Have you ever had a fright filled night? With the spooky month approaching swiftly, many students look forward to all things scary, like haunted houses, dressing up, and eating candy. Dressing up and eating candy is fun and all, but doing those things can’t compare to the exhilarating feeling one gets from exploring a haunted house. The haunted house that is annually visited and loved by many is The Niles Scream Park.
Every year, The Niles Scream Park has different haunted attractions. Three attractions that are back this year by popular demand include: HOODED, The Field of Screams, and Haunted Hayride. HOODED is an attraction where the actors are allowed to touch guests while blindfolded.
New attractions that hope to drum up large crowds with their scream park debut include: The Evil Estate, a house that has been searched for ghosts and paranormal activity,but it has been abandoned for many years ,and Sinister Streets Of Salem, where guests can have their witchcraft skills evaluated as they stand trial. Guests can look forward to a few new changes throughout the park as well, including the addition of a living dollhouse, modifications to a fan favorite attraction, The Garden of Evil, and so much more! If guests are unphased after touring those houses, a chilling experience in a late 1800’s village is sure to spook.
Every year, the Niles Scream Park donates their proceeds back to the organizations who funded the festivities. In 2021, the Scream Pack raised $125,117.60. Two of their biggest donations were $24,720.00 to the Boy Scout Troop #541 and $10,250.00 to Pets Connect. Owner of the scream park, Pete Karlowicz, explained why donations are so important to the park,
“We make donations to the many groups that assist us with running the Park as our way of thanking them for their participation and dedication. Our volunteers make our Scream Park famous throughout the country. Those volunteers help us run the Park and we reciprocate by making a donation to their organization.”
The Niles Scream Park hosts two annual blackout days, which are strictly lights out, meaning the only light guests will have is a single glow stick per person. This year, the blackout days are November 4th and 5th, to celebrate the closing of the park until the next year. All the attractions will be open that night, in celebration of the scream park closing until next year. This may be it for this frightful but yet exciting haunted attraction park but don't fret they will be next year with even scarier things in store make sure to watch your back as you never know when the scream park is just creeping up on you.
It’s always nice to try something new even if guests get scared easily, that's what a scream park is all about. Before visiting Niles this year, one must ask themself which is greater: the fear of a haunted house, or the fear of missing out on a seasonal, spook-tacular time?