Provo, UT

It’s a bewitching time to visit Gardner Village! Every October the witches come out to play as pumpkins, corn stalks, and harvest decorations transform this charming little shopping village with the Halloween spirit. The shops and eateries are crammed with tourists, but the crowds don’t diminish the quaintness…instead you’ll wonder why you’ve waited so long to attend this fun annual Halloween event.

Cackles and warts, buckled shoes and hats, striped stockings in purple, orange, white, and black–everywhere you look, you’ll find witches galore. Wee witches, wacky witches, gaggles of witches and witches flying solo, all wonderfully unique and hauntingly beautiful. Each smiling witch you pass fills your eyes with the same delight as another piece of candy dropped in your treat bag. No Wicked Witches of the West here! (Well, maybe one!)

We went to see the witches the last weekend of October (the display runs through Halloween) with my friend Felicia, who was visiting from New York. We wanted to do something fun and unique with her, and child-friendly for my daughter. We walked around, shopped a little, ate lunch at the Naborhood Bakery, all while marveling at the fun displays of green-faced witches and admiring the spirited women who showed up in costume. The village was packed with smiling witchy women, and some adorable little witches, too. I’m not really a costume person but I wished I’d dressed up or at least worn a funky witch hat so I could have felt like part of the sisterhood. If the mood strikes you while you’re there, you can always pop into the Halloween Bootique to buy just about anything you need to get “witch-ified,” from glitter to feather boas to spider rings and all sorts of elaborate witch attire. If I could convince Felicia to visit again next year, I’d take her and my friend Tracy to see the Witchapalooza dinner theater show and dress up for a fun Witches Night Out.

We tried to get reservations that morning to have tea with a witch at the Protea Cottage but they’d been booked up for weeks. Between that and the Witches Night Out party, Gardner Village was more packed than I’d ever seen it. We didn’t mind, though, because it just made it that much more spirited and enjoyable. There were so many visual delights, especially the incredible variety of witch hats. Orange tulle, purple ribbons, glitter, spiders, stars…it’s amazing how much personality shines through with the adornments on each pointy hat.

Since I have a preschool-age daughter, next year I would visit during the weekend of the Wee Witches parade and make reservations well in advance for the Mommy & Me Tea with a Witch. Other fun things to do with kids are tutu-making classes, make-your-own witch hats and brooms, face painting, and Extreme Witch Makeovers. Hayrides with a witch cost $2 and are only available on certain days so check the website for details. Little ghosts and goblins can also participate in a witch hunt. And no matter what age you are, a delicious caramel apple from Sweet Afton’s is sure to bring out the kid in anyone, and sweeten even the most wicked witch.

If you go:
Admission and parking are free. There are nominal charges for things like making witch brooms and hats, hayrides, etc. Eateries can get crowded so eat before you go, bring snacks, or just be prepared to wait in line during peak hours.

Gardner Village is about 40 minutes north of Provo, 15-20 minutes south of Salt Lake City. Click here for directions and hours.