This weekend, Rockome Gardens will be hosting “Rockome After Dark,” and anyone interested in putting their Halloween spirit to good use may enjoy their Halloween activities and thrills.

Dan Beranek, Rockome’s director of recreation, is among those in charge of the event.

“It is extraordinarily unique,” he said.

Rockome After Dark will feature a runaway ghost train ride, Amish horse and buggy rides, pumpkin chucking, a haunted cave and a corn maze.

Rockome After Dark is open from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., but if it gets busy, they can push it past 10.

Tyler Leasher, Rockome’s marketing intern, who is also in charge, suggested that depending on a person’s preference, the best time to go through the corn maze is later on in the evening when it gets dark, because it may be a bit more challenging.

Beranek said everyone in the maze will be given flashlights and during their venture, they will encounter many things unexpected.

Although many different places around the area do corn mazes this time of year, Leasher said that Rockome’s maze would be different and exciting.

“I think (Rockome After Dark) is going to attract everyone, young to old,” Leasher said.

He went on to say that he especially thinks that the pumpkin chucking will draw a lot of attention towards Eastern students.

“Nowhere around here does something like that,” he said. “Chucking pumpkins into the air, aiming at a target to see how close they can get-it should be really cool.”

Leasher said that pumpkin chucking originated in the medieval era and today, is not done very often.

According to Beranek, the runaway ghost train ride will be an exciting attraction as well.

“There are a number of different things that people will encounter on the late night train,” Beranek said.

Throughout the ride, different people will appear, such as Jesse James and the headless horseman. There will be a lot of drama and action along the ride. The train riders will come across robberies and hear gunshots.

Leasher also said that the Amish horse and buggy ride is an activity that should not be missed.

“That will be fun (to ride) at dusk,” he said.

The haunted cave remains open yearlong, but according to Leasher, it has had some recent updates.

Despite the fact that Rockome After Dark features many Halloween events, it will feature food as well. If anyone gets hungry for a tasty treat, Beranek said that the ice cream shop is open throughout the night.

Admission into Rockome Gardens is $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and $4 for children. After visitors pay, they are allowed to go to any activities that Rockome may offer, including Rockome After Dark.

“I don’t really think (there’s) one scary thing (about Rockome After Dark),” Beranek said. “It’s the whole experience that might be scary.”

Jamie Cohoon of Charleston hold his guns, that he uses during his trail rides at Rockome Gardens Friday, Oct. 19. Cohoon is a part of a group that robs the Rockome train every night during the Rockome After Dark Halloween fest. Robbie Wroblewski/On The Ve

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