The Division of Travel and Tourism complies news releases on a regular basis, including monthly events releases, releases on a theme and Ohio tourism trends.
Ohio is Alive with Spirits and Screams During the Halloween Season
Rich with tales of terror and frightening fun, Ohio is the place to be this Hallow's Eve
10/21/2008
CONTACT:
Marty McDonald at (614) 383-1621
Tamara Brown at (614) 466-8591
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Oct. 21, 2008) - When Irish settlers immigrated to North America in the 19th Century, they brought with them a tradition that is among the most anticipated times of year in American culture. Now known as Halloween, this centuries-old festivity was traditionally a celebration of the end of the harvest season in the Gaelic culture.
In Ohio, the end of the harvest season is celebrated with Halloween-themed thrills and chills, haunted happenings, wine tastings paired with pumpkin-infused foods and much more. Whether you enjoy dressing up in the funniest costumes or prefer to kick back and celebrate what the Halloween season is all about, there's something for everyone to enjoy in Ohio this Halloween!
Following is a great selection of ways to experience the fantastically freaky Halloween season in Ohio. For additional events and ideas, please go to
www.DiscoverOhio.com or call 1-800-BUCKEYE. Ohio is too much fun for just one day!
Trick or Treat with Some Real Animals
Halloween isn't just for humans; small and furry and large-and-in-charge animals can partake in the festivities too! Rated by USA Today as one of the top 10 places for Halloween family fun,
Boo at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a great way for the family to roam the zoo at night and enjoy cool critters, the haunted Hay Maze, jugglers, costume characters, magic shows, live animal shows and much more. On Oct. 23 and 24, Toledo's
Little Boo at the Zoo is the perfect Halloween party for preschoolers who may be too young to enjoy the zoo's Pumpkin Path. Trick-or-treat stations, games, and Fisher-Price's giant play area are just part of the fun! In central Ohio, the
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a delightfully haunting Halloween celebration that offers candy stations, storytellers, magicians, a haunted train ride and other thrilling activities. Nothing may be more enjoyable than the Pumpkin Smash on Oct. 18 and 25, when animals throughout the zoo will be presented with pumpkins as part of the Zoo's enrichment program.
Hallzooween at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden combines fun trick-or-treating for boys and ghouls with Earth-friendly Halloween suggestions on weekends in October. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own re-usable treat bag and enjoy other "green" tips like carving jack-o-lanterns from organic pumpkins and making costumes from old clothing.
Taste the Sweetness of Halloween
Like a fine wine, Halloween in Holmes County gets better with age, especially at the
Garden Gate Getaway! Named one of the top 10 bed and breakfasts in the United States in 2007-2008 and one of the top 10 in the Midwest in 2008-2009, the Garden Gate rings in the Halloween season with a trick-or-treat bag ripe for any sweet tooth, a pumpkin-carving contest and winery tour and tasting at Ravens Glenn Winery. Trick-or-treat for a good cause when you visit the
HALLoween Trick or Treat at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Donate two non-perishable food items per person and participate in a special HALLoween football trivia scavenger hunt and watch kid-friendly Halloween movies in the NFL Films Theater. Enjoy
Dinner and a Ghost in an 1870s building in historic Canal Fulton that is home to Sisters Century House restaurant and a former mortuary. Guests can dine overlooking the eerie Ohio and Erie Canal by candlelight and then ghost hunt in the old basement.
Take a Terrifying Walk in the Park
Infirmary Mound Park, named after the infamous Infirmary Mound, is the perfect destination to spend a night of fright in historic Granville. Tour five shelter scenes from the comfort of your own vehicle, but bring something to hold on tight to when fear takes over. Travel to southeast Ohio where you'll come face-to-face with the spirits of
Hocking Hills State Park. Here, you'll join forces with the Haunted Hocking team to explore the unexplained at Ash Cave. Halloween fright reaches new heights during the
Halloween Haunt at Kings Island amusement park where you'll encounter thrilling attractions, haunted trails, spooky mazes, vampires and zombies among the park's 14 roller coasters. Or, head up north for a new reason to scream at Cedar Point's
Halloweekends! Named the No. 1 amusement park in the world for the 11th year in a row, Cedar Point welcomes visitors to experience four terrifying haunted walk-throughs or venture over to the Magical House on Boo Hill that's perfect for the little ones in the family. If this doesn't peak your fear level, test your metal on one of 17 roller coasters where you're sure to have a screaming good time!
Get Schooled on your Haunted History
Travel back in time and celebrate the season during
Hallows Eve at the Patterson Homestead in Dayton. This 1890s period-inspired Hollows Eve party allows guests to experience three 1890s Halloween-decorated floors of the 19th-century homestead by candle, oil lamp and jack-o-lantern light. Explore parts of the haunted third floor and other rooms not normally open to the public. Ohio's most famous haunted hotspot, the
Mansfield Reformatory, opens its prison doors for visitors to spend the night inside this historical building-among the reformatory's lost spirits. As the 29th president of the United States, Warren G. Harding left his legacy in Marion. The
Halloween Tours at the President's House guides guests through the Harding Home as stories of presidential hauntings, local lore and traditions of the holiday are recounted. Perrysburg's Fort Meigs was built by William Henry Harrison on the Maumee River in 1813 to protect northwest Ohio and Indiana from British invasion. Today's reconstruction showcases one of the largest log forts in America and is home to the
Garrison Ghost Walk where visitors tour the "spirited" fort with a guide from the year 1812 and encounter the spookier side of this historic place.
About the Ohio Tourism Division
The Ohio Tourism Division is the premier source of information for travelers and media about Ohio's vibrant tourism experiences, attractions, and economy. Division marketing programs contributed to an estimated $38 billion in visitor sales in 2007 and 454,000 jobs sustained by visitors to the state. A part of the Ohio Department of Development, the Division's mission is to promote and celebrate Ohio's unique travel opportunities and market the state's outstanding quality of life.
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