Halloween Festival at Forest Lake Camp is back

CHESTERTOWN | The fourth annual Halloween Festival returns Saturday, Oct. 24 at Forest Lake Camp. A family-friendly tradition with a little magic for everyone, this year's event is expected to be the biggest yet. Mark your calendars because Saturday, Oct. 24 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., everything wonderful about the spooky season will descend upon the area. The event happens yearly thanks to a three-way collaboration between Confer and his wife Carol, Chestertown Rotary Club, and the North Warren Chamber of Commerce. Confer, an employee of Forest Lake Camp, volunteered his time to create a haunted house for a small fall festival the camp put on for its summer guests. With the addition of the haunted house, it was decided to welcome the entire community for the fun. Each year, a new feature or two is added to the entertainment roster, and with it being free with zero admission, there is no limit to who can partake in the eerie merriment. "The haunted house is a little scary in some respects, like the element of surprise," Confer previewed. "But it is not blood and guts, it isn't the Texas Chainsaw Massacre approach. There is no touching, no grabbing. It's very kid friendly." Within the pavilion that hosts the haunted house, a maze lined with 165 custom art panels awaits. Confer is the man behind the artwork. Completely self-taught, he first fell in love with creating the seasonal pieces of art when his son was young, and father and child bonded over their annual haunted house where they lived at the time. "This is a return to what I had done 35/45 years ago," Confer noted. The panels are impressive in size, all six feet tall with widths varying between four and six feet. Given that the haunted house is lit by black lights, Confer utilizes acrylic and fluorescent paint to make the scenes and images come alive. This year, the event's expansion continues with the addition of a Trick-or-Treat Trail. The series of Forest Lake cabins in a U-shape each become inhabited and decorated by a local business, individual or organization who await the knocking at the door to dispense treats to youngsters (who of course are encouraged to come to the event in costume). "Compared to 40 or 50 years ago, kids don't trick-or-treat in neighborhoods the way they used to," Confer shared. "This gives them a taste of what used to go on at Halloween. They will end up with a pretty good hall of candy." During the four hours of the day, guests can view multiple performances by the Dancing Witches. A scavenger hunt, lawn games, the pumpkin and gourd launcher, and the raffle will supplement the afternoon. Children will have the opportunity to compete in a costume contest, so get creative. Bandstand Brew Works will be on site with a food concession stand. "Each year, the festival has grown by about 100 attendees," Confer revealed. "This past year in 2025, we had a counter at the entrance of the haunted house. We had 534 visitors and we have 80 volunteers who do the haunted house and some of the games and different venues." That's a total community participation of 614 individuals supporting the Halloween Festival one way or other. "The positive feedback we get from people and seeing kids come out of the haunted house excited is the best part," Confer said. Forest Lake Camp is located at 261 Forest Lake Road, Chestertown, NY 12817.

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Halloween Festival at Forest Lake Camp is back

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