Event to feature fire and LED performances, stilt walkers, magic shows, costume contests, carnival games, food trucks, a beer garden and more.
Bonez & Booz, one of the region’s premier Halloween and fall festivals, is set to return to the Virginia Museum of Natural History (VMNH) in Martinsville on Saturday, October 26, from 4 to 10 p.m. The event offers attendees a full lineup of live entertainment and interactive activities, including fire and LED performances, magic shows, stilt walkers, carnival games, costume contests, food trucks, a beer garden, and more.
“Thousands of visitors attended last year’s installment of Bonez & Booz and we’re excited to offer attendees another festive, exciting, and safe Halloween experience this year,” said VMNH Visitor Services and Events Manager Robbie Hendrix-Wirt. “Whether you want to try your hand at our lineup of carnival games, take in a fire performance, or just immerse yourself in an incredibly fun Halloween atmosphere, Bonez & Booz has something for everyone, regardless of age.”
The event, which takes place both inside and outside of the museum, will feature a wide variety of stage shows, including fire performances and magic shows, throughout the evening.
“We want to make sure we offer visitors high quality, live entertainment options throughout the event,” said Hendrix-Wirt. “In addition to fire and LED performances provided by the talent of Imagine Circus, this year’s event will feature nine-time award-winning illusionist Joseph Young, as well as the phenomenal stilt walkers from Miss Kitty’s Society for Wayward Cosmonauts. This year, I’ll even get in on the live entertainment act and perform a Halloween dance in conjunction with the Ray Hollingsworth Dancers.”
Beyond the live performances, Bonez & Booz features an entire lineup of interactive activities, such as carnival games, costume contests, face painting, balloon art, caricature art, and even a Halloween photo booth. The museum will also open its exhibit galleries for a unique scavenger hunt experience.
“Because many of the activities will take place outside of the museum, we’re going to be able to open up the museum’s exhibit galleries for a scavenger hunt that visitors can complete at their own pace,” said Hendrix-Wirt. “It’s not often the museum is open to visitors at night, so the galleries will be thematically lit and staged to provide visitors with a one-of-a-kind experience that fits the vibe of the event perfectly. The scavenger hunt is purely optional, and visitors can choose to tour the exhibits at their own pace without participating in the hunt, if they’d like.”
Back by popular demand, this year’s installment of Bonez & Booz will once again offer visitors the opportunity to compete in costume contests. Contests are limited to 25 participants per age group and pre-registration is required at least 30 minutes prior to each age group’s start time. Pre-registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and will take place at the souvenir T-shirt station located near the general admission gate. Age groups and contest times are as follows:
Ages 0 to 5: 5:30 p.m.
Ages 6 to 9: 6:00 p.m.
Ages 10 to 13: 6:30 p.m.
Ages 14 to 17: 7:30 p.m.
Ages 18 and older: 9:30 p.m.
As with all museum events, science will play a significant role during Bonez & Booz.
“Millions of scientific specimens can be found inside the museum’s collections and quite a few of them might be described as strange or even flat-out spooky,” said Hendrix-Wirt. “Bonez & Booz provides VMNH scientists with a fantastic opportunity to showcase some of the museum’s most bizarre specimens.”
Bonez & Booz will also offer visitors a large variety of food and drink options, including a beer garden and the Bonez & Booz Food Truck Alley, which will feature nearly a dozen vendors. Among the food trucks scheduled to be on-site are Birrieria La Vaca, Bahama Sno-Shack, Buckin’ Good Eats & Lemonade, D’s Hot/Ice, Factory Roast, Ga-te Shoken FoodTruck, Jen’s Cakes with Personality, Kona Ice, Malloy Dogs, and Palumbo’s Hoagie House.
Admission to Bonez & Booz is $10 for adults ages 18 to 59 and $5 for children and youth ages 3-17, as well as college students and seniors ages 60 and older. Admission is free for children under 3, museum members, and members of museums and science centers that participate in the ASTC Passport program.
The museum also participates in the Museums for All initiative, offering discounted admission to EBT cardholders. Through this program and additional funding provided by Hooker Furnishings, Carter Bank & Trust, and Community Foundation Serving Western Virginia, visitors who present their EBT card and accompanying ID at the gate will receive free admission to Bonez & Booz. Free admission applies to the cardholder and up to 5 immediate family members living within the same household.
Bonez & Booz is sponsored by Bassett Furniture Industries, Boxley Materials Company, The Helen S. & Charles G. Patterson, Jr. Charitable Foundation Trust, Homes by Amy + Co., and Monogram Foods Loves Kids Foundation.
Parking for this event will be available off-site and free of charge. The museum will be closed to visitors during its normal operating hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) on Saturday, October 26 in preparation for the event. All costumes must be family friendly. The museum is a tobacco and vape-free campus. No pets are allowed.
For more information about Bonez & Booz, including a list of performance and activity times, visit www.vmnh.net/events/bonez-and-booz.
