The BigView
By Chris Murphy
We love this spooky season! Halloween is a national holiday at our house. From spiderwebs, to ghastly and ghoulish sounds and creepy crawlies and the heebie jeebies, this time of year is just the best. First, fall is here and the weather is getting crisp and you can hear the breezes in the trees. For those of you that think that Pumpkin Spice or Butter Nut squash is a great thing, this is your time. From Harvest festivals, haunted houses and ending the month with Dio de los Muertos, there is something for everyone. We really hope to see you out and these events and that you fully enjoy living and visiting the greater Modesto area.
We have collected some really interesting things to do. As we learn about more, please check www.modestoview.com for the latest updates. If you have an event and we don’t have it listed, please send us the scoop at events@modestoview.com<mailto:events@modestoview.com>
Preston Castle
This is the creepiest of them all, as this place is seriously legit. From former boys work camp to legendary haunted site, this is a must-do pilgrimage for the serious supernatural seekers. The Preston Castle, located in Ione, will host a series of scare tours on select weekends throughout October. On Halloween night, come in costume for the Halloween Costume Ball – complete with music, a no host bar, food and frights!
900 Palm Drive, Ione CA 7:00pm – 11:00pm
October 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29 Tix are $20
prestoncastlehaunt.com/
Creepy experiences are all around you.
Did you know there is a Spooky Store in downtown Modesto? 6th & 7th St are becoming the epicenter or otherworld activity. DayDreams and Nightmares is the home base of all haunted happenings with costumes and makeup for everyone. Housed in a former morgue, you will feel the otherworld when you walk in. Right behind DayDreams on 6th St is the Spooky Store, where there is a haunted Ghost Hunt escape room and you can even experience your own funeral and be “buried”. 11th St is the next place for you to plan your escape at Escape Modesto. There are three different escape experiences for you and your group to choose from, CSI:Modesto, King Tuts Tomb and Prison Break. Think you can make it out?
Go check out these Modesto mystery spots when you start your haunted October.
Day Dreams and Nightmares 1219 N 7th St. 209-575-0023 www.facebook.com/daydreamsNightmaresCostumes/
Spookadar Spooky Store and Escape – 1220 6th St. 209-425-7356 www.spookadar.com
The Escape Modesto 912 11th St. Modesto 209-324-5190
Haunted Houses
Wanna see something really scary?
Welcome to the crate. Deathworkz Haunted House has a tradition of being one of the most intense haunted houses around in the spirit of the old Creature Features. This year the theme revolves around a haunted crate.
St Charles Place – Opening night Oct 28 7 pm to midnight 5:30 Kiddie Hour @deathworkz
Hours vary by day, please check www.deathworkz.com as the event gets close.
Meet Dr. Frankenstein!
Enter the mad scientist’s lab at Higbee Horror Haunt, where Dr. Frankenstein himself will escort you through. He can’t wait to show you his latest experiment. He says he has finally found a way to bring the dead back to life. The townspeople have said he has gone crazy and he has been caught grave digging. Maybe he has gone crazy and is ready to turn his experiment onto the world, but first…… he will turn it onto you.
Higbee 2926 Veneman Dr www higbeehorrorhaunt.com/
@higbeehorrorhaunt
Monsters In Modesto!
This creepy crawly event can be found in the parking lot of Vintage Faire Mall so you can quickly get in your car after you make it out of the haunted house. There are a couple of cool theme zones like the Psychotic Circus and the Zombie Hurricane and there is a lighter scare version for the faint of heart.
Tix are $8 for the low scare version, $12 for full scare and $21 for the VIP entry version
www.monstersinmodesto.com/
Parties and Festivals
The Summoning
This is the big scary party of the year in downtown Modesto and 11th St is turned into a giant haunted hall. The Summoning Halloween Party is back in Downtown Modesto with dozens of your favorite local bands, special haunted bars, multiple dance floors, 20 party rooms, lots of cocktails and even features a Zombie Prom Stage. You can win $2000 in amazing costume contest prizes.
Saturday, October 29th, 2016 at 6PM. Tix are $10.
halloweenmodesto.com/
Halloween Fright Show with the Wrong Doers
Rock out to the Wrong Doers and show up in your best Halloween costume. $20 gets you in. Includes a free pint glass and beer until it’s gone! Fundraiser for Prospect Theater and Center for Human Services. Do Good Distillery is a sponsor and will be pouring special cocktails!
Saturday, October 29 – 8pm – 2am
Prospect Theater, 1214 K. St. Modesto
Halloween Ritual at the Portal
October 29 This will be a rockin Rockabilly zombie party featuring Year Zero (tribute to Ghost) Before 20 (20 yrr anniversary) & Midnight Sun. Costume party and music, food and drink and the proceeds go to Hope Haven West Charity. Doors at 7, music starts at 8
Family Friendly Events
Bring the kids out for a spooky walk through the Boys & Girls Club’s Haunted Museum at the McHenry Museum. The Haunted Museum opens October 21-22 & October 27-29! General admission to the Haunted Museum is $5, and it’s free for children ages 5 and younger.
Doors open at 5:00pm and the last tour runs at 8:00pm. Cost is $5.00 and children under five are free. For tickets and information, please call (209) 222-5826.
bgcstanislaus.org/ Buy tix online www.hauntedhousemodesto.com/
Weird Science! October 21
Test tubes, bubbly gasses and steam and smoke!
Don’t miss this Halloween Chemistry Show MJC Great Valley Center presented by Dr. Al Chemist and the Mischiefs. Learn, watch, experiment and enjoy the museum. Find your inner Dr. Frankenstein
MJC West Campus Sierra Hall 132
7:00-8:30pm $8 and $10
(includes museum admittance after show until 10pm)
Downtown Modesto Harvest Festival
This event is dedicated to family fun in the heart of downtown Modesto in 10th St Plaza. There will be a pumpkin patch, crafty kids events, instrument petting zoo, food, face painting, Kettle corn, pumpkin pie and since this is Modesto USA, a classic car show! This is a free family event from 10 am – 4 pm
Dell’osso Farms
This is the biggest of the events in our area. Located in Lathrop, adjacent to I5, there is something for all ages that love Halloween and the harvest season. There are the famous pumpkin blasters, zip lines, giant pumpkin ball races, and the Dell’Osso train. The big feature is the huge pumpkin maze that is fun for the whole family. Admission starts at $13.75 – $17.95 early bird $10 before 2pm M-F
You will have a blast. 10 am – 10 pm (last entry is 8 pm)
pumpkinmaze.com/
There are also big Pumpkin mazes at Fantozzi Farms in Patterson, RAM Farms in Turlock and a big new expanded Corn Maze featuring Golden State Warriors design at Oakdale & Claribel. Check www.modestoview.com for more info
Celtic Hallows Mania!
The Original 8th Annual All Hallows Fantasy Faire returns to the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora, California This year’s theme is a celebration of Ancient New Year Traditions of the Celts and Vikings. The event will bring historical cultures alive with costume characters and non-stop entertainment, food, drink, fun and music from the famous Black Irish Band, Tragically White, and The Vintage Vandals.
Oct. 22 & 23 Presale tix start at $12 Tix in Modesto at Barkers Music
www.allhallowsfaire.com/
Frightening Fitness
Halloween Fun Run – October 29
Make sure you are in shape so you can run away from stray zombies. You can dress like a pumpkin or groovy ghoulie and enjoy this fun holiday run. There will be pumpkin drawings and other great prizes! Run is presented by the Shadow Chase Running Club.
East La Loma Park – 2001 Edgebrook Drive
October 29 – 8:30am Donate $10.00 and run a 5K or 10K
Awards will be given. Proceeds benefit teens training for the Modesto Marathon & Teens Run Modesto program.
Did you know?
There is a haunted loom at the McHenry Museum? Yes it’s true. It mysteriously keeps “looming” more bits by itself. You need to check it out.
Is there anyone out there?
Are there people like you?
Do you want to explore the paranormal, the abnormal, and what is out there in the great beyond? There are other people like you can you should connect with them before it is too late.
One of the most haunted places in town is DayDreams and Nightmares on 7th St, and Amberly Ortiz and Kate Serpa have been seeking the otherworldly there and have some amazing discoveries.
Learn more about them at www.facebook.com/echo1paranormal
See one of their spooky encounters at Daydreams & Nightmares
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJkgCXDmfLE
Chillseekers are another local group. They have some amazing tales and research here and around the region.
chillseekers.com
Here is a special feature about Daydreams and Nightmares
chillseekers.com/2016/08/paranormal-predictions/
Dia De Los Muertos – October 29
What a way to end the month! This is a special day, filled with tradition, life, marigolds, and the most beautiful processions and Ofrendas/alters to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
10:00 Am – Brenden theatre free Movie “Book of life”
11:00 Am – Booths open to the community
12:00 opening ceremony to welcome everyone Children’s activities – Tenth Street (between “I” and “j” streets)
11:00 am to 4:00 pm Face painting, games, sidewalk chalk drawing & More
4:30 – 5:00 pm – Children’s Catrin & Catrina pageant – Tenth street plaza
5:30 Pm – Dia de los Muertos procession
Starting point St. Stanislaus Church 7th & J Steets
Ending at Plaza de Los Muertos (Tenth Street Plaza)
7:00 – 10:00 pm – Fun for all the Adults – DJ Equis for your dancing pleasure
Adult Catrin & Catrina pageant Dancing, giveaways, games & much more !
