Exhuming last-minute Halloween activities in the SCV
By Jim Walker
As we enter the last days before Halloween, you might wonder if there is some spooky fun still to be had around town. And you’re probably looking for things that require a little less commitment and expense than the big theme park haunts. Herein, we have compiled a small but tasty bag-o-treats for you.
Bones Gulch
Scott Sivley’s home haunts are legendary in the SCV, and have grown and transformed into something truly special this year. Bones Gulch is a combination of three major haunts. “By combining the three haunts – Beware the Dark Realm, Restless Souls Manor, and the Farm Haunt – we can take our individual specialties and mold them into a group effort,” Sivley said. At night, Bones Gulch turns into a haunted attraction with a heart-pounding scare zone, plus entertainment and a haunt maze. Tickets for the remaining nights are $20.
“We are a nonprofit event to raise funds for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Museum, and it is held at the Jack Bones Equestrian Center in Castaic. Not only are we still open from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on October 29 and 30, but on October 30 we also have a free, daytime, kid-friendly trick or treat day with a magician, makeup show, car show, and a lights-on walk-through of our haunt maze. This is for non-scare trick or treating from the scare zone buildings and more.”
Bones Gulch is located at the Jack Bones Equestrian Center, 26983 Tapia Canyon Road,
Castaic, CA 91384. Visit http://bonesgulch.com/.
Those special houses
You are surely aware that many folks in the SCV like to deck out their homes in full haunt décor. And if you’ve been out at night lately, you know where they are. But here we include a few homes where the owners hope you will come out and see their handiwork.
Sugar Pine Way: You might think Scott Sivley has enough on his hands with Bones Gulch, but he is, additionally, still haunting-up his own home at 28621 Sugar Pine Way in Saugus. “I’m doing my home haunt for Halloween and the local community,” he said. “We have a small walk-through.”
Acklins Avenue: “Welcome to our Spookytown. We have gone above and beyond to decorate our front yard for Halloween,” Carrie Mathis said. “We have had hundreds of people that have come near and far to share in the experience. My fiancé and I have posted it on all of the local sites. There are many things to look at, including a lighted cemetery, creepy clowns and a ‘bartender,’ who is serving the last drink you will ever need. Watch out for the 12-foot witch flying through the trees, or the 15-foot-tall mummy. There are also a few things that might jump at you. Please join us after dark until October 31 at 33218 Acklins Avenue, Acton, CA 93510. Drive by or walk up to the fence and check it out.”
Sequoia Glen Drive: “During the pandemic, my husband Danny and I felt bad that the neighborhood kids were all on lockdown and would miss out on the traditional Halloween haunted houses and other fun,” said Robert Cowan. “We decided to kick up our display so they would at least have something to see … So it kinda snowballed from there. Last year we had horse and pony rides and a couple lost souls wandering around the haunt. This year we really kicked it up and turned it into a little family friendly walk-through haunt. We added a bunch of new animatronics, including a witches’ coven with a flying witch, a 10-foot-tall howling werewolf, a grim reaper, the dark angel, a 12-foot-tall skeleton and more! We have it lit and foggy all night from sundown until 10:00 p.m. and our walk-through will be open the next two weekends, Friday through Sunday, and Halloween from sundown until 10:00 p.m.
Sequoia Glen Cemetery, presented by Robert and Danny Cowan, 27747 Sequoia Glen Dr., Valencia CA 91354.
Rio Bosque Drive: The entire front of the house at 27117 Rio Bosque Drive in Valencia
is covered with Halloween decorations, including lighting effects, sound effects, fog machines, inflatables, animatronics and lots and lots of other decorations. Overall, hundreds of items to look at and enjoy.
“My son is 7 years old and this started as a project with daddy,” Scott Smith said. “He loves Halloween and usually for the whole month of October we spend at least an hour or two adding to the display and just having fun when people drive by. It’s usually on from dusk until 10:00 p.m. weekdays. Halloween weekend it will be on until midnight. Halloween night it will be on as long as there are treaters.”
Trunk or Treats
Trunk or Treats are becoming more popular every year. And though some have already been held this season, here are a couple you can still attend.
SCUMC: After a two-year break, the annual Trunk or Treat is returning to the Santa Clarita United Methodist Church at 26640 Bouquet Canyon Road. This is a free event designed to be a safe, fun activity for families. Children of all ages can trick-or-treat from car trunk to car trunk in a line-up of cars in the parking lot – and maybe grab a hot dog after. Free-will donations are appreciated. The parking lot will be closed to traffic to ensure safety, so please look for parking in the surrounding area. The event will be held on Sunday, October 23, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Visit www.scumc.org/new-events.
BethlehemSCV: A Trunk or Treat will also be held at BethlehemSCV, 27265 Luther Drive, Canyon Country, on October 28 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. It will be a fun evening for the whole family, with and games for the kids, plus local food trucks and boutique vendors.
The event is free, but please consider bringing a donation of non-perishable food for Santa Clarita Grocery. Visit www.bethlehemscv.com/trunk-or-treat/.
