Burlington County Weekend: Cranberry Festival, Haunting on High Street, Batsto Fair

Good morning, Burlington County. It's a full fall weekend: the Chatsworth Cranberry Festival takes over the Pinelands on Saturday and Sunday, the Haunting on High Street opens inside the old Burlington County Prison in Mount Holly, the county farmers market in Moorestown throws a Root Veggie Day, and Batsto Village holds its Country Living Fair on Sunday. There's also a free trunk-or-treat and "Hocus Pocus" under the stars at White Hill Mansion, and a mystery-lovers day at the library. Here's what's happening.

Friday

Haunting on High Street opens in Mount Holly

The historic Burlington County Prison Museum, 128 High St., Mount Holly, becomes a haunt and a Halloween hangout starting tonight. Groups are guided through all three floors of the old jail with costumed scare actors, then come out into a courtyard party with "Scaryoke," face painting and fortune telling. Time slots start at 7 p.m. Tickets for the prison walkthrough are sold in advance online only and are expected to sell out; a cheaper courtyard-only ticket is also available. Proceeds support new exhibits at the museum. It runs again Saturday, then Oct. 23–24 and Oct. 30–31. Details and tickets

Retro Gaming for All Ages, Westampton

Eight-bit favorites and arcade classics for every generation at the Burlington County Library, 6 p.m. No experience needed. Event page

Saturday

Root Veggie Day at the Burlington County Farmers Market, Moorestown

Carrots, beets, parsnips and radishes get the spotlight from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Burlington County Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Road. Expect carrot cake and cookies, sweet potato pies and pizza, ginger carrot soup and radish salsa from the food vendors, plus a root-vegetable cooking demonstration, veggie crafts and free carrot cake samples while they last. Twenty-two farms are scheduled. Rain or shine. Market page

Chatsworth Cranberry Festival, Woodland Township

The Pinelands' big fall weekend: a juried craft show with up to 150 vendors, up to 15 food vendors and live music, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at 3980 County Road 563 in Chatsworth. Admission is free and it's rain or shine. Bring cash; cell service in Chatsworth is spotty, so card payments can be hard, and the ATM lines get long. Festival site

Trunk-or-Treat and "Hocus Pocus," Fieldsboro

Friends of White Hill Mansion hosts its second annual Trunk-or-Treat from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by a free outdoor showing of "Hocus Pocus" at 7. Come in costume and bring a lawn chair or blanket. Both are free, but the trunk-or-treat requires an RSVP. Snack sales benefit the mansion's restoration. RSVP and details

A Con to Die For, Westampton

A celebration of cozy and historical mysteries at the Burlington County Library starting at 11:30 a.m., with the Kensington Cozies authors, two author panels, book signings, Inkwood Books on site, swag bags while supplies last and door prizes. Event page

Also Saturday

The Witches Bazaar at Mill Race Village in Mount Holly. Check the organizer's page for hours
Horror Classics double feature: "House on Haunted Hill" and "Night of the Living Dead," 11 a.m. at the Pemberton Library. Event page
Spoken Word Open Mic, 1 p.m. at the Beverly Free Library. Spooky poems and stories encouraged; sign up at the door for up to five minutes. Event page
Cinnaminson Friends Book Sale, from 11 a.m. at the Cinnaminson Library. Event page

Sunday

Country Living Fair at Batsto Village, Washington Township

Wharton State Forest's biggest day of the year runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine, at historic Batsto Village: local crafts, live music, antiques, old-time engines and cars, farm equipment, pony rides and food, plus the Annie Carter Nature Center. Expect traffic coming in off Route 542, so carpool if you can. Event page

"As Time Goes By" starring Elaine Bromka, Westampton

Elaine Bromka and Mitch Greenberg bring scenes, songs and wit from Thornton Wilder, Neil Simon, Nora Ephron, Lily Tomlin, Erma Bombeck and more to a concert reading at the Burlington County Library, 2 p.m. Event page

All weekend

Chatsworth Cranberry Festival, Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Festival site
Haunting on High Street, Friday and Saturday nights in Mount Holly, continuing the next two weekends. Details
More library programs across the county's branches are on the County Brief events calendar.

Around the county

Chesterfield pizza gets a Portnoy score. Gervasio's Italian Family Restaurant at the Shops at Old York Village scored an 8.4 on Dave Portnoy's One Bite pizza review. News
Free Senior Citizen Police Academy. The Burlington County Sheriff's Office is hosting a free academy for seniors this month. News
Looking ahead to Oct. 24. The Burlington County Special Services School District invites families to a trunk-or-treat, resource fair and campus open house. Education

Plans change, so check each event's page before you head out. Have something for next weekend? Submit an event.