Hallowe’en Family Fun at Greenfield Village

My kids are at great ages – 11 and 7 – for enjoying all things Halloween. That’s why I’m pleased to tell you about our visit to Hallowe’en at Greenfield Village this past weekend. Many thanks to The Henry Ford Museum for providing me and my family with passes. All thoughts are my own.

Have you ever wondered what Halloween was like 100 years ago? When you visit Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday night in October, you can find out what Halloween looked and felt like way back when. There are pumpkins, characters, treats and more!

1,000 Pumpkins

Entrance times to Hallowe’en at Greenfield Village are staggered every half hour in the evening. Unlike daytime hours when you might stroll through the historical buildings, during Hallowe’en nights you must follow a mile-long path. What makes this so cool is the more than 1,000 hand carved jack o’ lanterns lighting the way. Seriously, the pumpkins were my favorite part. Some were simple, some were intricate, but all were beautiful and so cool flickering in the night.

Costumed Characters

Throughout the walk, you will encounter many costumed characters from the period. The first one we met was the eerie Grim Reaper, who was sharpening his scythe behind a fence. My kids weren’t too scared, but we also didn’t stay too long to observe him either! Then there were fortune tellers, wizards, pirates, fairies and more to greet you, tease you, and wish you a happy Hallowe’en.

My daughter, 7, loved the fairy sisters, one bad and one good. Can you tell which one was the bad fairy?

My son, who was wearing a skeleton sweatshirt, heard the same joke over and over (and it made him laugh each time). Characters were always calling out to me and his dad, “Feed him! He’s just a bunch of bones!”

Frightening sights and sounds

There was a dark, foggy covered bridge we had to cross and a knarled, spooky woods to traipse through. But not too scary! Seriously, kids of all ages were at Greenfield Village and I never saw anyone young or old truly frightened. Even the kids who were posing by scarecrows–who then came to life–weren’t more than mildly scared in a gotcha! kind of way.

Treat stations

The favorite part of the night for my son, 11, were the treat stations. I’d guess there were about 10 throughout the walk giving out treats like a piece of candy, a bag of chips, and an old fashioned Hallowe’en postcard. Even the moms and dads got treats! We brought the kids’ trick-or-treat bags from home, but they were handing out plastic bags at the entrance that my husband and I got for our goodies.

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our walk through Greenfield Village to celebrate the spirt of Hallowe’en from long ago. It was fun, a bit spooky but not too scary, and a great way to enjoy ourselves as a family.

Tips if you go

• You can order tickets for the remaining weekend online or by calling 1-313-982-6001.
• Bring a small flashlight. We were glad we had one whenever we wanted to read the map.
• All kids were dressed in costume; about 1/3 of adults were, too.
• There are several snack bars and restaurants open if you need a snack. We stopped for apple cider and kettle corn – yum!
• Be prepared for crowds. It was sold out the night we attended and we were never alone. This was both festive and something to be aware of if you don’t like crowds.
• Be prepared to walk. You might end up parking further away than you’d like, plus the trail is a mile long. Wear comfortable shoes.

How do you like to celebrate Halloween as a family? Have you ever been to Greenfield Village?