Your guide to Halloween events in Fayetteville, Hope Mills and Fort Liberty
Rachael RileyCumberland County and Fort Liberty families will have the opportunity to enjoy fall and dress up and score candy from now through the end of the month.
The installation’s Directorate of Morale, Welfare and Recreation is hosting several events this month, while unit family readiness groups will notify soldiers and families of unit-specific events like trunk-or-treat.
Here are a few Halloween and fall-related events on post this month along with other events scheduled off post in Cumberland County.
Symphony of Horror
The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra will present Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Iron Mike Conference Center, 2658 Rock Merritt Ave. on Fort Liberty.
The orchestra will provide musical accompaniment to the 1922 silent German horror film “Nosferatu,” which is based on Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.”
The event is free and open to the public, with food and beverages available for purchase.
'Rocky Horror Picture Show'
Gilbert Theater is presenting “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” 7:30 p.m. Friday and Oct. 20; 7:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 21; and 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Oct 22, at 116 Green St. in Fayetteville.
Tickets are $31.25 and can be purchased online at gilberttheater.com.
Stoney Point Trail of Terror
Stoney Point Fire Department will host its annual Trail of Terror haunted attraction from 8 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20-21, Oct. 27-28; and 8 to 10 p.m. Oct. 31, at 7221 Stoney Point Road in Fayetteville.
Trunk-or-Treat will be held free to the public from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 21.
Tickets are $20, with $2 off on weekends for teachers, first responders, medical personnel and military members with identification.
Visit www.undeadfd.com.
Zombie Trail Ride and Haunted House
Black Ops Paintball & Airsoft is hosting a zombie hayride and haunted house from 7 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays this month at 2112 River Road in Fayetteville.
Tickets are $30 for the zombie hayride only, $30 for the haunted house only or $45 for both when purchased online at blackopspaintball.org. Tickets will cost $10 more at the door.
Backwoods Terror Ranch
Sweet Valley Ranch is hosting three haunted Backwoods Terror Ranch attractions this month from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 7 to 10 p.m. Sundays and Oct. 31 at 2990 Sunnyside Road in Fayetteville.
Attractions include Surgeon Manor with a haunted house and medical experiment theme, Slaughter House and the Dystopian Abyss haunted trail that includes a covered wagon ride.
A special general admission rate of $35 and VIP rate of $50 is being offered for this Friday.
General admission for other nights is $45, and VIP tickets are $60.
Tickets can be purchased online at backwoodsterrorranch.com.
Fort Liberty Spouse Club Scavenger Hunt
The Fort Liberty Spouse Club is hosting a Halloween Scavenger Hunt sponsored by the United Way of Cumberland County starting at 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown Fayetteville.
The hunt is open to ages 18 and older.
The cost is $10 per person with three to four people on each team.
Gift cards will be given away to the first, second and third-place teams.
Visit fortlibertyspousesclub.org to register in advance.
Hallowe’en Revels: “Moonlight Mischief”
The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex and 1897 Poe House is partnering with the Gilbert Theater to offer Hallowe’en Revels: “Moonlight Mischief” night tours from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 19-21 and Oct. 26-27 at 206 Bradford Ave. in Fayetteville.
Guests are transported back in time for a series of short, spooky vignettes, while immersed in early-20th-century music and poetry through a scripted, short play.
Tickets must be purchased in advance, and ticketholders should arrive 15 minutes before their designated time slot and be able to walk, stand and move upstairs during the 30-minute duration of the show.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com.
Star Party
The Raleigh Astronomy Club will host a star party from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 20 at Smith Lake, building 1-3346 off R. Miller Street on Fort Liberty.
Scientific telescopes will be provided, and there will be space-theme games and star crafts.
The event is open to the public “intended” for ages 5 and older and will be held weather permitting.
Haunted Trail
A Haunted Trail will be open to Department of Defense cardholders and their guests from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 21 at McKellar’s Lodge, Building 0-9127 off Gruber and McKellars roads on Fort Liberty.
During a September Community Information Exchange meeting, garrison Command Sgt. Maj. Gregory Seymour said the trail, which is near Lower McKellars Lake, will have a Camp Crystal Lake “Friday the 13th" theme.
According to MWR, all ages are welcome, while the suggested age for the trail is ages 12 and older.
Pumpkins will be available to paint and bouncy houses and family-friendly Halloween movies will be at the site, along with beer and food to purchase.
'Addams Family Musical'
Cape Fear Regional Theatre will present "The Addams Family Musical" this month, starting with a 7:30 p.m. opening night show on Oct. 21 at 1209 Hay St. in Fayetteville.
The shows will be at various show times Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the rest of October through Nov. 5.
Tickets are $19-37, with 25% off for military appreciation night Oct. 25 and teacher appreciation night Oct. 27.
Visit www.cfrt.org for tickets and showtimes.
Bootanical Gardens
Cape Fear Valley Health will host Halloween at the Bootanical Gardens from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 26, and 4:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27-29, at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, 536 N. Eastern Blvd. in Fayetteville.
There will be candy stations, a costume contest, a dance party, thousands of lights displayed, bone digging for kids and other activities and displays.
Free trick-or-treat stations will be provided by ERA Strother Real Estate on Oct. 26, and attendees are also welcome to bring their pets that night for dog night.
Sweet Tea Shakespeare will be out Oct. 28 for spooky stories and songs in the reflection garden.
Advance tickets are available at etix.com and cost $12 for nonmembers, $10 for members and $7 for children ages 3-10. Children younger than 3 are no cost.
Zombie Walk
Cool Spring Downtown District will host its 13th Annual Zombie Walk from 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 27 in downtown Fayetteville along the Hay Street area.
The family-friendly event is free, and attendees are encouraged to show up in their best zombie costumes.
There will also be performances featuring Stone Dolls, Tumbao and Tan & Sober Gentlemen, Ring Wars Carolina Pro Wrestling and a Food Truck Rodeo.
Hope Mills Trunk-or-Treat
The town of Hope Mills and Rockfish Elementary will host Trunk-or-Treat from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27, at 5763 Rockfish Road.
Candy, food trucks and activities will be on site.
Halloween Carnival
Throckmorton Library will host a Halloween Carnival from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 28 at Building 1-3346 off R. Miller Street on Fort Liberty.
The carnival is free and open to all ages of the public.
Attendees are encouraged to come in costume, and there will be carnival games, activities, candy and more.
USO Trunk-or-Treat
The USO North Carolina will host Trunk-or-Treat from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Fort Liberty Soldier Support Center, at Building 4-2843 off Normandy Drive on Fort Liberty.
Attendees are encouraged to wear a costume, and there will be a costume contest along with candy, games, snow cones and a bouncy house.
Halloween Skate Night
Cleland Ice Rink will host a Halloween Skate Night from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 28, at Building 3-1606 off Rock Merritt Avenue on Fort Liberty.
Skaters are encouraged to wear costumes. There will be themed music and featured performances from the rink’s figure skating program.
A food truck will also be on-site for refreshments.
The event is open to all ages, and tickets are $5 for ages 5 and younger and $10 for ages $10 and older.
Downtown Trick-or-Treat
Cool Spring Downtown District, local businesses, merchants and retailers will pass out candy to trick-or-treaters from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 31, in downtown Fayetteville.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.