
DATE: Sunday, October 26, 1997              TAG: 9710240173

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  176 lines

FROM PARK, TO HOMES TO MALLS, IT'S A TREAT

As usual, with the approach of Halloween, things in Chesapeake start getting fun, festive and very spooky. Here are some of the horrific happenings taking place in the city for children, and even adults.

The Train of Terror - Halloween in Chesapeake means taking a train ride. But this train makes stops at sites the faint-of-heart would rather avoid.

We're talking about the annual Northwest River Park's Ghost Train, which has been running through the park for many years. The park is at 1733 Indian Creek Road, off South Battlefield Boulevard in the southern end of the city.

The train runs through the park Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The train runs on a half-hour schedule beginning at 6:30 p.m., each day. Hurry and get your tickets, this is one of THE hottest Halloween attractions in the city and many times sells out.

The park is as spooky at night as it is lovely during the day, and it serves as the perfect backdrop as the train winds its way past gory, horrible and scary scenarios expertly performed by student volunteer actors.

You must buy the ride's $5 tickets in advance between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. at the park store. There's a limit to 15 tickets per person. Proceeds from the attraction goes back to enhance and/or beautify the park or to help fund park programs.

Call the park at 421-7151 for more information and get onboard the soul-less train!

Haunted forest - After taking the train, why not stroll through a forest? Haunted forest, that is.

And the Chesapeake Jaycees have just the one for you.

It's the 24th annual Jaycees Haunted Forest, taking place on Eden Way North (that's the road behind the new Circuit City/3 In 1 supermarket, past the Marriott Motel, Fairfield Inn and Comfort Suites).

This year's forest, manned by a dedicated group of Chesapeake Jaycees, will feature 17 scenes of fright and fun. You'll be taken on a walking tour through about eight acres of natural woodland in the Greenbrier area of the city. You'll witness scenes of horror and fright all performed by Jaycees members and local high school volunteer actors.

The Haunted Forest will be in operation every evening through Halloween night. Tours during the week take place from 7:30 until 9:30 p.m. Halloween's tour begins at 7:30 p.m. and will last until the final tour is over.

Tickets are $13 for a family of four, $6 for adults and $4 for children. Bring two canned good and get a buck off each ticket. The canned goods will be used by the Jaycees to fill up holiday food baskets for the city's needy folks.

Proceeds from the forest of fright will be used by the Chesapeake Jaycees to fund its Camp Virginia Jaycees, a summer camp for handicapped Virginia kids. Other money earned from the event will be used by the organization for various other community help projects

Call 548-3824 for more Haunted Forest or Chesapeake Jaycees information. And take the family on a nice stroll through the Haunted Forest, it would be scary if you missed it.

Horror by the Yard - If you've ridden the Ghost Train and walked through the Haunted Forest, why not drive by one of Chesapeake's scariest yards on West Road?

The yard in question belongs to Keith Harris, an art teacher at Norfolk's Maury High School. The artistic Harris has used plywood and paint and been scaring neighbors and drive-by admirers for the past 10 years.

Everything in his yard lights up at night and features many of frightdom's top citizens.

During Halloween, his yard includes a 7-foot tall Egyptian mummy, getting ready to cross the street. At the other end of his yard is that blood sucker himself - no, not an auditor from the IRS - Count Dracula, getting ready to fly away in his batty form. His yard is also inhabited by a witch, brewing up something sinister in her cauldron. And let's not forget Frankenstein's monster, that bolt-in-the-neck monster made out of spare body parts.

In fact, ol' Frankie was Harris' first Halloween creation. This year Frank has tied the knot with Harris adding the Bride of Frankenstein to his rogue's gallery.

Drive by his house at 825 West Road. It's fun, it's frightening and . . . it's free.

Parks and Rec demonic doings - Every Halloween the various Chesapeake community centers, staffed by recreation specialists with the Chesapeake Department of Parks and Recreation, present and sponsor parties and activities for children. Here is a look at the various planned events.

The River Crest Community Center, 1001 River Walk Parkway, will hold a free Halloween Happening on Wednesday from 6 until 8 p.m. for ages 12 and younger.

The party and seasonal carnival will include games, activities and refreshments. All participants should come in costume and bring a trick-or-treat bag. Children 9 and younger must be accompanied by a parent.

Call 436-3100 to register and for more information.

Then on Thursday, the South Norfolk, Western Branch, Deep Creek, Camelot and Indian River community centers will hold free parties and events.

The South Norfolk center at 1217 Godwin Ave. will hold a Halloween story time/craft hour for 6-year-olds at 4 p.m. and for ages 7-12 at 5:15 p.m. The Chesapeake Public Library co-sponsored activity will include scary stories, snacks and crafts. Come in costume.

A Halloween carnival and costume contest will take place for ages 12 and younger from 6 until 8 p.m. at both the Deep Creek center at 2901 Margaret Booker Drive and the Camelot center at 2901 Guenevere Drive. Both centers will offer games, candy and costume contests.

It'll be a real Fright Night at the Indian River Community Center, 2250 Old Greenbrier Road. There will be Halloween stories, tricks and treats for children younger than 12 from 4 to 5 p.m. and for kids 12-15 from 6 until 8 p.m.

The Western Branch Community Center at 4437 Portsmouth Blvd. will be a regular haunted house from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for ages 9-11 and from 7:30 until 9 p.m. for ages 12-15. The center promises a coffin-load of surprises for youngsters.

And children younger than 9 who attend any of the above events must be accompanied by a parent.

Get malled - For parents who would rather have their children trick or treat in a safe, well lighted and climate-controlled environment, then take 'em to the mall.

Both of Chesapeake's indoor shopping malls - Chesapeake Square at 4200 Portsmouth Blvd. in Western Branch and Greenbrier Mall at 1401 Greenbrier Parkway South - will offer inside trick-or-treating for children up to the age of 12 on Friday, Halloween night.

Both malls invite children to come in costume for some serious trick-or-treating from 6 until 8 p.m. Children should pick up their complimentary loot bags at each mall's customer-service desk. The first 100 kids will receive a special surprise at Greenbrier and all children at Chesapeake Square will receive some start-up candy in their bags.

Children at both malls will then be able walk from one store to another to collect their treats from the mall merchants.

In addition, Chesapeake Square will hold a special costume contest sponsored by 2WD radio at 7 p.m. at the mall's activities center by the food court. Prizes will be awarded in four age categories: infant-5, 6-12, teens and adults.

Creating Mr. Pumpkin Head - We've all carved a pumpkin, creating the traditional jack-o'-lantern. But generally all we ever seem to do is take a knife and carve out a crude grinning face.

There's got to be more to it than just that and Dennis Roberts of the Old World Florist will show you how today. He'll be on hand to offer ways to create a variety if unique faces and designs on your holiday pumpkin.

``Pumpkin Carving with Dennis'' takes place today from 2 until 3:30 p.m. at meeting room 1 of the Chesapeake Central Library, 298 Cedar Road. Space is very limited and the library suggest you call ahead at 382-6591 to register.

Bring your own pumpkin, a carving knife and your imagination. Children younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

Old fashioned Halloween - If you're looking for a good pre-Halloween party, look no further than the Oaklette United Methodist Church at the corner of Oaklette Drive and Indian River Road.

The Youth of Oaklette Methodist Church will be hosting an Old Fashioned Halloween Party today from 6 until 7:30 p.m. for ages 1-12. The free festivities are open to the public and will include games, costume judging, prizes, food and a haunted house. Come dressed in your finest, and scariest, Halloween finery.

For more information about the party, call the church at 545-7434.

Halloween safety from Shoney's - If you're looking for a way to learn some good Halloween safety tips for your kids, take them to the Chesapeake Shoney's Family Restaurant at 721 N. Battlefield Blvd. on Wednesday, during its regular Shoney's Kid's Night activity.

Shoney's Kid's Night activities are held every Wednesday evening from 4 until 9 p.m. Two children will be able to eat for free when accompanied by a paying adult. Children will be able to dine in the special Kid's Korner at the restaurant's back dining room, which features a special Kid's Bar, movies and popcorn. The Kid's Bar offers spaghetti, peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken fingers and veggies.

This week's special Halloween themed event begins at 5:30 p.m. and will feature a representative from the Chesapeake police department who will offer trick-or-treat safety tips. In addition, all participating children will be given glow-in-the-dark hand stickers and the Kid's Korner area will be decked out in special Halloween decorations.

Call the restaurant at 547-2620 for more information. ILLUSTRATION: Staff file photos

The 24th annual Jaycees Haunted Forest, taking place on Eden Way

North, will feature 17 frightful scenes on eight acres of natural

woodland.

The Ghost Train runs through Northwest River Park on Monday, Tuesday

and Wednesday on a half-hour schedule, beginning at 6:30 p.m., each

day. Hurry and get your tickets, this is one of THE hottest

Halloween attractions in the city and many times sells out.