Galloway Guide To Haunted Houses, Hayrides, Other Halloween Frights

GALLOWAY, NJ — There are plenty of places around Galloway to experience all the Halloween frights. Our scary guide includes everything from pet parades to witchy fun, some better experienced for adults and others suitable for children.

Here’s what’s going on leading up to Halloween (the 31st is on a Tuesday, so plan accordingly):

Costume Pet Parade
Where: 615 E. Moss Mill Road, Galloway
When: 1 p.m. Oct. 21
Admission: Free, to participate call Paw Dazzle at 609-748-7110
Features: 100+ costumed pets strolling through Historic Smithville.

Monster Bash
Where: Historic Smithville & Village Green
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 28
Admission: Free
Features: Vendors, music, costume contest with $100 cash prize and more.

Trunk or Treat/Towne Center Celebration
Where: Galloway Municipal Complex/Municipal Fields
When: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 28
Admission: Free
Features: Trunk or treat in conjunction with Towne Center Halloween Celebration. Treats for kids under 12.

Witches Day Out
Where: 615 E. Moss Mill Road, Galloway
When: 2 p.m. Oct. 29
Admission: Free
Features: Wear your witches hat and enter a parade, or get discounts and specials at shops.

Experts say some of us are hard-wired to enjoy the full-body experience of being scared, as long as we know we’re in no real danger. Adrenal glands go into overdrive when we’re frightened, triggering a rush of dopamine and endorphins, the “pleasure” hormones.

That’s different from the “bad fear” triggered in dangerous situations, according to Cleveland Clinic psychologist Chivonna Childs.

“There’s also a good side to fear, and that’s what scary movies, true crime and haunted houses tap into,” Childs wrote on a Cleveland Clinic blog. “We understand that there’s an end to those experiences, that the bear’s not gonna get us. We know that going through a haunted house is just for fun, that it’s only people in costumes.

“But it still rings those bells for adrenaline, endorphins and dopamine. You experience the euphoria because you know you’re safe.”