The team behind Terror Behind the Walls, the top-rated Halloween attraction in America, unveils 30th season of Halloween at Eastern State Penitentiary with transformed concept, expanded offerings
July 12, 2021
Eastern State Penitentiary announces Halloween Nights, a bold new iteration of its famed Halloween celebration for 2021. Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary, from the creators of Terror Behind the Walls, is a brand-new seasonal festival of epic proportions. It transforms abandoned cellblocks and courtyards into newly designed immersive environments, and activates the historic stone architecture with large-scale video projections and other special effects. Several sections of the penitentiary complex will be open to the public for the very first time.
Guests to Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary will experience a festival-style event consisting of 15 attractions, including two haunted houses, which can be bypassed by those wanting a less scary experience. Also included will be four immersive walkthrough experiences, two live performances, four themed bars and lounges, and special effects like laser shows and large-scale video projections.
Halloween Nights will also feature a highlights audio tour of the penitentiary’s architecture with newly recorded narration by actor Steve Buscemi, as well as a guided, flashlight walking tour of the prison hospital wing focusing on the prison’s complex history. Two award-winning exhibits that invite reflection on issues of criminal justice today will also be open during Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary.
“We are excited to finally reveal Halloween Nights, a plan more than a year in the making, and we can’t wait for the world to experience it this fall,” said Brett Bertolino, Eastern State Penitentiary Vice President and Director of Operations. “There is truly something for everyone at Halloween Nights, including diehard Terror Behind the Walls fans as well as those who’d prefer a less scary, but still fun, fall experience. Our new festival model allows guests to choose their own path, to spend more time exploring freely, and to celebrate the Halloween season in the completely unique setting that is Eastern State Penitentiary.”
Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary is open select nights from September 24 through November 13, 2021. Ticket prices start at $34 and vary by night. Tickets are on sale now at HalloweenNights.org.
From the Creators of Terror Behind the Walls
Halloween Nights is an evolution of Terror Behind the Walls (TBTW), an internationally renowned haunted attraction. Terror Behind the Walls was consistently ranked among the nation’s top haunted attractions. It garnered national and international media attention, celebrity fans, and rave reviews year after year. The Travel Channel called it “One of America’s Scariest Halloween Attractions,” The New York Times called it “perfect for Halloween,” and Forbes named it #1 in the nation. Halloween Nights also pulls inspiration from Party at the Pen: The Masquerade, a TBTW-produced event that launched in 2012 and has sold out every year since.
“Halloween Nights is brought to you by the team that created Terror Behind the Walls,” said Brett Bertolino, Eastern State Penitentiary Vice President and Director of Operations, “so you can expect the same level of quality and creativity. We’re bringing back some fan-favorite elements of TBTW and The Masquerade, plus so much more. Terror Behind the Walls featured six attractions; Halloween Nights will have fifteen. And we’re utilizing the entire 10-acre property, including some areas of the penitentiary that have never been open to the public before.”
A Massive Halloween Festival in an Abandoned Prison
The setting for Halloween Nights is unparalleled. Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a lost world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. This gothic structure, with soaring 30-foot-high fortress walls, is intimidating enough during the day. At night, the cellblocks fall into darkness and the penitentiary takes on a different energy.
Halloween Nights will bring visitors into the penitentiary’s cellblocks, exercise yards, workshops, outdoor courtyards, and hidden nooks. Nearly every inch of the penitentiary complex will be activated for the festival.
General Information
Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary is located at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Halloween Nights does not affect operation of the historic site, which remains open for daytime tours Wednesday through Sunday year-round. All proceeds from Halloween Nights benefit the preservation of Eastern State Penitentiary, a National Historic Landmark.
Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary runs select evenings from September 24 through November 13, 2021. Ticket prices start at $34 and vary by night. Tickets are on sale now at HalloweenNights.org.
For more information about Halloween Nights at Eastern State Penitentiary, the public can visit HalloweenNights.org
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