Halloween II Release Party : The Michael Myers Victims Ball

Dress up as one of Michael Myers' victims and come out to Neo Chicago on Saturday, August 22 for the Michael Myers Victims Ball! DJ Jeff Moyer spins, there'll be door prizes and giveaways and dark, spooky fun for all as we celebrate the hotly-anticipated release of Rob Zombie's Halloween II on August 28!

10:00 pm - 5:00 am
21+
Neo Chicago
2350 N Clark
http://www.neonightclub.com

Sponsored by Dimension Extreme and DarkChicago.com

Account Creation Errors Fixed

The user account creation error(s) have been found and fixed - you may now create your user account and list your haunted house with (hopefully) no further glitchiness! If you do experience a problem on this site, PLEASE notify the webmaster at darkchicago@gmail.com.

Growing Pains

Looks like there's a glitch or two in the New User registration process; the programmer has been notified and the problem should be resolved shortly. Please bear with us.

Welcome to the All New HAUNTED HOUSE CHICAGO!

We at DarkChicago.com are very pleased to present the all-new HauntedHouseChicago.com, just in time for the 2009 Halloween and haunted house season. Please bear with us as we get the site set up today - you may see some weird listings or wonky elements, but they'll be very temporary.

In the meantime, go ahead and create your user account, which will let you rate and review haunted houses during the season.

HAUNTED HOUSE OWNERS

We are starting the Haunted House Listings over from scratch this year, so please read the following carefully. YOU MUST ADD YOUR HAUNTED HOUSE YOURSELF. We've made it super-easy to add and maintain your own listings this year - all you have to do is create your account and make sure you hang on to your username/password so that you can update your listing(s) in the future!

• FIRST: Click HERE to create your new account.
• SECOND: Check the email address you entered and click the link in the email you'll receive to activate your account.
• THIRD: Click HERE to create your haunted attraction's listing.
• FOURTH: A HauntedHouseChicago.com administrator will review your listing and approve it, at which time your listing will go live on the site!
  

You'll be able to add your attraction's address, phone number, email address, a brief description and even a couple of photos. Better still, HauntedHouseChicago.com users will be able to see your attraction's location on a Google Map, right on your listing page (so PLEASE be sure to get that address entered correctly!).

Stay tuned for more announcements as we gear up for Halloween 2009!

Clive Barker Reinventing Halloween!

Legendary writer/director/artist/bon vivant Clive Barker announced on his Twitter account this evening that he is working with Disguise to create his own line of Halloween masks, a line he intends to expand each year:

I'm starting to get full-size sculpts for Halloween masks and costumes developed to give a wild, edgy look to my favorite holiday! In 2010 we'll start with The Dark Bazaar. Then we'll add characters to the mythology year after year - my designs for a whole new Halloween, with not a pumpkin in sight. I originate the characters as oil paintings. In 2011 we will get even darker, as we descend into The Pit.

I'm working with an awesome company called Disguise - great, creative people who want to give the holiday some bite, some fresh blood, some new Terrors. There will be big press stuff to follow. But you folks (Twitter followers) have been amazing to me during a really bad time in my life. You first!

HAuNTcon Pre-Show Haunt Tour!

Time is running out for this CAN’T MISS pre-show tour!

Visit Six different Wisconsin Haunts in Two days on the HAuNTcon Pre-show Haunted Road Trip Bus Tour! April 29-30

All inclusive ticket price includes:

6 Different Haunted Attractions and a 4-D Theater! A ride on an antique passenger train! Bus Transportation! Hotel, Meals, Photo Op at Lambeau Field! Free beer, soda, and snacks at the Terror on the Fox!!

And more!

The Pre-show tour leaves at 8am on Wednesday April 29 from the Wyndham and returns to the host hotel at 6pm April 30. The current list of Haunts for this overnight bus trip includes Terror on Rural Street, The Hartford Jaycees Haunted House, Shawano Manor Haunted House, Dominion of Terror, Curse of the Crypt, and lights off AND lights on tour of Bad Boys Scenic Designs’ Terror on the Fox!

The Pre-show tour leaves at 8am on Wednesday April 29 from the Wyndham and returns to the host hotel at 6pm April 30. The current list of Haunts for this overnight bus trip starts with:

Hartford Jaycees Haunted House chaired by Gary Milliken, has consistently been rated in the top 5 haunted houses in Wisconsin by the Milwaukee Journal They are unique because they are located in an actual farm house; visitors to this one of a kind event will find themselves doing things in an attraction that they may never have seen before.

Terror on Rural Street owned by non-profit corp. "Hartford Community Service, Inc.". has been a Wisconsin haunted attraction landmark for years, this haunt is a multi level attraction that incorporates the use of a lot of water, we advise you to fear what lies with in the calm waters of T.O.R.S.

Curse of the Crypt at Noah's Ark Water Park - One of Americas Largest Water Parks) this attraction is brand new for the 2009 season built by Oak Island Productions. This is a 2.5 million dollar attraction that includes two dark rides! A hellevator that can hold over 100 people and a bonus for all attendees is the interactive 4 -D theater at Noah's Ark! That's right 4 D Theater!

Bad Boys Scenic Designs' Terror on the Fox Considered one of the most detailed Haunted Attractions in the Country, now entering its 13th season Terror on the Fox continues to deliver thrills, chills, and screams to tens of thousands of customers each October! This is your chance to visit one of the top rated Haunted Attractions in the Country! Upon arriving at Terror on the Fox you will be treated to dinner amongst some of the most historical trains in the Country including Eisenhower’s command train. After dinner you will board an actual passenger train that will deliver you to the Haunt. From there, you will be treated to a fully operational and staffed event with some industry guest actors and seasoned Terror on the Fox cast and crew. After the tour, it is time top check into the hotel but the night is not over yet! Attendees will be treated to a Terror on the Fox social gathering at the Stadium View Sports Bar and Grill across the street from the hotel.

Rated the Best Charity Haunt in the Country by HauntWorld Magazine, Terror on the Fox has been spotlighted in a Cover Story in Haunted Attraction Magazine, featured in Family Circle Magazine, Skin Deep Magazine a featured Haunt in Haunt Search Magazine, issues 4 and 12 and install of the month, Sound & Video Contractor Magazine! Terror on the Fox can be seen in the Halloween, The Happy Haunting of America DVD featuring Robert Englund, Alice Cooper, Tom Savini.

After breakfast the following morning attendees return to Terror on the Fox for an up close and personal, lights on backstage tour of the Attraction before heading over to Lambeau Field for a quick photo op!

Shawano Manor Haunted House owned by Dave Oshefsky Since the fall 1894, people have wondered what has been going on inside Shawano Manor. They have seen the mysterious lights, heard the mysterious sounds. The terrifying stories and rumors have spread throughout Northeast Wisconsin like fire in dry grass. Some have been slight exaggerations, but many are factual. The only way to find out the truth is to visit Shawano Manor for yourself! Shawano Manor a real haunted mansion, to get there you must first make it through the haunted trail. A mind blowing 3,600 square feet of 3D attraction, new building specifically designed for the attraction completed September of 2008, ChromaDepth 3D is utilized throughout the haunt. 3 acres of haunted trails. New EFIS Façade now under construction, Come see the early stages of a new Northeast Wisconsin Haunted Legend.

Dominion of Terror owned by Jodie Zajkowski. - Over 30 years of Terror will be unleashed as you attempt to find your way through the Dominion of Terror. Horror will overcome you as you attempt to make your way through over 18 brand new blood chilling rooms. Prepare to encounter gruesome and insane characters impatiently awaiting your arrival. With only one way out, your heart will be racing as you frantically try to find it. Every step brings a new twist to the word Terror! The Dominion of Terror, sponsored by the Sheboygan Jaycees, has been in existence since 1974. It is one of the largest non-profit haunts in Wisconsin. With a limited budget, the small staff need to work extra hard to maintain the fear in this haunt. Each year usually brings a new building, with new ambiance. Fortunately, the current location is now in its fifth year. If luck has it, it will remain the permanent location. The small core group of people dedicate most of the year to piecing together this haunt.

Tickets include bus, meals, DOUBLE OCCUPANCY hotel stay and 6 Haunted House Tours in 2 days!

CLICK HERE for 2 Day Pre-Show Haunting Bus Tour (April 29-30) $275.00

CLICK HERE For 2 Day Pre-Show Haunting Bus Tour - PRIVATE ROOM (April 29-30) $325.00

For more information, contact Leonard Pickel at 972-951-5100

HALFWAY to HALLOWEEN Haunted House Tours at HAuNTcon!

HAuNTcon, the Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow & Convention, takes place in Milwaukee April 29 - May 4. Milwaukee is only 1 1/2 hours north of Chicago. Haunted House enthusiasts can check out the tradeshow itself, but there's an added benefit to having HAuNTcon so close to Chicago - the Haunted House Tours!

April 29-30, May 1st and 3rd each feature a different tour of some of the Midwest's best haunted houses!

• WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY PRE-SHOW TOUR: Terror on Rural Street, Terror on the Fox, Shawano Manor and Dominion of Terror
• THURSDAY: Realm of Terror
• FRIDAY: Wisconsin Feargrounds, featuring Morgan Manor, Morgana's Torment and the all-new Unstable
• SUNDAY: Monster Mayhem

For more information about HAuNTcon, visit http://www.hauntcon.com

To find out more about the Halfway to Halloween Haunt Tour, visit the Master Haunt Tour Page

Second Annual Chicago Ghost Conference

"The dead say nothing
And the dead know much
And the dead hold
Under their tongues
A locked-up story."
-Carl Sandburg

One of the city's most beloved poets, Carl Sandburg, knew a thing or two about being haunted. Each October, we attempt to unlock the "locked up stories" of the spirits of Chicago--and beyond--at the Midwest's premier ghost hunting event of the season.

The first Chicago Ghost Conference went down in history as the first ghosthunters' convention ever held in the city of Chicago. For the first time, field investigators, authors, historians, folklorists, artists, sensitives, and enthusiasts from every walk of life came together in one of the world's most haunted cities for a weekend of learning, discovery, and--of course--ghosthunting.

The 2009 conference promises to be even bigger and better. All are welcome, whether you have merely a ghost of an interest in the paranormal, are looking to celebrate Halloween in a unique way, or whether you're a seasoned ghosthunter actively engaged in the science of paranormal investigation.

Registration is now open! Our 2009 Conference headquarters will be the historic and storied Portage Theater on Chicago's Northwest side, just minutes from O'Hare airport and some of Chicago's greatest paranormal locations, including Robinson Woods and the former site of the John Wayne Gacy home. Special evening events on Friday will sell out early, including a special ghosthunters' tour of Chicago and other supernatural events you won't want to miss!

Full details: http://www.chicagohauntings.com/conference.html

HAuNTcon 2009 : Right Next to Chicago!

Join Haunters from across the country for the Sixth Annual Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention, April 30-May 4, 2009 at the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center with a pre-show Haunted road trip April 29-30, less than an hour and a half drive from the Rosemont Convention Center in Chicago!

Open to the general public, HAuNTcon is a convention and expo that packs in everything a Haunter could possibly want or need to make the next Halloween season the best it can be! Designed by Haunters, for Haunters of every age and level of experience, HAuNTcon brings people together who love Haunted Houses and Halloween for a fun filled three days and nights of Haunter Education, Tours of Local Haunted Houses, jam packed Tradeshow Floor, Hearse Show and an incredible Costume Ball!

The HAuNTcon Haunt Tours starts on Wednesday April 29 with a pre-show tour. The over-night bus trip includes lights on and lights off tours of the Hartford Jaycees Haunted House, Terror on Rural Street Crypt of Terror, Bad Boy’s Scenic Design’s Terror on the Fox, Shawano Manor and Dominion of Terror.

The Thursday Night Kick-off Tour and Social on April 30 includes dinner and a tour of the Realm of Terror owned by Tom Kristof. The Friday Night Haunt Tour, May 1 is the three haunt multi-element event Wisconsin Fear Grounds, owned by Tim and Ann Marie Gavinski, and features Morgan Manor, Freaky’s Fun House and the brand new Unstable.

A key component of HAuNTcon is education! Over 50 hours of seminars, workshops and Demonstrations are included in the price of admission. Education id the key to help attendees learn tips and tricks on how-to build props and sets; how to make their lives easier and their attractions more successful.

The huge Tradeshow floor, Friday May 1 through May 3, is filled with the latest in fright services and equipment for the professional Haunted House owner and Halloween enthusiast alike. From horror makeup and highly detailed masks to static props and large animatronic creatures, everything a Haunter needs will be for sale and many at wholesale prices.

A Hearse and Parade Car Rally is planned for Sunday May 3, as the hotel parking lot fills with a collection of creepy tricked out vehicles and funeral cars.

Saturday night May 2, is the massive Haunted Attraction Magazine Costume Ball, where Haunters from across the country show-off their most creative costumes at a rocking party that celebrates the joy of getting into character for fun rather than for work. It is Halloween in May!

NEW for HAuNTcon 2009 is the Sunday Night Haunt Tour and social on May 3 of Monster Mayhem owned by Jeff Lister. The price for this tour includes a light dinner and networking social.

“HAuNTcon is an opportunity for Haunters to network, share tips and stories, get fresh ideas, learn new ways of doing things and check out the latest in Haunting props,” explains Leonard Pickel, editor of Haunted Attraction Magazine and HAuNTcon event coordinator. “It is the best money you can spend on your Haunted Event.”

HAuNTcon 09 is sponsored by HauntedHouseChicago.com, Wristband Resources, Zombie Army, Sinister Visions inc. and Haunted Attraction Magazine.

Attendee and Exhibitor Registrations are available at www.hauntcon.com, as is a schedule of events for the weekend. Discount hotel rates for the Wyndham Milwaukee Airport Hotel and Convention Center are also available on the convention website.

If you own a Haunted House or would like to find out how to get started in the Haunt business, then HAuNTcon is a "not to be missed" convention! Even if you just like Haunted Houses and Halloween, then you are in for a rare inside look at how major Haunted Attractions across the country scare millions of people each October.

Win The Haunting In Connecticut Passes/Prizes!

Lionsgate Films has a stack of free passes and merchandise to give away for their upcoming film THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT. Contest time!

Based on a chilling true story, Lionsgate's THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT charts one family's terrifying, real-life encounter with the dark forces of the supernatural. When the Campbell family moves to upstate Connecticut, they soon learn that their charming Victorian home has a disturbing history: not only was the house a transformed funeral parlor where inconceivable acts occurred, but the owner's clairvoyant son Jonah served as a demonic messenger, providing a gateway for spiritual entities to crossover.

Now unspeakable terror awaits, when Jonah, the boy who communicated with the dead, returns to unleash a new kind of horror on the innocent and unsuspecting family.

Have you ever had an encounter with the supernatural? Spotted a specter? Seen a spook? Describe your eerie encounter and send it to darkchicago@gmail.com for your chance to win two free passes to an advance screening of The Haunting In Connecticut in Chicago on March 23, plus a bunch of cool THIC goodies!

When submitting, you *must* include your:
* Name
* Email Address
* Mailing Address (so we can send pass/prizes)

Entries must be received by midnight on the 17th so that passes can be mailed on the 18th, so you'll hopefully get them by Saturday the 21st.The Haunting In Connecticut hits theaters March 27!

DISCLAIMER: Entering the contest does not guarantee winning anything. All entries become the property of DarkChicago.com and its affiliated sites; certain entries may be posted to these sites & related social networks.

HALLOWEEN in MARCH at THE ORPHANAGE

For years, this South side gallery gem known as "The Orphanage" has been host to artists of all media and performance, regularly featuring showcases every Sunday in it's spacious gallery. This March, the Orphanage acknowledges it being halfway to Halloween with this month long tribute to world's greatest play day. Chicago's own "Annual Halloween Art Exhibit" will bring the best of its national showcase of Halloween Art to haunt the house and horrify the halls. Well known spooky artists include: Scott Jackson (Megadeth, Rock'n'Roll comics), Chad Savage (Sinister Visions), JoJo Baby (Clive Barker documentary), Eric Pigors (Toxic Toons, Disney), Dan Brereton (Nocturnals) along with top & upcoming talents from all over the country.

Opening Reception Sunday, March 1st, 7:00 pm - Midnight; then different events every Sunday in March.

For full details, visit http://www.theorphanagechicago.org/

MySpace Page Shift

The MySpace page for HauntedHouseChicago.com has been terminated in favor of the new DarkChicago.com MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/chicagohorror , which will cover the 4 Dark Chicago sites from now on. If you had added the old HHC MySpace account as a friend, please consider adding the new account.

HauntedHouseChicago.com Now Accepting 2009 Advertisers

HauntedHouseChicago.com has been updated for 2009 and has a set number of Featured Haunt spots available; these spots will run through December 2009 and are first-come, first-served.

HauntedHouseChicago.com did 90,000 UNIQUE VISITORS in October 2008*, which translated to major traffic for our Featured Haunts. For more information and rates, visit http://www.hauntedhousechicago.com/advertising.php .

These spots will fill up quickly - DON'T WAIT.

*Source: Google Analytics

HAuNTcon Special Discounts from Midwest Airlines

Milwaukee will host HAuNTcon 2009 - the Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow & Convention. While it's a short drive from Chicago, the International Association of Haunted Attractions has partnered with Midwest Airlines and you can take up to 10% off your airfare if you are traveling to HAuNTCon 2009 in Milwaukee.

Three easy ways to save when booking your flight.

1. Visit midwestairlines.com and enter promo code CMZ1642


2. Call Midwest at 800-452-2022 and provide agent with promo code CMZ1642


3. Purchase ticket through a travel agent and mention promo code CMZ1642
   

• 10% discount valid for tickets purchased at least 60 days in advance and a 6% discount for tickets purchased within 60 days of travel


• Applicable travel dates for discount are April 20-May 7, 2009 to Milwaukee from any city served by Midwest Airlines


• Does not apply to code share itineraries with Northwest Airlines

Trickin' It To The Treats!

Here's a little off-season Halloween fun - be sure to watch through to the end!



Can't see the video above? Here's the LINK.

Halloween is over - Now what?

Halloween may be over, but the spookiness in the Chicagoland area doesn't end at Halloween and HauntedHouseChicago.com will continue to bring you information about horror, Halloween and haunted house events throughout the year. Following are a few upcoming events, and several other websites you can keep tabs on to make sure you're keeping it spooky 24/7/365!

HHC

Add HauntedHouseChicago.com on MYSPACE!

Add/Follow HauntedHouseChicago.com on TWITTER!

EVENTS (Click the names to go to the websites)

Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors Fangoria returns to Rosemont in March for 3 days of bloody good fun.

Flashback Weekend Chicago's own home-grown horror convention returns in the spring for a special Twilight-themed event the first weekend in April!

HAuNTcon The Annual Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow & Convention will take place in Milwaukee the last weekend in April in 2009. Open to the general public, HAuNTcon is a great place to learn about the business of haunting, network with haunters on a national level, sample some of Wisconsin's best haunted houses and generally have a spooky good time on exactly the opposite end of the year from Halloween!

EXTENDED EVENTS : Haunted House Tradeshows Within Driving Distance of Chicago (Click the names to go to the websites)

TransWorld's Haunt & Attractions Show, St. Louis, MO March, 2009

The Midwest Haunters Convention, Columbus, OH June, 2009

WEBSITES (Click the names to go to the websites)

ChicagoHorror.com Stay up-to-date on All Things Scary in the Chicagoland area!

ChicagoZombie.com Stay up-to-date on All Things Zombie in the Chicagoland area!

ZombieArmyProductions.com The production team behind the 3 HHC User Top-Rated Haunted Houses in Chicago also makes movies and other mischief throughout the year.

ZombiePinups.com Beauty & BRAAAINS! The website that helped launch a cultural phenomena is based in Chicago and holds events and contests throughout the year!

HauntingHorror.com The Official Message Board for HauntedHouseChicago.com, the 4 sites listed above and a dozen other horror, Halloween and haunt industry websites.

FOR THE HAUNTED HOUSE ENTHUSIAST (Click the names to go to the websites)

RottingFleshRadio.com The weekly podcast for the horror, Halloween & haunted house industries - music, news, interviews and much more!

ChatGraveyard.com The online haunters' hangout. Meet and network with haunted house owners, actors, make up artists, etc. via live chat.

HauntedAttraction.com The website for the Premier Magazine for the Haunted House Industry.

IAHAweb.com The Official Website for the International Association of Haunted Attractions - Scream As One!

HauntUniverse.com The social network where Haunt Industry owners, actors, home haunters, and enthusiasts can communicate.

The Top 10 Haunted Houses in Chicagoland 2008

The reviews and votes are in and we have the Top 10 Haunted Houses in Chicagoland for 2008! Congratulations to those who made the cut and here's hoping ALL the haunted houses in Chicagoland had a safe and successful Halloween season!

HHC Critics' Picks 2008

Chosen by the HHC Review Staff

1. Nightmares: Basement of the Dead
2. Statesville Haunted Prison/City of the Dead
3. Dungeon of Doom
4. Dream Reapers
5. Raven's Grin Inn
6. Reapers Realm
7. The Fear at Navy Pier
8. Eleventh Hour/Evil Intentions
9. Realm of Terror
10. Dragon's Dome

HHC User Picks 2008

As voted by HHC Users throughout October

1. The Fear at Navy Pier
2. Statesville Haunted Prison/City of the Dead
3. Dragon's Dome
4. Reapers Realm
5. Realm of Terror
6. Eleventh Hour/Evil Intentions
7. Anna in the Darkness
8. Nightmares: Basement of the Dead
9. Dream Reapers
10. St. Pascal's Haunted House

Haunting Beyond Halloween

Think the haunted house season ends tonight (Halloween)? Think again! Many haunted houses are open through Saturday or Sunday (check individual haunt websites for dates/hours of operation), and there's a brand new quartet of haunted houses open until the second weekend in November!

FEAR ITSELF just opened a couple of weeks ago in Mishawaka, Indiana, and is definitely worth the short hour-and-a-half drive! Fear Itself features 4 full haunted houses (with more in production for 2009!) - the Zombie Army made the trek to check it out earlier this week and we were all very impressed with this new "Skream Park", which is the first stage of a full-fledged amusement park and haunted complex. Fear Itself is open until November 16th - find out more at http://www.fearitself.tv. Treat yourself to a late-season scare!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween from everybody at HauntedHouseChicago.com!

D. E. CHRISTMAN'S TOP HALLOWEEN PICKS

D. E. Christman is a dark artist, the man behind the Grendel's Den Design Studio, The Philly Zombie Crawl & Zombie Prom, and numerous other nefarious projects.

TOP 10 HALLOWEEN MOVIES

1. Poltergeist (It's filled with frigging ghosts out the wazoo. Can't get more Halloween than that.)
2. Halloween (1978)
3. The Exorcist (So sacraliciouses and creepy. May not have anything to do with Halloween but it is one of the best horror films ever.)
4. It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!
5. The Nightmare Before Christmas
6. Halloween (2007)
7. Return of the Living Dead (The dead coming back to life to eat your brains! And one of them is Linnea Quigley! Oh hells yeah, I like it spooky!)
8. Beetlejuice
9. Night of the Demons
10. Sleepy Hollow

TOP 10 HALLOWEEN CDS

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
2. Halloween Hootenanny (various artists)
3. The Return Of The Living Dead: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
4. Spook Along With Zacherley
5. Cheat The Devil by The Young Werewolves
6. Dead Man's Party by Oingo Boingo
7. Suspiria: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
8. Bloody Kisses by Type O Negative
9. Purifying Fire by Lustmord
10. Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack