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Millcreek Journal

Festival Transylvania: a two-week Halloween event

Oct 12, 2020 12:23PM ● By Cassie Goff

By Cassie Goff | [email protected]

Festival Transylvania, a Halloween multi-week event, will be hosted by Millcreek Gardens (3500 S. 900 East) in late October. Many outdoor family-friendly activities will be offered, aiming to put attendees in the spooky spirit. 

The garden grounds be transformed into a Halloween-themed destination with decorations beginning Oct. 16. Families can walk through the Silly Story Walk to interact with Halloween characters full of hijinks. Modelled after common Spook Allies, Millcreek Gardens Story Walk will be angled towards more family-friendly entertainment. After some mischief, attendees may want to visit the Spooky Hollow Munchery to find a potion or brew to calm the nerves. 

“Our monsters really like the dark,” said Office Manager and Event Planner Layne Reece. She encourages families and individual attendees to consider visiting Festival Transylvania around 7 p.m. or later for the spookiest experience. 

Attendees of 11 and younger may leave Festival Transylvania with a gift bag that they may use for trick-or-treating. Inside the bag will be treats from Millcreek Gardens and other sponsors—no tricks though. 

Millcreek Gardens has partnered with Nostalgic Arts Productions in order to provide this Halloween event. “You won’t find any gore or violence at Festival Transylvania,” Reece said. “There won’t be actors jumping out from behind corners to startle you. Instead, you’ll find a fun and clever story walk though various scenes of Transylvania: a hysterical fortune-teller, a botched laboratory experiment, and even an appearance by the headless horseman!” 

During the duration of Festival Transylvania, two contests will be held simultaneously. A pumpkin decorating contest can be entered by adults and children, while a coloring contest can be entered by children up to 12 years old. All artwork will be displayed at Millcreek Gardens through Oct. 31. Those with the most aesthetically pleasing pumpkin and coloring page will win a prize. Contest results with winner announcements will occur no later than Oct. 31. 

The pumpkin decorating contest is available for contestants of all ages. To be considered, pumpkins can be carved, painted, or otherwise decorated. Decorated pumpkins must be submitted in person with the appropriate form attached (see website for details) no later than Oct. 24. During evaluation, pumpkins will be considered in three categories based on age range: the first for entrants from three years old to 10 years old, the second for entrants from 11 years old to 17 years old, and the last for entrants 18 and older. Contest winners will be announced no later than Nov. 7, at which time prizes can be procured. 

If in need of a pumpkin, Millcreek Gardens has many available for purchase. They are a garden first and foremost after all. 

The coloring contest asks contestants to submit their decoration of a coloring page provided on the website detailed below. Submissions will be accepted within three different categories based on age range: the first for children between two years old and five years old; the second for children between six years old and nine years old; and the last for pre-teens between 10 years old and 12 years old. Submissions must include a parent or guardian name and contact information to be able to notify the winners upon deliberation, which is anticipated to occur by Nov. 7. Once notified, winners can pick up their prizes at Millcreek Gardens. 

If Halloween isn’t your thing, Millcreek Gardens is a great place to experience the autumn season as visitors can “bask in the beauty of fall in Salt Lake City,” said Reece. 

Millcreek Gardens is taking extra precautions to ensure the safety of their guests and employees. During Festival Transylvania, everyone will be required to wear masks, groups will be limited, social distancing is recommended for patrons, and employees are required to practice social distancing; all to keep guests and monsters alike safe. 

Those interested can visit Festival Transylvania beginning Friday, Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m. until Oct. 31. The festival will run from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 5:30 p.m. through 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 

Tickets must be purchased online based on time slots. It is possible to add group tickets to cart of up to 50 individuals, but groups may be dived into groups of six to 10 per social distancing guidelines. Adult tickets, dependent on time and date, range from $5 to $7. Children under two years old can attend Festival Transylvania for free.

For further information please visit the Millcreek Gardens website. www.millcreekgardens.com