Sept. 30, 2025

NEWS: HAA Certifies 67 Top Haunts; 2025 Halloween Trends

Show Notes
Transcript

The Haunted Attraction Association (HAA) has certified 67 haunted attractions nationwide as 2025 Top Haunts - a record year. Since its inception, the Top Haunts program has been the benchmark for professionalism and safety in the haunted attraction industry.
Also this week: Halloween & Costume Association Highlights How Adults Embrace the Spooky Season; IAAPA Brass Ring Awards Deadline is October 10th; Scooby-Doo x Universal Monsters Mash-Up; "Krampus & Kin" Comes to Universal Horror Unleashed; "People in the Dark: An Immersive Ghost Story"; "Winne-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey" Haunted House Comes to UK; Canada's Wonderland Adds New Chaperone, Costume, and Bag Policies; Midnight Syndicate Releases "Darkened Corners" Rare Tracks EP; "LVCRFT Kids" Releases on October 1st; Customers Frustrated Over Lack of Accountability for The Scarefactory; Read more here.

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Coming up your weekly roundup of news from around the

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haunt industry. Welcome to the show. I'm Philip on the

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HN Show. We bring you the hant news, information and

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education you need to prepare for Halloween. On Tuesdays, we

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bring you a roundup of news from haunts worldwide. Read

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more about these stories and so much more in our

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free weekly newsletter. Subscribe at the link in the show notes,

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and as always for the news roundup, I'm passing it

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off to Darryl.

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The Halloween Attraction Association AHAA has certified sixty seven haunted

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attractions nationwide as twenty twenty five Top pnts. Since its inception,

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the Top PUNTS program has been a benchmark for professionalism

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and safety in a haunted attraction industry. For twenty twenty five,

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the AHAA broadened the program to include an Iconic tier

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to include an Iconic or Platinum tier with ten years

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or more in operation and ten thousand or more annual guests,

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the Gold Tier five years in operation and five thousand

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or more annual guests, and Silver Tier two years in

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operation and three thousand or more annual guests. Being named

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a Top Haunt as one of the highest honors in

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our industry, said Jim Werner, president of the Haunted Attraction Association.

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The new Gold and Silver categories allow us to recognize

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more attractions that are doing incredible work while upholding our

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shared values. Every certified top punt, regardless of tier, meets

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a set of rigorous requirements that go beyond entertainment value,

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including active HAA membership and operation as a commercial Haunted attraction,

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proof of at least one million dollars in general liability insurance,

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completion of the Chaos Safety Program, registration and inspection by

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state and local authorities, staff training with employee handbooks and

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documented emergency programs, and a commitment to reinvestment, professional conduct

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and raising industry standards. This year's honorees include fifty three

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Iconic or Platinum attractions, seven Gold attractions, and seven Silver attractions.

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Follow the links in our show notes to view the

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full list of honorees. Halloween in Costume Association highlights how

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adults embrace the spooky season. The Halloween in Costume Association

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HCA released new data from Prosper Insights and Analytics showing

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that Helloween continues to engage adults in a study of

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eight thousand individuals aged eighteen and over. Thirty three hundred

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and seven adults indicate they enjoy and participate in celebrating Helloween.

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Key findings include fifty one percent of adults who celebrate

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Halloween plan to dress in costume this year, with thirty

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two percent dressing their pets in costume. Millennials thirty nine

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and a half percent and gen Z twenty six point

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seven percent are most likely to dress in a costume.

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Forty six percent of adult Helloween costume wears plan to

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throw or attend to Halloween party well fifty four percent

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plan to decorate their homes or yards. Halloween shopping starts early.

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Forty five percent of these adults who dress up began

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purchasing costumes in September, and thirty six percent shop during

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the first two weeks of October. These fun loving adults

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spend an average of sixty dollars and thirty cents on costumes,

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fifty dollars and fifty five cents on decorations, and thirty

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nine dollars and fifty five cents on candy. This data

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shows that Helloween is a holiday that brings out the

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creativity in community spirit of adults, not just children, said

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Michelle Boilstein, HTA's executive director. From dressing up and decorating

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to attending parties and celebrating with pets, adults are embracing

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every aspect of Halloween. The steady increase in participation since

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twenty twenty shows that Helloween is stronger than ever. Scooby

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Doo in Universal Monsters mashup comes to fan Fest Nights

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twenty twenty six. Scooby Doo will face the Universal Classic

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Monsters for a new attraction at Universal fan Fest Nights

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twenty twenty six in Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City, California.

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In a September over twenty sixth announcement, Universal described the

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New Mystery Incorporated experience as an innovative mashup of Scooby

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Doo and Universal Monsters that will take guests into Universal's

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iconic backlot. The park has not yet announced which of

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the iconic Universal monsters will make an appearance. The studio's

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classic monsters include Dracula, the Wolfman, Frankenstein's Monster, the Bride

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of Frankenstein, and the Mummy, among others. The announcement is

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the first of a slate of all new and returning

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adventurers for Fan Fast Night twenty twenty six. The debut

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of our second annual Universal Fan Fest Night event is

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just months away, and Universal Studios Hollywood is knee deep

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in its development, fine tuning the very details that we

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know make a difference for fans, said Scott Strobel, Executive

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VP and General Manager of Universal Studios Hollywood. We are

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passionate about creating a top notch fan event for our

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guests and can't wait to share how incredible Year two

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will be. Fan Fast Nights and After Hours HHN meets

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Comic Con event brings fandoms to life through exclusive immersive activation.

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This year's inaugural event feature a Back to the Future

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live theater experience on the historic backlot sets, a Yoshi

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scavenger hunt and Superintendo World encounters with magical creatures in

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the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and a walk through

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Dungeons and Dragon's Experience. Pre sale tickets for fanvest Nights

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are on sale now through December seventeenth. Prices start at

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seventy four dollars. Six flags questions, Iappi Europe and Lego's acquisition.

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On this week's episode of The Green tagged podcast. Philip

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and Scott respond to comments from last week's show regarding

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six Flags. Scott recaps his visit to Iappa Expo Europe.

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Lego invests two hundred million pounds in the acquisition of

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Lego Discovery Centers from Merlin, and a new immersive art

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venue at Las nine opens in Kansas City, Kansas. Crampis

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and Kin come to Universal Horror Unleash this holiday season.

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Experience the darker side of winter folklore with the all

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new Crampis and Kin and immersive holiday experience coming to

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Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas, Nevada, November fifteenth through

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January three, Brave guests will encounter yell born horrors, capture

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eerie photo ops, and indulge in seasonal food and drinks

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inspired by the monstrous myths of dark Yule. Pose with

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Crampis on his twisted throne, step into Greila's cauldron, or

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stand beneath the cursed canopy of the Cali Cansonois rotting tree.

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Witness a grand processional that will fill the abandoned warehouse

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as creatures and their unearthly followers parade through, leaving behind

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tokens of their legend. Throughout the new Sinister Holiday experience,

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regional storytellers will bring the folklore to life and share

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the eerie in fascinating origins of each creature as guests listen.

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They'll also have to indulge in flavors rooted in centuries

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of winter folklore, including a campus themed desert snow globe,

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Griila's char grilled suvlacikos, and more. We are excited to

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bring these creatures of the dark ele to life at

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Universal Horror Unleashed, said Kim Scott, general Manager. Whether guests

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are braving the experience as part of their Las Vegas

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itinerary or booking an ultimate Las Vegas holiday party, this

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limited time experience offers a unique blend of folklore, food

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and fright, making it the perfect holiday experience for those

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who crave something new this holiday season. Tickets for Universal

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Horror Unleish drare on sale now, starting at sixty nine

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dollars for one time access general admission and ninety nine

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dollars for unlimited access general admission. Drowned Out Productions presents

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people in the Dark and immersive ghost story Discover the

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horrors of Old Hollywood with Drowned Out Production's newest experience,

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People in the Dark and Immersive Ghost Story in Los Angeles, California.

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Join the Lost Legends Ghost Tours as they uncover the

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forgotten stories of LA's Gilded Age. However, one of the

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stops takes the group off course as the horrors of

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Hollywood Haunter group face to face. Rooted in premiere elements

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of immersive theater and traditional haunted houses, this is a

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ghost story like no other. This show is a huge

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step up from anything we've done before, says director and

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owner Jack Mancuso. This show incorporates every tip and trick

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we know to create a compelling cinematic horror experience. Most

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of our team has day jobs working as theme park designers.

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This is our chance to step out and create our

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own little love letter to all things horror and immersive.

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People in the Dark will run October tenth through thirty

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first in downtown Los Angeles. Tickets are on sale now

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for sixty six dollars and sixty cents per person. That's

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only six hundred and sixty six dimes. Source Filter Music

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Collective returns with operatic double feature Big Deaths and Alice Riley.

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Source Filter Music collective. The Women Led Arts Collective, reimagining

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opera and classical music, returns to the Heritage Square Museum

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in Los Angeles, California, November seventh through ninth with a

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chilling double feature. The night opens with Big Deaths, a

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haunted House style tour of operatic murder scenes. In small

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group guests will wander through the museum's Victorian homes, encountering

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iconic operatic death In each room, expect scenes from Carmen,

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The Creans of Borgia, Rusalka, The Turn of the Screw,

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and more. Afterwards, grab a drink at concessions and join

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a dance party in the lawn before stepping into the

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museum's eerie Lincoln Avenue Church for the West Coast debut

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of Michael Ching's chilling ghost story Alice Riley. Based on

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a haunting me true story, the opera recounts the final

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days of Alice Riley, an Irish immigrant and indentured servant

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in eighteenth century colonial America, condemned as the first woman

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hanged for murder in what would become the United States.

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Our ghost is still said to wander Savannahs Town Square

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to this day. We are absolutely thrilled to guide these

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projects forward with the support of our incredible collective of artists,

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said Britis Sterling, founding artistic director. We hope to create

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a place of belonging for local performers and to foster

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across disciplinary artistic community with works that challenge and excite audiences.

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The performances last approximately two hours with intermission. Halloween costumes

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are strongly encouraged. Tickets are on sale now starting from

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twenty to forty five dollars. Zombie five K benefits Hope

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Services at Cruise Lake Wilderness Park. Run from the undead

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and reach into you a heart with Run for Hope

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and Your Life Zombie five K. This family fund zombie

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run benefiting Hope Services takes place on Saturday, October twenty

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fifth at Cruise Lake Wilderness Park in spring Hill, Florida.

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Our Zombie five K is more than just a thrilling

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run for your Life. It's a race that brings our

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community together to change lives. Every step helps raise money

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in our scholarship fund, opening doors to vocational training and

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employment opportunities for those who need it the most. At

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Hope Services, Executive director of Operations David Caldas, The event

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features a five k and one k walk run, plus

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a community vendor fair, all designed to promote inclusion and

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raise funds for life saving vocational programs with a spooky twist.

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Zombie themed costumes are encouraged. All proceeds benefit Hope Services

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Life Skill and Vocational Training Center, a nonprofit dedicated to

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vocational training and job writiness for individuals living with disabilities

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and those struggling in West central Florida communities. Register or

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become a sponsor in the event's official website. Winnie the Pooh,

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Blood and Honey Haunted House Comes to Halloween Hotfest. A

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brand new scare maze based on the viral horror films

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Winnie the Pooh, Blood and Honey and Blood and Honey

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two is coming to Halloween Hontfest in Saint Albans, UK

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from October seventeenth through November. First, follow Christopher Robin as

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he returns to the Hundred Acre Wood, only to find

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that time and abandonment has twisted his childhood friends into

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something fairal and vengeful. The maze plunges visitors into a

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decaying forest filled with long forgotten memories turned monstrous, with

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face to face encounters with bloodthirsty versions of Pooh, Piglet

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and more. Organizers warn this isn't the storybook nding you remember,

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and you're not getting out unscathed. This maze joins three others,

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the UK's only officially licensed Texas Chainsaw Massacre scare Mays,

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and two original concepts, Eden and The Trial of Jane Wenham,

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The Herfordshire Witch. Created by a team of award winning designers,

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I mean to deliver movie quality horror in a full

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scale festival format. Halloween Hauntfest features four scare mases, roaming performers,

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Sinister Street Theater, a carnival style phantom funfair, and a

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DJ powered dance floor. Guests can enjoy themed street food

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and drinks from a haunted bar, warm up at fire pits,

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and pose for haunted snapshots at secret photo points. Tickets

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are on sale now starting at thirty nine pound fifty,

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which is approximately fifty US dollars. Canada's Wonderland adds new chaperone,

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costume and bag policies. Canada's Wonderland in Ontario, Canada, is

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implementing new safety policies for their Halloween Haunts season. The

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park will now require anyone age fifteen or under to

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be accompanied by an adult. Chaperones must be twenty one

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or older, provide id at the entrance, and can accompany

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a maximum of ten people. Anyone over the age of

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sixteen visiting Halloween Haunt after six pm must bring a

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piece of identification. Grace Peacock, director of public Relations at

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Canada's Wonderland, that the policy looks to minimize the risk

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of disruption and bad behavior. We've looked at what's taking

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place not only at amusement parks but also other entertainment venues,

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and because this is a sort of rolling out as

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a best practice, we wanted to try that here as well,

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she said. The new policies also prohibit anyone over the

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age of eleven from wearing a costumer mask while visiting

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the park, and limits guests to one bag no larger

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than twelve by twelve by six inches, regardless of material,

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whether that's clear or opaque. These policies are similar to

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those implemented at not Scary Farm and other property owned

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by the park's parent company Six Flags. The i APPA

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Brass Ring Awards deadline as October ten, The application deadline

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for the IAPPA Brass Ring Awards is fast approaching on

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October tenth. Those awards honor the creativity, innovation, and dedication

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that set new standards in the global attraction community. The

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Haunted Attraction Network's own Philipernandez will be a judge for

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the Live Entertainment Awards category. Live Entertainment Excellence categories include

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Most Creative Helloween Production. This category honors excellence and innovation

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in a production that features exceptional entertainment value with a

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Haunt or Helloween theme, including haunted houses, mazes, atmospheric and

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interactive entertainment, stage shows, haunting grounds, and more. Performances will

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be judged on characterization, physical appearance that supports the performance,

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creative show content, overall production value, and audience engagement. Brass

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Ring Award Excellence program products and campaigns must have been

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created or were active within the IAPPA member facility between

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November one, twenty twenty four, and October thirty first. Twenty

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fi five finalists and winners will be celebrated AAPPA Honors

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May twelfth, fourteenth, twenty twenty six in x Care, Mexico.

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To make your application for consideration by following the links

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in our show notes. Midnight Syndicate Releases, Darkened Corners, Rare

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Tracks EP. Gothic horror instrumentalists Midnight Syndicate have released Darkened

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Corners and EP, compiling previously unreleased and rare material spanning

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two decades. The EP features music originally composed for amusement

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and theme park, selections from the band's live shows, and

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unreleased tracks from film projects that never reached completion. It

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also includes a remix from the score to the band's

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twenty ten horror film The Dead Matter. Album artwork is

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created by French artist Pascal Cassillari. We wanted to share

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this material and make it more available for a while now,

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the band said in a statement. It gives fans a

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glimpse into some of the projects we've undertaken when not

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working on studio albums. Darkened Corners is available for screaming

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and purchase. Lovecraft Kids releases on October first. Get ready

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for Halloween hits for the whole family with the October

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first release of Lovecraft Kids. Lovecraft's seventh album features family

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friendly fun from spoopy dance party bops to how Sweet Lullabies,

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and even includes Halloween puppet personality Bury under Your Bed.

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You can pre save the album now wherever you listen

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to music. Lovecraft is a sinister spawn of spooky obsessed

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hit makers. Evan Kidd, Bogart, Amanda minder Warner, and Peter

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Wade united to create a year round supply of hook filled,

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creepy pop bops that will keep your bones tapping well

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beyond helloween. Learn more about Lovecraft on their official website.

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In business news, customers are frustrated over the lack of

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accountability for the Scare Factory. NBC four of Columbus, Ohio

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has once again investigated complaints from customers of the Scare Factory.

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For the past three years, the news agency has interviewed

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customers who claimed they were ghosted by the Scare Factory

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after submitting payment for orders, and this year is no different.

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Business' NBC four investigates spoke with say once the money

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was sent, communications stop and orders don't show up. One

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such customer, Sabrina Herrera, from a Texas restaurant, has waited

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a year to finally receive an almost eight thousand dollars refund,

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but only after several reports from NBC Investigates and her

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taking legal action, moving to file a felony charge with

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all the customer's complaints. NBC four Investigates contacted the Ohio

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Attorney General to understand why the agency has been enabled

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to help these business customers of the Scare Factory. The

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Ohio Attorney General's Office responded stating that business to business

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complaints are not within the agency's purview. A spokesperson stated,

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in some case, we can offer assistance as a courtesy,

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but our legal options for business to business complaints are

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limited to the Consumer Sales Practices Act. The Ohio Revised

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Code defines a consumer transaction as a sale to an

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individual for primary, personal, family, or household uses. Therefore, despite

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the mounting number of complaints and court cases against the

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owner of the Scare Factory, the Ohio Attorney General's Office

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cannot take further action. While the owner of the Scare

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Factory declined to be interviewed for this recent article, when

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NBC four has spoken to him in the past, he

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claims that he always delivers orders. Some upcoming events this

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September through November include the Son of Monster Palooza October

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tenth through twelfth at Burbank, California, IAPPA November seventeenth through twentieth,

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and Orlando Florida and Creep at Real Festive November twenty

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first through twenty third in Santa Ana, California.

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And that's all for the news this week. Today's episode

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was produced by me Philip Bernandez, with reporting by Daryl

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Plunky post production by David Swope. This hot news update

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is a production of the Haunted Attraction Network and you

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can sign up to our weekly newsletter at Hantattractionnetwork dot com.

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Support for this episode comes from Gantam Lighting and Controls.

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Until next time, Haunters Stay Scary. This is a Haunted

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Attraction Network production.