Top 10 Vancouver Halloween events 2013

Halloween in Vancouver means a packed lineup of spooky, creepy and often downright terrifying events and attractions. Looking for a Halloween scare? Don’t freak out. From zombie combat and bone-chilling haunted houses to family-friendly ghost encounters, here are the top 10 Vancouver Halloween events in 2013.

Top 10 Vancouver Halloween events 2013

1. The Zombie Syndrome: On Death Island

Back for its second year, The Zombie Syndrome offers Vancouverites the chance to fight the zombie plague in an interactive show by award-winning artist Andy Thompson. Part theatre, part scavenger hunt, participants meet at a secret location in Vancouver and use GPS on their smartphones to save the world while eluding zombie hordes. The Zombie Syndrome is on now through November 3. Tickets start at $25 (plus service charges) and can be purchased online.

Visit www.facebook.com/TheZombieSyndrome for more information.

2. Zombie Combat Zone Paintball

Head to White Rock for a wildly-popular, chilling paintball experience akin to living a Walking Dead episode. Experience the zombie apocalypse Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tours are $666 ($55 a person). The more people in your group (to a maximum of 12) then the less expensive it will be per person.

Visit www.zombiecombatzone.com for more information.

3. Fright Nights at the PNE

This classic Vancouver Halloween event combines multiple Halloween attractions into one big scare for ages 12 and over. Face your fears at PNE’s Playland amusement park, which transforms into a spooky landscape consisting of six haunted houses, 12 rides and a freaky sideshow: The Monsters of Schlock. Open October 11 to November 2. Ticket prices range from $25 to $35.

Visit www.frightnights.ca for more information.

4. Halloween at FlyOver Canada

One of Vancouver’s hot new attractions, the flight simulation program FlyOver Canada, has put together a creepy yet family-friendly flight through the night sky. Open daily from October 17 to November 2. Tickets are $11.95 for kids ages 4-12 and $16.95 for 12+.

Visit www.flyovercanada.com/halloween for more information.

5. Parade of Lost Souls 2013

One of the only Halloween parades in all of Canada, the Parade of Lost Souls goes down on Saturday, October 26 in Commercial Drive neighbourhood. The starting point will not be revealed the day of the walk. This a costumed, grassroots event. The suggested donation for participating is $5.

Follow @PublicDreams on Twitter to stay in the loop.

6. Dunbar Haunted House 2013

An elaborate, volunteer-run haunted house considered by scare connoisseurs as one of the most unnerving. Families with kids should visit during the daytime, when the actors aren’t adding an extra element of horror. Adults in search of a frighteningly good time should come after 7 p.m. It’s $10 per adult and $5 per child under 12. All proceeds going to local charities.

For more info on dates and times, see this Vancity Buzz post.

7. Stanley Park Ghost Train

Hands down the best pick for family-friendly fun, Stanley Park Ghost Train takes passengers on a creative, magical and acceptably eerie ride through the nighttime forest. The sights are done by talented performers of Mortal Coil. Open from October 11 to November 2. It’s $11 for adults and $7 for ages 3 to 17.

Visit www.vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/ghost-train.aspx for more information.

8. Vancouver Haunted Trolley Tour

For a more subtle, lasting scare, hop on the Vancouver Haunted Trolley Tour for two and a half hours of murderous tales and ghost stories from Vancouver urban history. The tour wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Mountain View Cemetery and the autopsy room of the Vancouver Police Museum. On from October 18 to 31. The tour is adults only. Tickets are $40 per person.

Visit www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/seasonal/haunted-halloween for more information.

9. Chinatown Haunted House at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden

It’s Halloween and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden is haunted. This terrifying experience is not suitable for children. Bring your peers and help solve a crime in a terrible tableaux inspired by the gruesome stories of Judge Dee: China’s Sherlock Holmes. Open from October 24 to 31. Tickets are $12.

Visit www.seventyrants.com/haunted-garden for more information.

10. Haunted Village at the Burnaby Village Museum

An ideal Halloween experience for families with young children, the outdoor 1900s village hosts ghostly celebration that includes a Bone Shaker Ball, a circus sideshow and carousel rides. Attendees are encouraged to wear their costumes. Open from October 25 to 27. Adults tickets are $14. Children ages 2-12 are $9. Admission includes trick-or-treating.

Visit www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca for more information.

Browse more Vancity Halloween coverage:

Find more Halloween Vancouver community events here.

Photo credit: Flickr / Matt Erasmus