MetroWest YMCA Presents ‘Chop’s Diner,’ an Interactive Halloween Dinner Comedy Experience

MEDIA CONTACT:  
Renee Henrich, Henrich Communications
617-631-0337
renee@henrichcommunications.com 

HOPKINTON, Mass. — October 15, 2026 — A spooky night out takes a darkly comic turn for a bright cause this Halloween as the MetroWest YMCA invites the community to Chop’s Diner, a one-of-a-kind, volunteer-led Halloween dinner theater experience combining a three-course, family-style meal with live improvisational comedy, music, and interactive entertainment over two weekends this month at the Y’s Outdoor Center in Hopkinton. 

The event combines a distinctive night out with a meaningful community purpose: all proceeds benefit the MetroWest YMCA Annual Campaign, helping local children and families access Y programs and services regardless of their ability to pay.

Chop’s Diner takes place Friday and Saturday, October 23–24 and October 30–31, with seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. each evening. 

Guests will enjoy a full, three-course meal featuring Southern-inspired comfort food served family-style at their tables, with vegetarian options available. Throughout the meal, colorful characters will mingle with guests and deliver unexpected surprises. 

The setting is Chop’s Diner, a quirky 1950s-inspired establishment in the fictional town of Deadwoodville, where residents don’t realize they are dead. The diner is hosting a high school reunion, and guests are invited to join the celebration. Each guest receives a reunion name tag and a place at the table, joining a gathering of former classmates who have been waiting a very, very long time. At Chop’s, the guests are part of the scene.

 “Flo and the gang have been waiting a long time for this reunion, and believe me, they have stories to tell,” said Elissa McGinty, who plays Flo, the diner’s co-owner. 

“Come hungry, come ready to laugh, and maybe don’t ask too many questions about what’s on the menu” McGinty joked in character.

For years, Deadwoodville was a popular MetroWest Halloween tradition, drawing visitors into the woods for a haunted adventure. This year, the event has been reimagined as a dinner theater experience held in a covered, heated pavilion.

The production is brought to life by a dedicated cast of volunteers, community members, and staff, including Bartt Pinchuck, Executive Director of the MetroWest YMCA Outdoor Center, who plays Sheriff Bartt.“Events like Chop’s Diner are a great example of what happens when volunteers, staff, and community members come together to create something special,” said Pinchuck. “Their generosity to the MetroWest YMCA Annual Campaign provides scholarships and tuition assistance that helps bring the magic of summer camp, and opportunities for achievement, relationships, and belonging, to kids who might not otherwise have that experience.”

All proceeds from Chop’s Diner will help the MetroWest YMCA to support cancer survivors as they rebuild strength and social connections, connect families with food and nutrition resources, send children to summer camp, and reduce financial barriers to participating in Y programs. 

Tickets are $50 for adults and $40 for youth ages 17 and under. Groups can purchase a table for ten (10) for $450 by contacting the MetroWest YMCA. The experience is recommended for ages 12 and up. The venue is fully enclosed and heated, with a short walk through the woods to the entrance. Tickets and event details are available at chops-diner.com.

Event Information: Chop’s Diner

• What: Volunteer-led, interactive Halloween dinner theater featuring a three-course, family-style meal
• When: October 23, 24, 30 and 31, 2026; seatings at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
• Where: MetroWest YMCA Family Outdoor Center, 45 East Street, Hopkinton, Mass.
• Tickets: $50 adults; $40 youth ages 17 and under
• Recommended for: Ages 12 and up
• Benefiting: MetroWest YMCA Annual Campaign
• Tickets and details: chops-diner.com

About the MetroWest YMCA

The MetroWest YMCA is a cause-driven nonprofit creating healthier, more connected communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Each year, the Y serves more than 25,000 people across the MetroWest region. Through programs, financial assistance and community partnerships, the MetroWest YMCA works to ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate, connect and belong.