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The first Friday the 13th of 2018 is here. (There are only two. The next one is in July.)
What will you do? Got any plans?
If you’re looking for some Friday the 13th inspiration, we have some suggestions. 13 in fact.
1. Attend a Haunted Attraction
According to the ScareFactor.com’s Year-Round Haunts page, there are 30 haunted attractions opening for Friday the 13th all across the U.S., including:
- Nightmare at 3008 in Fultondale, AL
- Scared City Haunted House in Jonesboro, AR
- All Saints Lunatic Asylum Haunted Attraction in Apple Valley, CA
- Higbee Horror Haunt in Modesto, CA
- The 13th Floor Haunted House in Denver, CO
- Enigma Haunt in Boca Raton, FL
- Basement of the Dead in Aurora, IL
- Fear Fair in Seymour, IN
- Stillwell Manor in Anderson, IN
- The Nevermore Haunt in Baltimore, MD
- Erebus in Pontiac, MI
- Exit 13 Haunted House in Mount Morris, MI
- Mystery Manor in Omaha, NE
- Brighton Asylum in Passaic, NJ
- Factory of Terror OH in Canton, OH
- Haunted Town Hall in Lafayette, OH
- Lessons in Fear in Perrysville, OH
- Wells Township Haunted House in Brilliant, OH
- Nightmare Dungeon Haunted Attraction in Greenville, SC
- Frightmare Forest in Oneida, TN
- Creepy Hollow Haunted House in Rosharon, TX
- Dark Hour Haunted House in Plano, TX
- Hangmans House of Horrors in Fort Worth, TX
- House of Torment in Austin, TX
- Screamworld in Houston, TX
- The Haunted Hotel TX in Beaumont, TX
- Waco Haunted Houses in Elm Mott, TX
- Fear Factory UT in Salt Lake City, UT
- Dominion of Terror in Sheboygan, WI
- Terror on the Fox in Green Bay, WI
2. Get a Free Jason Mask
Speaking of haunted attractions, the Factor of Terror in Canton, OH will be giving away one of a kind commemorative Jason masks to the first 250 people through the doors.
They’re all being painted. I can’t embed the photo of some of the painted ones, but if you go to HJ’s Eerie Events Facebook group you can see the post there.
3. Head to Salem for a Paracon
April 13-14, 2018 the Mass Ghost hunters Paranormal Society (M.G.H. Paranormal Society) is hosting Salemcon in Salem, MA.
Headline celebs include Nick Groff, Grant Wilson and John Zaffis.
More details on their Facebook page or website: https://www.facebook.com/SalemCon1 or http://www.mghparanormal.com
4. Hunt Ghosts
You can find a number of paranormal events on Facebook.
Here are just a few that we found that are taking place Friday the 13th weekend:
- Mt Washington Hotel Ghost Hunt in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire. Link to their Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mt-washington-hotel-ghost-hunt-tickets-41721010666?aff=efbeventtix
- Friday the 13th Weekend Investigation at Ferry Plantation in Virginia Beach, VA. Link to their Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friday-the-13th-weekend-investigation-at-ferry-plantation-virginia-tickets-43832746926
- Friday the 13th Ghost Hunt with The Haunted Travelers at Elizabeth Claire’s in Clinton, TN
- Friday the 13th Haunted Distillery Tour at Short Mountain Distillery in Woodbury, Tennessee
- Hinsdale Friday The 13th Ghost Hunt with Jason Marble 7-10pm at the Hinsdale House Restoration Project in Hinsdale New York
5. Take a Ghost Tour
Some places have mild enough weather they offer ghost tours year-round.
But in other places ghost tours are seasonal. Since Spring has officially sprung and the weather is starting to get nicer (at least on the calendar; it’s been a bit of a cold spring across a lot of the U.S., hasn’t it?), a lot of ghost tours are revving back up.
Friday nights are always hopping, but a Friday the 13th? Nice way to enjoy an early Spring evening!
6. Get a Tattoo
While I was searching for Friday the 13th events on Facebook, I noticed a lot of Friday the 13th Tattoo specials. And I do mean a lot.
If your local tattoo parlor isn’t running a Friday the 13th special, I’d be surprised. I think it might be a law they have to or something.
If you don’t believe me, search “Friday the 13th” in Facebook. Choose the events tab. You’ll see.
7. Tour Camp Crystal Lake
It’s not uncommon for Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, the real-life Boy Scout Camp where the first Friday the 13th was filmed, to open up for tours on Friday the 13th.
The problem is they instantly sell out.
In an effort to make it more fair, they do a ticket lottery.
You have to submit your lottery entry in advance, though.
Meaning, like now to have a chance for July’s Friday the 13th tour.
Find details here: https://www.crystallaketours.com/tour/tickets/
8. Meet the Original Jason Voorhees
The original Jason Voorhees was played by actor Ari Lehman.
This year he’ll be doing a meet and greet at the Blairstown Museum in Blairstown, New Jersey.
The museum will also be hosting other festivities, like a Slash & Shop with artisan movie-inspired items, a costume contest and even a Camp Crystal Lake photo booth!
9. Celebrate Like the Locals Do
Speaking of Blairstown, Friday the 13th is a local holiday there. (Bits of the town can be seen in some shots.)
Movie fans descend on the town and the town welcomes them with open arms –and Friday the 13th events galore.
This is the place to celebrate the day!
10. Get Engaged, Married or Renew Your Vows
If you or your loved one is a Friday the 13th-ophile, this might be a romantic time for you to consider taking the next step if you’re not married, tying the knot or renewing your vows.
Sure, you could do any of that anywhere on Friday the 13th, but some places are more special than others.
Like Blairstown, New Jersey, as referenced above, where the movie was filmed. The Blairstown Museum, also mentioned above, hosts weddings and vow renewals.
11. Read About Jason’s Other Haunt
Blairstown, NJ and surrounding areas is the site of the original Friday the 13th filming locations, but Part 2 is really where Jason comes into play. (Or comes out to play, I should say.)
Atlas Obscura has an interesting article about Jason’s Haunts –his other ones in New Preston and Kent, Connecticut. That’s where Part 2 was filmed.
These CT towns don’t go overboard like NJ. In fact, there’s really no hoopla at all.
But if you want to know a little more of the franchise’s filming history, the Atlas Obscura article is an infotaining read.
12. Attend a Bike Rally Tradition in Port Dover
On Friday November 13, 1981, in Port Dover, Ontario, Canada, Chris Simons and a group of 25 biker-loving friends got together at the Commercial Hotel.
They had such a good time, they said, “Let’s do this every Friday the 13th.”
And so they have.
Word has spread and now the event has grown. All are welcome. Especially bikers and enthusiasts.
For more info, visit: http://www.pd13.com/pages/1/Home.
13. Watch the Horror Movie Classic
You may have a favorite Friday the 13th movie, but none really rival the classic…which has nothing to do with hockey masks. That’s not introduced until Friday the 13th Part 3.
Watching at home is convenient, but many theaters screen the original on the infamous date.
But perhaps the most iconic place to view the movie is at Roy’s Hall, aka the Historic Blairstown Theatre. It shows the original film every Friday the 13th –and apparently the audience goes nuts when scenes showing Blairstown and the surrounding area come on.
How Will You Spend Friday the 13th?
Got any plans? Do tell!
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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