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Every October, the gates of Grandview Drive creak open and the Soderstrom Family Castle trades its usual quiet grandeur for something a little more... alive.
Fire-breathing dragons guard the entrance. The grounds glow and pulse with light. Somewhere in the dark, the dead have learned to dance – and this year, they'd very much like you to join them.
For fourteen years and counting, the Castle has thrown open its doors each fall to welcome the whole community – families, friends, the curious, and the costumed – into an evening built entirely for wonder (and a little bit of dread).
Whether you've come for the glow of the light show, a candlelit tour through the halls, or the thrill of Halloween night itself, one thing has never changed: the Castle does not do Halloween halfway.
For the first time this fall, step inside the Castle for a guided spooky walk from our Castle ghosts. You'll haunt the halls and encounter unique artifacts that you can't find anywhere else in Central Illinois. Please note, this is not a haunted house experience.
The grounds come alive with a synchronized sound-and-light spectacle you can watch from the lawn. Come sing along, stay for the glow. Please note: this experience includes strobe lighting.
We welcome the community to trick-or-treat at the Castle. Enjoy performances from local talent and of course this year's themed decor. The Castle itself will remain closed to visitors, but plenty of mischief will be had outside.
Each Halloween, the Soderstrom Family partners with Peoria Players – Central Illinois' own community theater – to bring the year's theme fully to life. Their actors roam the grounds in character on Halloween night, with props and set pieces built to match the theme, turning the evening from a decorated house into a living, breathing story.
It's one part historic landmark, one part theater production, and the combination is what makes Castle nights feel unlike anywhere else in the area.
view upcoming eventsParking is available in the Country Club Golf Course parking lot next to the Castle or on Grandview Drive. Do not park in the driveway, nor on the street in front of the Castle, nor in the Country Club parking lot across the street.
Guests that purchase tickets for tours will be required to climb 4 flights of stairs to view all of the rooms. There is no handicap accessibility for the tours. Please note all light shows use strobe lights.
Tours of the Castle require a purchased ticket. All other festivitites are free for the community to enjoy.
We are a "happening whether rain or shine" type of Castle. If the weather gets really bad, we will notify the community of our change in plans.
