Goblins, Ghosts, Gremlins!

Once upon a time, in a part of town called Oakdale, horses began pulling carts full of revelers into the woods.

Shouts of fear could be heard, and pangs of panic felt, as Halloween hijinks and scary skits took place on the pathways to panic.

Madmen? Ghouls? Sorcery?

It’s the Horse-Drawn Haunted Hayride, put on annually by the Oakdale Fire House.

Firefighters Paul Bonds and Jim Brown say the hayride starts at the firehouse, goes down Chapel Hill and then into the woods on a haunted path.

There are macabre moments, chilling curves and boo-filled bends, scary smoke, freaky fires and a collection of ghosts, goblins and other Halloween haunters. Saturday is the busiest day of the event, which runs for the next three Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Fridays and Saturdays, it’s from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Sundays, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children 4-11 years old. It’s free for kids under 3.

The busiest night is Saturday, says Chief Gary Murphy, when there’s often a line out the door when they stop taking tickets at 9:45 p.m.

The featured haunters are from the Montville High School Drama Club and East Lyme High School Drama Club. Refreshments are served by the Montville High School Alumni Association. The carts and horses are from Rol Haven Farms in Groton.

Money raised by the event goes to support the volunteer fire department.