Goodbye, October! Natchitoches Events to Close the Month
The City of Natchitoches, although known for its over-the-top Festival of Lights celebration around Christmastime, does not neglect the other seasons when it comes to events and activities tailored to fit an array of interests. On October 2, Natchitoches witnessed the grand opening of its newest attraction: Dark Woods Haunted House. The Scream Park’s motto, “Fear the Dark,” should be enough of an enticement for thrill-seekers. Dark Woods hosts terrifying, one-mile adventures through the Dead Fall Trail Thursday through Saturday, closing the season on Halloween—how spooky! Corey Poole, Dark Woods actor/screaming banshee, revealed that the Scream Park will host some holiday events after Halloween, so keep an eye out for announcements as Christmastime approaches. The 17-acre outdoor adventure is a fun, fear-inducing Halloween attraction for the city, bringing with it a new-found excitement for the fall season as well as “a little more blood, a little more dark, and a little more scary,” Poole explained. I will definitely be checking out Dark Woods as soon as I find a friend willing to deal with me running from the actors donned in their exceptionally-realistic costumes. Dark Woods Scream Park, a 17-acre adventure in the woods, includes Dead Fall Trail, the first installation in the soon-to-be multi-attraction Halloween park.
If haunted houses aren’t your thing, that’s okay! Natchitoches has plenty of other family-friendly events. Take the 3rd Annual Pumpkin Glow for example. On October 29 from 5:30-8:30pm, you can bring your family and friends downtown to Beau Jardin and walk along the path of carved jack-o-lanterns as you overlook the Cane River Lake. Cheeseburger pumpkin from the 2nd Annual Pumpkin Glow in 2014.
October 31 also brings Halloween fun that is extremely kid-friendly with the annual “Witch Way to Main Street” event, lasting from 3-7pm. Held along the Downtown Riverbank, “Witch Way to Main Street” provides a safe and free environment for children to trick-or-treat. Booths are set up by local businesses and organizations with games and activities for children. The great thing about Natchitoches is that, no matter the season, there are always family-friendly attractions and events to visit! 2014 Witch Way to Main Street event featuring a trick-or-treat table set up by local business, Bright Beginnings.
Natchitoches in the fall is an experience you won’t want to miss. As you make your plans to visit for the 89th Annual Festival of Lights this holiday season, I encourage you to preview the city and its many events this month so that you and your family may experience all that Natchitoches has to offer—which is a lot—over the course of the season. Also, Natchitoches in October is absolutely beautiful with scarecrows, pumpkins, and hay lining the Downtown area. This is a city you can’t help but “fall” in love with! (See what I did there?) Make sure to check out the Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights website and subscribe to our weekly E-newsletter so that you can stay in the loop with everything happening along the Trail!
