A guide to Halloween in Memphis

The+Second+Baptist+Church+holds+its+annual+pumpkin+patch+until+the+end+of+October%2C+and+it+has+become+a+community+staple.+Visitors+are+able+to+stroll+around+the+patch%2C+try+their+pumpkin-spice+granola+and+even+play+a+game+of+cornhole.+

HANNAH LAM//THE SCROLL

The Second Baptist Church holds its annual pumpkin patch until the end of October, and it has become a community staple. Visitors are able to stroll around the patch, try their pumpkin-spice granola and even play a game of cornhole.

Looking for a scare? What about a sweet treat? Memphis is filled with activities to celebrate Halloween and welcome the freezing weather. Even within a two-mile radius of White Station, there are a multitude of seasonal attractions filled with pumpkins, candy and spooky thrills. 

Although many students have left trick-or-treating long behind, there are many other ways Spartans can be involved in the Halloween season. 

Maybe you want an adrenaline pump…

Something crackles and snaps a couple of steps behind you and a shrill scream whips your head around as the rumble of a chainsaw gets closer with each step. This might not seem like the typical maze experience, but you better get used to it once you step into the Mid-South Corn Maze. Whether maze-goers are horror fanatics or just looking for a weekend excursion, the haunted maze is sure to be a memorable and remarkable adventure.

For the twenty-first year, the Mid-South Corn Maze attracts hundreds and thousands of thrill-seekers with the haunted experience. The paths wind into a tangle of words that produce the iconic logo of “I Love Memphis.” 

…or do you just want to stay home?

Bringing spells and nostalgia, Hocus Pocus 2 unleashes the Sanderson sisters once again after nearly 30 years. The movie was released directly to Disney+ and has received mixed reviews, but the humor and original cast evoke a sense of comfort for many who enjoyed the original 1993 film.

If you are looking for more of a scare, Michael Myers, masked and armed with knives, returns in Halloween Ends. As the thirteenth movie of the Halloween series, possibly the last, it still follows the classic serial killer story that has lasted 44 years. 

Perhaps you just want to volunteer.

Skeletons, Demogorgons and real-life bats? The Memphis Zoo hosted the annual Zoo-Boo from Oct. 14 to Oct. 31, and White Station’s Key Club members attended as volunteers, passing out candy and greeting the young trick-or-treaters. With new Stranger Things decorations, light-up pumpkin arches and tangles of cobwebs, people of all ages are welcome to walk through the zoo and celebrate Halloween. 

Jenny Nguyen (10) and Ami Masler (12) fill the bags of trick-o-treaters at their station. Volunteers and visitors dressed up in costumes as they walked about the zoo. (MARIZA CASTAÑEDA//USED WITH PERMISSION)

Crazy about pumpkins?

Just off Perkins, the Second Baptist Church pumpkin patch offers a large variety of fall decorations ranging from pumpkins to flowers to odd-shaped gourds. If you are looking for something to do after school, there are areas for games and photo opportunities within the pumpkin patch. 

Some may say pumpkin flavors are a monstrosity while others consume the popular fall flavor with pure joy. Well, for the pumpkin lovers, Gibson’s Donuts, a Memphis classic, is baking fresh pumpkin-spice donuts. A mere five-minute drive from White Station, Gibson’s is already a popular spot for Spartans to spend time after school. Grab a seat with your pumpkin donut and coffee, and you might even catch a Spartan working behind the counter. 

No matter how you spend your Halloween and the fall season this year, Memphis has a plethora of activities for any individual.