If the October calendar in Montgomery County were a trick-or-treat bag, it would be bursting with things to do, especially this weekend, the last Saturday and Sunday before All Hallow's Eve.
Those in The Pursuit of things that go bump in the night have numerous options.
This Thursday through Sunday is your last chance to experience the horror on the hill that is Scream Mountain in Schwenksville. Whether you take just the haunted hayride or add on the creepy walk-through, it's a nighttime experience that will raise the hair on the back of your neck much more effectively than our current dip in temperatures. The Pursuit went behind the scenes at this scream-fest and reported on it in Tuesday's post.
Mayhem at Morgan is a chance for you to brave the 230 years of history at Morgan Log House, owned by the grandfather of Daniel Boone. Lantern-lit tours will have you shuffling through the dead leaves, jumping at the unexpected snap of a twig and getting the shivers over a rediscovery of this site's past. Tours run every 15 minutes on Friday, October 25, starting at 6:30 p.m. It is not recommended for children under eight; however, on Saturday, from 12 to 3 p.m., youngsters can enjoy the less-scary Mini Mayhem at Morgan.
Elmwood Park Zoo's Little Boo at the Zoo is featuring a special guest on Saturday, October 24. His costume - navy blue coat with shiny buttons, red-brimmed cap - is immediately recognizable by generations of area kid-vid fans. Captain Noah himself, personified by W. Carter Merbrier, will be greeting guests and signing autographs from 2 to 4 p.m. Merbrier's show, Captain Noah and his Magical Ark, was a WPVI Channel 6 staple, running from 1967 to 1994. Visitors may also purchase the Captain's poetry book Prayers of the Animals.
What good is a fantastic costume that, owing to the darkness of Halloween night, doesn't get seen? You can solve that at the Conshohocken Halloween Parade, Saturday, October 26, 4 p.m. Registration at Fire Company No. 2 runs from 3 to 3:45 p.m., after which the route is given over to wandering werewolves, vamping vampires and creeping creatures. There are prizes to win in a variety of categories, and refreshments and trivia wrap up the evening. Like a mummy.
The fantastic realm of Hogwarts is reachable by methods other than the train from London's King's Cross Station Platform 9¾. Glencairn Museum, for example, offers its Harry Potter-themed scavenger hunt Sunday, October 27 from 12 to 4 p.m. Lists in hand, wizard wannabes search various rooms for artifacts that related to episodes in the books. In the Asian gallery, for example, participants are on the lookout for a Chinese phoenix reminiscent of Fawkes, the magical bird who came to Harry's rescue in The Chamber of Secrets. The scavenger hunt is only one of a number of Halloween events at Glencairn, including wheat weaving, face painting and the chance to sip coffee, tea and cider while nibbling pastries.
At the end of the TV special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Linus finally gives up his pumpkin-patch vigil and, at the prodding of his big sister Lucy, retires to a warm bed. If, after a night of jaunting with jack o'lanterns, you would like to do the same, check out the accommodations available on our Bureau website.
