What cities are best for Halloween?

[skeleton_jack75]

We're looking to relocate one day soon and looking into North Carolina. Including there, does anyone have any suggestions as to what regions are really good to be in for the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year"? I don't mean drunken street parties but places with good haunted houses, neighborhoods that get into it, Home Haunts,etc...you guys get the picture. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[OldTimey]

Chapel Hill Halloweens are legendary.

[Roback]

New Haven Connecticut where the entire Yale student body, some 10,000, dress up and hold a huge party at midnight on Halloween night. The Yale Symphony Orchestra also dresses up and performs at Woolsey Hall. After that we all head up to the legendary Toads Place nightclub for a free show. Being one of 10,000 dressed up party goers is an experience I have yet to discover anyplace else. Seeing hoards of costumed people flock the streets of the city is wild.

[skeleton_jack75]

Thanks to both of you! Chapel Hill is one of the areas I'm looking into it. Never even heard about that in New Haven CT., sounds awesome though.

[Wolf Man]

Virginia Beach, Virginia is in my opinion one of the best.  Va. Beach has the Hunt Club Forest, an awesome farm Halloween event with a Haunted Hayride, Haunted Swamp walk through, Haunted Cornfield that has improved much over the years and a Halloween Carnival.  It gets packed and is a blast and so far they have never said anything about wearing costumes as I have on a few occasions.  I sat next to Dr. Madblood on the Haunted Hayride one year. 

We are also very close to Bush Gardens which has Howl-o-Scream.  This event has gotten really good in recent years. 

We also have a Halloween Party in the Old Cavalier Hotel which was build in the 1930's.  It is expensive but with an open bar and all you can eat food was worth the price. 

In nearby Chesapeake, which is really only about a ten minute drive there is MonsterFest and Fantasmo.  Both really good local events.  MonsterFest is a mini monster convention at the Chesapeake Central Library and Fantasmo, which is at the same library is a cult movie festival.  During Halloween Fantasmo has an all nighter of scary films.  They play the classics frequently too.  Fantasmo goes on each month and numerous times throughout the year they have cult or classic horror films.  So you might say we have a mini Halloween celebration quite often throughout the year.

Nearby Portsmouth Virginia has a ghost walk.  Colonial Williamsburg also has numerous Halloween functions.  So does Ghent in Downtown Norfolk Virginia.  All these I am mentioning are within a short drive of Va. Beach.   

These are all my favorite events but there are even more.  We are a fantastic place for those who not only love Halloween but also enjoy the costuming aspect of it.

Feel free to hit me up for any questions about any events in our area. 

When I am home I celebrate Halloween the whole month of October, unfortunately I am missing it this year, I am currently in Iraq.  It is killing me too.  But at least I have started Fantasmo Iraq Edition and we are having Monster Double Features at the base theater.  I just showed Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein.  It is awesome seeing them on the big screen like they are meant to be seen. 

[Wolf Man]

Is there anyone on here from Virginia besides me?  or more specifically the Tidewater/Hampton Roads area? 

I am asking because it would be fun to get to know other UMA folks who are within driving distance that can meet up for some fun Halloween type functions. 

[ormon grimsby]

I am in NC, and Franklin Street is more of an event that you described you were not interested in. Mostly college kids dressed with the atmosphere of Mardis gras. Don't get me wrong its fun, but it is not really for kids and its not Classic monster in anyway. They authorities are trying to crack down on it this year, last year they had something like an 80k turn out and a couple people got shot.

Raleigh is trying to do something similar this year but the city is really trying to discourage it.
Yours,
Ormon

[skeleton_jack75]

Thanks for the response guys. Especially the one and only Ormon Grimsby! I follow your show online, wonderful! I am looking into the chapel Hill and raleigh/durham areas. My fiance and I are here in Orlando and....well, need I say more. I'm really looking for a place that actually has fall, good haunted house attractions, placers to go where people actually get into it and neighborhoods where I wouldn't have the only house that's decked out. I appreciate all the responses so far and any more would definitely be welcomed. Besides Halloween Horror Nights, there's nothing here

[Wich2]

Folks, the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is WORLD class - worth a visit in its own right.

http://photos.halloween-nyc.com/

Happiest of Halloweens,
-Craig W.

[skeleton_jack75]

I checked out that link you posted, wow! We just watched an episode on Halloween celebrations in America and Greenwich Village was featured on it. Some of those costumes are unbelievable! Thanks for posting that!