The Disney Channel’s “Halloweentown” has become a holiday favorite, and for some, Halloween simply wouldn’t be the same without seeing the now-classic movie at least once during the fall season.
While watching the movie each year at home is great, wouldn’t it be a dream come true to be able to visit the real-life Halloweentown? Well, for the people of St. Helens, Oregon, this is their everyday reality. St. Helens is the town where “Halloweentown” was originally filmed back in 1998. Each year, the town transforms into the real-life Halloweentown, straight out of the movie.
The festival is called the Spirit of Halloweentown, and it runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31 this year. The hosts of the event posted a message on Facebook welcoming visitors to the annual celebration earlier this month:
The 2023 festival is already in full swing now, and the photos the fest is sharing on Facebook prove that even though it’s only September, it isn’t too early to wear your Halloween costumes:
This year is particularly special as the movie is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To honor the anniversary, the festival will be welcoming some of the original stars of “Halloweentown” the weekend of Oct. 21 and 22, and visitors can watch the movie at an original filming location.
According to the event’s official website, there will be other activities throughout September and October, too, including a “Hocus Pocus” weekend from Sept. 23 and 24 where guests can dress up as the Sanderson Sisters and take pictures with their lookalikes. Other events include a big Halloween parade and a beer festival.
If you’re in the mood for a real scare, you can visit one of the many haunted places in St. Helens that add an extra creepy flair to the city.
General admission tickets for the 2023 Spirit of Halloweentown festival start at $45.
MORE: You’ve got to see this Halloween-themed prequel to ‘The Grinch’
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