NEWS: HHN Tests Street Experiences; Texas Haunters This Weekend

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. Halloween Horror Nights in Orlando announces new street experience as Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida has announced to all new street experiences for this year's Halloween Horror Nights. Mels Die In Zombies will feature zombie car hops, and Club Horror will feature undead DJs. No further details have been announced, however, there there is speculation that there will be a roaming hoard around Mel's restaurant and a dance party at the San Francisco area. These street experiences join four scare zones and ten houses. Halloween Horrnites Orlando runs select evenings August twenty ninth through November two. Learn more by reading our comprehensive guide by following the links in our show notes.

1:20 Applications are now open for expanded Top Haunts program. The Haunted Attraction Association's Top Haunts Program has been expanded to include three categories of haunted attractions. To be certified, attractions must be an HAA member and meet a list of ten criteria relating back to the mission of the AHAA to protect customers, promote haunted attractions, and educate industry professionals. Recognition levels are Silver for hants two or more years in operation with at least three thousand annual attendants, Gold for hants five or more years in operation with at least five thousand in annual attendants, and Platinum for hants ten or more years in operation with at least ten thousand in annual attendants. Winners will have their logo displayed on the HAA website for national media attention, and press releases will be sent out to the National press wire, as well as mail to local media designated by the winners.

2:10 Online applications are now being accepted. Universal Theme Parks. The exhibition to feature HHN and Dark Universe go behind the scenes of Universal Theme Parks with Universal Theme Parks. The exhibition at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February thirteenth through September seventh, of twenty twenty six. Spanning eighteen thousand square feet of space, The exhibit will display ride vehicles, costumes, props, at artwork, highlighting, steam components, and career paths that drive the creation of theme parks and attractions. There will be eight galleries, including one on scares and horror concept art for the space highlights props and artwork from Dark Universe and Halloween Horror Nights. Guests will also be able to participate in interactive experiences where they can create their own Universal Monster. Tickets will go on sale in the coming months.

3:01 Join the official pre sale wait list to be notified when the tickets sales begin. The Texas Hunters Convention takes place this weekend. The Texas Hunters Convention taking place July twenty sixth and twenty seventh at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas. The event features over ninety thousand square feet of family friendly vendors, events, demonstrations, and classes targeting Helloween and cosplay enthusiasts. The fun begins of the Friday Night Haunt Tour featuring Dark Hour Haunted House. Saturday and Sunday feature a show floor with over one hundred and fifty exhibitors, demonstrations, classes, and more. Saturday Night's Costume Ball includes a live DJ, giveaways, food trucks, cash bar, and an adult eighteen over costume contest. Tickets are on sale now, starting at ten to twenty dollars for single day show floor passes, twenty five dollars for weekend show fulloor passes, and one hundred and fifteen for VIP passes. Summer weens spurs creativity and spooky vibes before fall celebrations. A recent CTV News article analyzes this year's popular summer ween trend, with spooky decor hitting shelves earlier than ever before and local attractions planning Halloween in summer celebrations. One such celebration is the Strathcono Hotels hot Gool Summer Rooftop Pool Party in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Ali Harrington, the hotels events and communications manager, says that summer weeen events provide people with an excuse to dress up an indulge in seasonal fund as people grow out of their adolescence, it becomes increasingly difficult to have reasons to wear that tutu hiding

4:31 in the back of the closet or try out a new crazy makeup style. She says by having it in the summer, it gives the opportunity for a new range of costumes that don't need to take potential weather pitfalls into account. Retailers have been shifting towards earlier and longer celebrations for all seasonal holidays, with Halloween taking off particularly well as it is one of the most expressive and inclusive times of the year that brings out customers creativity and ways few other holidays do. Melissa Mills, Michael's Senior Manager, President and general merchandise Manager, says that the less traditional summerween merchandise helps Halloween lovers transition from the warmer months into fall and ensures that they can get into the spirit sooner without feeling like they're sacrificing. This summer, Lovecraft launches the Scream Warriors Challenge. Lovecraft and Horror score legend Christopher Young present the Scream Warriors Challenge. This Halloween contest will feature a series of ten public domain horror films stitched together with spine tingling interlude tracks from Lovecraft's twenty twenty two album Scream Warriors. Starting Friday July eighteenth, each week the new video will released on the band's official YouTube channel. Once all the clips have been released, the official guessing form will unlock in September nineteenth. The first entry with the most points will win exclusive Lovecraft Loot.

5:49 Official teaser has been released for Stranger Things season five. Netflix has released the official teaser trailer for Stranger Things Season five. This final chapter of the hit series is set to in the autumn of nineteen eighty seven. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and her heroes are united by a single goal, fined in kill Vecna, but he has vanished his whereabouts and plans unknown, complicating their mission. The government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will's disappearance approaches, so does a familiar dread. The final battle is looming, and with it a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they faced before. To end this nightmare, they'll need everyone the full Party standing together one last time. The final season will be released in three parts. Volume one will premiere on November twenty sixth, twenty twenty five. Volume two will premiere on December twenty fifth, twenty twenty five, and the finale will premiere on December thirty first of this year. Some upcoming events in July through September of twenty twenty five, including the Texas Haunters Convention July twenty sixth and twenty seventh in Dallas, Texas, Haunters Against Hate, the Event three August eighth through tenth in Louisville, Kentucky, Midsummer Scream August fifteenth through seventeenth in Long Beach, California, and creep a Real Oc September twelfth through fourteenth in Santa Anna, California.

7:16 And that's all for the news this week. Today's episode was produced by me Philip Bernandez, with reporting by Darryl Plunky, post production by David Swope. This Haunt News Update is a production of the Haunted Attraction Network, and you can sign up to our weekly newsletter at Haunt Attraction Network dot com. Support for this episode comes from Gantum Lighty and controls until Next time haunters stay scary. This is a haunted attraction. Network Production