House of horrors
Little Dead Riding Hood (Sam Bent), Snow Fright (Odessa MacNeil), the Dark Fairy (Meara Noonan) and The Raven (Denise Noonan) would tell you what to expect in the Town of Middleton's upcoming Land of Scary Tales haunted house, but they'd rather thrill you first.
Ever wonder what happens when your favourite fairy tale character’s happily ever after doesn’t quite pan out?
Just ask Snow Fright.
The Town of Middleton is inviting those brave enough to step foot in the Land of Scary Tales haunted house to visit the Macdonald Museum Oct. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m.
“The magical stories of happy fairy tales will be presented with an eerie twist that will leave attendees fearing the very characters that have brought them such joy in the past,” says Jennifer Coolen, recreation director for the town.
The top floor of the museum will be transformed into a parallel universe populated by despondent and disturbing fairy tale characters.
“There is a very rich history in the old building and it creates an eerie atmosphere,” says Coolen.
The Land of Scary Tales theme, pitched by longtime volunteer Krista Vanden Heuvel Steele, will challenge fairy tale fans to leap outside of their comfort zones only to land in a world of the unknown.
“They are created to play on our imagination and there is a fine line between magical and creepy,” says Coolen. “We aim to create an opportunity to cross that line.”
With the top floor reserved for thrill seekers, guardians will be asked to use discretion before allowing children to tour through the haunted house.
“The top floor will not be suitable for all ages,” says Coolen. “The first floor will have games and activities for younger children from 6 to 8 p.m. There will also be a bonfire outside, weather pending, if anyone wants to come gather with their community members and hear about what’s inside.”
More than 1,000 people visited the museum’s Harry Potter-themed haunt last year. The town partners with the fire department, local schools, Family Matters, Youth Ambassadors and dedicated volunteers to organize this free event for the community.
“We brainstorm all year. The month of October is when we kick it into high gear. It takes about 75 volunteers and many hours of prop building, costume design, and set up. Then there is the clean up, which also takes a few days,” says Coolen.
“People seek exciting experiences and this is an opportunity that appeals to a lot of people because it gets the heart rate up and is good for a scare and a laugh.”