Those in the London, Ont., region looking for a fright can head over to 1424 Clarke Rd. starting Wednesday for “a Halloween event unlike any you have experienced at Fanshawe Pioneer Village,” organizers say.
The pioneer village has partnered with Byron Scary House for the event, which will see three of the village’s buildings transformed into haunted attractions.
“If anyone has been to the pioneer village for a Halloween event in the past, you’ll know that normally we err on the side of eerie or maybe unsettling, with a lot of history or history tinged aspect,” said public programming co-ordinator Alison Deplonty.
“That is not what’s happening this year. This year we are going scary. People have been asking for years for us to turn the village into a haunted house. And we thought no better year than this year when we can’t do what we normally do.”
Deplonty says as a result of the pandemic, Byron Scary House was also in a position where it couldn’t hold its usual event, so the two teamed up to offer something new.
An online description of the event says “the legend goes that when a freak storm cut off the Village from the surrounding area things got nasty.”
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“The Villagers turned on one another and did what was necessary to survive. In the months of isolation that followed an old dark secret rose out of the past and plunged the Village into chaos. Many of the Villagers were never found again, and those that were discovered, were merely remains. Now, once in a Blue Moon, the ghosts of The Abandoned Village return.”
COVID-19 precautions are in place, like the use of masks and physical distancing, but Deplonty says the measures actually work well with the theme.
“Haunted houses have always been about physical distancing. You’re supposed to feel like you’re alone. And so we have a whole bunch of precautions put in place to make sure that everybody stays safe, including those who are helping run the event,” she said.
“Masks are required the entire time you’re joining us for this event. And if you can’t wear a mask, we’re requiring a face shield because you will be screaming!”
Fanshawe Pioneer Village says the event is recommended for those 14 and older. The event is a touch-free experience and wagon rides will not be part of the village’s Halloween event this year.
Deplonty adds that demand has been overwhelming. In a first for Fanshawe Pioneer Village and Byron Scary House, tickets are required to be purchased in advance.
“We’ve sold hundreds of tickets per day the last little while and some of the days are close to selling out. Some of the time slots are gone already. So people need to make sure that if they are coming, they need to purchase their tickets through fanshawepioneervillage.ca ahead of time.”
Tickets are $18 and the event runs every half hour from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., except on Fridays and Saturdays, when it will run until 11 p.m.
The village is owned and operated by the London and Middlesex Heritage Museum, a not-for-profit, and is supported by the City of London, the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority and the Municipality of Middlesex Centre.
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