Buffalo Naval Park announces 'Nightmare Wharf,' a new, immersive waterfront Halloween event

16-night run begins Oct. 2 with multiple attractions on & around historic ships

Buffalo Naval Park press release & graphic 

The Buffalo Naval Park announced the launch of “Nightmare Wharf,” a new, immersive Halloween event coming to the Buffalo waterfront for 16 operating nights in October and early November.

Set among the historic ships and industrial waterfront of the Naval Park campus, “Nightmare Wharf” will transform the site into a large-scale, nighttime Halloween experience featuring multiple attractions, immersive walkthrough environments, outdoor scare zones, roaming characters, themed photo opportunities, entertainment throughout the grounds, a full bar and guest gathering areas.

“Nightmare Wharf” will operate on weekends and select nights in October, concluding with a premium “Lights Off” finale on Sunday, Nov. 1, featuring an extreme blackout experience.

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The announcement comes as the Naval Park continues remediation work in coordination with a multi-agency Unified Command amid preparations to send both USS The Sullivans and USS Croaker to a dry dock facility in Erie, Pennsylvania, for repairs. “Nightmare Wharf” is being developed as an important fundraiser to help sustain operations and mission delivery during a period when those vessels will be unavailable for public access.

“Our mission is preservation, and we take that responsibility seriously every day,” said Brian Luallen, president and CEO, Buffalo Naval Park. “At the same time, a preservation organization must stay active and resilient, especially as we head into long-term repairs and dry docking in the months ahead. ‘Nightmare Wharf’ is a new program designed to bring people to the waterfront, generate critical earned income, and help sustain the work of caring for these ships and honoring the men and women who served aboard them.”

Bob Pecoraro, board chair for Buffalo Naval Park, said, “This is an idea the Naval Park has looked at for some time, and we have seen the results other museum ships have achieved through high-quality Halloween events. With Brian’s expertise running some of the largest Halloween events in the nation, moving forward with ‘Nightmare Wharf’ was a no-brainer for the Naval Park.”

Fillmore District Council Member Mitch Nowakowski said, “The Naval Park is one of Buffalo’s most important historic destinations, and it’s exciting to see creative programming like this bring new life to the waterfront. ‘Nightmare Wharf’ will bring new energy to the site while giving visitors a unique way to experience Buffalo’s iconic waterfront.”

Additional event details and the themes for the main attractions will be announced in May. Dates, ticket information and operational updates will be shared at www.nightmarewharf.com. Guests can join the “Nightmare Wharf” mailing list for early access announcements and first notice when tickets go on sale.

Proceeds from “Nightmare Wharf” will support the Buffalo Naval Park’s nonprofit mission and the preservation and restoration of its historic vessels, exhibits and educational programming.

The Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the nation’s largest inland naval park and the home of four U.S. Naval vessels: USS The Sullivans, USS Little Rock, USS Croaker and PTF-17. Located on Buffalo’s waterfront, this unique family destination is committed to its mission, which is to honor, educate, inspire and preserve. The Buffalo Naval & Military Park also features a museum, U.S. military exhibits, and a manicured veterans park with 15 monuments and memorials dedicated to those who served this country.

More information about the Buffalo Naval Park is available at www.BuffaloNavalPark.org.