Spooky Spectacular pairs train rides with Halloween fun at Steamtown
Grab your costume for a weekend of Halloween adventure that’s off — and on— the rails.
SteamtownNational Historic Site, LackawannaAvenue andCliff Street, Scranton, will host anotherSpookySpectacular from9 a. m. to 5p. m. SaturdayandSunday. Children andadults are encouragedto dressupto checkout the Halloweengeared activities throughout the railroading museumandits grounds, whichrecentlydid awaywith its admission fee.
Bill Fischer, Steamtown’s chief of visitor services and resource management, was not at the site for last year’s event but knows it “just seemed to really strike a note with families.”
“They had a good time ( with) kids coming here with the different activities,” he said. “It was a real success, sowe opted to do it again.”
Activities are mainly geared toward children ages 6 to 15. On Saturday, kids can trick- or- treat on a scavenger hunt throughout the main museum complex.
“There will be kinds of riddles for them to figure out where to go ( in) the station as part of the scavenger hunt,” Fischer said.
Also that day, representatives fromLackawanna County Library System will read stories, while students fromGeisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine will “do some fun things with skeletons,” Fischer said.
“We’ll have some craft activities to make your own skeleton and other arts and crafts,” he said. “They can also learn some interesting facts fromthe medical students about the human skeleton. So that should be interesting. It will be a nice opportunity to get some of the localmedical students out here.”
Amagician Fischer said was popularwhen he performed at Steamtown’s Railfest in September will do “kid- friendly, Halloweenthemed magic shows.”
This year’s schedule will not include the Roundhouse of Terror, an adult- geared haunted attraction held at night last year. Steamtown hadworked on that with partner groupswho had conflicts this time, Fischer said, although he did not rule out offering it another year.
Adults and kids alike can continue theHalloween fun aboard one of theweekend’s many train rides. Saturday’s Scranton Limited and Sunday’sNayAug Gorge Limited short train trips, whose coaches Fischer said are “decked out a little bit with Halloween- themed stuff,” cost $ 5 for ages 6 and older. Trains leave the roundhouse each day at 10: 30 and 11: 30 a. m. and 1: 15 and 2: 15 p. m.
On Sunday, a diesel train will carry travelers to Gouldsboro— dubbed “Ghouls- boro” for the day— and back for a roughly 50- mile roundtrip from11 a. m. to 3 p. m. Guests can grab light refreshments at theGouldsboro station before heading back to Steamtown. Tickets are $ 34 for adults 16 to 61, $ 29 for seniors 62 and older, $ 22 for children 6 to 15 and free for children 5 and younger, although they still require a no- cost ticket. To reserve a spot, call 570- 340- 5204 daily from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m.
“Our partners at the Gouldsboro station really enjoy the trains coming out, and they always have great activities for folks. ... They always put on a good show,” Fischer said.
He believes guests enjoy the Spooky Spectacular’s family- friendly nature.
“We’ve decorated the complex the last couple of days, and nothing horribly scary,” Fischer said. “It’s just a fun family event, and most kids love trains anyway, so it just kind of blends those two things.”
Steamtown National Historic Site, Lackawanna Avenue and Cliff Street, Scranton, will host Spooky Spectacular on Saturday and Sunday.