She’s waiting for you at NC Haunted Farm.
The town situated on the steepest Eastern railroad grade speeds up the game by holding its festivities early, on Friday, October 28. The Saluda Halloween Stroll includes trick-or-treating, a church “trunk or treat,” a chili dinner, and a costume contest. 3-6pm, Main Street. www.cityofsaludanc.com.
Halloweenfest happens Saturday, October 29, in downtown Brevard, 10am-10pm. The full day of entertainment includes a parade, costume and pumpkin-carving contests, live music, a beer garden, and more. Free. www.halloweenfestnc.com.
Trick or Treat Street is downtown Hendersonville’s seasonal gala, happening on Halloween proper, Monday October 31. 4:30-7pm. Merchants will dispense candy and a dance and costume contest goes down between Fourth and Fifth avenues. Free. www.downtownhendersonville.org.
The Tryon Halloween Stroll starts at 5pm on Halloween day, Monday October 31. Trick-or-treating and a costume contest both happen on downtown Trade Street. Free. www.downtowntryon.org.
For totally terror-free fun, check out the kids’ activities at Mills River Library (Saturday, October 29, 11am-noon, 124 Town Center Drive Suite 1, 828-890-1850), and “Boo at the Zoo” at Jackson Farm and Petting Zoo on Monday, October 31 (2025 Gilliam Mountain Road), 4pm-7:30pm, 828-233-6399.
Mild, all-ages scares are available through the night of Sunday, October 30, at Silvermont Mansion in Brevard (www.silvermont.org) — lurking white squirrels provide the scariest encounter, and admission is cheap.
Much more grown-up nightmares can be indulged on the same day at the NC Haunted Farm (624 Townsend Road, Hendersonville), billed as a “mysterious, blood-soaked stretch of land where the deranged Missy Mae Lively eternally pines for her lost groom.” We’ve been hearing lots of traumatized raves about this newly enhanced attraction. Commenters on the group’s Facebook page concur, “it’s the scariest haunted house in all of WNC.” One man reported that his daughter “begged to go for weeks, then started crying from the time we got out of the truck … I had to carry her 10-year-old friend for 45 minutes through the entire thing, and got peed on. This is absolutely the most amazing haunted house, trail, and hayride I have ever been to … it’s like being on a movie set.” Another fan simply called it “the best place in the world.” Open dark to 11pm on Thursday, dark to midnight through the weekend. $20 plus $3 parking fee. www.nchauntedfarm.com.
