Last updated on December 7th, 2016 at 03:05 pm
Dynamic Earth has always been a tourist hot spot, here in Northern Ontario. They’re known for their many attractions including; housing the Big Nickle, as well as interactive underground tours, and a geology exhibit, just to name a few.
Halloween at Dynamic Earth this year is pretty exciting and pretty spooky! Here is some information about the different exhibits, then, you can find a review of our family’s experience below. If you follow me on social media, you probably already have an idea of how it went 😉
Pumpkinferno™
Pumpkinferno™ is an outdoor exhibit of featuring thousands of hand carved, single fiber pumpkins, created by Upper Canada Village. It’s along a groomed walking path, that glows brightly against the dark night of the Dynamic Earth property. This year they have added “The Copper Cauldron” — a fire pit and refreshment station outside, for roasting marshmallows, hot dogs, or just to warm up.
Dr Dread
Dynamic Earth invites you to come out and meet Dr Dread at the Atlas Copco Theater. It’s an engaging, fun-filled, mildly spooky presentation about the science of Halloween. The 20 minute show runs every half hour from 5:30pm – 10:00pm.
Zombie Tunnel of Terror
The Tunnel of Terror, located 7 storeys below the Earth’s surface, will place you right in the middle of a Zombie outbreak! Tours last approximately 15 minutes and are not recommended for children under 12.
Note: We didn’t attend the Zombie Tunnel of Terror this time, because of my kids’ ages, but I will be returning with a friend next week to try it out. It just seems too good to miss!
Tickets are $15 for the general public and $12 for season pass members. I was provided 3 tickets for free from Science North / Dynamic Earth for the purpose of this review but I honestly would have been happy to pay full price as a regular visitor. They also have a promo where you can save $5 per ticket on Thursdays and Sundays. For a complete schedule and hours, check out the website here.
They also have The Big Nickel BOOtique which features exclusive Pumpkinferno™ merchandise and souvenirs.
Our Experience
Dynamic Earth is fairly easy to locate and has ample parking. 2 things that are paramount to a Mom with excited kids in the backseat. When we first arrived there were lots of staff available for any needed directions. There was also an impressive lineup of pumpkins, that had been decorated by elementary school kids, lining the path the main entrance doors.
With 4 cashiers the line moved quickly, and the lobby of the main building was nicely decorated.
First we headed to the Pumpkinferno™ exhibit which is located just past an impressive geology exhibit and a goo making station.
We entered a spooky tunnel where we were greeted by more friendly staff. Before heading through the door to outside we were informed of a contest they were running. The periodic symbol for Nickle is Ni and we were to find as many “Ni” symbols as we could, carved into various pumpkins throughout the exhibit. At the end of the tour, you can fill out a ballot with the number of symbols you found, for a chance to win a prize.
The Pumpkinferno™ exhibit was breathtaking and enchanting to say the least. It was truly a spectacle that unfortunately I couldn’t capture very well with my phone camera, in the dark. The pictures hardly do the justice this artwork deserves.
The exhibit was broken down into 13 sections which included themes such as:
– Lantern Lane
– Tiki Volcano
– Midnight Mounties
– Zombie Wedding
Each section had a sign featuring facts about how the theme corresponded with Halloween. Also, new this year, was a celebration of Sudbury’s mining heritage, and an interactive word wall.
As you can see, it’s incredibly hard to pick a favorite from the exhibit but the pumpkin concert was definitely a contender.
After Pumpkinferno™ we made our way to the Atlas Copco Theater to see the infamous and diabolical Dr Dread performance. This part was Ashlyn and Cole’s favorite. We scored a seat right in the front but even if we had been further back, it still would have been a great show. Dr Dread was articulate, and very proficient at staying in character. She engaged the audience and really made us feel involved.
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