LINCOLN, Maine — Steve Clay knows Haunted Hill is working.
“Grown men have been scared. I have seen them coming out. One man went in with his hat and left with his hat in his hand, shaking,” Clay said Monday. “We had one girl who stood at the doorway for probably about two hours trying to talk herself into going in, and the screams kept her at the door. I even offered to pay her way in, and she wouldn’t go.”
“I don’t think that’s bad,” Clay added, chuckling evilly.
The town-sponsored haunted house began on Oct. 6 at Ballard Hill Community Center and has been open every Saturday since. It has drawn 84 people so far, said town event coordinator Amanda Woodard — a somewhat disappointing number.
“I think it is a little scarier than last year, and that is because of the attention we have given it,” Woodard said. “I haven’t heard any negative feedback from anybody, so I am not sure” why fewer people are coming.
As conceived by Clay, the Town Council’s chairman, and executed by Woodard and several volunteers, Haunted Hill followed an axiom long held in horror movies during its first year: What is suggested is far more frightening than what is seen.
The designers used fog machines, music and loud noises, strobe lights, large swathes of black cloth hung over scaffolding and on some walls and as many as 25 actor-volunteers to alter the contours of the rooms and disorient and frighten the customers.
The haunted house, which has drawn 20 to 25 volunteers, will be open for the last time this year on Saturday, Oct. 27. That gives Clay and Woodard some hope that the numbers will improve.
Beware ye’ Wing Wah lobster sauce…….Spooky
It is also open Friday the 26th. It is ever changing with the ideas of the volunteers. Each time you go through there is something different.
You are a right. It was different both times I went. I’ll probably go again just to see what’s different next again.
Sorry to hear that the attendance was down at their haunted house. I heard in town yesterday that the attendance at Fright at the Fort last weekend was also down…probably due to rain one night and fog and drizzle the next…they only had a bit over 3000 attend that first weekend. I was told there is one special prop…new this year…some sort of demonic pig..that is quite scary..of course fort knox is even scary in the daytime, without any props..looks like this Friday and Saturday will be very pleasant…hopefully all these haunted houses and forts will have better attendance
How much does it cost, and is it happening throughout the week?