Wildlife Scary Park 2022
October 20-23 & October 27-30
Ticket Prices
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Members Ages 3 & Up $8 per Guest
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Non-Members Ages 3 & Up $10 per Guest
Join us for entertainment, food and drink, Trick-or-Treating, and spooky fun! Ages 2 & under are FREE. Online purchases only (no exceptions). Once tickets are purchased, your ticket times cannot be exchanged. Parking is FREE in the Train Depot parking lot. Please arrive early, trains are first come first served. Scary Train rides start at 6pm, all earlier trains are Not So Scary.
Please Note
Your email receipt serves as your entry ticket to Scary Park, please show it to the ticket gate staff when you arrive. Your ticket is valid for the date of purchase only.
Scary Park is a rain or shine event as long as the trains can run safely. If the Park cancels any date the rain date will be Monday, October 31, 2022.
There is no room for strollers on the train unless they fit in the seat with you. There will be a stroller parking area available in the Train Depot, umbrella strollers work best.
Dress warmly, bring flashlights, and blankets if desired.
Event Sponsors
Scary Park Hashtags
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Use these hashtags when posting to social media! We would love to see your perspective!
Theme Nights
Weekend #1
Harvest Moon
Thursday, October 20 | 6 to 10 pm
Come dressed however your autumn heart sees fit. There will be 6 train ride times and Scary Park will commence. The Headless Horseman will appear from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. There will be a DJ, fun outdoor games, a live band on the bricks, and a magician to mystify. Trick-Or-Treating is back, the good old fashioned way with 10 different doors to knock on. Enjoy some tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, cotton candy, pizza, and warm hot chocolate.
Pumpkin Night
Friday, October 21 | 4 to 10 pm
Come dressed as an honorable scarecrow or farmer. There will be 10 train times to choose from. The Headless Horseman will gallop into the Park from 4 to 7 pm. There will be face painting available for all ages from 5 to 7 pm, as well as a spooky storyteller from 4 to 9 pm around the fire pits at the Visitors Center. Live music on the bricks and a magician will be there, as well as a DJ and outdoor games to entertain you in between Trick-Or-Treating and the train. Don’t forget to go through the hay bale maze before it closes at 6 pm! Enjoy tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, cotton candy, pizza, and warm hot chocolate.
Monsters
Saturday, October 22 | 2 to 10 pm
Come dressed as your favorite monster, classical or scary. There will be 13 train ride times to choose from. The Headless Horseman makes his appearance between 5 pm and 8 pm. The Central IL Ghostbusters are coming to rid our Park of ghosts from 4 to 10 pm. All day entertainment includes a magician, outdoor games, a DJ, and live music. Mike Anderson will be back to tell spooky stories around the fire pits from 3 to 9 pm. Don’t forget to go through the hay bale maze before its closes at 6 pm! Enjoy some tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, pizza, cotton candy, soft pretzels, and hot chocolate.
Scary Tales
Sunday, October 23 | 2 to 8 pm
Come dressed as your favorite childhood folktale character, and maybe find the Big Bad Wolf. There will be 6 train ride times to choose from. The Headless Horseman arrives at 4 pm and leaves by 7 pm. There will be live music on the bricks from 5 to 8 pm. The magician will be around for tricks, while Trick-Or-Treating continues throughout the 10 designated doors. A face painter will be available from 2 to 5 pm, as well as the DJ and outdoor games all night long. Don’t forget to go through the hay bale maze before it closes at 6 pm! Enjoy some tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, pizza, cotton candy, and hot chocolate.
Weekend #2
Ghouls
Thursday, October 27 | 6 to 10 pm
Come dressed as what can only be seen in the dark, and encounter some ghouls yourself! There will be 6 train ride times and Scary Park will commence. The Headless Horseman will appear from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. There will be a DJ, fun outdoor games, a live band on the bricks, and a magician for entertainment. Trick-or-Treating continues. Enjoy some tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, cotton candy, pizza, and warm hot chocolate.
Alien Invasion
Friday, October 28 | 4 to 10 pm
Come dressed out of this world and spot the alien transporter. There will be 10 train times to choose from. The Headless Horseman will gallop into the Park from 4 to 7 pm. There will be face painting available for all ages from 5 to 7 pm. Live music on the bricks and a magician will be there, as well as a DJ and outdoor games. Don’t forget to go through the hay bale maze before it closes at 6 pm! Enjoy tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, cotton candy, pizza, and warm hot chocolate.
Spells & Tricks
Saturday, October 29 | 2 to 10 pm
Come dressed as one who cackles and is one with the spell books. There will be 13 train ride times to choose from. The Headless Horseman makes his appearance between 5 pm and 8 pm. A face painter will be available from 4 to 7 pm. All day entertainment includes a magician, outdoor games, a DJ, and live music. Don’t forget to go through the hay bale maze before its closes at 6 pm! Enjoy some tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, pizza, cotton candy, soft pretzels, BBQ, and warm hot chocolate.
All Hallows Eve
Sunday, October 30 | 2 to 8 pm
Come dressed as your Halloween costume of the year. There will be 6 train ride times to choose from. The last sight of the Headless Horseman is between 4 pm and 7 pm. There will be live music on the bricks from 5 to 8 pm. The magician will be around for tricks, while Trick-Or-Treating comes to its last day. A face painter will be available from 2 to 5 pm, as well as the DJ and outdoor games. Don’t forget to go through the hay bale maze before it closes at 6 pm! Enjoy some tasty cinnamon sugar mini donuts, pizza, BBQ, cotton candy, and hot chocolate.
Musical Entertainment
Weekend #1
Oct 20: Still Shine
Oct 21: The Bayou Prowlers
Oct 22: Emilele
Oct 23: Joe and Jerry
Weekend #2
Oct 27: DeadHorse Trio
Oct 28: Dave and Daughter
Oct 29: Hollow Down
Oct 30: Unemployed Architect
Don't Miss These Fun Activities!
Train Depot
Enjoy a variety of food and drink vendors and entertainment outside of the train depot while waiting to board your train ride. Trains leave about every 35 minutes from the depot and are first come first served. We recommend you ride the train first, but you can ride anytime!
Trick-or-Treat!
Grab the map at the Ticket Gate when you enter and visit all 10 doors for some old-fashioned fun trick-or-treating!
Pioneer Area
Walk through the Spooky Pioneer area where you can play family fun games and visit the animals.
Merrill Woods
Spot the animals at night as you walk the half-mile loop through the lighted trail. Our trail guides will be out to share facts and spooky tales!
Visitor’s Center
Take the spooky black light walk through the museum. Warm up beside a fire pit and be sure to grab something warm to eat and drink from one of our many vendors. Grab your glow light accessories in the Adventure Store and alcohol will be available for purchase under the Tee Pee Shelter.
Haunted Hay Rack
Board our open-air tractor at the Visitor’s Center to ride back to the Train Depot Parking Lot.
If you have trouble and need assistance from a staff member, email ecommerce@wildlifeprairie.org and allow at least 24 hours for a reply.
Spooky 5K Fun Run
October 29 | 9 am to 3 pm
ADULTS $35 | YOUTH $25
Registration – 8 am | 5K Trail Run – 9 am | Kid’s 1 Mile Fun Run – 10 am | Registration is $10 more on race day
We Need Volunteers!
Wildlife Scary Park accepts volunteers of all ages, and it’s a great opportunity for families to volunteer together. School groups are also welcome. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Sign up below or email questions to volunteer@wildlifeprairie.org.
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