Lake Metroparks Halloween Drive-Thru aims to appeal to visitors of all ages - The News- Herald
From a Taylor Swift-themed airport runway to displays featuring ghosts and skeletons, Lake Metroparks Farmpark is hoping to appeal to a wide range of guests with its 2024 Halloween Drive-Thru.
The Farmpark is inviting visitors to buy tickets and drive trails lined with decorations, lights, fog and volunteer actors over three weekends in October. The event is designed to be family-friendly and appropriate for kids while also including designs that will be relatable for adults, said Lake Metroparks Outdoor Connections Chief Seth Begeman.
“We try to hit every demographic, every age group that you’re coming through,” Begeman added. “So we have some things that are a little spooky, things that are kind of funny and then we got things that are more for little kids.”
This year’s show starts by taking visitors past a Taylor Swift-themed airport runway.
“We like to play off of just the fun idea of, you hear about Taylor Swift, pop culture, she’s kind of the hot thing right now,” Begeman said.
The trail guides visitors into the Farmpark’s woods and past its buildings and fields, bringing them to displays with themes like scarecrows, the Wild West, ghosts, pumpkins, pirates and more. Pop culture-themed displays reference the Olympics and the movie “Beetlejuice.”
“We like to say it’s about a 20-minute ride, but sometimes it can last up to 45 minutes because people really can go as slow as they want, and you really get all the details,” Begeman said.
He added that a food vendor will also be stationed along the trail, offering popcorn and hot chocolate.
Begeman said that visiting the attraction at night will be different than seeing the displays in pictures or during daytime Farmpark visits.
“This is going to look completely different at night,” he said. “So, we have the atmosphere, it’s nice and dark, we have fog that we push out at each site, we have music, we have lights, we have people at the site.”
Begeman said that planning for this year’s show began in July. Staff have been working to set up the displays since Labor Day, and they will continue to work until the first show.
Showtimes this year are at 6:30, 7, 7:30, 8 and 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 11-13, 18-20 and 25-27. The park district asks that visitors show up no earlier than 15 minutes before their slot.
It also says that the 6:30 or 7 p.m. shows are better for younger children since it will not be as dark outside.
Tickets cost $27.50 per car. They must be purchased online ahead of time by visiting lakemetroparks.com and selecting “Halloween Drive-Thru tickets.”
Lake Metroparks said that the show will run rain, snow or shine. Cancellations due to extreme weather will be announced on Facebook and X.
“Even when we have crummy weather, it’s rainy, the event’s still going on, and the nice thing is you’re in the safety of your car and you’ll stay dry,” Begeman said.
He added that the show’s drive-through format also allows people with mobility limitations to attend.
The park district is looking for volunteers to help run some of the displays. Begeman said that as of Oct. 3, volunteers were still needed for the shows on Oct. 11 and 25.
“It really makes the experience when we’re out here, when folks are out here, they have volunteers on site and interacting with the cars,” Begeman said.
The park district’s website states that volunteers 12 and older can serve as actors and technicians, though volunteers ages 12-15 need an adult to accompany them. People interested in volunteering can visit the Halloween Drive-Thru event page on Lake Metroparks’ website, which is separate from the ticket page, to find the application form.
Lake Metroparks Farmpark is located at 8800 Euclid-Chardon Road, Kirtland.