Longweekends Magazine
Fall/Winter 2013
Enjoy Non-Scary Halloween Fun at Holiday Hollow
Going to Holiday Hollow, located between Rochester and Buffalo, NY, is almost like a visit to your grandparents. That is, if your grandparents happened to turn their 7 acres of land into a magical, miniature Renaissance fair, with a wacky, Halloween and pirate theme. Everyone feels like friends and family when they visit the family-owned Holiday Hollow, now in its 22nd season. Operating just nine days a year–October weekends and Columbus Day–this unique, non-scary Halloween experience is one of the region’s best family-friendly fall destinations. George Walker, a retired college vice-president, who created Holiday Hollow with his wife Barbara and their four children, describes the attraction as a labor of love. As you might guess, Holiday Hollow is not your garden-variety Halloween attraction; it’s more along the lines of an interactive dinner theater, minus the dinner. Many of the shows are intentionally tongue-in-cheek, employing comedy, parody and a lot of double-entendres, making it entertaining for parents as well as kids. The most popular show is the pirate-themed Captain Hook and Mr. Smee Show. Unsuspecting guests are often plucked out of the audience to be participants in the show; although there are some “ringer’s,” cast members pretending to be audience members, which makes for an interesting show. About six years ago, Walker added an indoor theater, Yorkshire Hall, so that shows can move indoors in inclement weather. The hall can also be rented for receptions, banquets, and meetings and is the location of Holiday Hollow’s Christmas show.
Resources
Holiday Hollow 1410 Main Road (Route 5) Pembroke, NY, (585-762-8160 or 716-474-4336, www.holidayhollow.com). Open Saturdays and Sundays in October and Columbus Day 11am-5pm; however, they are closed Halloween Day. Admission is $13 for ages 11 and up, $12 for ages 3-10, and age 2 and under free. Visitors to Holiday Hollow’s website can get a $1.00 off each ticket.
Directions
New York State Thruway exit 48A (Pembroke), take Route 77 south to Route 5 and turn left. Holiday Hollow is located on Route 5, just east of Route 77.
Fall/Winter 2013
Enjoy Non-Scary Halloween Fun at Holiday Hollow
Going to Holiday Hollow, located between Rochester and Buffalo, NY, is almost like a visit to your grandparents. That is, if your grandparents happened to turn their 7 acres of land into a magical, miniature Renaissance fair, with a wacky, Halloween and pirate theme. Everyone feels like friends and family when they visit the family-owned Holiday Hollow, now in its 22nd season. Operating just nine days a year–October weekends and Columbus Day–this unique, non-scary Halloween experience is one of the region’s best family-friendly fall destinations. George Walker, a retired college vice-president, who created Holiday Hollow with his wife Barbara and their four children, describes the attraction as a labor of love. As you might guess, Holiday Hollow is not your garden-variety Halloween attraction; it’s more along the lines of an interactive dinner theater, minus the dinner. Many of the shows are intentionally tongue-in-cheek, employing comedy, parody and a lot of double-entendres, making it entertaining for parents as well as kids. The most popular show is the pirate-themed Captain Hook and Mr. Smee Show. Unsuspecting guests are often plucked out of the audience to be participants in the show; although there are some “ringer’s,” cast members pretending to be audience members, which makes for an interesting show. About six years ago, Walker added an indoor theater, Yorkshire Hall, so that shows can move indoors in inclement weather. The hall can also be rented for receptions, banquets, and meetings and is the location of Holiday Hollow’s Christmas show.
Resources
Holiday Hollow 1410 Main Road (Route 5) Pembroke, NY, (585-762-8160 or 716-474-4336, www.holidayhollow.com). Open Saturdays and Sundays in October and Columbus Day 11am-5pm; however, they are closed Halloween Day. Admission is $13 for ages 11 and up, $12 for ages 3-10, and age 2 and under free. Visitors to Holiday Hollow’s website can get a $1.00 off each ticket.
Directions
New York State Thruway exit 48A (Pembroke), take Route 77 south to Route 5 and turn left. Holiday Hollow is located on Route 5, just east of Route 77.
