Here is the Haunted Attraction Industry News for April, 11th.
If you would like to receive this in your inbox, CLICK HERE
Industry News
As Midsummer Scream prepares for their 5th-anniversary event, they have recently announced their plans for their largest Hall of Shadows mini haunt area yet. The Hall of Shadows is a massive, darkened space featuring displays and mini experiences by pro and home haunters from all over California. For 2022, the Hall of Shadows is almost 100,000 square feet in size and will feature the theme: “Halloween Comes Home”. CalHauntS will once again be creating the entry portal from the show floor into the Hall of Shadows. This year’s entry is called “Midsummer Estates” and will feature a small neighborhood with homes decorated for the community’s annual Halloween Festival. Beyond “Midsummer Estates”, guests will find 17 other haunts and attractions waiting within the darkness of Hall of Shadows.
Participating haunts include: Bones Gulch, Fear Farm, Temecula Terror, Reichland Asylum, Straight to Hale Productions, The Witching Hour, Casa Calaveras, Gothic Hills Cemetery, The Quail Run Carnival, Exquisite Corpse, Boomers! Parks, Lights OUT, Santa Ana Haunt, Corona Haunt, The Dreich Society, The Haunt with No Name…Yet, and Realm of Shadow. Additionally, the Decayed Brigade slider team will once again perform in the space.
Tickets for Midsummer Scream are on sale now. For a limited time, use the discount code SCREAM for 40% off General Admission tickets.
Listen Here
Haunted Attraction Association
The Ohio Haunters Association has announced their Board of Directors:
President: Maximus Christian Bryant
Treasurer: Nikki Spohn
Secretary: Kelly Gregor
Liason – Actors/FX Make-up: Keith Newsome
Liason – Home Haunters: Ryan Gregor
Haunt Awards
ScareCON has announced the shortlisted nominees for this year’s awards. Awards categories include: Best Set and Design, Best Costume & Makeup, Best Original Concept, Best Scene/Set Piece, Best Virtual Experience, Best Horror Escape Room, Best Scare Zone and Roaming Characters, Best Entertainment, Best Theme Park Event, Best New Event, Best Scream Park – UK, Best Scream Park – Europe, Best Multi-Part Scream Event, Best Year-Round Attraction, Best Out of Season Event, Best Zombie Event, Rising Star, and Best Attraction/Maze. Winners will be announced at ScareCON on Tuesday, May 10th at Thorpe Park. Tickets are available online starting at £75.00. (Listen to the 2019 event here.)
Virtual Events
The next episode of the FearWorm Wormhole will take place Friday, April 22nd (Time TBA in the coming week). The virtual talk will feature Abe Robinson from Blind7Photography. Abe will discuss his business and the importance of innovative outside-the-box thinking when it comes to event creative. Tune in live on FearWorm’s Facebook Page.
Theme Parks
Halloween Haunt and the family-friendly Camp Spooky will return to Canada’s Wonderland in 2022. Camp Spooky will be included in park admission Saturdays & Sundays from September 24th – to October 30th. Families can join the Peanuts gang for trick-or-treating, a kids’ Halloween costume parade, pumpkin carving, live shows, and more. Friday through Sunday evenings September 23rd – October 30th, the park will transform for the separately ticketed Halloween Haunt. The event features mazes, scare zones, live entertainment, and more unforgettable thrills. Maze, scare zone, and ticket announcements will be made in the coming months.
International Haunts & Events
Celebrate Halfway-to-Halloween alongside baby kangaroos at Cobb’s Adventure Park in Calgary, Canada. The park has announced its first adults-only night event of the season, a Halfway-to-Halloween celebration on May 14th. From 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. adult guests can dress up in their spookiest costumes and enjoy 3 haunted houses, a scary maze, food and alcoholic beverages, and access to the park’s activities – including mini-golf, archery, puzzles, and more. In addition, the park’s famous baby kangaroos will be circulating throughout the evening, which only occurs when the park is closed to children. Tickets are on sale now for $40.00CAD. The event sold out in 2021, so be sure to purchase tickets early.
Horror Real Estate
The owners of the popular horror-themed AirBnB rentals known as Stranger Stays, are selling off their two properties in Big Bear Lake, California. Since October 2021, visitors have been able to rent either a “Demos Den” cabin with décor inspired by Netflix’s “Stranger Things” or the “Creepshow Inn”, an 80’s horror-themed cabin which features many of your favorite monsters from The Creature from the Black Lagoon to Freddy Krueger. Despite the popularity of the properties on AirBnB, local regulations have put restrictions on the owner’s ability to rent the cabins, so co-owners Jade Valore and her husband have decided to sell the properties. The listing price is currently $450,000. This price does not include the horror-themed furnishings, but Valore has indicated that for the right price, they would be willing to include them.
SHARE THIS
Upcoming Haunt Events
Halfway to Halloween
Cobb’s Adventure Park (Calgary, Canada) – May 14
EverHaunt (Angola, NY) – May 13
Fear Fair (Seymour, IN) – May 13 -14
Field of Screams (Lancaster, PA) – May 13 – 14
Fright Kingdom (Nashua, NH) – May 13 – 14
Planet Doom (Idaho Falls, ID) – May 13 – 14
Reign of Terror (Thousand Oaks, CA) – April 22 – 23
Scare Kingdom Scream Park (Blackburn, UK) – May 7
Summer Haunts
Paranoia Haunted House (Canton, GA) – July 9
Podcast Episodes You Might Be Interested In
A Body Buying Guide from Creepy Collection
For 19 years, Creepy Collection has been providing its unique style of static props to the industry. Today, Brian is discussing the 2022 line with Creepy Collection owner Jerry Dalessandro.
The Staffing Balance
This week we explore stories of staffing, acquisition, diversification, and breaking the 4th wall.
Shattered FX’s Top 2022 Design
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Shattered FX debuted several new designs in 2022 including the popular necromancer. Beyond its designs, Shattered FX is also set apart by its lifetime warranty.
Distortions Unlimited at Transworld 2022
Making Monsters since 1978 is a Distortions Unlimited, a Halloween manufacturing company and online Halloween store based in Greenly, Colorado. Distortions is prolific in the industry, having, as you’ll hear, their hands in nearly every piece of it.
Disaster Preparedness with Pennhurst Asylum’s Jim Werner
Jim Werner is the Operations Manager for both Pennhurst Asylum Haunted Attraction and Eloise Asylum, which debuted just last season. Today, we’ll hear from Jim on: his journey as a haunter, how both attractions create a fantastical experience while also maintaining the local history, and disaster preparedness.
Dot Rooms, Clown Mazes, and 3D Floors with Pittsburgh Poster
Pittsburgh Poster is a large format printer and manufacturer of screen printing, digital and hybrid products. Their parent company Design Dynamics, Inc. is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. They’re known for their retro, vintage, and 3D Designs. Today, we’ll hear about their haunt division and its most popular products for haunters.
Haunted Attraction Industry News for April 5th
Read more here.
The Dark Attraction & Funhouse Enthusiasts (DAFE)
Now in its 22nd year, The Dark Attraction & Funhouse Enthusiasts (DAFE) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving, and enjoying dark attractions, haunts, and escape rooms. Today, we’ll hear about what DAFE has planned for 2022.
This Episode is Sponsored by:
