales, haunted histories, Halloween activities and more. Plus, new this year, an entire acre is dedicated to a sorghum maze. Tickets are available online.
7. Humboldt Park Pumpkin Pavilion
OCT. 16-20 | HUMBOLDT PARK
You’ve likely seen about a thousand jack-o’-lanterns, but have you seen a thousand all at once? That’s the highlight of this free spooky night out in the park. This year’s “Friday the 18th” theme is a scary sleepaway camp, so don’t forget to pack your own pumpkin for some communal carving.
The event is backdropped by live local music, and visitors can stop by food trucks and grab drinks from the “Fear Garden.” You can also try a new game called Broken Soul – a puzzle-based treasure hunt of horrors – if you dare.
8. Boo at the Zoo
OCT. 17 – 20, 5:30 – 9 P.M. | MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO
This family-friendly event at the zoo has Trick-or-Treat Trail, Creatures of the Night animal talks, Halloween light shows and more. Costumes for all ages are encouraged. Pre-purchase tickets are required and available for purchase online.
9. Fright Nights
THROUGH OCT. 27 | THE MILKY WAY DRIVE-IN
Thursdays through Sundays are now dedicated for fans of fright on the big screen at the Milky Way Drive-in. Whether it’s a classic family scare, true bone-chillers or something in-between, there are lots of movies to pick from. Tickets are available for purchase online.
10. Streets of Old Milwaukee Decorated for Halloween
THROUGH NOV. 4 | STREETS OF OLD MILWAUKEE
For the first time, the Milwaukee Public Museum decorated the Streets of Old Milwaukee for Halloween. Replica turn-of-the-century Halloween decorations, museum collections items and spooky props have been added to the homes and businesses in the area. Visitors can enjoy a haunted walkthrough of the streetscape exhibit with general admission to the musuem.
