October thrills will give you chills

As the weather grows colder, leaves start to fall , and the month silently shifts to October, There’s one thing on the minds of many Pipers; Halloween. For those students who think they’re “too old” for trick-or-treating, there’s a great choice of Halloween-themed events throughout October both on campus and in the surrounding Twin Cities area.

Returning students will be familiar with the annual haunted hallway event that takes place in the basements of Sorin and Manor Hall. A variety of different groups from Hamline line the many rooms and hidden corners in the basements and the connecting hallway between the buildings, waiting to leap out and scare students brave enough to walk through. More details on this year’s haunted hallway can be expected later in October.

Residents of Drew Hall can look forward to a nightly movie showing in the third floor lounge. RA Bashir Imady will be hosting a month-long Spookfest, with different horror films from the past century playing nearly every night. Some nights will feature different events, such as bad face painting or a costume mafia night. Residents are encouraged to attend as many nights as possible, and a prize will be awarded to the top attender.

Apart from on-campus, the Twin Cities are also home to a multitude of incredible Halloween events. A favorite is the Pumpkin Nights event, held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Returning for its second year, this event features over 3,000 incredible, hand-carved pumpkins on display, spanning over a half-mile walking path. Additionally, food and other Halloween related activities are available to make the experience even more worthwhile. Pumpkin Nights will be open nightly at 6:30 p.m. from October 13 through October 29. Tickets are $20, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays, two tickets can be purchased for only $28.

For those who are looking for more real scares and thrills, The Haunted Basement is opening its doors again this year, featuring many different artist renditions of horror. Located in Building 9 of 2010 East Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis, attendees will navigate a tour of pure terror, with psychological, physical and mental horror being presented at every turn. Those who don’t think they can handle the scares can sign up for the Fraidy Cat Tour, featuring a much more family-friendly tour for the faint of heart. Tickets can be purchased from Haunted Basement’s website, hauntedbasement.org, for $27, and tours will be held every night throughout October.

Apart from those listed above, the Twin Cities are home to many other great Halloween events ranging from family-friendly to straight up terrifying. Additionally, Hamline University has a history in the paranormal, so students may experience some frights throughout the month whether they plan to or not.