FREAKY FUN A community haunted house at the old CPR Lodge by Dorothy Lake is ready to spook the public this weekend.File image
By James Rose
Special to The Pioneer
Goblins and ghouls, vampires and werewolves; tis the season once again where humanitys most feared creatures return from the netherworld to do what they do best scare!
For this Halloween weekend, plenty of scary fun awaits at the inaugural Invermere Haunted House Park of Horrors. Taking place at the old CPR Lodge (located above Dorothy Lake), the Park of Horrors promises to deliver an equal parts fun, scary, and creepy experience.
In years past, we organized the Zombie Walk, but this year we wanted to try something new, and I always thought a community Haunted House would be a great idea, said one of the three event organizers, Sarah Eastick. Myself, along with Silena Ann Ewan and Richard Matthews have been in extensive planning mode for the last several months and we are really excited for how it has transpired and we cant thank our sponsors and volunteers enough for supporting us!
Tonight (Friday, October 28th) from 7 to 9 p.m., the Park of Horrors will be a family friendly affair with guided tours taking place approximately every 10 minutes. The Saturday night experience from 8 to 10 p.m. will be the full scare adult-oriented evening. Kids aged 12 to 16 are allowed, but are asked to be accompanied by an adult.The Station Neighbourhood Pub will be hosting an after-party on Saturday night as well featuring live music, a costume contest, Arrowhead beer, and scary cocktails.
For both nights, the meeting spot is at the parking lot beside the Kinsmen tennis court, and from there, a tour guide will walk guests through the Park of Horrors, said Ms. Eastick. Admission for kids is $5, $10 for adults, and a family pass (up to 6 people) for $20.
According to the Smithsonian Institution, the origins of the haunted house date back to 19th century London, England, when a series of illusions and attractions introduced the public to new forms of gruesome entertainment. In 1802, Marie Tussaud scandalized British audiences with an exhibition of wax sculptures of decapitated French figures, including King Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette, Marat and Robespierre.
And as Hollywood began to embrace horror movies like Halloween, and Friday the 13th, the haunted house phenomena only grew. The horror movie genre boom helped fuel a demand for scary attractions and increasingly innovative scare tactics. Today, for many communities, a haunted house is a staple Halloween experience.
For more information on the Park of Horrors, visit the Invermere Haunted House Facebook page or the Park of Horrors events page on Facebook or call 250-342-8844.
