Encore Weekend

Not ready for the Halloween season and the haunting fun to be over?

Well don't fear, there is still one more weekend to scream!

Check out these attractions that will be open this weekend:

(Listed in alphabetical order)

Basement of the Dead in Aurora, IL
Fear Asylum in Belvidere, IL
Fear Itself in Mishawaka, IN
Forest of Freaks in Janesville, WI
Haunted Mansion and Asylum 13 in Bolingbrook, IL
Hauntfest in Milwaukee, WI
Massacre Haunted House in Naperville, IL
Psychosis Haunted House in Elgin, IL
Raven's Grin Inn in Mt. Carroll, IL
Statesville Haunted Prison and City of the Dead in Crest Hill, IL
Zombie Safari in Dundee, IL

Please make sure you check each Attraction's listing to confirm operating dates and hours.

Haunted Attraction Closings

As the 2012 Haunt Season comes to a close, we remember two amazing attractions that screeched their last screams this Halloween:

Dream Reapers Haunted House in Melrose Park, IL (2000-2012)

Haunted High in Oconomowoc, WI (2009-2012)

As they will be greatly missed, may they both be forever remembered. R.I.P.

2012 Official Haunted House Chicago Top 13

As the clock strikes twelve, we find ourselves at the apex of yet another haunting season. But, before we bid farewell, it is finally time to present the 2012 Official Haunted House Chicago Top 13.

After traversing 2,346 miles this season, here is our list of the best around:

1. Statesville Haunted Prison & City of the Dead in Crest Hill, IL
2. Realm of Terror Horror Experience in Round Lake Beach, IL
3. Amhurst Asylum in Valparaiso, IN
4. Basement of the Dead in Aurora, IL
5. Wisconsin Feargrounds in Waukesha, WI
6. Asylum Xperiment in Villa Park, IL
7. Fear City & Hades in Morton Grove, IL
8. Fear Itself at Legend Park in Mishawaka, IN
9. Abyss Haunted House in Channahon, IL
10. Dream Reapers Haunted House in Melrose Park, IL
11. Reapers Realm in Hammond, IN
12. Spook Hollow & MC Manor in Marquette Heights, IL
13. The Haunted Infirmary at Bartonville Insane Asylum in Bartonville, IL (tied)
Niles Haunted House Scream Park in Niles, MI (tied)
Abandoned Haunted House Complex in Mount Pleasant, WI (tied)

(A special note that this year, we had a three-way tie for 13th place, based on the total number of points earned according to the scale used by the Haunted House Chicago Review Team.)

Congratulations to all haunted attractions for an outstanding season of haunting!

Now, who's counting down the days until 2013?

2012 Jim Warfield Acting Award Winner

Congratulations to Stevie Calabrese as "Auntie Mom" from Realm of Terror Horror Experience in Round Lake Beach, IL! She has been chosen as Haunted House Chicago's 2012 Jim Warfield Acting Award winner!

(Because of you, we check under our beds twice.)

Stay tuned for the 2012 Haunted House Chicago Official Top 13 at midnight!

2012 New Haunted Attraction of the Year

Congratulations to Abandoned Haunted House Complex in Mount Pleasant, WI, for being chosen as Haunted House Chicago's 2012 New Haunted Attraction of the Year! More Information

Happy Devil's Night and stay tuned for more news and awards over the next 24 hours!

Travel Channel Filming "Halloween Craziest" at Statesville Haunted Prison on Thursday, 10/18/12

Come to Statesville® on Thursday Night for Your Chance to be on TV!

Travel Channel will be at Statesville Haunted Prison® on Thursday, October 18 to film Chicagoland's own favorite haunt! The crew is filming for the Halloween special "Halloween Craziest," the 3rd in the series that began last year with "Halloween Crazy" and continues this year with "Halloween Crazier"; "Halloween Craziest" will air on the Travel Channel in October 2013!

Attention haunt enthusiasts! If you want to appear on this Travel Channel Halloween special, get yourself to Statesville® on Thursday night and be ready to scream! The crew will be filming the most enthusiastic, most easily-frightened and most scream-prone guests who come to Statesville® and if they pick you, you may end up on TV!

Do you have big news about your haunted house? Send it to darkchicago@gmail.com!

Bride of the Stripping Dead at the Admiral Theater

The Stripping Dead return for Bride of the Stripping Dead at the Admiral Theater on October 18th & 19th. Full details and tickets at http://strippingdead.com/; Facebook event page at http://www.facebook.com/events/281017955340449/.

Use coupon code "MAYA" to receive $10 OFF each ticket!

2012 Halloween Season Preview

Hello Haunt Fans!

 

It has been a LONG off-season, hasn’t it? Thankfully, the date on the calendar now shows September.  AND if you are quiet enough, you can probably hear this year’s cast of monsters, zombies, creatures, and freaks awakening to terrorize your neighborhood.

 

Eventually, the weather will cool down, and that familiar chill will return. The kids will head back to school, the leaves will change colors, and football will once again rule the television.

 

Even while talking with different Haunt owners, the feeling of restlessness is shared. So many different attractions are chomping-at-the-bit with the chance to help give you a reason to change your underwear.

 

Here’s some news to help wet your whistle as we prepare for Halloween 2012. (We will continue to update it as more comes in.)

 

To begin, the biggest news of the off-season concerned long-time Top 13 attraction, Dream Reapers in Melrose Park, IL. After last year’s season, they were robbed of a good majority of their revenue from the 2011 season. To help recap their lost funds, Dream Reapers opened a Christmas-themed haunted attraction for two weekends in December 2011. Even after an outstanding performance and overwhelming support, the owners of Dream Reapers announced that the 2012 season will be their 13^th and final season.

 

Haunted High School in Oconomowoc, WI, has also announced this will be their final operating year.

 

However, all is not lost. A few attractions are expanding their experiences for 2012. Wisconsin Feargrounds in Waukesha, WI, have added two new attractions, “Shadow Lands” and “Revenge.” Asylum Experiment in Villa Park, IL, is adding a third attraction named, “The House.” Abyss in Channahon, IL, will be adding a fourth attraction. Dark Side Haunted Adventure in Ixonia, WI, will also be adding a fifth attraction!

 

Congratulations to the following attractions celebrating anniversaries of fear:

Lombard Jaycees in Lombard, IL – 42 Years

Brookfield Jaycees in Brookfield, IL – 36 Years

Haunted Trails Frightmare in Burbank, IL – 21 Years

Henry Street Horrors in Pontiac, IL – 17 Years

Realm of Terror in Round Lake Beach, IL – 10 Years

Fear Itself in Mishawaka, IN – 5 Years

 

On the opposite side of that card, congratulations to our brand-new attractions Fables Studios in River Grove, IL, and Abandoned Haunted House in Sturtevant, WI. Have a great first-year!

 

Of course, each year has a few movers and shakers. Fear Asylum in Belvedere, IL, is changing their attraction to include a “waiver” concept. Screamatorium has moved to their new location in Poplar Grove, IL.  Screams in the Park in Rosemont, IL, now abandons the tent and moves inside the parking garage. Fear City in Morton Grove, IL, now joins with Hades to provide a new combination attraction, with proceeds benefiting the National MS Society. Psychosis in Elgin, IL, will be “kidnapping victims.” Last, but not least, CEP in LaGrange, IL, returns after a year layoff.

 

No news on your favorite haunt? Don’t fear! More updates will be posted all season long! Have a tip? Share it with us!

 

Want to enhance your Halloween season entertainment? Here are some movies and concerts that will keep your head spinning. (You have to supply the pea soup.)

 

The Big Screen

While no one knows quite for sure when Rob Zombie’s new flick, “Lords of Salem” will actually be released to the US, we do have a couple of highlights for the next two months of movie action. On September 5, Jessica Biel stars in “The Tall Man.” Then on September 14^th, we will get the 5^th installment of the “Resident Evil” series named, “Retribution.” Releasing on the same day, Elisabeth Shue stars in the “House at the End of the Street.” To lighten up the season, Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg have a chilling good animated time in “Hotel Transylvania,” which premieres on September 28^th.

Heading into October, October 5^th bring us three premieres. Tim Burton has his animated production of, “Frankenweenie,” Ethan Hawke stars in “Sinister,” and finally an interesting “mask” movie named, “V/H/S.” Not to be outdone, “Smiley,” another “mask” movie hits theatres on October 11^th. As we head into the home stretch, we are given two more presents. On October 19^th, the 4^th installment of the “Paranormal Activity” series hits the big screen. We finish off the season, “Silent Hill: Revelation,” premiering on October 26^th.

The Big Stage

 

The monsters of rock, Kiss and Motley Crew team up for a pair of shows at the Midwest Bank Amphitheatre on 9/7 and Alpine Valley on 9/8. The mighty Riotfest hits Humboldt Park Chicago 9/14-9/16, with headliners such as Iggy Pop and Gwar. Hatebreed plays the House of Blues on 9/19. Want a chance for some possible Pantera? Check out Down at House of Blues on 9/22. Finishing out September, Static-X plays a series of shows in Bloomington (9/24), Joliet (9/27), and Milwaukee (9/29).

 

Heading into October, if you want to see some REAL beards, check out classic sharp-dressed men, ZZ Top on 10/2 at the Chicago Theatre. Easily the highlight show of the season, Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson take the stage at the Allstate on 10/11, and the US Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington on 10/13. Waka Flocka plays the Congress on 10/21. Deftones at the Aragon ballroom on 10/23. If you can’t find the time to make the pair of Justin Bieber shows, don’t worry, there are other options. Close out your October at the infamous Freakfest in Madison on 10/27, or the Misfits at House of Blues on 11/5.

 

Regardless of where you scream at, keep checking Haunted House Chicago all season long for everything to make your holiday season the best yet!

 

From all of our staff, have a frightful and safe Halloween Season!

Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention

Get in the mood for the impending 2012 Halloween & Haunted House Season at the 10th Annual Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Convention, August 10-12 at the Crowne Plaza O'Hare in Rosemont, IL! Details at http://www.flashbackweekend.com.

http://www.flashbackweekend.com

HHC Remembers George Carpenter

Friday, April 20, 2012, the Haunted Attraction Family lost a beloved member, George Carpenter. He was the creator, designer, and original owner of Nightmares: Basement of the Dead in Aurora, as well as co-owner of Skully’s Family Fun in Oswego, IL. He passed away at the age of 68.

Under his direction and vision, he created and operated Nightmares: Basement of the Dead, a haunted and terrifying journey through the basement of a 1900’s laundry building tracing the steps of Al and Imus Kilya.

In 2003, its first operating year, Nightmares: Basement of the Dead was chosen by Haunted House Chicago as their “New Attraction of the Year.” George and his family continued to perfect the attraction until in 2008, Haunted House Chicago awarded it their highest honor, “Haunted Attraction of the Year.”

George sold the attraction in 2010 and began developing a new family-friendly attraction with his family. The attraction is known as Skully’s Family Fun and launched in 2011 in Oswego, IL.

George was a very caring and passionate man about everything in his life. While most of those in the haunt industry may have only known him for his work on Nightmares, George had many other projects and interests, including monster trucks and his family. But, regardless of the topic, he shared his excitement with everyone around him.

We at Haunted House Chicago feel honored to have known him and called him a friend. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered.

Featured Listings SOLD OUT. Prominent Listings Still Available...

Haunted House Owners: The ten 2012 Featured Listing spots have sold out, but there are still 11 spots available in the rotating banners on every page of HauntedHouseChicago.com - for information on how to secure yours (you can get more than one if you want), go HERE.