Community | Events | UAFS MailbagOctober 13, 2023

UAFS Mailbag: Spooky SZN

Written By: Ian Silvester

Hey Lions! Welcome back to another edition of the UAFS Mailbag. Fall is in the air, and spooky season is upon us.

Personally, fall is my favorite time of the year. The cooler temperatures, football games, and crockpot meals, I believe, are some of the best things to enjoy. But as a kid, this time of year had me excited for two things: my birthday and Halloween. As you likely don’t care about my birthday as much as I do, I’m here to talk about Halloween and things to do to get you in the mood for the spookies.

We do Halloween big here at UAFS. I’m talking big, like two decades strong. The 20^th annual Haunted University returns to campus on Oct. 28 from 6-9 p.m. The event is free and open to all of campus and the community. There will be carnival games, Trunk-or-Treating, and a student-operated haunted house.

If you can’t wait until then to get your fright on, there are a few scares here locally. Spend a Friday or Saturday night from 6 p.m. to midnight at Asylum X Haunted House, 223 N. 10^th St., Fort Smith. They are also open on Halloween. Want more scares? Check out The Haunted Prison and Trail of Terrors, located at 3138 Dora Road, Van Buren, about 15 minutes from campus. The haunt is open from 7 p.m. to midnight, Fridays and Saturdays, and will be open on Halloween. Looking for a little more of a remote fright? Head to the Haunted Trail of Greenwood at 4816 S. Highway 253. The trail opens Friday the 13^th for a bonus of spooktacular fun and will be open every Friday and Saturday from 7-11 p.m. until the end of the month. If you are up to a longer drive, the Halloween Festival at the Castle of Muskogee is open Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30-10 p.m. until Oct. 28. Here, you can pick from a variety of scares.

Scares aren’t your thing? Don’t worry; there are still plenty of things to do nearby to prepare you for Halloween and fall. Check out Halloween light shows at the Extreme Light Show, 8005 Bridgewood Lane, Fort Smith – I’ve personally witnessed the Christmas display done here and know this one will be just as fun. You can also head to Greenwood for the Dedmon Holiday Lights Show at 4375 Fawn Trail. Downtown Fort Smith will also host the Downtown Witches Ride on Oct. 29. Trade in your broom for a bike and cruise around with fellow witches…I mean riders.

But I believe fall isn’t complete without going to a pumpkin patch and picking the perfect one to carve. Most will be a bit of a jaunt, but use the time to take in the fall colors and beauty of the Natural State. The Pumpkin Patch on Brown Lane in Ozark (6036 Brown Lane) is open until Nov. 12, Fridays from 3:30-8:30 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You can also head up the hill to visit any of the many pumpkin patches in Northwest Arkansas.

Be sure to send pictures of costumes and be featured on UAFS socials, and as always, send me what you’d like to have covered in an upcoming UAFS Mailbag by emailing communications@uafs.edu.

Until next time,

Ian

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• Fall
• Mailbag
• Haunted University
• Halloween