Haunted house opens tonight

Nightscare's Haunted House returns for 11th year

MOSES LAKE - If you hear some shrieks, screams and howls coming from the Grant County Fairgrounds the next couple of weeks, don't be alarmed. Just be very, very frightened.

Beginning tonight and continuing through Halloween, Nightscare productions will be scaring the stuffing out of anyone who dares venture into the darkened building they've turned into a haunted house for an 11th year.

The first hour of the haunted house, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., is the "kiddie hour," when the scariness is toned down a little for younger patrons. After 8 p.m. the stops are pulled out and visitors can expect some hair-raising experiences.

Public relations spokesperson Randy Hayes declined to get very specific about what will be new this year, but he admitted there were several new rooms reflecting this year's movies, as well as some old favorites revived from years past.

"I can't give you all my secrets," he said.

For those who haven't been through the haunted house, it's an elaborate maze of darkened rooms, one after another, where actors in carefully-designed costumes act out scenes from scary movies, horror novels, and your own worst nightmares. The preparation is very involved, and Nightscare members begin to create the tableaux months in advance.

The actors range in age from nine years old to 60, and there are about 100 overall, although at most 35 to 40 are likely to be in the haunted house at a time, Hayes said.

Despite the frightening nature of the haunted house, safety and security are important, Hayes said. Each party to pass through the maze is accompanied by an escort, who sees to it that the actors and guests never come into physical contact. They're also ready to call for medical help in an emergency, although Hayes said nobody has been hurt during the seven years he's been involved. Exit signs are clearly marked.

Actors who are still in school are required to keep up their grades and stay out of trouble, Hayes said, or they're not allowed to participate. Because many of the kids come straight from school, they often have little time to eat, so local businesses have taken to donating food for rehearsals and performances, including Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonalds, Domino's and Chico's. The local Pepsi distributor donated pop and water for the cast and crew.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids 10 years old and under, with a dollar discount for a can of food or a non-perishable food item. The food is donated to local food banks, said Hayes. Last year between 300 and 500 cans of food were collected. In addition, he said, each year the organization selects a couple of families to provide with a Thanksgiving dinner, and two families to receive Christmas presents and food.