Lake Winnie's WinnepeSPOOKah 2016

Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park — Lake Winnie for short — is celebrating Halloween with its annual Lake WinnepeSPOOKah event.

Time for some Lake WinnepeSPOOKah! @LakeWinnie #Spookah pic.twitter.com/4cApljXzsq

— Coaster101.com (@Coaster101) October 8, 2016

I visited the park on Saturday. I was initially worried about the long lines leading from the entrance, but once inside the park I found most of the rides had little-to-no wait.

The park’s midway along the actual Lake Winnepesaukah makes for one of my favorite waterside park areas.

And along this midway, guests are treated to a slew of humorous (if not morbid) decorations. As in the photo above, it appears someone had to much fun on the riverboat.

First up was Wild Lightnin’ — an L&T Systems wild mouse. It’s tolerable if you brace yourself just right. It’s a one-and-done ride for me.

The park’s 1967 Cannonball wooden coaster is, I think, one of the most underrated and under-appreciated in the region.

The front and back of the train both offer incredible amounts of air. And the head-chopper leading into the brake run still makes me duck.

Lake WinnepeSPOOKah tip: ride Cannonball as early and as often as you can while the line is short. With a one train operation and its popularity, the line stacks up quickly.

These two cars from the park’s former Mad Mouse coaster were used as props in the middle of Cannonball’s pre-lift turnaround. It’s little things like this that keep me coming back to Lake Winnie.

I wasn’t able to check out the Haunted House (because, roller coasters), but the “Feargrounds” theme sounded like it would make for a scary good time.

Hey, sometimes your lawn mower gets stuck while mowing the graveyard. No biggie.

Talk about a short marriage…

Unfortunately the paddle boats do not operate for the mostly-at-night WinnepeSPOOKah…

…but all the props floating and positioned throughout the lake make up for the lack of boating.

This guy seems (or seemed) official.

Unfortunately, the ferris wheel was closed. Which is a shame because it too offers beautiful views of the park.

And I think I may know why it was closed.

I find these trash cans to be fairly creepy (especially with the clown sightings across the nation). But these aren’t even Halloween decorations.

Lake Winnie’s selection of flat rides has to be one of the best in the country.

If you’re wondering whether they have your favorite, they probably do.

And the park probably has one that you’ve never ridden.

Many are classics.

And nearly all are family friendly.

But a few of them are for thrill seekers only. I’m typically not a flat-ride fan, but I decided to give the Fire Ball a spin. I can see why parks are investing in these. They’re fun. But I wouldn’t wait more than a few minutes for one.

The park’s new-for-2016 Twister ride may be the craziest flat ride at the park.

To see it in action, watch our video from earlier this year:

I don’t do head over heels over head over heels, but people seem to enjoy it.

I took a spin on the park’s “Tour Train,” which encircles the entire lake. I’m not one to be easily scared (okay, maybe I am). But this one-armed soldier that popped up as we were passing Cannonball startled me.

That’s what I get for focusing on the coaster, I suppose.

Cannonball isn’t an easy coaster to photograph, but it’s so fun to ride that I don’t mind all that much. But I do wish the park will expand that way in the future. The coaster would make a terrific backdrop for a boardwalk-themed area.

Thankfully, I was able to get a ride on the Alpine Way sky lift after a brief bout of downtime.

It wouldn’t be a visit to Lake Winnie without a scenic trip above the lake.

And the views are second-to-none, especially at night.

A short parade — featuring a choreographed Michael Jackson “Thriller” dance was a fitting way to end the evening. And onlookers were even treated to free candy.

For a short moment, I felt like a kid again.

In my first three visits within the past year, Lake Winnie has quickly become my favorite “little” amusement park. It seems like a quaint Roller Coaster Tycoon-style amusement park.

Nothing is over the top, but the lakeside setting, picturesque landscaping and campy Americana decor and theming always make for an enjoyable visit.

And while elaborate Halloween sets and decorations are certainly fun to see, I really enjoy the more homegrown, old-school props and decorations often found at smaller parks.

So that’s all from WinnepeSPOOKah this time. We’ll certainly be back next year.

See more photos from our visit on our Facebook page.

Lake Winnie’s WinnepeSPOOKah event runs on Fridays and Saturdays (and two Sundays: Oct. 23 and 30) through the end of October. For more information, visit the park’s website.