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In 2021 they celebrated their 30th anniversary, and last year saw the return of opt-in next-level frights, where costumed actors touch—nay, caress—you, rip you away from your group, and escort you to secret tortuous locations. Don the free, optional glowing necklace and see what deranged dreams may come—a demented dentist, perhaps—in the Nightmares Haunted House. Lost to madness, suicide, torture, and disease over the prison’s 142-year reign.
June 2024 in Philly: The 35+ Biggest Events, Festivals & Exhibitions
But it turns out the penitentiary has decided it’s done with the organization’s biggest moneymaker once and for all. In addition, members receive benefits all season long, including Express Entry into the festival, discounts in the Halloween Tribute Store and Eastern State Penitentiary Store, and invitations to exclusive events. Admission to the Hospital Flashlight Tour is also free for Eastern State members, subject to availability.
History
For this Halloween reboot, Kelley imagined a spooky-scary attraction that could also be part of the museum’s mission. You can find all of these attractions and areas in The Fair Chance Beer Garden, the festival’s hub for historic and museum programming. All Halloween Nights attractions, including our five haunted houses, can be bypassed easily. Guests can choose to "opt in" to each experience by wearing a complimentary glow stick around their necks, which gives the over 200 performers permission to touch and grab you, and potentially take you to secret sections of the haunted houses.
Collaboratory for Justice Education
We will do our best to allow you to experience the attractions that are still open; however, some attractions or areas may be closed. There are no refunds or partial credits for missed entry times or attractions. Festival begins on Friday, Sept. 23, and continues on selected nights through Nov. 12. Includes haunted houses, historic tours, and live entertainment.
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Visit the Tricks & Treats Store to grab some glow gear and enjoy delectable Halloween-themed desserts by The Monkey and The Elephant and Dimi. Visit the Halloween Tribute Store to celebrate the best season of all by taking home a special souvenir. This Halloween Nights exclusive store features event exclusive merchandise and other seasonal goodies.
Each section had an adjoining court with food and drink options available, a s'more station where ghost stories could be shared and plenty of educational materials about the site's history. For the thrill-seekers, Eastern State also hosts an annual Halloween event featuring flashlight tours of the penitentiary hospital, five haunted houses, and more. When purchasing online, be sure to select your preferred date and time. Additional entry times may be added on some nights based on demand.Halloween Nights runs RAIN OR SHINE. Guests can visit four themed bars and lounges inside the penitentiary, including the Speakeasy at Al Capone's Cell — a prohibition-themed bar and lounge with live entertainment. Tickets are $13 online and $15 at the door, and include one complimentary beer, wine or soft drink.
Initially imagined by the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons, the first prison reform group in the world, it pioneered a system of solitary confinement. The “separate system,” was meant to reform rather than intimidate its inmates. Thousands of people explore the historic penitentiary every year, and several emerge with their own ghost stories. Murphy says “Terror Behind the Walls” is one of the largest and highest-rated haunted houses in the United States. The penitentiary will remain open for daytime tours during Halloween Nights.
Come for Philadelphia. Stay (Over) for Philly.
Members receive free admission for as many people as their membership level allows (i.e. one for Individual members, two for Dual members, etc.). Our haunted houses are high startle environments and are not recommended for visitors who are pregnant, prone to seizures, or who have certain health conditions. With your help, Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site can continue to interpret the legacy of criminal justice reform in America within these historic cellblocks for many years to come.
Eastern State Penitentiary Halloween 2023 - CBS News
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Does Al Capone Haunt Eastern State Penitentiary?
All proceeds from Halloween Nights support the preservation, interpretation, and operation of this National Historic Landmark and museum all year long. As our largest source of revenue for the historic site, our annual Halloween fundraiser has helped us achieve some of our most critical work over the past 30+ years. It is included with VIP Admission, all Group Tickets (20+ people), and is available as a special benefit for Eastern State members. If you are planning a visit for a school or youth group, please plan on bringing an appropriate number of responsible chaperones.
On April 3, 1945, a major escape was carried out by twelve inmates (including the infamous Willie Sutton), who over the course of a year managed to dig an undiscovered 97-foot (30 m) tunnel under the prison wall. During renovations in the 1930s an additional 30 incomplete inmate-dug tunnels were discovered. Al Capone himself seemed to have fallen prey to a phantom tormentor during his eight months at Eastern State. Despite living in relative luxury compared to other inmates, with a radio and even furniture in his cell, he seemed to live in fear. Capone believed that James “Jimmy” Clark, a victim of the St. Valentine’s Massacre, had come to haunt him. Over 142 years of operation, Eastern State Penitentiary housed nearly 85,000 souls, including famed bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and even Al Capone.
Eastern State's revolutionary system of incarceration, dubbed the "Pennsylvania system" or separate system, encouraged separate confinement as a form of rehabilitation. The warden was legally required to visit every inmate every day, and the overseers were mandated to see each inmate three times a day. The architectural design resembles a wagon wheel from above, with a central rotunda and cell blocks radiating outward like spokes. In this system, one “all-seeing” guard standing in the center could monitor every corridor.
Eastern State Penitentiary opened its intimidatingly heavy doors 190 years ago. At the time of its construction, it was the most expensive and elaborate public structure of its time. It’s been the site of art installations, film shoots, and even a wedding.
Our security team checks all bags for potentially dangerous and prohibited objects and conducts random pat-downs. There are two attractions at Halloween Nights that include sections that can only be accessed by steps. Machine Shop has a section accessed by three steps, and The Crypt has a section accessed by 15 steps. These sections of the attractions can easily be bypassed.
Discounted tickets are available for groups of 20 or more. Other American haunted hotspots include The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park in Colorado, St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida, Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, and Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. As our tour guide and marketing specialist for Eastern State Penitentiary Kiani Lozada so eloquently put it, “October is a tourist attraction; Halloween is a lifestyle." By the time I escaped, I had completely lost my co-worker and was forced to withstand the rest of the shop alone, feeling humbled at the very least. Out of every horror we saw, we both agreed this was the scariest.
We recommend arriving at our parking lot 30 to 40 minutes earlier than the entry time listed on your ticket to allow ample time for traffic and parking. Add-on admission to the Hospital Flashlight Tour ($12) can only be purchased at the door, subject to availability. Admission to the Hospital Flashlight Tour is always free for Eastern State members, subject to availability. This Halloween festival of epic proportions is jam-packed with sinister scares, enchanting entertainment, delectable food and drinks, and unforgettable moments.
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