Chatham Guide To Haunted Houses, Hayrides, Other Halloween Frights

CHATHAM, NJ — There are plenty of places around Chatham to experience all the Halloween frights. Our scary guide includes everything from festivals to trunk or treats, some 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):

Chatham Township Trunk-or-Treat:

• Where: In the parking lot of the Municipal Building located at 58 Meyersville Road
• When: Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to noon.
• Admission: Any resident interested in handing out candy from their vehicle must register via the following link: bit.ly/chathamhalloween.
• Features: Participating vehicles are required to be decorated in festive Halloween themes and to have candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters. In addition to the main trunk-or-treat events, attendees can expect to enjoy music and a range of interesting activities suitable for families and children of all ages.

Halloween Craft Day:

• Where: Library of the Chathams (214 Main St. Chatham)
• When: Oct. 30, at 4 p.m.
• Admission: Registration for this event will be open from Oct. 16, at 9:30 a.m. to Oct. 30, at 3 p.m.
• Features: Happy Halloween! Join the haunted library in a spooky craft the night before Halloween! Children will get to create a paper bag monster puppet and paint pumpkins.

Morristown Official Halloween Bar Crawl:

• Where: Horseshoe Tavern (36 Speedwell Ave.) + Various Venues
• When: Oct. 28, from 3 to 9 p.m.
• Admission: Register here
• Features: The bar crawl consists of visiting several bars in the city, each with its unique Halloween drink specials, decor and spooky surprises.
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Morris Township's Annual Trunk-or-Treat and Halloween Movie

• Where: Ginty Field (45 Woodland Ave.)
• When: Oct. 28, at 3 p.m.
• Admission: Any resident interested in handing out candy from their vehicle must register on community pass in advance.
• Features: A big-screen movie plus a trunk or treat make for a fun day in Morris Township. Collect treats from trunks on Dwyer Lane, then gather for a showing of "Scooby-Doo" on Ginty Field at dusk.

Morristown Game Vault Halloween Cosplay Nite:

• Where: 22 South Street, Morristown
• When: Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.
• Admission: During the special event, between 7 and 11 p.m., attendees can enter with a special discounted rate of only $20.
• Features: This is an all-ages event to celebrate the season, compete for prizes, and play some retro games. Cosplay, homemade, and store-bought costumes are all welcome. Costumes are not required to receive the discounted rate but are always highly encouraged. The costume contest itself will be at 8:45 p.m.

Halloween Party With Mama D & The Vexations:

• Where: Laundromat Bar, 4 Dehart Street
• When: Oct. 28 at 07:30 p.m.
• Features: Don’t miss Morristown’s biggest Halloween party. What will the band be wearing this year? Find out at the coolest live-music venue in town.

Florham Park Rotary Halloween Dog Parade and Costume Contest:

• Where: Florham Park Gazebo, 111 Ridgedale Avenue
• When: Oct. 14, from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Features: Special guests will include McGruff, the Crime Dog, and a presentation by the Morris County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit. Categories include the funniest, most creative, scariest, cutest, and best-in-show.

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.”