EIU Media Relations

Halloween at EIU: It Promises to be a Scream!

Ghosts, goblins and a host of other foul-looking beasties planning to roam the campus of Eastern Illinois University this weekend invite boys and “ghouls” of all ages to come and share in the fun.

Unless otherwise noted, all activities are free and open to the public. Costume-wearing guests are welcome!

“Late Night at the Haunted Union” activities begin at 5 p.m. Saturday with the first of two showings of the film “Amityville Horror.” It and the 9 p.m. showing both will take place in the University Ballroom, located in the west wing of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

“Real-life” ghost hunter Ross Allison will discuss ghosts, myths and the supernatural in a lecture scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. in the union’s Grand Ballroom (east wing). Allison currently serves as president of AGHOST, a technical paranormal research group in the Pacific Northwest.

Seventh Street Underground, located in the lower level of the union, will magically transform into the “Haunted Dungeon” from 9 to 11 p.m. Despite the frightening sights of monsters, graveyards and the “Mad Surgeon," keepers of the dungeon’s secrets promise that the haunting will be “family-friendly” and more than suitable for youngsters. However, adult supervision is requested.

A different sort of entertainment will begin at 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, when Eastern’s Symphony Orchestra presents its “Fright Night Concert” in McAfee South Auditorium. General admission is $10; $8 for senior citizens; and $5 for children. EIU faculty, staff and students will be admitted free with EIU ID.

The concert will feature the orchestra presenting "Pictures at an Exhibition" by Mussorgsky, "Rakoczy March" from "The Damnation of Faust" by Berlioz, and "Theme from Star Wars" by John Williams. Herman D. Taylor, retired EIU music professor, will be a guest organist.

Other features of the concert promise to include a Halloween costume contest, candy and lots of frightening fun!

Halloween activities on the EIU campus will culminate Monday, Oct. 31, with trick-or-treating from 5 to 9 p.m. at the university’s residence halls, Greek Court (5 to 8 p.m.) and University Apartments. Participating halls include Andrews, Lawson, McKinney, Ford, Taylor, Thomas and Weller. (A PDF version of a campus map can be found at http://www.eiu.edu/pubaff/map.pdf.)

Special events will include pumpkin painting from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Greek Court, games in the lobbies of Andrews, Taylor and Weller; and a haunted house in Weller.

Again, adult supervision is requested.

Visitors to any of Eastern’s Halloween activities are also reminded of Booth Library’s ongoing “‘Frankenstein’: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature” exhibition, on display through Nov. 22. In addition to several individual exhibits examining different aspects of the “Frankenstein” story, the library will be sponsoring other related programs and events for the public. For information and details, please see http://www.library.eiu.edu/exhibits/frankenstein/.