13th World in Cumberland is scary good
As Halloween approaches, Diamond Hill Park turns into horror trail
CUMBERLAND — If you are looking for a good scare before Halloween, there is still time to catch this year’s edition of the 13th World horror trail at Diamond Hill Park.
Back for its second run as a privately operated haunted attraction, 13th World has a mix of scary settings along its course through the woods and hillside of the onetime state ski area including a popular Killer Clown House, the post apocalyptic camp and bunker zone ruled by chainsaw toting crazies, the sense-depriving fog tunnel and, of course, a special appearance by Michael Myers and his friends.
13th World is operated by honor trail veterans Zeke Fortier of Bellingham and Rich Vaillant of Johnston and is an offshoot of the horror trail they had run for the town’s recre- ation department at the same location for about 15 years.
The updated 13th World venue includes some high tension surprises like Josh Lanoie of Woonsocket soaring over patrons starting out on the trail and wandering through simulated corn field.
The Killer Clown House is always a favorite, and the kids and adults taking on the trail’s horrors usually don’t mind being chased around by the gas-powered, chainsaw toting crazies rushing out of the bunkers.
“It has been going pretty well,” Vaillant said as a hefty line of patrons stood in the queue up area for entrance to the trail at the Clown House.
“We haven’t lost any of our days due to weather and the crowds have been great,” he said.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the park were expected to be one of the best weekends of the run since the following week people start holding their own Halloween parties before Halloween arrives on the 31st, a Wednesday.
Hopefully, Vaillant said, the run of good weather will continue through next weekend and 13th World’s final show date on Oct. 27.
With everything offered last year as part of 13th World back this year with some special additions, Vaillant said the response to the horror trail has been great. “The kids are loving it this year and we are getting great feedback,” he said. The trail’s “Jeepers-Creepers” setting has been very popular as has been the Killer Clowns and the fog tunnel, he noted. “Clowns are always a win. People are just scared of Clowns,” Vaillant said. Kelly Peterson of Mansfield and Sean Poletyski of Wrentham, confirmed that view after walking the trail with their classmates at Bishop Feehan High School. “It was a lot of fun. I liked the chainsaws and the killer clowns,” Peterson said of 13th World. Poletyski agreed. “The chainsaws were pretty cool and I liked the fog tunnel. You walked through it and couldn’t see anything. It was pretty cool,” Poletyski said. At the entrance to the trail, a horror character, Skull Tar, was ready to start everyone screaming by popping out the shadows when someone wasn’t looking. “It’s going great,” Skull Tar said. “The people love me when I scare them, they can’t live without me.” Tickets for 13th World are $18 per person on Fridays and Sundays and $20 per person on Saturdays.