As Halloween slowly approaches, the excitement of what this favorite night entails becomes hard to hold in. West Chester provides its community with many opportunities to show their Halloween spirit and collect as much candy as possible. Continuing its long-time tradition, the annual Halloween Parade will take place Oct. 25 in the streets of downtown West Chester. The parade kicks off at 7 p.m. and circles its way down Gay Street and back up Market Street for two rotations.
Local high schools will walk the streets and display their school spirit through their marching bands and cheerleaders. Other participants will show their passion for the Halloween celebration by tossing candy to bystanders off their spooky floats. The floats come from the local businesses, organizations and groups formed by family and friends that have come together to create these decorative floats.
Come join your fellow members of the West Chester community because this is one event that is sure to put you in the Halloween mood. Do not forget to dress the part with your best costume!
You may be thinking some little parade will not do the trick to really get into the Halloween mood, so how about one of America’s most horrifying motels? With three different attractions, Arasapha Farms will surely scare the Halloween spirit right out of you.
Warm up by taking a trip on their 25-minute wagon ride on the East Coast’s scariest haunted hayride through the deep, dark woods of Arasapha Farms. Once you have made it through this heart-pounding ride, head over and check into the Bates Motel.
With demons waiting to welcome you into Arasapha’s awarding-winning Bates Motel, your heart may just skip a beat or two. This up close and personal display of terror has been voted in the top 13 haunted attractions in the United States by “Rou Morgue Magazine.” Accompanied by seven fellow visitors, you will walk through the halls of the Bates Motel encountering its permanent residents.
If you think you can handle some more of this intense fear, take a pass through Arasapha Farms’ Haunted Corn Maze. This high-action walk through the tall stalks will keep your heart racing and your eyes on a constant search for what lies around each and every corner. The haunted corn maze is a definite way to experience the true feeling of fear.
Arasapha Farms is currently open for business now through Oct. 31. Visit Arasaphafarms.com for more information including directions, pricing and hours of operation. Do not miss out on your chance to truly experience the fear that lies within Halloween.
All of this Halloween talk is great, but what is Halloween without a great costume? As the excitement rolls in, so does the search for the perfect costume.
Halloween Adventure stores have begun to appear in the area, providing their shoppers with the necessary items to transform you into the latest movie character, favored profession and even your occasional household items. With locations in the West Chester, Downingtown and Exton areas, Halloween Adventure is the place to get everything needed for this special night.
Watch your calendar closely, because before you know it, Halloween night will be here. Make sure to give enough time to prepare your costume for West Chester’s Halloween Parade and gather enough nerve to face the goblins lurking at Arasapha Farms.
Maggie Cosgrove is a second-year student majoring in elementary education. She can be reached at MC626229@wcupa.edu.