Opening Friday, Oct. 10 and running from 7-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights through Nov. 1 (with a special night on Oct. 30) will be “Heritage Haunt: The Curse of the Ghoul Mines,” a spooky spin-off highlighting the mining history of our valley. 

And for the young ones – or those too timid to be scared when the sun goes down – the Society in partnership with William S. Hart Park is hosting a free Pumpkin Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Festival events in Hart Park include a pumpkin carving contest, with free pumpkins to the first 100 carvers, a special Bug Show from the Natural History Museum, an animal show from the Placerita Nature Center and tours of the William S. Hart mansion and museum.

Participants can bring their own pumpkins for carving or purchase them at Hart Park. There will be prizes for the best in two age groups: age 10 and under and age 11 and over.

In Heritage Junction, kids can create their own Haunt mazes, pan for gold, see a ghost hunters show, take tours of the historic homes as well as backstage tours of Heritage Haunt (with the lights on!) and meet the Haunt characters.

Heritage Haunt is a high -tech special effects haunt with Scare Zone and  Spooky Maze. Last year, Heritage Haunt was named as the best Halloween haunted house in the city in 2007 and this year they have improved the presentation and added performances to the mix.

On Friday nights during the Haunt, there will be local bands providing music for Halloween revelers with three shows nightly and on Saturday evenings, the New World Dance Production of “Sleepy Hollow,” will be performed three times a night.

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Admission will be $8, with pre-sale tickets available on line at scvhaunt.com and from local high school and junior high school AVID programs. Tickets may also be purchased at the Heritage Junction Saugus Train Station 24101 Newhall Avenue (formerly San Fernando Rd.) in Old Town Newhall.  Tickets purchased after October 9 are $13.  Food and drinks will be available for purchase. 

During opening weekend Oct 10-11, the Society will conduct a Hunger Defense Fund canned food drive. Bring in a can of food or non-perishable item for $5 off the gate ticket price.

For information about the Festival or the Haunt, call (661) 254-1275 or visit www.scvhs.org.