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Halloween festivities in West Michigan to fright and excite

Chris Carr, chris.carr@hearstnp.com

With the leaves changing colors and the temperature beginning to drop, summer activities are over for the season. Luckily, West Michigan has an abundance of ways to celebrate autumn and the approaching holiday of Halloween. 

Manistee Ghost Ship While many places open haunted houses during the fall season, haunted ships are more uncommon. The Manistee Ghost ship resides on the historic SS City of Milwaukee, just 3 minutes north of the town of Manistee. Run mostly by volunteers, the ship offers scares and frights for all that choose to board it. More information on the haunted ship can be found here.
Jeff Zide/Manistee News Advocate

Manistee Ghost Ship

While many places open haunted houses during the fall season, haunted ships are more uncommon. The Manistee Ghost ship resides on the historic SS City of Milwaukee, just 3 minutes north of the town of Manistee. Run mostly by volunteers, the ship offers scares and frights for all that choose to board it. More information on the haunted ship can be found here.

Screams in the Dark An annual favorite in the Grand Traverse region, Screams in the Dark brings jump scares to the Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds. The seasonal attraction boasts a variety of haunts including a haunted trail and The Swamp of Suffering. All of the attractions can be found at 3606 Blair Town Hall Road in Traverse City and will be open at 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday every weekend until Oct. 30. An in-depth look at the attraction can be found here.
Courtesy Photo

Screams in the Dark

An annual favorite in the Grand Traverse region, Screams in the Dark brings jump scares to the Northwestern Michigan Fairgrounds. The seasonal attraction boasts a variety of haunts including a haunted trail and The Swamp of Suffering. All of the attractions can be found at 3606 Blair Town Hall Road in Traverse City and will be open at 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday every weekend until Oct. 30. An in-depth look at the attraction can be found here.

Four Green Fields Farms Located 5 miles east of Big Rapids is Four Green Fields Farms, which boasts multiple attractions including horse drawn wagons and a corn maze. The farms also sport a pumpkin patch for all your jack-o'-lantern needs. The maze will be open until Oct. 31 with a haunted maze available only until Oct. 30.
Pioneer photo/Alicia Jaimes

Four Green Fields Farms

Located 5 miles east of Big Rapids is Four Green Fields Farms, which boasts multiple attractions including horse drawn wagons and a corn maze. The farms also sport a pumpkin patch for all your jack-o'-lantern needs. The maze will be open until Oct. 31 with a haunted maze available only until Oct. 30.

Zoo Goes Boo In addition to scares, this time of year brings a sense of community and a great deal of candy. Both of these can be found at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. The zoo will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends of the Oct. 15 and 22. There will be costumes, decorations, candy, and of course zoo animals. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the John Ball Zoo website.

Zoo Goes Boo

In addition to scares, this time of year brings a sense of community and a great deal of candy. Both of these can be found at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. The zoo will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends of the Oct. 15 and 22. There will be costumes, decorations, candy, and of course zoo animals. Tickets can be purchased in advance from the John Ball Zoo website.

Zombie 5K in Cannonsburg Looking for a challenge this season? Now is a good time to start training and designing your costume for the Zombie 5K at the Cannonsburg ski area in Belmont. The event will take place on at 5 p.m. Oct. 30 with an earlier run for the kids at 3 p.m. It is open to all ages and cash prizes will be awarded to the first three finishers as well as a smaller cash prize for the best costumes.

Zombie 5K in Cannonsburg

Looking for a challenge this season? Now is a good time to start training and designing your costume for the Zombie 5K at the Cannonsburg ski area in Belmont. The event will take place on at 5 p.m. Oct. 30 with an earlier run for the kids at 3 p.m. It is open to all ages and cash prizes will be awarded to the first three finishers as well as a smaller cash prize for the best costumes.