30 California Haunts
Pirates of Emerson cast & crew (left) and Haunted Hayride (right)
A handful of Halloween haunts began last week but the majority are putting on a show tonight and will continue to do so every weekend through Halloween. Excluding California’s theme park haunts, there are more than 30 haunted attractions this year produced by average citizens. They don costumes, apply makeup, take tickets, perfect lighting, staging, sound effects and help assure the success of events that the public clamors to attend.
While theme parks spend a small fortune producing high-end scare experiences, these grassroots festivals are quite impressive in what they accomplish on shoestring budgets. In fact, the City of Los Angeles saw the success of Griffith Park’s Haunted Hayride produced by a private group, and determined that having such an event provided economic benefit and entertainment value to the community. Officials recently expressed commitment to keeping a haunted attraction in the park annually. Among the things you should know before you go to one of these events:
- Touching the actors or actors touching you is not usually permitted.
- Scares can be realistic and gory. Check the age recommendations and don’t take youngsters unless the haunted house specifies it is kid-friendly. Some host special “lights on” or “no scares” events for children.
- Haunts are crowded and not the best test to see if you beat your claustrophobia.
- Pre-purchase may save you time so you don’t have to wait in line to buy a ticket.
- Check policies on clothing before you go. Some places encourage costumes, while others prohibit them.
