Halloween Decoration Ideas for Your Ann Arbor Home

Decorating for Halloween can involve the entire family. To begin, select a large orange pumpkin together for the front door area. Carving a spooky face and adding lights inside will set the mood. Now comes the fun part — how to create a one of a kind Halloween experience for the little trick or treaters that will ring your doorbell. Ask each family member what they like best and incorporate their ideas into the decorations.

Ann Arbor Halloween Home
by Between Naps on the Porch

Halloween Decoration Ideas for Your Home

There are the typical plastic spiders to hang up dangling from fake cobwebs and the stuffed black cats placed in windows. But you can also try unusual things this Halloween. Some people have displays of Autumn items such as a scarecrow or pumpkin patch in the yard. A friend decided to pretend to be the scare crow and as the children walked up he moved slightly. It took a few minutes for them to realize that the stuffed scare crow was moving and they would get the candy and run screaming down the steps.

There are eerie sounds like creaking doors and spooky noises to greet the children as they ring the doorbell. Or you might add chuckling or boo sounds to the pumpkin by the door. It will amuse children when the pumpkin talks.

Also, add some of the deep purple lights on windows or front gates. Not only do they look beautiful but they cast a glow on the pumpkins by the door. Or you can decorate with strings of miniature lighted pumpkins. These light the entryway of your house without being to bright.

Halloween Party Ideas

If it’s a Halloween party you are throwing add dry ice to the table in a “witch’s cauldron.” The overflowing mist will provide atmosphere to the night. Sometimes, in Ann Arbor it can be cold even as early as Halloween. So when you use decorations outside its best to not use cardboard cut outs as they won’t hold up. Instead, think of plastic or natural fibers such as ghosts made of weather resistant cotton. A display of ghosts can be created in the front yard to attract trick or treaters.

Plan ahead so that you have the time to make a Halloween night to remember. You can use different sizes of pumpkins each with a scary or cute face to decorate outside. When the pumpkins are lighted their glow will be welcoming to passers by.

Halloween Home Decorations
by FOCAL POINT STYLING

Halloween in Ann Arbor

Halloween in Ann Arbor can be magical. Its a wonderful close knit community 35 miles west of Detroit. Near the Huron river it has dense forests and hills. The University of Michigan is located here as well as the Nichols Arboretum.

When holidays arrive its great when everyone gets into the decorating. Driving down the city streets look at the shops to get some new ideas. Work with your neighbors to make a whole block a Halloween spook adventure. Creating a spook house is another idea you might consider. With black cats and candy corn it is sure to be a hit.

Need a Home Perfect for Decorating? Explore Ann Arbor Real Estate

Ann Arbor’s Halloween Attractions & Pumpkin Patches

Ann Arbor is a beautiful tourist town that offers a wealth of amenities to local residents and visitors. October brings many fun, family-oriented events to the Ann Arbor community, including several great haunted attractions and corn mazes. If you are looking for some fun Halloween thrills this fall in the Ann Arbor area, you should check out these exciting attractions that are coming up.

Ann Arbor Halloween Cemetary
by Sk12

The Brandywine Cemetery

  • Where: 2727 Brandywine Street in Ann Arbor
  • When: October 30th and 31st. Gates are open between 7PM and 7:30PM, gate closes at 9PM
  • Price: Free. Donations are accepted for area charities each year. This year’s contribution will go to the local food bank
  • More Info: Click Here

The Brandywine Cemetery Tour is a haunted attraction that is located in the southeast part of Ann Arbor. This beautifully detailed cemetery contains amazing sculptures of gargoyles, tombstones and various props that are used for haunted attractions throughout the city. This gore-free event is a fun way for the entire family to enjoy the spirit of the Halloween season. Each year the Brandywine Cemetery takes up donations to benefit local Ann Arbor charities.

Slaughterhouse Adventure

  • Where: 5781 Grand River in Fowlerville
  • When: Open every Friday and Saturday starting on October 4th, from 7PM to 11PM
  • Price: Slaughterhouse, Haunted Maze and Haunted Hayride are all $13.00 per person, per event. Combos and Group Discounts are available. Price for Haunt-Free Corn Maze is $6.00, children under 4 are free.
  • Phone: (517) 223-9140
  • Web: Click Here

The Slaughterhouse Adventure located in nearby Fowlerville offers an abundance of thrills and chills for all ages. There are plenty of spooky attractions and gore-filled mazes to take part in at this annual Halloween event, as well as a family-friendly haunt-free corn maze. The Slaughterhouse Adventure and Grand River Corn Maze guarantee that you will have an experience like no other, whether you travel through the haunted maze, take a tour of the Slaughterhouse, or travel along on the Haunted Hayride. There are combo packs available so that you enjoy two, or all three attractions at a discounted price.

Ann Arbor Corn Maze
by Lulu Hoeller

The Blast Corn Maze

  • Where: 6175 Daly Road in Dexter, MI
  • When: September 1st through November 9th, from 5 PM to 10 PM on Fridays, 11 AM to 10 PM on Saturdays and 11 AM to 8 PM on Sundays.
  • Price: $7.00 for Adults and $5.00 for Children ages 5 to 12. Children under 4 are Free. Group rates of 15 or more people are $5.00 per person. Hayrides cost an additional $3.00 per ride.
  • More Info: Click Here

The Blast Corn Maze is a family friendly event that is located in Dexter, MI which is not too far from Ann Arbor. There is a ten acre corn field that features 3 ½ miles of trails with three exits. Kids can play on the mountain of straw or in the corn box before of after walking through the maze. Other attractions include the Corn Cannon, Cow Train, Duck Races, Pedal Car event and Picture Props. There will be pumpkins, Indian corn, gourds, corn stalks and straw bales available to purchase in October.

Halloween in Ann Arbor, MI

The Ann Arbor community has a lot of fun and spooky attractions to offer local visitors and residents each year. Whether you are hoping to experience the scariest entertainment in town or get lost inside a corn maze with the entire family, you are sure to find an event that will suit your fright level in or around Ann Arbor.

Learn More About the Ann Arbor Area

Ann Arbor Community Events and Entertainment for October

October has arrived and there is something for everyone here in Ann Arbor. Take a look at a few of the events happening around town this month!

____________________________________________________________________________________

October 03, 2012

Oyster Fest at Real Seafood

Make your reservations for one of Real Seafood’s most famous and favorite events of the year…

Oyster & Beer Dinner!

Salad, Entree & Dessert included with unlimited fresh, cold-water Oysters and select micro-brewed beer from Short’s Brewing Company

341 S Main, Ann Arbor
View Website
Full event info

When: Wednesday October 03, 2012
Cost: $64.95 per person
________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 04, 2012

UMS Presents: Basiani

Can music transcend? Ensemble “Basiani” was created in 2000 with the blessing of Ilia II – Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia.

UMS is pleased to introduce to Michigan audiences the highly praised choral/folk music ensemble, Basiani, from the Republic of Georgia. The extraordinary program performed by Basiani is representative of Georgia’s musical heritage and comprises samples from almost every geographical region of the Republic. It is an exceptional, highly memorable performance that embraces the range and variety of Georgian folk culture and its distinctive, highly developed forms of polyphony – a central aspect of the cultural legacy that led to UNESCO’s designation in 2001 of Georgian folklore as a masterpiece of the spiritual treasury of the world’s “non-material” culture (which includes folk traditions as a bearer of cultural heritage).

Commenting on their 2010 appearance at Lincoln Center as part of a Mostly Mozart program, James Oestreich wrote in The New York Times that Basiani’s performance of “Georgian polyphony descended from an ancient tradition… stole the main show [at Alice Tully Hall]…. The ensemble, singing in close harmony, presented sacred and folk music displaying polyphonic devices ranging from simple drones to intricately interwoven melodies, which often crossed or combined to produce harmonies pungent to the Western ear.” UMS looks forward to sharing the vocal mastery of this magnificent musical ensemble in a program of discovery and revelation.

St. Francis of Assisi Parish, 2250 East Stadium Blvd, Ann Arbor
View Website
Full event info

When: Thursday October 04, 2012 at 7:30pm
Cost: $25-35

________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 07, 2012

“Journey to Freedom” Underground Railroad Bus Tour

The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes, hidden places, determined citizens and self-liberated people of color seeking freedom. Two essential routes to Detroit and ultimate safety in Canada crossed in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Discover the role Washtenaw County played on this docent guided tour by the exteriors of local and nationally-known Underground Railroad landmarks, sites and homes.

The tour season runs April-October, we also offer talks and presentations. Those without transportation are encouraged to call at least three weeks before the scheduled dates.

African-American Cultural and Historical Museum, 3261 Lohr Road Ann Arbor
Visit website
Full event info

When: Sunday October 07, 2012; 2 – 5pm
Cost: $20 per person / without transportation
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oct. 11, 2012 – Oct. 13, 2012

UMS Presents: Theatre de la Ville: Ionesco’s Rhinoceros

Can performance create tension and inspiration? A farce. A tragedy. An experiment of the mind. Rhinoceros was first written as a short story in 1957 by Eugène Ionesco, who was influenced by his time in Romania as a young man, when nearly everyone around him converted to fascism.  The animals in the play represent authority in all of its horrific glory. Rhinoceros was the first time Ionesco wrote characters with a plausible psychology, and he used the conventions of theater to tell a story about protest and conformity.

Rhinoceros is a parable about French collaboration with the Nazis. It begins in a small town square where Jean meets his apathetic friend Berenger for a drink. Soon a rhinoceros runs through the square, shocking all except Berenger.  As the square is overrun with rhinos, people in the town transform into rhinos as well. Berenger, on the other hand, transforms from indifference and aimlessness to a strong human identity with something to believe in and fight against: the tyranny of the rhinos.  It all serves as a metaphor for people resisting the crowd and standing up for their own ideas.

Ionesco is considered a leader of the “Theater of the Absurd” – plays in this style suggest that human existence has no meaning.  Playwrights whose work is often characterized in this style also include Samuel Beckett, Jean Genet, Harold Pinter, Tom Stoppard, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Fernando Arrabal, and Edward Albee.

Experimental, emotional, and emphatic – this performance is not to be missed.

Power Center for the Performing Arts, 121 Fletcher Street, Ann Arbor
Visit website
Full event info

When: 10/11–7:30pm, 10/12–8:00pm, 10/13–8:00pm
Cost: $18-48
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oct. 20, 2012 – Oct. 21, 2012

Ann Arbor Antiques Market

In 2012, the Ann Arbor Antiques Market will continue its tradition as a mainstay in the field of antiques and select collectibles. The Market offers the public a vast selection of quality antiques in the comfortable surroundings of seven buildings and numerous tent canopies.

For 44 years the Ann Arbor Antiques Market has offered a wide range of quality antiques and collectibles to buyers throughout the United States and Canada.
Exhibitors have sucessfully offered for sale every type of antique imaginable from early Americana to Art Deco. The large crowds at each show have provided dealers with knowledgeable customers and have given an economic boost to the entire field of diversified collecting throughout the years.

Washtenaw County Farm Council Fairgrounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road, Ann Arbor
Visit website
Full event info

When: To be Announced
Cost: To Be Announced

________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 27, 2012

UMS Presents: The Mariinsky Orchestra of St. Petersburg

Can emotion be performed? Valery Gergiev has long been associated with the Mariinsky (formerly known as the Kirov) Orchestra – including 11 previous UMS appearances.

This program features Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, which had its world premiere in 1913 in Paris, just 16 days after Hill Auditorium opened. The ballet, with choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky, caused a scandal, yet it has had a tremendous impact on music for the past 100 years and is now considered a masterpiece of the 20th century.

The concert also features piano soloist Denis Matsuev, who made his UMS debut with the Mariinsky in October 2010 and returned for an equally stunning recital in January 2012. He returns as piano soloist for Shostakovich’s Concerto in c minor for Piano, Trumpet, and String Orchestra.

“Ever since his triumph in the 1998 Tchaikovsky Competition, Denis Matsuev’s name has inspired awe and amazement in musical circles. And for once, the hype…is, if anything, low-pitched. For here is a virtuoso in the grandest of Russian traditions…” (Gramophon Magazine)

Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor
Visit website
Full event info

When: Saturday October 27, 2012 at 8:00pm
Cost: $10-80

________________________________________________________________________________________________

October 28, 2012

Annual Family Halloween Party

Have a Halloween that’s fun, safe and educational as well!  By combining entertaining activities with informal science learning, the Exhibit Museum’s Family Halloween Party has become one of the most popular Halloween activities in the area.

Partygoers will journey through the Museum, discovering special stations and displays full of hands-on activities.  Many favorite stations will be back, along with new stations, and live animals.

Come in costume (not required, but recommended) and don’t forget your goodie bag – we”ll be handing out treats.  The party is suitable for all ages, and is FREE!  No reservations or tickets are necessary.

Exhibit Museum of Natural History, 1109 Geddes Ave, Ann Arbor
Visit website
Full event info

When: Sunday October 28, 2012: 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Cost: This is a free event.
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Oct. 31, 2012 – Nov. 03, 2012

Kerrytown Concert House presents: 16th Annual Edgefest

The 16th annual Edgefest (October 31 – Nov 3, 2012) will explore new music created by today’s American improvisers and composers who now, more than ever, are reaching back to multiple artistic roots, reflecting a growing awareness of the cultural complexity of contemporary American society.  The accumulations of different origins, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, filtered by contemporary, uniquely American experiences, have produced a cornucopia of new music; a blending of improvisational-avant jazz with the composers’ own—often multiple–artistic/cultural roots. 

In the tradition of Edgefest the roster includes international musicians as well as performers and ensembles from our home community of Southeast Michigan and showcases some of the most celebrated and creative multi-instrumentalists on the scene today.

415 North 4th Avenue, Ann Arbor
Visit website
Full event info

When: Oct. 31, 2012 – Nov. 03, 2012; 7:00p.m. & 9:30p.m.
Cost: $10 -$30 Individual events, $135 Edgepass, $50 Saturday daypass
________________________________________________________________________________________________

Above was a sampling of the activities occurring in our community during the month of October. Please be sure to check out one of the many events being held during the month and have a good time!

Click here to view community events in Ann Arbor, MI for the month of September.

To view the Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors Bureau,
click here and choose your own criteria and dates.

Click here to search all Ann Arbor Area Michigan
homes and condos with pictures and tours – FREE

Kathy Toth and Team
www.KathyToth.com
Keller Williams Realty