Southwest Halloween happenings range from sweet to spooky

Fall fun is in store for southwest Las Vegas residents. Halloween brings everything from not-so-spooky events for families to freaky frights for teens and adults.

SPRINGS PRESERVE

About 22,000 guests a year visit the Haunted Harvest at the Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd., an event featuring a haunted maze, trick-or-treating stations, carnival games, live entertainment and a petting zoo, according to Springs Preserve representative Dawn Barraclough.

"Haunted Harvest has something for everyone from our haunted train ride to the haunted maze to our trick-or-treat stations," Barraclough said via email. "It's fun entertainment, full of Halloween spirit, but not too scary for the little ones."

She said the family-friendly event is intended to offer "a variety of spooky, not terrifying activities and entertainment."

While teens won't find horrifying haunted houses, Barraclough said everyone seems to enjoy the Haunted Train.

"The Haunted Train ride seems to appeal to all ages and has a pirate theme this year," she said. "It's a fun, unique ride, and you never know what might be hiding around the next bend along the dark, spooky trails."

Entertainment offerings are set to include the family band Chimps on a Blimp and Huntsman Entertainment's Halloween Heroes and the Black Cat Candy Caper.

Haunted Harvest is scheduled from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 16-18, 23-25 and 30-31.

Admission is $6 or $3 for Springs Preserve members and free for children 2 or younger. Haunted Train rides are an additional $3 for members and $5 for others.

In addition to Haunted Harvest, the Springs Preserve is set to host a Night at the Museum event where children 5 to 12 can watch "Hotel Transylvania" and enjoy pizza and spooky fun from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 10 in the Origen Gallery. Participation is $20 for Springs Preserve members and $25 for others.

Visit springspreserve.org or call 702-822-7700.

OPPORTUNITY VILLAGE

Opportunity Village, 6300 W. Oakey Blvd., is set to host HallOVeen, an attraction featuring the Magical Forest's walkthroughs and rides transformed into a spooky land of goblins and ghosts from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 5:30 to 9 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 9-Nov. 1. The last week of October, the attraction is set to be open from 5:30 to 9 p.m. nightly. Nov. 1 is set to feature a Day of the Dead theme.

Marty Wood, director of marketing at Opportunity Village, said via email that the attraction is intended for everyone — families, teens and even seniors.

"There are slightly spooky attractions such as the 'The Haunted Adventure,' a haunted house-style attraction where you travel through the body of a creature, or the 'Boris the Elf's 3-D' experience that gets spookified," he said.

For those looking for less frightening fall fun, Wood recommends the nightly live entertainment.

Just as it is during the holidays, HallOVeen is staffed by volunteers. Wood said it hasn't been hard to find people just as willing to volunteer in October as those who give time in November and December.

"The time that is hard to find volunteers is around the holidays, such as Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas, and New Year's Eve and Day," he said.

Wood said some of the "Wizard of Oz" elements created for the Wizard of OV spring 60th anniversary celebration are expected to remain for HallOVeen and may remain in the forest permanently.

"And our classic attractions such as the Forest Express train, Cheyenne's Enchanted carousel and Rod's Miniature Golf are open whenever the forest is," he added.

Admission is $11.99 for adults and $9.99 for children. Ride wristbands are $12, or individual ride tickets are $3. Combination passes are $21.99 for adults and $17.99 for children.

Visit opportunityvillage.org or call 702-259-3741.

SPRING MOUNTAIN RANCH

Halloween Spooktacular at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, 6375 state Route 159, is set to featurefall-friendly activities from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 17, including pumpkin carving contests for kids and adults, bobbing for apples and hayrides. Halloween costumes are encouraged. Admission is $7 per vehicle for Nevada residents.

The park is about 10 miles west of the 215 Beltway. Visit parks.nv.gov/parks/spring-mountain-ranch-state-park or call 702-875-4141.

CHARLESTON HEIGHTS ARTS CENTER

A sugar skull workshop in celebration of Hispanic heritage is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 S. Brush St.Budding artists ages 7 to adult are invited to learn about the Mexican tradition of sugar skulls and create a decorated skull to take home in time for Dia de los Muertos, aka Day of the Dead. The workshop is $15. Participants are encouraged to dress for a mess.

To register, call 702-229-6383 or visitartslasvegas.org.

BONNIE SPRINGS RANCH

For those looking for more adult chills, haunted attractions are set to take over Bonnie Springs Ranch, 16395 Bonnie Springs Road, for Bonnie Screams from 7 p.m. to midnight Thursdays through Sundays Oct. 8-11 and daily Oct. 15-31.

Attractions include a zombie quarantine area, the No Hope Hospital, the Zombie Clown Circus, haunted Western trails and a haunted train ride. Magician Dixie Dooley is set to perform nightly.

A Zombie Paintball bus ride where patrons will be invited to shoot at suspected spooks out of the windows is $20 and includes 100 paintballs. Attractions are recommended for ages 13 or older. Admission is $25.

Visit bonniescreams.com or call 702-875-4191.

ASYLUM AND HOTEL FEAR

The stand-alone haunted houses Asylum and Hotel Fear are planned in the parking lot of Meadows Mall, 4300 Meadows Lane,for the 17th year. They are set to operate from 6:30 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 6:30 to 10 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays through Oct. 31. Admission is $15 for one attraction or $25 for both.

Visit lasvegashaunts.com.

MCKEE RANCH PUMPKIN PATCH

The Pumpkin Patch at the McKee Ranch, 8982 Dean Martin Drive, is open from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Farm fun with animals, hay rides and a hay pyramid to climb are planned. Canned goods will be collected for the Las Vegas Rescue Mission. For $20 per family, you get entrance to the pumpkin patch, one pumpkin and a hay ride. Additional pumpkins are available for purchase. Donations help the ranch care for and adopt abandoned animals and allow free entrance the rest of the year.

Email mckeeranch@embarqmail.com or call 702-361-9606.

TRUNK-OR-TREAT

CenturyLink plans to host a free Trunk-or-Treat event from 5 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30 in the CenturyLink parking lot at 3436 Aldebaran Ave. near Spring Mountain Road and Interstate 15. Family-friendly activities planned include multiple bounce houses, carnival games, costumed characters, a petting zoo, a photo booth and a Major League Baseball batting game. Vehicles from community organizations will be onsite along with dozens of community partners with decorated car trunks filled with treats for families.

Snacks will be available for purchase, and there will be booths showcasing local businesses. All of the proceeds will benefit United Way of Southern Nevada.

There are a limited number of corporate booth spots available for purchase. Contact Jason Chan at Jason.Chan1@centurylink.com or 702-218-5299.

— Contact View contributing reporter Ginger Meurer at gmeurer@viewnews.com. Find her on Twitter: @gingermmm.