Feel the Halloween spirit all month long!
Students from the pre-kindergarten class at the Stepping Stones Pre-School, including, from left, Sarah Burns, Raelyn Henson and Charlotte Shea, learn about pumpkins while visiting the pumpkin patch at Trinity United Methodist Church in Gainesville in October 2011.
Erica Brough/Staff Photographer/FilePublished: Sunday, October 7, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, October 5, 2012 at 7:24 p.m.
Imagine this: You and your friends are walking in complete darkness, a cool breeze grazes your clothing, and an overwhelming sense of impending danger descends.
Welcome to the sights and sounds of a Halloween maze.
Once the site of a booming sawmill town, Eerie Acres in Chiefland, which opened for the season last week, is now "haunted" by several characters, including the possessed sheriff, the daughter who was committed to a mental institution, and the disfigured family.
It is one of several attractions in North Central Florida providing some spooky atmosphere this month in advance of Halloween. The haunted trail opens at dark, and is not recommended for children under the age of 13.
Haunted houses, trails and corn mazes are an integral part of celebrating Halloween.
Expect costumes to reflect the popular Marvel Comics-inspired movies, "The Avengers," "The Amazing Spider-Man," "The Dark Knight Rises."
Employees at costumes shops, including A Simply Unforgettable Party Shop in Ocala and Flashbacks Recycled Fashions in Gainesville, said superhero costumes and masks are in big demand.
Here's a list of some of the area's attractions:
Corn mazes
Newberry's Cornfield Maze
What: Corn maze, haunted house, hay rides, mechanical bull
Where: Hodge Farms, 20015 W. Newberry Road, Newberry
When: 3-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2-5 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 3
Tickets: Adults $9, children 10 and under $7; hay rides $5
Information: www.newberrycornfieldmaze.com
Brown's Country Market Corn Maze
What: Corn maze, jumping pillows, corn cannon. Corn maze will be haunted on select nights.
Where: 133992 N. U.S. 301, Oxford
When: 2-10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 11
Price: $10 ages 17 and up, $5 ages 4 to 16, free for ages 3 and under
Information: 352-303-1550
Coon Hollo Corn Maze
What: Corn maze, hay rides, farmyard obstacle course
Where: 22480 N. U.S. 441
When: 4-9 p.m. Fridays, noon-9 p.m. Saturdays, and 2-9 p.m. Sundays through Nov. 4
Tickets: Adults $9, seniors 65 and up $8, children 4-10 $7, children under 3 free, military, law enforcement, firefighters with ID $6
Information: www.coonhollocornmaze.com
Rogers Farm Fall Festival
What: Spooky trail, corn maze, petting zoo, hay ride, vortex tunnel. The spooky trail and the corn maze are "haunted" after 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Where: 3831 NW 156th Ave., Gainesville
When: 5 p.m.-midnight Fridays, 10 a.m.-midnight Saturdays and 1-7 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 28
Tickets: $8 for games (including maze) or $12 for everything; children 3 and under free
Information: www.rogers-farm.com
Pumpkin patches
The Pickin' Patch
What: Pumpkin patch, kiddie corn maze, hay rides, hay forts
Where: 11110 Rolling Hills Road, Dunnellon
When: 3-7 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and noon-7 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 28
Tickets: General admission $2; children 3 and under free
Information: www.dunnellonpumpkinpatch.com
Alachua Pumpkin Patch Sponsored by First United Methodist Church of Alachua
What: Pumpkin patch
Where: 14805 NW 140 St., Alachua
When: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon-8 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 31
Information: www.alachuafirstunitedmethodist.org
Trinity United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch
What: Pumpkin patch
Where: 4000 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville
When: Through Oct. 30
Information: www.trinitygnv.org
Pumpkin Patch of Greathouse Butterfly Farm
What: Pumpkin patch, hayrides, pumpkin toss
Where: 20329 State Road 26, East Earleton
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays through Thanksgiving. Hay rides are 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays and noon-2 p.m. Sundays.
Information: www.butterflyfarm.com
Costume stores
Spirit Halloween
Where: 2400 SW College Road, Ocala
Hours: 9 a.m.-10 p.m. week of Halloween
Information: 352-299-3906
Persona Vintage Clothing and Costumes
Where: 201 SE Second Place, Gainesville
Hours: Noon-5 p.m. Mondays, noon-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, noon-9 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 1-5 p.m. Sundays
Information: 352-372-0455
Flashbacks Recycled Fashions
What: Costume shop and consignment/vintage clothing
Where: 509 NW 10th Ave., Gainesville
Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, noon-5 p.m. Sundays
Information: 352-375-3752
Ocala Civic Theatre Costume Department
What: Ocala Civic Theatre's costume department rents costumes used in its shows.
Where: 4337 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala
Price: $30 per costume rental
Information: 352-236-2274, ext. 110
A Simply Unforgettable Party Shop
Where: 3601 East Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala; 3500 SW College Road, Ocala
Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays
Attractions
Haunted Broward at the University of Florida
What: Largest haunted house on campus
Where: Basement of Broward Hall, University of Florida
When: 8 p.m.-midnight Oct. 25
Information: www.facebook.com/HauntedBroward
Eerie Acres Haunted Attraction
What: Haunted trail, corn maze, hayrides, kids zone
Where: 14372 NW 50th Ave., Chiefland
When: 4-11 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 28
Tickets: $15 for the haunted trail, $7 for maze, $3 for hayride, $5 kidzone, $20 for combo, $10 for kids combo
Information: www.eerieacres.com
Ninth Annual Phantoms in the Forest
What: A spooky storytelling experience, sponsored by The Friends of Silver River State Park Inc.
Where: Silver River State Park, 1425 NE 58th Ave., Ocala
When: 7 p.m. Oct. 27
Tickets: Park admission is free during the event.
Information: 352-236-7148
Keystone Heights Jaycees Haunted Trail
Where: Keystone Heights Airpark, just off of State Road 100, Clay
When: 7:30-11:30 p.m. Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
Tickets: $10 per person; bring a canned good and receive $1 off of admission
Information: www.facebook.com/KHJaycees
Silver Springs Fright Nights featuring the Ocala Jaycees Haunted House
What: 40th annual Jaycees Haunted House, Spirit of the Swamp Cemetery, Creatures of Carnage Show
Where: 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs
When: Oct. 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27
Tickets: $13 for adults and children
Information: www.silversprings.com/frightnights
Ocala Ghostwalks and Historical Tours
What: Ghost tours of Ocala, starting at the Seven Sisters Inn and walking through Downtown Ocala
Where: Seven Sisters Inn, 828 E. Fort King St., Ocala
When: 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Price: $15 per person, children 6 years of age and under free
Information: www.ocalaghostwalks.com and 352-690-7933
Florida Annual Bat Festival
What: Eighth Annual Florida Bat Festival, featuring the largest collection of fruit bats in the world, including bat-themed arts and crafts, educational presentations and vendors.
Where: Lubee Bat Conservancy, 1309 NW 192 Ave. Gainesville
When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 27
Tickets: Admission is free, donations are encouraged
Information: www.batconservancy.org
Theme parks
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Orlando
When: Select nights through Oct. 31
Information: www.halloweenhorrornights.com
SeaWorld Halloween Spooktacular
When: Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 19-21, 26-28
Information: www.seaworldparks.com
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom Park
When: Select nights through Nov. 2
Information: www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
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