Haunted houses are an iconic way to celebrate Halloween season – but they’re also an industry that brings in millions of dollars annually.
Characters in haunted house stories tend to be those who ignore warnings or refuse to leave an unsafe home due to some form of tragedy or trauma.
Halloween
Halloween has long been celebrated as an ancient Celtic end-of-summer festival called Samhain, commemorating the transition between life and death. Nowadays, it is observed by parties, costume parties, pumpkin carving contests and trick or treating.
Some haunted houses offer special events outside their standard November-October season (click their names for details!). Check back often as some attractions will host special Halloween-related activities!
Bobby Castle in NYC now offers TerrorVision, which features three haunted houses all at once! Audience members become the stars of this thrilling, dark adventure experience that every horror enthusiast should try. Don’t miss it; horror lovers must experience TerrorVision at least once!
Thanksgiving
Many people love Halloween, yet don’t want it to end when November arrives. With orange hued autumn leaves and crisp air conditions providing the ideal conditions, now would be an excellent time to visit a haunted house attraction!
Thanksgiving Day offers more than the traditional feast of turkey, dressing and parades; there’s plenty to keep the whole family busy on this holiday! The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes will perform in their Christmas Spectacular; Big Apple Circus offers two shows daily at Lincoln Center from 2 pm-4 pm while Flip Circus shows run evening shows across Randall’s Island and Queens Forest Park; additionally movie theaters will also be open for business on Thanksgiving.
Christmas
As some haunted houses close for winter, others are gearing up for another type of horror: Christmas. From chainsaw-wielding snowmen to demonic elves, these haunts take Yuletide traditions and turn them into spine-tingling terror.
Tennessee’s Misery Haunted House provides two chilling weekends of holiday scares and wicked elves, promising an experience you won’t soon forget! Rated the number one haunt in Tennessee, its top-rated haunt promises thrills you won’t soon forget.
Horror haunted houses often open on Christmas, knowing that people will be looking for entertainment during this festive time of year. Movie theatres, bowling centers and family entertainment attractions tend to become quite busy during this season as college students return home after exams while parents take some much-needed time off work.
Valentine’s Day
No matter your Valentine’s Day plans or horror interests, haunted houses offer something different on this holiday. From horror themed ones to romance-focused ones – each event provides its own special mix of spookiness and romance for a truly thrilling and exciting experience!
Modern haunted houses first made their debut in London during the 19th-century. Sideshow illusions and circus attractions offered audiences new forms of macabre entertainment. Marie Tussaud created shock waves among British audiences with her collection of wax sculptures depicting death masks from victims of the French Revolution – she even owned several from herself!
Horror craze was brought into the mainstream through Slasher films, sparking widespread excitement for Halloween-themed houses and increasing Halloween-related sales. This trend continued into the 20th century thanks to movies like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th.
St. Patrick’s Day
Halloween may be the premier haunted house season, but other locations open their haunted houses for holiday-themed horror events during other seasons of the year as well. Think maniacal leprechauns and pots o’ gold filled with evil spirits among others!
Lincoln Mill will host a St. Patrick’s Day-themed haunted house this weekend, complete with green elements throughout its property and an original story featuring banshees, goblins and leprechauns.
Fright Haven Haunted Attraction in Stratford, Connecticut features Peter Rottentail as he hunts down bunny trails causing havoc with terrorizing effects! Join this egg-stra special event from April 7th-8th!
Easter
Haunted houses are always terrifying to visit. Their dark corridors, creepy noises, and shadowy figures watching over us is enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.
Haunted house industry has expanded rapidly from being a small, charitable venture into an over $20-billion dollar industry with thousands of locations offering visitors thrilling experiences that go beyond merely frightening them.
Netherworld, located in a former Lincoln Mill, provides an immersive horror experience featuring live scare actors and production quality sets. Additionally, this haunted house boasts 3D special effects as well as aerial performers. For added thrills and chills there is also a lakeside train ride, face painting and an excursion through an adjacent forbidden forest!
