We attended Hallowe’en at Greenfield Village on Friday night, October 14 (Opening Night). This was our first time attending Hallowe’en and we had a great time. There are still several more evening of Hallowe’en left this year.
 |
| Greeted by the Grim Reaper |
 |
| Ghost on the balcony |
We were not sure what to expect as this was our first time attending the event. You will purchase your ticket for a specific entry time. Before entering, you are met in the plaza by costumed employees with maps and treat bags. Once entering, you follow a pre-defined treat-trail lined with jack o’lanterns. According to the Henry Ford’s Facebook page, they carve over 800 pumpkins each week for display during Hallowe’en.
Along the path, there were people in character…a fortune teller, mad scientists, pirates, and more. The path is a one-way path with treat stations. The buildings are not open, so you aren’t stopping to visit the houses, shops, or other buildings. Hallowe’en is not a good time to make your only visit to Greenfield Village since you do not get to visit the houses, shops, and work areas.
I was really surprised that so many adults were also dressed up. Next year we will probably try to do a little more of a costume (I wore my witches hat). The treats were for children and adults alike. As we approached the gate, the employees were there to make sure that everyone took a treat bag no matter their age. The treats that we received were nice – apple, large pixie stix, McDonaldland cookies, bag of chips, flying toy, etc. Some of the treat stations were sponsored and giving out their own treats (ie Ronald McDonald was there and they gave out McDonaldland cookies at the McDonald’s treat station).
There were three places to get food along the path. The first was an outside stand with donuts, cookies, cider, and hot chocolate. There was a bit of a line and we were not ready for a treat yet, so we kept going. Taste of History was open if you wanted to go inside and have a more filling snack. Our original plan was to have dinner there half way through our visit, but we had a change of plans and ate before the event. The final station had a small shop with Hallowe’en merchandise, fudge, and other treats. My husband and I each tried some fudge while our daughter opted for a caramel apple.
There may be a few things that young children may find scary, but overall the event is not very scary. I did not notice any children overly afraid. You could also avoid some of the scary areas if needed.
We had a 6:30 entry time. At first I was disappointed that it was still light out since we were missing the full impact of the jack o lanterns. However, after our snack it was completely dark and it would have been really dark in some areas as we went through. I think 6:30 was a perfect entry time since we had mostly twilight and very little in the complete dark. We were finished at 8p. On a Friday night I was glad that we were not out very late since my daughter had been up early for school.
We definitely recommend attending Hallowe’en at Greenfield Village. We plan to attend again next year. It has also encouraged us to do Holiday Nights again.
Hallowe’en is held on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights until October 30. There are entries every half hour from 6:30-9p on Friday and Saturdays and 6:30-8p on Sundays. Tickets are $15 for non-members and $12.75 for members. Children 2 and under are free. Tickets may be purchased online, by phone (313-982-6001), or in person. The event does sell out, so you should purchase your tickets in advance.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with The Henry Ford and was not compensated for writing this review. I purchased my own tickets as a member of The Henry Ford.
