Many people dread the end of summer because it means the end of lazy days lounging in the sun, pool parties and icy cold treats. But just because the season has ended doesn’t mean the fun has to end, too. With the start of fall comes a whole new range of amusing activities. For those in the Lansing area, there are pumpkins to be carved, cider to drink and scares to be had this season.
Go behind the scenes at a cider mill
Rather than purchasing your favorite fall treats at the supermarket, get to know how they are made by visiting Uncle John’s Cider Mill, 8614 N. US 127, in St. Johns, Mich., where after watching employees make cider, you can purchase some — along with other treats such as donuts and caramel apples. The mill’s award-winning fresh apple cider is made the old fashioned way — unpasteurized with no preservatives or additives.
After enjoying your cider, take a ride around the mill on a tractor-drawn wagon, wander through the corn and straw bale maze and pick out your perfect pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.
Visit a haunted house
Put your courage to the test this fall by climbing into a casket and experiencing what it would be like to be buried on the final ride at The Shawhaven Haunted Farm, 1826 Rolfe Road, in Mason, Mich. Other featured attractions include the wagon of fear, which takes riders through the “haunted” woods and a corn maze.
Or, if you’re not quite ready to experience your burial, try visiting one of the other haunted houses in the Lansing area, such as A Nightmare on Elm Road, 2020 Elm Road, in Webberville, Mich. With a layout that changes every season, this haunted attraction is anything but boring.
If you don’t want to travel far, visit the Department of Theatre’s very own haunted attraction. Every year, department members decorate the Auditorium for their event, the Haunted Aud, which takes place Oct. 28-30.
Go to a festival
Although the cold weather is fast approaching, there still is time left to attend a few more outdoor festivals before the ice and snow take over.
The first-ever Downtown Lansing Fall Fest, which will take place Oct. 20, will occupy the streets of Downtown Lansing and bring together live music, food and drinks. Attendees must be 21 or older.
For those of German descent, or those who simply love German-style cuisine, polka dancing and beer, attending Oktoberfest in Lansing’s Old Town is a must. The event takes place Oct. 7 and Oct. 8 from 6-11 p.m.
Watch a scary movie
When the weather becomes uncomfortably cold, outdoor activities can loose their appeal. Instead of roughing it outside, take a trip to Celebration! Cinema, 200 E. Edgewood Blvd., in Lansing.
Each weekend in October, Celebration! Cinema will show scary movies as a part of its Cult Classics and Popular Picks fall series. All seats and shows are $4 and featured movies include “Donnie Darko,” “Dawn of the Dead,” “Young Frankenstein” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
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