Download Parks Plus! Fall 2013 (PDF - Lake Metroparks

Lake Metroparks’ Halloween Hayrides
A fall tradition for 25 years
by Brian Fowler, Chief of Outdoor Education
Lake Metroparks’ Halloween Hayrides started with a
simple hayride through the park back in the mid 1980s. Now
25 years later, it has become the largest Halloween event
in Northeast Ohio. The six-night event attracts more than
15,000 visitors and 1,000 volunteers annually. Halloween
Hayrides has become a popular tradition in which many
generations of families come to enjoy the scenic wagon ride
through the woods.
The event consists of a one-mile-long wagon ride through
the Farmpark into the forest passing by 22 unique “fright
sites.” A ¼-mile walkthrough area allows visitors to stroll
through the sites at a more leisurely pace. Also included in
the walkthrough area are themed tents to give a “haunted
house” experience. The final stop on the trail is a visit to the
performance tent
where local dance
groups perform the
Evolution of Dance
as glow stick figures
(pictured left).
While most
Halloween events
cater to the teen
market with an
elevated scare
factor, this event caters to families and dials down the
scariness. The idea is to encourage children and families to
enjoy the experience without being too scared.
The event is staffed by volunteers who entertain the
thousands of wagon riders each night. Volunteers come
from schools, scout groups, dance teams, corporations
and theatrical groups from across Lake County. For many
local students, it is their first opportunity to volunteer in the
community. Most return year after year and work their way
into the more celebrated roles of narrators and dancers in
the performance tents. For less theatrical volunteers, there
are many behind-the-scenes opportunities including site
design and construction, make-up artists, technicians, ticket
takers and tractor drivers.
If you have never experienced Halloween Hayrides, make
this year the start of a new family tradition! Be sure to get
your tickets in early September—the event is so popular it
usually sells out in just a few weeks. If you or your group
would like to volunteer for Halloween Hayrides, contact the
Lake Metroparks Volunteer Department at 440-585-3418.
To become a narrator or to dance
in the Evolution of Dance tent, call
440-585-2520.
The Kelley Family makes the
event their fall tradition
“Fright site” volunteers
13