Waxahachie's October Has a New Haunt: Reindeer Manor's Second Season, Scarborough's Hollow, and the Weekends In Between

"We want to see Fridays and Saturdays in October as a destination for people to come and spend their money down here." A speaker said that at the July 7, 2025 Waxahachie City Council meeting, while the council discussed a permit for a haunted attraction whose longtime Red Oak home had closed after the 2022 season.

Fifteen months later, that goal shows up on the calendar. In its second Waxahachie season, Reindeer Manor is running a trail in the woods near Wags-A-Hachie Dog Park, a maze in the Getzendaner Park tulip fields and movie nights inside the Historic Chautauqua Auditorium. Its Terror Trail is presented with the City of Waxahachie Parks & Recreation Department. Scarborough's Hollow, also in its second year, covers Saturday afternoons out on FM 66. Waxahachie's October has become a season the city helped plan, and most of it takes place in parks residents already use the rest of the year.

A 49-year haunt that needed a new address

For almost half a century, Reindeer Manor operated at 410 Houston School Road in Red Oak. The Waxahachie Sun reported that the property had been sold for development and quoted the attraction's media release: "Come experience the Halloween fun one final time before this place, too, is just a ghost." In October 2022, NBC DFW reported that new roads were being built nearby to bring in new businesses, and that owner Alex Lohmann planned to move after that year's final Red Oak season.

The move to Waxahachie hit a snag before it was approved. In June 2025, the Waxahachie Daily Light reported that the Planning and Zoning Commission had recommended denying the haunted-house permit over parking concerns. City Council minutes describe the proposal as Reindeer Manor relocating to 500 W. Madison Street and operating on nine October nights. On July 7, 2025, the council approved the specific-use permit subject to the staff report's conditions. It also raised the number of off-duty officers on Halloween from two to four, as the Daily Light reported the next day. During that same discussion, a speaker called 2025 "the inaugural year," which makes this October the second.

The attraction's own site describes the new chapter as fresh themes and updated experiences each season, "without the hassle of mud, wildlife, or nearby construction."

Three sites, each with its own kind of night

The 2026 lineup is spread across three locations. Each one sits on ground Waxahachie residents know for something else.

• Terror Trail starts at 701 Howard Rd, across from Wags-A-Hachie Dog Park. The Waxahachie CVB describes it as a foggy nighttime walk through woods, abandoned structures and scare scenes, presented "in conjunction with the City of Waxahachie Parks & Recreation Department." Hours are 7 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets on HauntPay start at $15. The remaining nights are Oct. 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 and 31.
• Game Over: An 8-Bit Nightmare is a maze based on 8-bit arcade games in which "now-undead villains are out to catch you." It sits in the tulip fields across from the Chautauqua. It runs Oct. 23, 24 and 30 from 7 to 10 p.m., plus Thursday, Oct. 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets on HauntPay start at $10.
• Chautauqua Theater screenings take place in the Historic Chautauqua Auditorium in Getzendaner Park, 400 S. Grand Ave., with a live shadow cast acting out the film. Reindeer Manor's schedule lists Hocus Pocus on Oct. 14 and 28, Beetlejuice on Oct. 17 and 21, and Night of the Living Dead on Oct. 30. The CVB's Beetlejuice listing gives slightly different dates, so check the ticket link before you plan around that one.

You may recognize the maze site. The tulip fields at Getzendaner Park are home to Tulipalooza, the spring festival that NBC DFW reported was in its seventh year in March 2025. The same park that fills with tulips in March now hosts an arcade-themed maze in October.

Scarborough's Hollow covers the afternoons

Reindeer Manor's events start at dusk. Scarborough's Hollow Fall Fantasy Festival runs from 1 to 9 p.m. at Scarborough Village, 2511 FM 66, on Saturdays through Oct. 31 and on Sunday, Nov. 1. General parking is free. The Hollow opened its first season on Oct. 11, 2025, according to In The Know Ellis.

The spring Renaissance festival centers on a 16th-century village, jousting, music and comedy. The Hollow is an autumn fantasy event with roaming characters, artisan shopping, seasonal food and optional spooky attractions. Organizers say this year's festival covers more ground and adds entertainment, shopping, food and interactive experiences. The 2026 storyline adds a villain named Lucian, and the entrance now uses OpenGate security screening. The three add-on attractions are Blackthorn Castle, Trickster's 3D Fun House and Secrets of Rottingwood Cemetery.

Buying ahead saves money. On the official ticket page, adult admission for ages 13 and up costs $31.56 online and $37.40 at the gate. Children ages 5 to 12 pay $17.53 online and $21.04 at the gate, and children 4 and under get in free. An online bundle with all three attractions costs $54.93 for adults and $43.24 for children. These prices include taxes and fees and could change.

The remaining themed days are Artisan Appreciation Day on Oct. 17, a Halloween celebration on Oct. 31 and a Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 1. The Oct. 24 theme was still listed as "coming soon" at last check.

The Saturdays that stack up

Put the two calendars together with downtown's events and the season comes down to a few crowded days. Saturdays at the Hollow run until 9 p.m., and Reindeer Manor's evenings start at 7, so on most October Saturdays you could spend the afternoon on FM 66 and the night in town.

October 24 is the busiest day on the list. The City of Waxahachie calendar lists the GO TEXAN Country Festival downtown from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The CVB describes it as a one-day festival of arts, music and food. That evening, the maze and the trail both open as the festival winds down. If you're planning to park near the courthouse or Getzendaner Park that day, leave extra time.

Thursday, Oct. 29, is the easiest day for families. The CVB lists Trick-or-Treat on the Square as free from 3 to 5 p.m. downtown, with costumes, candy and games. The maze's only weeknight session opens an hour later. On Halloween morning, the Halloween Yoga Flow is an all-levels class at Southern Roots Brewing Company, 421 S. College St., from 10 to 11 a.m.

One regular Saturday stop is done for the year. The CVB's 2026 listing shows the Waxahachie Farmers Market at 701 Howard Rd running through Oct. 10, which was yesterday.

After the last scare

Once the Hollow closes on Nov. 1, the calendar quiets down for about two weeks. Then the Ellis County Veterans Celebration takes place on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Waxahachie Civic Center, 2000 Civic Center Lane. Pre-show music starts at 9:30 a.m., and the event is free and open to the public.

December brings the holiday season back to the square:

1. Christmas Parade & Community Tree Lighting on Tuesday, Dec. 1. Activities start at 6 p.m., the parade steps off at 6:30, and the tree lighting at the courthouse follows.
2. Bethlehem Revisited on Dec. 4 through 6 and Dec. 11 through 13, from 6 to 9 p.m., at 402 N. College St. behind Central Presbyterian Church. Admission is free.
3. Historic Waxahachie Christmas Tour of Homes on Dec. 12 and 13, an annual tour of decorated historic homes organized by Historic Waxahachie.

Before then, there are six chances to walk Terror Trail, four nights for the 8-Bit maze and three Saturdays plus one Sunday at the Hollow.

When a city brings new events into its parks and onto its October weekends, it can change how a neighborhood feels to live in, and that's the part of local growth Miracle Johnson pays attention to for her clients. If you're thinking about what Waxahachie's next few years could mean for your home or a future move, let's connect over coffee downtown.