Kids can visit Paws Happily Haunted Halloween event on Oct. 20 and Oct. 21, and teens can have spooky fun at Hallow-teen on Oct. 28.
For years, Mt. Laurel’s former Paws Farm Nature Center held its annual Halloween Bash in mid-October to give hundreds of children in the township and their families a chance to have some safe, spooky fun.
Although management of the center was turned over to Garden State Discovery Museum late last year, the reborn Paws Discovery Farm will continue the Halloween traditions by offering three Halloween-themed events for kids and teens this year.
First up on Friday Oct. 20 and Saturday Oct. 21 is the Paws Happily Haunted Halloween event.
Kids and families are invited to take a trip to Paws on either day from 6 to 9 p.m. to join with staff at the farm in celebrating all things Halloween.
Children and their families can enjoy spooky stories, crafts, music, dancing, costume contests, snacks and, of course, a few encounters with some of the farm’s animals.
According to Kelly Lyons, executive director of Garden State Discovery Museum and Paws Discovery Farm, the event is very close to what residents and locals have experienced in years past.
“It’s very similar to the previous Halloween event, with a little bit more pizzazz,” Lyons said. “A little Discovery Museum magic will be added.”
Admission is $5 for Paws Discovery Farm members, $6 for Mt. Laurel residents and $10 for general admission.
Lyons is also promoting the second of three Halloween-themed events at Paws this year and something new to the farm with its Hallow-teen event on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 7 to 10 p.m.
For the township’s slightly older children looking for something a little more “frightening” this Halloween, kids ages 13 to 17 are invited to stop by Paws and enter the farm’s haunted trails, take haunted hayrides, visit a ghoulish graveyard and interact with some creepy, crawly critters.
Lyons said the farm has plenty of snakes, owls, spiders, scorpions and other nocturnal creatures to enjoy.
“This is specifically for kids ages 13 to 17, because it’s an underserved age range and they’re always looking for something to do outside of going to the mall or a movie,” Lyons said. “Our event will be creepy and scary, but not quite a zombie apocalypse.”
For kids looking for their fill of zombies, however, the event will also feature a screening of “Night of the Living Dead” at 8 p.m. for teens to enjoy before heading home after their evening of frights.
Admission for the Hallow-teen event is $10 per entrant.
Finally, on Halloween day from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Paws will offer a “Sensory Friendly Halloween” during its normal hours of operation.
The event will feature a story time and Halloween related crafts, along with offering kids the chance to arrive in their Halloween costumes and explore the farm and show off their outfits to their favorite animals.
Paws Discovery Farm is located at 1105 Hainesport-Mt. Laurel Road. For more information about the farm or this year’s Halloween events, call (856) 778–8795 or visit www.pawsdiscoveryfarmonline.com.
