It’s Haunting Season

Boo!

Did we scare you? Maybe not, but we know something that will: a visit to Saunder’s Farm or a Haunted Walk downtown. Rural or urban chills and thrills—your choice.

Saunder’s Farm seems to grow exponentially each year, and this one’s no exception. The haunting season runs until October 31, and there are nearly 30 different activities ranging along the spookiness spectrum, from the tot-friendly Playful Pirate Ship to the more school-aged Barn of Terror.

There are giant jumping pillows, a pumpkin patch hayride (pick your favorite to take home), puzzle mazes and—everyone’s favorite—the haunted hayride, which promises and delivers ‘mild scares.’ A word to the wise: bring your brood during the daytime. The evening activities are rated too terrifying for kids under the age of 10.

This farm produces food along with scares, and serves a range of snacks, sweets and meals all made from local ingredients. You’ll find pies, scones, espresso and lattes, pulled pork sandwiches, roasted corn-on-the-cob, hot dogs, hamburgers, candy and caramel apples, and much more. (Note that the farm no longer permits picnic lunches unless you have dietary restrictions.)

If you’d rather haunt a concrete jungle, treat the family to a spooky nighttime stroll with Haunted Walks Inc. This outfit offers haunted walks around downtown Ottawa throughout the summer season, but runs a special series of scary ones in the last two weeks of October. Guides wear cloaks and carry lanterns on all tours, and offer close-up, first-hand experiences of notoriously haunted places.

There are three walks to choose from. We’ll warn you that the “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” tour is reportedly unsuitable for kids under 10, but two others offer excellent minor frights, and depart as early as 6 pm for 90 minutes. Fans of the movie Night at the Museum will love “A Haunted Night at the Museum of Nature.” As in the movie, a security guard accompanies groups on this after-hours tour, opening doors to locked galleries while tour guides tell stories of ghostly encounters in the building.

Rather be outdoors? Choose the “Canada’s Scariest Stories” walk, a spookier Halloween version of the original haunted walk. This one includes a 30 minute visit to the Bytown Museum. Prizes will be drawn at the end of each tour. Tickets to all walks are on sale now and offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Happy haunting season! Tested by Patti R., Ottawa

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