Fall has FINALLY arrived in Wilmington and even though we’re all going to miss racing to the beach after class, autumn has a lot in store for us… Especially Halloween! Just because we’re “grown-ups” now doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate with the rest of them! Whether you live for thrills or prefer a quiet night in carving pumpkins, here’s are 5 Halloween-inspired activities to try out this season:
1. Harvest Arts Fest: Dozens of local vendors and artists will set up at Tidal Creek Food Market on October 21st. It’s always great to support local artisans and this is the perfect way to do so! Additionally, there will be entertainment from local musicians Laura McLean and Broccoli Brothers Circus. To top it all off, there will be a silent auction at the end of the event with all of the proceeds going towards a Reverse Osmosis filtration machine that will be placed at DREAMS Center for Arts Education. Shopping, supporting local, live music and a great cause? Sounds like a good time to me!
2. Phobia Haunted Trail: CarnEvil in the Woods: Another spooky adventure can be found at Phobia Trails off of Shipyard Blvd. This years theme is clowns- you’ve been warned! Grab a few friends and stroll through the woods as creepy actors with eerily realistic makeup do everything they can to make you have nightmares for the rest of the year!
3. Mikes’ Farm: Not into the scary stuff? Don’t worry- you’re not alone! If you’re willing to make a bit of a drive, Mike’s Farm in Onslow County is the place for you. Offering classic hayrides leading to a large pumpkin patch; Mike’s is just right for a festive date, or day out with friends!
4. Crawl-o-Ween: For our 21+ readers, Hell’s Kitchen hosts an awesome Halloween bar crawl that goes around Downtown Wilmington! Don’t forget to wear your most creative costume- you just might win a prize! Best of all, the crawl benefits Nourish NC, which is a local organization that provides children in need with healthy food choices and helps them to succeed in the classroom and throughout the community.
5. Not in the mood for an expensive adventure? We are college students on a budget after all. There are countless trails in Wilmington that will be stunning as the leaves continue to change! Grab your pup and your headphones, relax, and take in the beautiful sight of fall at the Dub. Top the day off with your fave Halloween movie and some warm apple cider!
Whether or not you’re a “Halloween person,” autumn in Wilmington is breathtakingly beautiful and full of countless activities and adventures just waiting to be had! Wishing everyone a safe, fun, and candy-filled upcoming holiday!
-Rachel Zima
IMC Hawks Blog 
Fall IS here! I am so glad such an eloquent writer has put together a list of activities a UNCW student needs to know about 2017’s Halloween events.
Great post! As a transfer student who came from Boone I was worried that I would miss a lot of the fall activities that the mountains have to offer, but now I know that there is still quite a bit going on in Wilmington. I am definitely going to check out the Haunted Trail, I have a friend who is terrified of clowns, and the pumpkin patch. I’m looking forward to the cold weather and all the new adventures to be had!
I’m so glad that I read this article! I heard about CarnEvil in the Woods earlier, and was actually planning to go this weekend! However, I had not heard about Harvest Arts Fest. I definitely want to go tomorrow, it sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Thanks for the idea!
Don’t get me wrong, I love the beach, but I’m definitely ready for some fall weather. I will have to check out Mike’s farm for sure. My friends and I have been wanting to check out a farm to grab some pumpkins (and some pics)! Thanks for the great festive ideas!
I absolutely loved reading this! Fall is just the best, and the writer gives great ways of how I could experience it in new, fun ways! I am so sad I missed the Harvest Art’s Fest, but will definitely drink apple cider and walk along trails with my friends! Thanks for the great help!
The Fall season is upon us and I could not be more excited to participate in some of these activities. It is very helpful that you posted this so I am aware of the upcoming events. The crawl-o-ween is at the top of my list!
This article made me so happy to read. I am such a big fan of fall, and didn’t know of any of these opportunities in my local area. I am definitely excited to go check out the clown themed haunted trail!! I loved going to these in high school, so maybe it’s time to try out another one. It just so happens to be right down the road for me! Thanks for the post.
As an international student, I am always on a search to do new things. So when I saw the title of this blog, I was immediately intereseted in reading it. I am from the Netherlands, and we don’t celebrate Halloween, as you guys do. Therefore, when I am here I want to get the best Halloween experience as possible. Despite, up until now I hadn’t heard about anything that I needed to do to experience the ultimate Halloween. Fall, is not my favorite season, but after reading your blog, you make me enthusiastic for it. I am definitely going to do some of the activities you listed, and hopefully afterwards, I will have a more positive association with Fall and have experience the ultimate Halloween.
I am so so so glad you posted this! My roommate and I were JUST looking for fall activities to do as we are getting the cold weather itch! Between the festival, pumpkin picking, and the scary mazes I think we now have a full agenda ahead of us! Thank you so much for posting this!
Great post! As a transfer student at UNCW that came from University of Arizona, I am very excited to see all that North Carolina and especially Wilmington has to offer for Fall. Fall is my favorite season and Halloween is my favorite holiday and with this list, I now have many different activities to choose from and have some great new experiences here in Wilmington. I had not heard of any of these activities before and I look forward to looking them up and hopefully experiencing more than one this season.
I had no idea there were this many events in Wilmington during the fall season. The crawl-O-ween definitely caught my attention and I now hope to experience that this year. Living in Wilmington is such an awesome thing in so many ways and these kind of events are what makes living here so great.
Rachel,
I loved reading this article. I’ve been so excited for fall and love to hear about other fall activities (other than the Pumpkin Spice at Starbucks- the only festive activity I’ve participated in). I’m glad you included something for everyone. I’m a fan of Halloween and scary so I will be looking into the CarnEVIL in the woods even though I don’t like clowns. Love the fact that you included things we could do even if we are on a budget! Thanks for the great autumn ideas and for including great pictures and descriptions.
I really enjoyed reading your post! I’m from Delaware, so a bit further away, and always carved pumpkins, made pumpkin flavored food, and went to a scary trail with a big group of friends. Since I’ve been in Wilmington for school I always feel like I miss out on so many fall activities and never know where all these things are. I’m bummed I missed out on the Harvest Arts Fest but will definitely check out the Phobia Haunted Trail off of Shipyard Blvd. have been looking for a good Halloween Trail around Wilmington so this is perfect, thank you!
These are such great ideas! I really love the verity that you give the reader. There’s something for everyone! CarnEvil is such a fun idea, I wonder if also adding the BOOthenthal trail on campus would appeal more to your readers. Love how theres variation in where and when these fall festivities are occurring so that you could attend all of them if you wanted.
Hi Rachel,
This is a great way to celebrate the fall season in a more “mature” way, which really appeals to the appropriate audience. It’s also a great way to promote local events and encourage people to get out, have fun and be festive. I especially relate to number five, because I’m a huge believer in creating an ambience to influence your mood.
Rachel,
I am so glad I came across your article! I love fall and I have been looking for fun stuff to do around the area! I like that you found a something fun for all different kinds of people. I’ve heard about the “Carnevil” and actually was looking into going sometime soon! Going to pass this along to my friends, I didn’t realize there was so much fun and festive things to do around Wilmington!
I really enjoyed this article. I am most excited about the crawl-o-ween and visiting Mikes Farm. My roommates and I have been looking for cool fall activities to do and this list really helped!
Great post! This article was very informative and well written! I like how you talked about activities that are suitable for kids and adults. These are great ways to take advantage of the fall weather events in Wilmington.