Industry News
Industry Benchmark Survey
The Haunted Attraction Association & Haunted Attraction Network's industry-wide benchmark survey is ready for haunters to fill out. Participate here. The 15-30 minute survey will help haunters better plan for growth and give the HAA greater bargaining power as a collective group. The survey is 100% anonymous - no individual responses will be shared; data will only be presented in aggregate. Having honest data is crucial, especially when it comes to lobbying and to leveraging group discounted purchases. The more attractions that participate, the better for the industry - HAA members, non-members, and attractions of all sizes are invited to respond. Respondents will also have the opportunity to enter into a $250 Amazon Gift Card giveaway. Both the HAA & HAN encourage all haunters to participate.
Haunt Awards
It is time to nominate your favorite Attraction, Vendor, and/or Individual for the Haunted Attraction Association OSCARES Awards. Nomination categories include: Vendor Excellence Award, Board of Directors Award (Haunted Attractions), Home Haunt Award, Special Recognition Award, and Life Time Achievement Award. The submission deadline is midnight on January 23, 2022. Winners will be announced at TransWorld's Halloween & Attractions Show during the annual HAA OSCARES Awards Banquet.
U.S. Haunts & Events
This past Halloween, celebrations in the city of Salem, Massachusetts were larger than ever before. In preparation for 2022, the City Council is considering expanding the city's "Safety Enhancement Zone", a six-day long law enforcement tool that amplifies Halloween-type fines issued in downtown Salem. The proposed change would expand the zone by one mile in each direction in response to the growing crowds and traffic. The ordinance currently features an enhanced fine that triples any ticket issued for violations of noise ordinances, parking ordinances, and more within the specific downtown zone. The council will next meet to discuss the proposed change on January 27th.
Tickets are now available for Midwinter Ghost Stories at Ed Gannon's Chambers of Terror in Salem, Massachusetts. Celebrating the centuries-old tradition of telling dark and scary stories on cold winter nights, join the Chambers of Terror team for an evening of ghost stories told by the fireplace with snacks and beverages. Midwinter Ghost stories will take place twice nightly January 21st - 23rd and 28th - 30th. Each performance is limited to an intimate group of 16 guests.
International Haunts & Events
The Manchester-based events firm, Park N Party, plans to host "Camelot Rises" - a fully immersive, interactive zombie experience - at Lancashire's abandoned Camelot Theme Park in February - March. For £50, one carload of guests will be able to watch a drive-in style horror movie and then follow a one-mile "zombie drive trail" around the park. The trail will be filled with sets, special effects, and - of course - zombies. Films screened at the immersive drive-in experience include terrifying classics such as: 28 Days Later, Rec, Train to Busan, Night of the Living Dead, and more. Tickets are now available for purchase online and screenings start February 5th.
A drive-through haunt in Tangerang, Indonesia has been thrilling locals with COVID-safe scares. The haunt has transformed a parking lot into a zombie-infested scare trail with live actors, sets, and special effects. Social media videos feature scareactors reaching into cars and opening car doors - terrifying passengers.
Locals in the Babaeski district of Kirklareli, Turkey celebrated the thousands of years old Halloween-like horror festival of Koleda on January 8th. According to the tradition, people gather to eat pumpkin with syrup and walnuts at the beginning of the night. “Volunteer boogeymen” watch people and detect those who do not eat the pumpkin. After the crowd disbands, “boogeymen” in white dresses with eerie make-up knock on those people’s windows at midnight. Municipality officials add to the festivities by broadcasting horror movie sound effects from loudspeakers located on the main streets of the district.
Conventions & Mixers
Fear Expo Live is taking place this coming weekend, January 21st - 23rd at the Owensboro Convention Center in Owensboro, Kentucky. The event will feature an exhibit floor, networking events, seminars, workshops, costume party, and more. Registration is free through January 19th, afterwards, general registration will be $25 at the door. Updated health & safety information can be found on the event's website.
Exhibitor registration has begun for this year's Texas Haunters Convention. The event will take place July 16th - 17th at the Mesquite Convention Center in Mesquite, Texas. Early-bird exhibitor registration is available until April 1st, offering 15% savings. Returning 2021 exhibitors also receive an additional 5% off booths. All exhibitor passes now include admission to the Friday night Meet N' Greet and admission to the Saturday night costume Ball. Attendee registration is scheduled to begin on April 1st.
Haunt for Sale
The immersive theater company, Indy Horror Story announced in a January 13th Facebook post that they are selling their business and commercial property. The listing includes a 6,000 sq/ft house built in 1910 with paved parking, all contents of the house - including props, fixtures, effects, costumes, masks, sound & lighting equipment, security cameras, and more - and Indy Horror Story's established website, social media accounts, and marketing accounts. The property and business are currently listed for $299,000. Interested parties should contact the listing agent for more details.
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Valentine's Day Haunts
Have a devilishly fun Valentine's Day date night by attending a haunt. Many attractions around the country will open their doors this February for themed events. Open attractions include:
Abattoir A Haunted Attraction (Vincennes, IN) - February 12 - 13
All Saint's Lunatic Asylum (Apple Valley, CA) - February 11 - 12
Arx Mortis at Ghost Hill (Killen, AL) - February 11 - 12, 14
Awaken Haunted Attraction (Leslie, MI) - February 12
Bayville Adventure Park (Bayville, NY) - February 11 - 14
Bennett's Curse (Baltimore, MD) - February 11 -12
Brighton Asylum (Passaic, NJ) - February 11 - 12
Carnage Haunted House (Columbus, OH) - February 11 -12
Containment Haunted House (Lithia Springs, GA) - February 11 - 12
Dark Castle (Elgin, SC) - February 12, 19
The Darkness Haunted House (St. Louis, MO) February 12
Dead City Haunted House (Murray, UT) - February 11 - 12
Deceased Farm (Lexington, SC) - February 11 - 12, 18 - 19
Dread Hollow (Chattanooga, TN) - February 12 - 13
Factory of Fear (Moline, IL) - February 11 - 12
Factory of the Dead (Saginaw, MI) - February 12
Fear Columbus Haunted House (Columbus, OH) - February 11 - 13
Fear Overload Scream Park (San Francisco, CA) - February 11 - 14
Field of Screams (Mountville, PA) - February 12
Folklore Haunted House (Acworth, GA) - February 11 - 12
Foukelore Slaughterhouse (Gravesville, AR) - February 11 - 12
Fright Haven (Stratford, CT) - February 11 - 12
Frightmare Haunted House (Chesapeake, VA) - February 12
Frightworks Haunted House (Powell, TN) - February 11 - 12
Guthrie Haunts Scaregrounds (Gutherie, OK) - February 11 - 12
Hangman's House of Horrors (Fort Worth, TX) - February 11 - 13
Haunted Hills Estate Screampark (Uniontown, PA) - February 11 - 12
Hollerin Haunts Hayride (Clinton, NC) February 12, 19
Horrorween Haunted Warehouse (Mount Union, PA) - February 11 - 12
Hush Haunted Attraction (Westland, MI) - February 11 - 14
Necropolis Underground (Indianapolis, IN) - February 11 - 12
Nightmare at 3008 (Fultondale, AL) - February 11 - 12
Nightmare on 19th Street (Lubbock, TX) - February 12
Paranoia Haunted House (Canton, GA) - February 12
Popes Haunted Farm (Salem, GA) - February 11 - 12
The Scream Chamber (North Athens, TN) - February 11 - 12
Screamz (Hoboken, GA) - February 12, 19
Sir Henry's Haunted Trail (Plant City, FL) - February 11 - 12
Spook Trail (Quinton, AL) - February 2
St. Albans Sanatorium (Radford, VA) - February 11 - 12
Sweet Dreams Scare House (Easley, SC) - February 4 - 5, 11 - 12
Terror Manor (Roanoke, VA) - February 11 - 12
Warehouse 31 (Pelham, AL) - February 11 - 12, 14
For a full list of haunts open this February, check out our Valentine's Day Haunt webpage.
Want to add your haunt to our list? Simply reply to this e-mail with your haunt's information.
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Follow our podcast on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, iHeart Radio, using RSS, or by searching "Haunted Attraction Network" in any podcast player. We publish twice weekly year-round.
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New Podcast Episodes
Zagone Studios Previews 2022 Masks
This is the third episode in our mini-series covering some of the haunt friendly wholesalers from this year’s Halloween & Party Expo in Las Vegas. Coming up, we’re chatting with Tony Zagone, owner of Zagone Studios about why he thinks this Halloween will be one of the best ever.
Listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, or your favorite player.
HauntTopic: Monsters & Mindset - Creative Planning for Your Attraction
Scott Swenson led this Haunt Master Class for the Haunters Toolbox members, covering: saving money on design, creative brainstorming, and the 2022 mindset. To listen and view this entire Master Class, become a Haunt Master member at www.HauntersToolbox.com
Watch on Youtube or Facebook. Listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, or your favorite player.
Keep the Guests Flowing
This week we explore stories about how attractions keep the guests flowing. From combating low staffing to setting attendance records, Half a Billion Dollar Renovations and new seasons of fun – this week we’re showing the resilience of attractions.
Watch on Youtube, Instagram, or Facebook. Listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, or your favorite player.
Morris Costumes on Halloween Trends
This is the second episode in our mini-series covering some of the haunt-friendly wholesalers from this year’s Halloween & Party Expo in Las Vegas. Coming up, no series would be complete without the iconic Morris Costumes. With tens of thousands of products and a history spanning 60 years, Morris has perspective on the industry. In this episode, Sean Morris joins to discuss new products and trends in the Halloween industry.
Watch on Youtube, Instagram, or Facebook. Listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, or your favorite player.
Trick or Treat Studios Discusses Their 2022 Lineup
Over the past 12 years, Trick or Treat Studios has expanded from select masks to dozens of products serving everyone from end consumers to haunts. But before we get into all that, you might be wondering why it matters? Halloween is an ecosystem. What consumers see in stores and when they see it directly impacts haunted attractions. It primes attendees for certain themes and prepares them to attend events. Plus, if your haunt has a merchandise store you can setup direct relationships with wholesalers. So, with all that in mind, this is the first episode in our mini-series covering some of the haunt friendly wholesalers from this year’s Halloween & Party Expo in Las Vegas.
Watch on Youtube, Instagram, or Facebook. Listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, or your favorite player.
Haunted Attraction Industry News for Jan 11th
Read more here. Watch on Youtube or Facebook. Listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, or your favorite player.
The Show Must Go On
This week we're recapping some of the largest stories from the last three weeks, all centered around the trend of attractions moving forward into the new year.
Watch on Youtube, Instagram, or Facebook. Listen on Spotify, Soundcloud, iTunes, or your favorite player.
Subscribe to the Haunted Attraction Network on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud, or Podcast RSS.
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Upcoming Events: January - March 2022
January 21 - 23: Fear Expo (Owensboro, Kentucky)
February 26 - 27: Haunt X (Pomona, California)
March 17 - 20: Transworld's Halloween & Attractions Show (St. Louis, Missouri)
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