It’s spooky season at Historic O’Keefe Ranch in Spallumcheen as the Field of Screams has returned for its 10th year.
This year’s event features four terrifying mazes filled with paid actors that will have guests jumping out of their skin.
Matt Brown, creative director and co-founder of Field of Screams, says he and his business partner went to St. Louis earlier this year for a “haunt convention,” and there they purchased equipment that has taken this year’s event to a whole new level.
“You’ve got everything from mom and pop shops that are doing it in their garage to the Universal Studios team,” he said of the convention. “It was great.”
The Field of Screams team has added new special effects, including sensor and motion-activated animatronics.
The first maze is titled Video Game Horror and contains throwbacks to many scary video games, including Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Slenderman and The Last of Us.
“In there you’ll see familiar characters as well as some familiar frights from those video games. Walk through a forest, an old arcade and a whole bunch of other surprises,” Brown said.
Maze Two is based on phobias, and there people will encounter spiders, dark tunnels, clowns and “inescapable rooms.”
“Maze three is our house of sins, and that has the seven deadly sins as its theme running through the whole house,” Brown said.
The fourth maze is a brand new concept. It’s called Scarecrow Revenge, and people will have to figure out what are the real scarecrows and what are merely props.
“The real ones chase you,” Brown laughed.
In the early days, the Field of Screams relied on volunteerism, but now in its 10th year Brown says “everybody here is for the most part hired.
It takes a full year to bring all of the elements of the mazes together.
“I start thinking about next year’s maze now, while this one’s up and going,” Brown said.
Asked whether he thinks this year’s mazes are the scariest yet, Brown said that’s up to the audience to decide.
The remaining dates for this year’s Field of Screams are Oct. 8, 11-15, 18-22 and 25-31. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. and the event runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
To skip the lineups, Field of Screams also has an all-inclusive VIP ticket for $75.
Tickets start at $20 online and $25 at the gate and can be purchased at fosokanagan.com.
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