October 25, 2007

10 days of Halloween
Celebrate with events from spooky to silly
By Lisa Brown lbrown@hippopress.com

Halloween is no longer a one-night stand; it’s a season.

Trick-or-treating is now a family affair with at least one parental unit in tow, confined to certain (often daylight) hours, sometimes days before the actual Halloween. Haunted houses runs for days surrounding the year’s most ghoulish holiday and in years like this one where Halloween comes during the week, the bookending weekends are packed with events (some for kids, some for adults).

According to the National Retail Federation, Halloween is second only to Christmas when it comes to consumer spending. This year it is estimated that more than $2.5 billion will be spent on Halloween.

Getting the &*#$$# scared out of you
Within a half hour’s drive of Manchester, you’ll find at least half a dozen haunted houses, forbidden forests and tunnels of terror all revved up to full throttle as Halloween approaches. Even the New England Dragway in Epping gets a makeover.

Some haunted attractions are so scary they come with warnings to the faint of heart; others restrict the blood and gore for later hours and older crowds, offering a softer scare to youngsters during the daylight hours. The Haunted Mansion and Forbidden Forest at Victoria Park, on Route 28 in Salem, claims to be so terrifying that more than 200 people were taken out of the attraction last year because of fright.

“Haunted Overload is unbelievably horrifying,” said Eric Lowther, the mastermind behind Haunted Overload, this year for the first time on the grounds of the Coppel House Farm, 118 N. River Road (Rt. 155), Lee. In previous years Lowther has set up Haunted Overload at his own house in Exeter, but after more than 5,000 people went through it last year during a two-day period he decided to find a farm that could accommodate the larger crowds.

“It’s extremely scary, you are walking through a cornfield and then there are tunnels and sensors that go off and something that you think is nothing could come to life,” Lowther said. “It is extremely startling. We were walking around in the tunnel and it scared me.”

Lowther, 41, who has been into scaring people since he was as young as Eddie Munster, says the reason his attraction is called Haunted Overload is because it’s an overload of all senses.

“There is an 1,100-square-foot maze that you go through and actors are there, strobe lights and fog goes off and sound effects, it’s heavy overload,” Lowther said. “It’s a slow build, you go along and then everything happens at once.”

At Haunted Overload, expect the unexpected, like huge monsters towering 34 feet over the crowd and hundreds of lighted pumpkins and movie-quality sets, many created and designed by Lowther. Because the nighttime haunt is so scary, parental discretion is advised for younger or sensitive children. For a more mild experience, Haunted Overload is open during the day when all the monsters and ghosts are sleeping off the night before. In addition to the Haunted attraction, there is also a separate six-acre corn maze at the farm for the less adventurous.

“We buy blood by the gallon; it’s commercial theatrical blood,” said Tim Dunn, promoter of Fright Fest NH, an all-indoor attraction in one of Nashua’s old industrial warehouses, 12 Simon St., Nashua. Fright Fest NH is 1,700 square feet of terror including two haunted houses, Bloodmare Manor and Toxic Terror in 3D.

“As soon as you walk through our doors you enter the tarantula tunnel,” Dunn said. “The tunnel then opens to a graveyard area, a ghost town with building facades and then they get into the houses.” Fright Fest NH also features movie-like props, animatronics, trained live actors — even live bugs.

“We have a tarantula tunnel that people must walk through — it contains 400 live tarantulas — plus we have foot-long centipedes and live scorpions,” Dunn said.

Fright Fest NH is in its third year and Dunn says no two nights are the same. Once people pay to enter, there’s no turning back.

“There is a preshow in the front room, which is computer-generated. The room goes crazy at a certain point in time. There are a lot of surprises. It’s very detailed,” Dunn said.

John Tracy, owner of Haunted Acres in Epping, has been scaring people for 10 years; this is his third year at The New England Dragway. Haunted Acres is an 1860s Western ghost town with four attractions: two haunted houses, a haunted forest and an 1,800-square-foot maze.

“We call it the maze from hell. It’s all walls, you can’t see over the top,” Tracy said. “We also have a quarter-mile walk through the woods; we call it the nightmare walk, because it is very dark and dense and there are monsters, goblins and ghouls out there.” Tracy says running a haunted attraction is no simple feat. With more than 60 actors on site, and crowds of all ages, safety is always a concern. This year he’s invested more than $175,000 in the attraction.

“It’s not like a backyard haunted house. These days it is more sophisticated, and there is also the safety issue,” Tracy said. “We have put in sprinkler systems; fire retardant and emergency lighting is all through the house, everything meets code as far as safety requirements go.”

To take advantage of the season, Haunted Acres will be open from now until Halloween and will put on an encore Saturday, Nov. 3.

In Amherst, Randy Koehler has been scaring neighbors for five years and raising money for the Milford food pantry.

“I’m into horror and always have been,” said Koehler, who oversees his tunnel of fear on Deerwood Drive. “I call it Deadwood Drive this time of year.” Koehler’s tunnel of fear is open from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on weekends and on Halloween night.

“I started building some coffins and putting out dummies and a bunch of people started coming to look at it and left donations, so I thought I’d start charging three cans of food per person and then bring it down to the food pantry,” Koehler said.

People who don’t bring cans of food can make a $3 donation to the pantry.

In Salem, one residence has been putting on the boo for years, for a good cause. Visit the Timmons house, 18 General Pulaski Dr. in Salem, on Halloween night and you might end up with a valuable treat. This year’s haunt is entitled “The Harvest,” and trick-or- treaters are welcome to go through from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Donations are accepted with all proceeds going to the Jimmy Fund. In addition, there will be a drawing for autographed sports memorabilia.

Get your spook on
A week of Halloween

Thursday, Oct. 25
• Spirits of Molly Malone’s and Halloween Haunted Dinner 177 State St., Portsmouth. 7:30 p.m. A multimedia presentation in the Victorian Gothic Parlor with a costumed hostess. Listen to ghostly tales, legends and superstitions of Halloween and witchcraft. The parlor will be dressed for the Halloween season and dinner will be served. $44 for adults. Cash bar. Call Roxi at 207-439-8905.
• Hesser College Howl Hesser College gymnasium, 3 Sundial Ave., Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m. Call 668-6660.

Friday, Oct. 26
• Jenniemack’s Halloween Fun Show Kaleidoscope Children’s Museum 8 South Main St., Concord. Begins at 4:15 p.m. Music and stories for children ages 4 to 10. Spooky (not scary) performance to include songs, games, costume parade and more. Program finishes in time for Main Street Concord’s Halloween Howl. Tickets $5 per person for members and $8 per person for non-members. Call 229-4526 or visit kaleidoscopechildrensmuseum.net.
• Halloween Howl Main Street, Concord. 5 to 7 p.m. Horse-drawn wagon rides cost $2 per person. Costume parade begins at 6 p.m. at the Statehouse. North Main Street closed to vehicle traffic from 3 to 7 p.m. from Centre Street south to Pleasant Street.
• Brookline October Eve Brookline town ball field. 6 to 8:30 p.m. Pumpkin judging contest, apple pie contest, free horse-drawn carriage rides. S’more making, cupcake decorating and other activities. Free hot cider, candies and cookies. Outdoor movie, Hocus Pocus — bring blanket and pillow. Sponsored by the recreation department. Call Carol, 673-7772
• Halloween Fright Night Downtown Nashua. 6 to 8:30 p.m. Family fun, geared to children ages 5 to 12, in. Haunted hayrides through Greeley Park, haunted maze walk, movies on the band shell, bounce house, Halloween caricature artists, candy, tricks and lots of treats. Free. Visit gonashua.com.
• Howl at the Moon Masquerade Ball CR Sparks Event Center, 18 Kilton Road, Bedford. 7:30 p.m. to midnight. Sponsored by Manchester Historical Association. Mystery writer Archer Mayor is the guest of honor. Tickets cost $50 per member, $75 per non-member. Visit manchesterhistoric.org or call 622-7531.

Saturday, Oct. 27
• K-Mart Totally Ghoulish Halloween Fun Day Visit stores at 1267 Hooksett Road, Hooksett; 375 Amherst St., Nashua; nationwide. Noon to 5 p.m. Special offers on candy and costumes. First 250 kids to enter store win Spider-man sticker. Trick or treating in store. Face-painting and more activities for kids. Call 1-800-866-0086.
• West Community Library Halloween Party 76 Main St., Manchester. Begins at 3 p.m. Award-winning children’s entertainer Judy Pancoast will perform. Children are invited to wear costumes and participate in Halloween-themed activities. No registration required. Call 624-6560.
• Capitol Grille, 1 Eagle Square in Concord, will have a party with costume contest from 8 p.m. to close. Cash prize $500. $10 cover charge. Call 228-6608.
• Derry Downtown Trick-or-Treat 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Downtown trick-or-treat festivities once again begin at Veterans Hall gymnasium with a Halloween costume parade and contest at 11 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes in many categories and age groups. After the parade, the trick-or-treat spectacular begins, with a huge number of merchants along West & East Broadway, Crystal Avenue, and Hood Commons all giving out treats.
• 2nd Annual Derry Pumpkin Festival Alexander-Carr Park, Pierce Avenue, Derry. 3 to 7 p.m. Bring carved pumpkins to the park for the pumpkin carving contest. Prizes will be awarded for the Most Outstanding Jack-O-Lantern in various age groups. There will be Halloween crafts, Pumpkin Bingo, spooky storytelling, a special pumpkin lighting ceremony and more. Concessions available. In the case of inclement weather, most activities will take place as scheduled inside the Alexander-Carr Lodge.
• Great American Ghost Town Downtown Nashua. Fifth annual downtown trick-or-treating event from 3 to 4:30 p.m. More than 60 downtown Nashua businesses from The Hunt Memorial Building (6 Main St.) to Hollis Street and Court, Factory, East and West Pearl streets and Railroad Square will be handing out treats and celebrating the holiday spirit. Children must be in costume and accompanied by an adult. Kids in costume may have their pictures taken at the Hunt Memorial Building from 3 to 4:30 p.m. City Hall staff and members of The Police Athletic League will hand out special treats and candy bags. Book giveaway at The 32nd Degree Masonic Learning Center, 200 Main St. Visit nashuatreats.com or call 883-5700
• Peabody Mill Environmental Center’s Nature Spooktacular Souhegan High School, Boston Post Road, Amherst. 1 to 4 p.m. Family outdoor fun and learning. Costumes are suggested. Discover unusual creatures native to New Hampshire and learn about nature’s most controversial creatures during the Wildlife Myth Busters seminar. Educational booths, crafts and refreshments. Visit the worms, snakes, bats and owls and Charlotte, the tarantula. There are even hissing cochroaches. Purchase and carve your own pumpkin. Admission $5 per person and includes access to all exhibits and presentations. Call 673-1141 or visit pmec.org.
• Costume Day and Audience with Dracula Children’s Museum, 280 Marcy St., Portsmouth. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors are invited to wear costumes or try on the museum’s costume from Ballet New England. Meet a child-friendly Dracula in the decorated clock tower and receive a small prize. Visits to the clock tower without Dracula are also available. Zany science experiments with the Wacky Scientist throughout the day. Non-candy trick-or-treating until 3 p.m. Tickets cost $6 for adults and children and $5 for seniors. Children under 1 year old get in free. Call 436-3853 or visit childrens-museum.org.
• Merrimack Parks and Recreation’s 15th Annual Halloween Hayride and Event 6:30 to 9 p.m., Wasserman Park, 116 Naticook Road, Merrimack. Tickets for the hayride cost $2 for children and $4 for adults. Visit the 4-H’s haunted house and bring your well-mannered dog on a leash. Indoor large function hall, games, face painting and refreshments. Call 882-1046.
• City Arts Nashua Halloween Ball upstairs at Martha’s Exchange, 185 Main St., Nashua. 7 p.m. to midnight. Tickets $30 per person, reservations required. Celebrate Halloween in style at City Arts Nashua’s Halloween Bash. The celebrated “Undietaker” returns as the emcee for the evening. Live entertainment featuring jazz vocalist Wendee Glick and dancing with DJ Russ Carlton. Guests will enjoy hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, silent auction items, cash bar, raffles and door prizes. Costumes are strongly encouraged, and a prize will be awarded for the best costume of the evening. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the arts in Greater Nashua. For tickets visit cityartsnashua.org or call 883-3260.
• Halloween Party and Costume Contest The Red Blazer, 72 Manchester St., Concord. Four cash awards of $500 each to be given for best female, best male, best group and most original. Live entertainment from Last Kid Picked and Chafed. Hip-hop DJ spins upstairs. Party begins at 9 p.m. Tickets $20 per person. 21 years and older. Call 224-4101.
• Halloween Costume Ball at Wally and Bernie’s 20 Old Granite St., Manchester. More than $500 in cash and prizes will be given away. Captain Morgan Night. Call 641-2583.
• Tales among the Ruins 105 Haverhill Road, Salem (three miles off Interstate 93’s Exit 3). Ghost hunt, 6 to 9 p.m. America’s Stonehenge presents a haunting night. Join members of the East Coast Transcommunication Organization for an escorted trip through this 4,000-year-old archaeological site, believed to have once been used for religious purposes. According to Dawn Roberson, assistant manager at America’s Stonehenge, the site was recently inspected by ETO, who say they sensed figures and picked up recordings. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Participants will be taken out to the site in the hopes of picking up paranormal activity. “It is a naturally spooky place,” Roberson said. Call 893-8300.
• Celebrate Samhain Unitarian Universalist Church, Main and Summer streets, Peterborough. All-day festival 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. followed by Black and White Halloween Costume Ball from 7 to 10 p.m. Samhain is a Celtic Pagan/Earth-centered festival. The public is invited to the second annual “Celebrate Samhain,” a free, all-ages festival commemorating the final harvest and ancestors past. Presented by Peterborough-based Pentacle Press® and Silverling Circle #58, the Monadnock area chapter of SpiralScouts™ International. Featuring live music, artisans, vendors, free workshops, a community drum circle, Tarot and intuitive readers, make-and-take crafts, children’s activities, Druid storytelling, and refreshments. As part of the community service component of SpiralScouts’ mission, hats, scarves, and mittens will be collected at the door for the UU Church’s Mitten Tree Project and donations of nonperishable food collected for the local food bank. For tickets to the costume ball, visit celebratesamhain.com or call 588-4219.
• The Peddler’s Daughter 48 Main St., Nashua. Hauntingly Good Halloween Celebration sponsored by Bacardi begins at 8 p.m. Popular North Shore band Thirdstone will play beginning at 9:30 p.m. Partygoers are encouraged to come in costume for the best costume contest along with a number of other prizes. The “Barcardi Girls” will be on hand with a number of giveaways. Admission is free before 9:30 p.m.; after that, there will be a $3 cover charge. Call 821-7535 or visit thepeddlersdaughter.com.
• Whippersnappers Route 102, Londonderry Commons. 9 p.m. Halloween costume party. Captain Morgan Tattoo promotion. Prizes and giveaways. Music by Mama Kicks. $5 cover.
• KC’s Rib Shack 837 Second St., Manchester. Beginning at 10 p.m. Live music by The Rezidudes. Halloween show, costumes and prizes. No cover.
• Johnny Badd’s 542 Elm St., Manchester. 8 p.m. Halloween party and Malibu promotion. Costume contest with $100 cash award. Prizes and giveaways. Live band. No cover. 222-9191.
• The Yard 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester. 9 p.m. Live band, Groove Alliance, costume contest and prizes. $5 cover. Call 623-3545.
• Boston Billard Club 55 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua. Halloween Bash at 8:30 p.m. Costume contest, $500 first prize. No cover for those who arrive in costume, $5 cover if not dressed up. DJ Gee-Spin. Call 595-2121.
• Sky Lounge 522 Amherst St., Nashua. Halloween party with live music from Jimmy’s Down. $500 cash prize for best costume. Goulish Giveaways. call 882-6026.
• Amber Room 53 High St., Nashua. Halloween costume party. The Bacardi Girls, prizes for best and most creative costume. DJ Rick Naples and Danny D. Call to reserve VIP tables. Call 881-9060.
• Slades 4 W. Hollis St., Nashua. Halloween party. $100 prize for best costume. No cover. Call 886-1334.
• Stone Church 5 Granite St., Newmarket. Halloween CD release party for Elsa Cross. Hot Rod Fury and Dan Blakeslee. Cover $10. Prizes for best costume. Call 659-6321.

Sunday, Oct. 28
• Mall of New Hampshire 1500 South Willow St., Manchester (Exit 1 off Interstate 293). Trick-or-Treat from 1 to 3 p.m. Call 669-0434.

Wednesday, Oct. 31
• Pine Hill Waldorf School 77 Pine Hill Dr., Wilton. Magical Autumn Walk for children 5 and under from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Meet Mother Martha, Becca the Baker and other lovable characters. Fun, not scary. Free. Contact 654-6003.
• Halloween in Amherst Dinner will be available at the Amherst town green, as Amherst Boy Scout Troop #613 will set up a booth between 5 and 8 p.m. on the green near Moulton’s, where they will serve hotdogs and chili with cider, hot chocolate and other drinks. Town trick-or-treating is from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Pheasant Lane Mall 310 DW Highway, Nashua. Trick-or-Treat from 3 to 5 p.m.
• The Palace Theatre 80 Hanover St., Manchester. The original Phantom of the Opera movie shows at 7 p.m. Tickets $5 per person. Call 668-5588.
• Queen City Ballroom 21 Dow St., Manchester. Halloween dance party from 7 to 10 p.m. Beginners welcome. Singles and couples of all ages and dance abilities. Prizes for best costumes. Light refreshments. Tickets $7 per person. Call 622-1500 or visit queencityballroomnh.com.
• Stone Church 5 Granite St., Newmarket. Live band Granola Funk Express. Cover $10. Costume party. Call 659-6321.
• Green Martini 6 Pleasant St. Ext., Concord. Annual Bud Boo Bash at 9 p.m. Come dressed like a ghost; best costume gets $100, second place receives four-pack tickets to Manchester Wolves.
• Fody’s Great American Tavern 9 Clinton St., Railroad Square, Nashua. The third annual Halloween party, featuring the Bacardi Girls, costume contest, prizes and more. Live music from The Gate starting at 8 p.m. Call 577-9015 or visit fodystavern.com.

Saturday, Nov. 3
• The first annual Halloween Freak Fest at Rocko’s Bar & Grille 253 Wilson St., Manchester. Begins at 7 p.m. Costume contest, Tarot card readings, door prizes and raffle. Bands include Eternal Embrace and First Shove, Shroud of Bereavement, Coven of 13, The Shadow’s Smile, Excrecor and Graveside Service. Tickets cost $10 and may be purchased at Goodtimes Tattoo & Piercing Studio, on Impact Player Music’s Web site, www.ipmagency.com, or at the door.

A haunted castle hike in western New Hampshire
By Marianne O’Connor

A hike through the eerie castle ruins at Madame Sherri’s Forest in West Chesterfield will send tingles up your spine. Here is a 488-acre forest preserve with a number of easy and challenging hikes for all levels of ability. The chateau was once the grand scale-summer home of Antoinette Sherri, an unusually creative French businesswoman. The forest land was donated for conservation to the Society for Protection of NH Forests by Ann Stokes.

So who was Madame Sherri?

The haunting:
Antoinette De Lilas sang in the Cabaret in Paris before coming to New York in 1911 with her much younger husband. The couple changed their name to Sherri and started a costume design business that became extremely successful. Sherri designed many of the theatrical costumes for New York theater shows, including the Ziegfield Follies. She was a savvy businesswoman, and her creativity and flair put her in high demand. She became rich and fell into a flamboyant lifestyle of elegant parties and high fashion. Her husband died early on, but Madame Sherri continued her elegant lifestyle as a widow in the 1930s. She often spent summer vacations with friends in the Chesterfield, N.H., area and loved the quiet country charm. She bought farm land on a remote section of Gulf Road on the back side of Mt. Wantastiquet and commissioned the building of an elaborate 15-room “castle” where she would spend her summers hosting wild parties and developing a reputation. Those who remember her say she drove around Chesterfield in a Packard driven by her chauffer. She was said to wear a fur coat with absolutely nothing on underneath, and the locals started rumors that she ran a brothel. Over time, the Madame’s health and mental functioning deteriorated and she was forced to abandon the castle once and for all.

The castle was reportedly looted and vandalized and in 1962 it was gutted by fire. Madam Sherri died three years later, a ward of the state of Vermont. She was penniless and finally buried in a Brattleboro cemetery with a simple stone.

All that remains of Sherri’s castle home is a stone foundation, fireplace and winding granite staircase. The stairs are called “Stairway to Heaven,” and the site is said to be haunted. Some say that touching the staircase will elicit faint sounds of ghostly waltz music. There are reports that a shimmering specter of Madame Sherri can be seen gliding down the stone staircase, eager to greet her guests from the shadows of a bygone time.

The hiking:
The Madame Sherri Forest is located in West Chesterfield, N.H., about 10 miles from Keene. There are a number of different trails you might want to take either around Indian Pond or out to Mine Ledge on Mt. Wantastiquet or Daniels Mountain. Each hike offers sweeping views of the region. The Ann Stokes loop and Daniels Mountain Loop are considered moderate hikes and can be accessed directly from the main parking area. The castle is just 100 feet to the right of the lot up a short driveway to the right.

Ann Stokes Loop After exploring the castle, return to the main trail and follow signs to the trail passing a pond and turning left toward Daniels Mountain (1,225’). There are some nice views from the ledges looking out over Chesterfield. This loop is two miles.

Daniels Mountain Loop is a 1.8-mile loop over moderate terrain with some steep sections to the summit of Daniels Mountain and has two more views.

Mine Ledge-Mt. Wantastiquet (1,335’) Bearing right at the map mailbox, this trail will take you out toward Mt. Wantastiquet and Mine Ledge. Legend goes that the Native Americans used these ledges as a lookout to spy on the activities at Fort Dummer. The cliffs on Mt. Wantastiquet offer great views to Brattleboro, and Mine Ledge has the best view of all. The trails here are not as obvious as the other trails in the forest, so it’s important to watch where you’re going, especially with the thick carpet of fallen leaves on the trail.

To reach Madame Sherri Forest trailhead parking take Route 101 West to Keene, to the junction at the rotary. Take Route 9 west toward Westmoreland and Chesterfield. Mountain Road is the last left before the bridges over the Connecticut River to Vermont. Take a left on Mountain Rd and then an immediate left onto Gulf Road. Follow for almost three miles; the forest is on the right-hand side, across from Egypt Road. Maps are available.