Halloween by the Lake

When the air becomes crisp and the leaves change color, residents of Lake Lure’s Chimney Rock and Hickory Nut Gorge anticipate annual fall celebrations. Sponsored in part by the Chamber of Commerce, “spook”-tacular events promise frightful fun for all ages. Festivities are a treat for the senses – from chilling boat excursions on the lake and lively dancing at the costume ball to bumpy laughs on the hay rides and tasty sweets at the carnivals.

Hosted by Lake Lure Tours, the annual Lake Lure Haunted Boat Ride guides passengers on slow, dark trips around the western bay of the lake. At several stops along the way, skippers narrate ghostly tales. Volunteers from area youth organizations play mysterious characters in the stories, but make sure to keep the tour family-friendly. Profits from the boat tours come back to the community. Last year, proceeds provided Thanksgiving dinner to100 deserving families as well as Christmas gifts for 30 needy children.

The Lake Lure Inn hosts the second annual Batty Ball on October 31. In keeping with this year’s theme, guests will arrive dressed in their best Western attire. They’ll enjoy cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a DJ and be eligible for prizes, including room discounts. Open to the public and people of all ages, the fun begins at 6 p.m. and lasts until midnight. For the younger trick-or-treaters looking for a little scare, a haunted house is also available.

Halloween night, members of the Kiwanis Club of Hickory Nut Gorge hitch up the wagon for a haunted hay ride. Those awaiting the hay ride through the haunted forest can enjoy a sidewalk carnival with games, hot chocolate, cider and fresh popcorn. “We pick folks up at the Arcade Building across from the beach in Lake Lure,” said Paula Jordan, president of the Kiwanis Club, “load them on to hay wagons, with bailed hay arranged as seating, and take them for a ride along nearby Pool Creek and into the forested grounds of the Bottomless Pools.” In the forest, disguised volunteers and elaborate decorations provide a perfect setting for an eerie ride.

Funds raised by the hay ride help support community services such as the Volunteer Fire and Rescue departments, Christmas Outreach, elderly services, youth sports and services, and scholarships. All proceeds from the sidewalk carnival go to Kiwanis International to assist in their continuing campaign to prevent iodine deficiencies in children around the world. Also receiving proceeds: the Ruth and Billy Graham neonatal facility at Mission St. Joseph’s Hospital in Asheville.

For more information about the Lake Lure Haunted Boat Ride, call (877)FUN-4-ALL. For details on the Batty Ball or Haunted Hay Ride, contact the Hickory Nut Gorge Chamber of Commerce at (828) 625-2725 or stop in. Lake Lure is located on scenic Highway 64/74A, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, 25 miles southeast of Asheville.

by Suzanne T. Jackson

Also visit: The First Annual Crossroads Pumpkin Fest