Want to make the most of the upcoming Halloween season? Instead of knocking the dust off your costume & buying candy, why not be a brave soul and plan a getaway! Here’s an assortment of ways you can enjoy this Halloween in the High Sierra.
Freaker’s Ball
Learn more about the Freaker’s Ball happening on October 26th & other Tahoe South Halloween events
Up first is the classic Halloween party like no other… Freaker’s Ball. More than four decades old, this “monster” of a party is the ultimate way to mingle with the creatures of the night and enjoy Halloween. Named after the 1972 song written by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show, “Freakin at the Freakers Ball”, expect an atmosphere like a wild four-ring costume circus extravaganza. Let’s just say you’ll want to put this Halloween party on your bucket list.
YOU Are The Parade In Truckee
Learn more about Truckee’s iconic parade and other Halloween festivities
Truckee rolls out the bed of shimmering yellow Aspen leaves for Halloween. Truckee’s annual event takes place the Friday before the actual day of Halloween. For this year, that means October 25th, and the event kicks off at 4:30 pm. The highlight though is the parade which kicks off at 6 pm. If you and your kids are dressed up, you get to be IN the parade. Starting at the train depot, bystanders and revelers line Donner Pass Road cheering on kids and parents as they make their way to the Community Arts Center.
All Hallows Faire
Learn more about All Hallows Faire
From haunted hotels to Copperopolis’ Trick or Treat Street, and Murphys Day of the Dead, there is a lot going on this fall season. Looking for something new? Explore all of Calaveras’ fabulous Halloween and October events here. One of the more unusual experiences to be had in Calaveras is the All Hallows Faire on October 26th & 27th. What started as a way to celebrate the Celtic festival of Samhain has now transformed to include all types of fantasy. This two-day fantasy faire features live music, food, drink, a variety of other entertainers such as Carpathian storytellers and even a Burning of the Harvestman on Saturday night. The All Hallows Faire has a strong focus on creativity in regards to costumes. They encourage the public to design original costumes and not wear store-bought items.
Dia De Los Muertos
Learn more about this one-of-a kind experience in Hornitos
The town’s name means “little ovens” in Spanish and was named for the above-ground rock and adobe graves of Mexican settlers found in the area. Each year on November 2nd, Hornitos plays host for Dia de Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. The candle-lighting and procession winds its way from the plaza to the cemetery. A modern mix combining Dia de Los Muertos, the Mexican day of prayer and celebration, with All Souls Day, the Catholic tradition including a blessing from a Bishop to culminate the religious part of the evening.
Whether or not you believe in ghosts or spirits, the quiet town of Hornitos may challenge your notions or solidify them especially at the event. Be sure to set aside some extra time to take in the location where Domingo Ghirardelli an Italian confectioner began his famous company Ghirardelli chocolates which has been in business since 1852.
All Aboard The Spooky Train
Learn more about the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad’s Halloween service
The bone-chilling whistle as if a dragon was awakened. A high-pitched shriek of steel against steel. The loud clatter of train cars locking in as the beast begins to move. We aren’t talking about a monster from a movie. It’s the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad’s Halloween Limited train service. A combination of dinner, train ride to the loop, and an outdoor spooky story time, both your kids and you will remember the experience forever. For an extra special adventure, consider getting their Fright Class service with complimentary beverages and table service for dinner. Then you’ll hop on board their caboose for a spooky story and a chance to ride in the cupola as you look out for scary creatures in the woods. Make it a full weekend of fun by taking in the Bass Lake’s Halloween Carnival followed by a salute to native arachnids at the Coarse Gold Tarantula Awareness Festival. We guarantee that the entire family will have one spook-tacular of a time.
Halloween Cemetery Tour
Learn more about the tours happening on October 31st
Are you looking to get the “Goose Bumps” on your arms or maybe even your neck? Then you’ll want to head out to Yosemite this Halloween season. With a rich history dating back to the 1800’s, this is your chance to hear about the wilder side of Yosemite at the Halloween tour. Starting at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, you’ll head into the century’s old cemetery. Inside, guides will share history & stories at several different grave sites ranging from simple headstones to more elaborate resting places. Historic figures include native Miwok families, Yosemite’s first guardian, Yosemite’s first trail builder and the first person to climb Half Dome.
On the surface, trick or treating at home might be fun. But we guarantee a trip up to the mountains will be much more memorable & create lasting memories. The High Sierra is no stranger to nightmarish occurrences and spooky events so this is only a snippet of the fun you can find this “spooky” season.
Author: Alex Silgalis
Alex founded Local Freshies® in 2014 to be the #1 website providing the “local scoop” on where to eat, drink & play in mountain towns throughout North America. When he’s not writing and executing marketing strategies for small businesses & agencies, he’s in search of the deepest snow in the winter and tackiest dirt in the summer.
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