By Emily Champagne
There were more tricks than treats at Malden’s first Haunted Woods event.
Organized by Ward 5’s City Councillor Ari Taylor, the event attracted Malden families and residents alike who wanted to revel in the spirit of the spooky season.
The October 26 event was inspired by “Spooky World,” a haunted amusement park Taylor remembers visiting when she was younger. She wanted to bring a similar captivating experience to Malden.
While the event was hosted for people of all ages, Taylor wanted this to be the first of many Halloween events catering especially to teenagers and adults.
“The event was geared towards an older audience because it was something that Malden hadn’t really seen,” Taylor said.
The event occurred at Pine Banks Park, a 20-minute walk from Malden Center, which was decked out with cobwebs, “beware” signs, and an inflatable ghost at the entrance.
Ghoulish “tour guides” led small groups of 10 through the twists and turns of a small forest where participants met zombies, vampires, and witches. All supernatural creatures, including the demons and vampires who managed to stay in character, were theatre students, Malden staff, or other volunteers.
The staff was also able to use some local eerie animatronics that added to the overall creepy atmosphere.
Malden families showed up in groups for their turn at the Haunted Woods.
Mayor Gary Christenson, too, appeared at the event, dressed as a vintage blue Converse sneaker. He interacted with Malden residents and took a photo with School Committee member Elizabeth Hortie and Councillor Taylor.
Laurie Sanderson, a volunteer from Ward 5, shared how happy she was that Malden was able to create such an event for the community. She spoke about bringing her daughter to Halloween events when she was growing up, describing the “fun it brought the family.” Especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malden was unable to have many socials in recent years, but it seems they are back and better than ever.
The roads, recently paved, were accessible for all Malden residents, including wheelchair users. Volunteers were available to guide participants and answer questions or concerns. As folks waited in line patiently for their turn, volunteers passed out glow-in-the-dark bracelets to ramp up the anticipation.
Those who made it to the end of the Haunted Woods received fresh apple cider donuts, cold apple cider, and hot chocolate.
While the treats were indeed worth it, participants were impressed by how scary the experience was.
“It was one of the scariest things I’ve been to,” said Peter, a high school student who attended the event with some friends. He added that he’s excited to return to the event next year.
Taylor said she is very thankful to the Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation for their generous sponsorship that helped Ward 5 pay for necessary amenities including fog machines, lights, power sources, and even the donuts.
Emily Champagne is a journalism student at Emerson College. Her work appears as part of a collaborative partnership between the “Community News Reporting” class taught by Mark Micheli at Emerson College and the Neighborhood View editorial staff.
Spooky woods! Fun!