NEWS: Hayride Closes After 200+ Teens Disrupt Event

0:07 Coming up your weekly roundup of news from around the haunt industry. Welcome to the show. I'm Philip on the HN Show. We bring you the haunt news, information, and education you need to prepare for Halloween. On Tuesdays, we bring you a roundup of news from haunts worldwide. Read more about these stories and so much more in our free weekly newsletter. Subscribe at the link in the show notes, and as always for the news roundup, I'm passing it off to Darryl. The callings Wood Haunted hay Ride in Collingswood, New Jersey closed down after two hundred plus teens disrupted the event. According to a statement from the Collingswood Police Department, at approximately eight to twenty pm on Saturday, October nineteenth, over two hundred juveniles and young adults began fighting each other, running recklessly through the crowd and cutting in line for the hay ride. Officers on do at the event quickly responded, working to disperse the use and to ensure the safety of the families attending the event. To ensure the safety of those in attendance, the decision was made to shut down the hay ride and manage the crowds in a safe manner. Together, the collings Would Police Department, event organizers, and mutual police agencies managed to safely escort families away from the chaos while simultaneously addressing and dispersing the individuals involved in the altercations. Two other area locations not engaging in Halloween events also reported incidents involving fifty to eighty juveniles each that required officer involvement. No arrests were made, and the hay Ride incident remains under investigation by the department.

1:37 The collings Would High School and Middle School PTA, which organized the hay Ride, posted a statement on their Facebook page on October twenty first, thank you to everyone for your patients, for all your help, for creating something special for the children and their families, and supporting the CHSCMS students and staff. Unfortunately, as everyone saw and realized, a lot of the evening was beyond what could have been expected. But with the feedback and awaywareness, we will review and organize to determine a way to move into next year. We appreciate your support and without it, our event could not happen. Thank you. On behalf of the Call's Haunted hay Ride Committee, Shanghai police patrolled the downtown streets of Shanghai, China, this past weekend to restrict Halloween celebrations. The increased police presence was an attempt to prevent a repeat of last year's crack down on political expression at the Halloween Parade, in which revelers were detained by police and arrested for wearing costumes and makeup that criticized the Chinese government and policies.

2:31 This past Friday, October twenty fifth, at least half a dozen individuals and costumes were seen being led away by police from Shanghai's Zongshan Park. While there was no official citywide ban on Halloween celebrations, local district officials sent notices to area businesses encouraging family friendly celebrations and discouraging activities in which adults would be wearing costumes. Officially sanctioned Helloween celebrations at the Shanghai Disney Resort and Happy Valley Amusement Park went ahead as scheduled. Our recent poll from Fairlay Dixon University in Madison, New Jersey, found that Americans say kids should stop trick or treating at around age thirteen. Between October eighth and fourteenth, Braun Research of Princeton, New Jersey, contacted a sample of eight hundred and six registered voters with questions related to Helloween trick or treating. Secular holidays like Halloween require us to make up our own practices in norms, said Dan Casino, professor of Government and Politics at Fairlagh Dickinson and the executive director of the poll.

3:30 Local practices very widely, but the consensus on when kids should stop trick or treating is very stable. Across groups of respondents that gave an age for when kids should stop trick or treating, the average answer was thirteen and a half years old, though twenty five percent of Americans do believe that kids can trick or treat for as long as they like. Older Americans are more likely to say that kids should stop trick or treating at ages eleven or twelve, while younger Americans support kids of any age continuing their Halloween fund The poll also asked about the types of candy people planned to provide on Halloween. Twelve percent of voters in the US say they plan to give out full sized candy bars or chocolate bars at Halloween this year, while forty six percent say that they'll be giving out mini or fun sized candy or chocolate.

4:11 Mini sized candy is still the norm, but warehouse stores have made it a lot cheaper to give out full sized bars, said Casino. Lots of Americans delighted in getting up full sized candy as a kid, and it seems they want to pass that feeling on Tricker Streets is returning for a third year to New York City. Nearly one hundred and fifty car free streets have been announced in the New York City area to allow groups of residents, community organizations, institutions, and neighborhood associations save spaces to conduct their Halloween festivities. With more children expected out on our streets for Halloween, Tricker Streets provides a safe way for families to enjoy the holiday and connect with their neighbors. At NYC Dot Commissioner Candas Rodriguez, Tricker Streets is just one example of the ways we're reimagining our streets for people through our Open Streets program throughout October and into November for a d d Lesmortos, the New York's City Department of Transportation has hosted over one hundred car free events across the Five Burroughs. A full map of event locations and details can be found on the NYC dot's official website by following the links in our show notes.

5:13 In twenty twenty five, the World of Insidious will jump off the screen into your theater seat with Insidious The Further You Fear, an immersive live horror experience. This collaboration between Blumhouse, Gea Live, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and road Co Entertainment will combine live performances, cutting edge visuals, and chilling soundscapes inspired by the Insiduous franchise, hosted as a live show by their real specs and Tucker, the actual paranormal investigators who inspired the original movie. The event soon takes a turn for the terrifying when a paranormal demonstration goes horribly wrong. Guests will find themselves under attack from iconic characters such as the Bridon Black, the Wheezing Man, and the Red Faced Demon. The eighty minute long experience will tour over eighty theaters throughout the US starting in January.

6:00 Tour lineup and buy your tickets today on the event's official website. The University of Florida's Swamp Hunters Haunted House design team presents by You Bloodbath Masked Madness on October thirtieth and thirty first, from eight to eleven pm in Gainesville, Florida. Brightwater Byou has finally opened its Masked jubileed guests from around the world. Sadly, not all of the areas denizens are happy that outsiders are joining the celebration. Some people believe this town has lost its way and will do whatever it takes to fix it. Will you survive the Byou blood Bath or will you be the next victim of the mask Madness. Swamp Hunters, a division of Gator Theme Park Engineering and Design, is the first and only design team at UF focused on designing and building full scale haunted houses. Their project brings together students from many disciplines to design and construct a themed haunted house completely from scratch. Tickets for BUYU Bloodbath mask Madness are on sale now for eight dollars per ticket twenty five for a four pack. Arabis Haunted Attraction in Pontiac, Michigan, celebrates their twenty five year of fear and innovation this Halloween season with special activities, daily giveaways, and gift caskets. Founder Ed and Jim Terrabus began professional haunting in the nineteen eighties, starting off with a simple tented haunt in the parking lot of a local kmart. In two thousand, they invested everything they had to open Arabus Haunted Attraction in its current location. This building was vacant for forty years before we got it. Ed said, there was nothing inside it.

7:24 Nothing was working, the roof was leaking. Anything working in that building. Now we made it work. I sold my house. Jim remortgage. Kis we were either going to succeed or go down in flames. The Haunt has since gained national recognition for its innovative scares in immersive storyline. Rather than having people touch you, we created things that will touch you. Ed says in our Haunt. We have things that will grab you, bite you, land on top of you. We'll put you in a room and bury you alive. But no human will touch you. We actually created things that will do that. For their twenty fifth anniversary, the Haunt has revamped its third floor with nostalgic Halloween vibes, creating a haunted forest lit by jack O lanterns, with a boogeyman and giant Chomping pumpkin Erabus is open every night now through November second. Tickets are on sale now starting a twenty eight to thirty five per person take a tour through the massive, four story haunt with a Haunted attraction network. In a recent Haunted on video, WSBTV two Atlanta went behind the scenes of Netherworld Haunted House in Stone Mountain, Georgia to see the more than one hundred scare actors, make up artists, and managers prepare for each night's event. Co creators Ben Armstrong and Billy Messina hire four to five hundred people each Halloween season to scare act and operate the Haunt, with over one hundred staff or scare actors on site each evening they are open.

8:38 Nether World features two haunts, Wake the Dead and Mister Grendel's Birthday Party of Horrors. Year round escape rooms, Monster Museum, and Midway Area. Nether World is open every night through November three, and finishes its season November eighth and ninth. Tickets are on sale now, starting at thirty to forty two dollars for general admission. Vegas Theater Company's new musical The House on Watch Hill in Las Vegas, Nevada, has extended its run through November twenty twenty four. Written by Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor, the team behind the Tony Award winning Bandstand, and directored by Vegas Theater Company's artistic director Daz Weller, The House on Watch Hill tells the coming of age story of a gang of horror obsessed teens who, in the summer of nineteen eighty four, are determined to build the greatest haunted house ever. Featuring a dynamic live band and electrifying nineteen eighty's inspired score, the House on Watch Hill takes audiences back to an era with an iconic blend of teen hijinks, comedy, and raw heartache.

9:34 The musical's run has been extended to select dates through November seventeenth. Tickets are on ziel now starting at twenty eight for students and forty four ninety nine for adults. Vendor applications are now being accepted for Midsummer Scream in Long Beach, California, taking place August fifteenth through seventeenth, twenty twenty five, at the Long Beach Convention Center. Their three hundred plus vendor show floor features spooky products and services. Of all kinds, including horror t shirts and collectibles, haunted house props and decor, paranormal investigation tools, and more. Both new and returning vendors must complete the application to be considered for booth spaces for next year's event. Vendor approvals will be made in various stages between now and next spring, with most approvals sent in January twenty twenty five. Once approved, vendors will be given a brief window to order and pay for their space. USA Today posted their twenty twenty four Reader's Choice Awards for the ten Best Haunted Attractions.

10:26 For the ten best Haunted Houses and Attractions in the US and ten Best theme Park events, Nominees were selected by the USA Today panel and winners selected by reader vote. Readers were instructed to vote based on the quality of each event's actors, set designed special effects, and value for the money. Follow the links in their show notes to see these twenty winners. Pumpkin carving is among the top favorite activities to celebrate Halloween. Each year, However, one point three billion pounds of pumpkins make their way to landfills in the US. Follow the links in our show notes to have a look at the list of eight eco friendly ways to display those of your pumpkin, from composting to feeding the pumpkins to wildlife and farm animals, there are a variety of ways to put your pumpkin to use after its jack o' lantern grin is lit the way for tricker treaters Halloween Night. Upcoming events from now through December include creep It Real Festive in Santa Ana, California, November twenty second and twenty third.

11:21 And that's all for the News this week. Today's episode was produced by me Philip Bernandez, with reporting by Daryl Plunky. Post production by David Swope. This hant News Update is a production of the Haunted Attraction Network and you can sign up to our weekly newsletter at Hanta Attraction Network dot com. Support for this episode comes from Gantum Lighting and Controls. Until next time, Haunters Stay Scary. This is a Haunted Attraction Network production.