Holding onto the Halloween Spirit for One More Weekend? Check Out Wicked Haunt Fest in Charlestown

With one weekend left until it closes, Wicked Haunt Fest is a Halloween oasis in Boston, turning what would otherwise be a vacant lot in Charlestown into an interactive holiday experience. Use this as your guide for what is and isn’t worth it at this month-long pop-up event.

Wicked Haunt Fest boasts of three main attractions: Harvest Awakening, Into the Astray, and Rise of Annkh, each with their own themes. In three separate massive tents, a twisting path is designed to take visitors past intricate decorations — from evil pumpkins to mummies — while actors scatter throughout the haunt, ready to startle wayward travelers.

Despite all of them being designed as haunted houses, the only one that would get most adults’ adrenaline flowing is Into the Astray, the “sensory haunt.” With smoke machines casting a fog through a winding maze, there’s a heightened suspense as you await actors ready to jump at you. And perhaps this one is longer or the lack of sight simply makes the maze seem eerily never-ending.

Meanwhile, Harvest Awakening is a general Halloween-themed haunt filled with spiders and aggressive-looking pumpkins, while Rise of Annkh is Egyptian-tomb-themed. Though both of these would certainly be exciting for kids, the fear factor is lacking for individuals past the age of 13. The jump scares become repetitive and lose their thrill by the third time, especially since they lack creativity beyond actors jumping out from behind curtains in costumes.

Most of the spooky storylines for these experiences show through intricate decorations and special effects, which are what ultimately make them worthwhile for jaded grown-ups who have trouble buying into being scared. Even though it might be expected that some kind of sasquatch creature is about to appear from behind that curtain, the massive, detailed structures that surround you — such as a 10-foot tall moving mummy or a giant spider partly glowing — can still inspire awe. Make sure to take time to appreciate the sets, rather than letting the small group you’re with hurry the pace.

However, when deciding between a full access or one-attraction ticket, consider the elaborate scenery throughout the park that all visitors can already access. The Graveyard which has skeleton horse-drawn carriages with skeleton birds overhead, the Skeleton Mountain — a boxy structure with human sized skeletons climbing up to their larger skeleton overlords, and the giant werewolves offer perfect photo spots.

Beyond the “scary” attractions, multiple drink counters are placed across the set up. Be sure to feel satisfied with comfort foods, such as hot dogs and remarkably good mac ’n’ cheese, or try a fall treat, such as the cinnamon sugar-rimmed pumpkin beer or caramel apples.

The whole area is designed with enough tables to sit or stand and enjoy the food scattered everywhere. While it might be nice to have an indoor seating area on days with bad weather, feel free to skip the beer garden, which is really just some more tables under a tent. However, you can enjoy yourself at all these spots listening to the DJ set a lively tone for the night, playing all the best Halloween hits.

Finally, don’t sleep on the shops. Towards the back of the area there are multiple pop-up tents with Wicked Haunt Fest merchandise, Halloween-themed Boston clothing, a psychic reading table, witchy jewelry, festive mugs and candles, or candy. Some products are campy but most seem well-made and worth it if you haven’t yet gotten yourself a Halloween treat.

Overall, it’s nice to have this new place to go and revel in the Halloween spirit around Boston, rather than feeling the need to travel to Salem or other nearby towns that have more longstanding experiences every October. While Wicked Haunt Fest is certain to be enjoyed by children who marvel at the scary haunts and take breaks in Dino Land playing cornhole, it’s also nice for everyone to have the chance to journey to a festive excursion right in Cambridge’s backyard.

—Staff writer Margo A. Silliman can be reached at ​​margo.silliman@thecrimson.com.