Lurking in the shadows of Ferndale, an eeriness falls upon the land.
That is because the Humboldt Fairgrounds has turned into the Humboldt Scaregrounds thanks to Griffin Loch’s Scream-O-Torium.
Originally, the Scream-O-Torium took up residence in Fortuna for two years before tackling the fairgrounds with Loch and his family.
“We started in a smaller building and the – the community support was so grand and the turnout was so big that we actually got to move to a bigger building,” Scaregrounds creator Griffin Loch said. “This year, unfortunately, we outgrew the space that was available to us in Fortuna and was granted access to the Fairgrounds.”
Living up to the title, the Scaregrounds is comprised of areas to frighten the bravest of souls.
Camp Grizzly is just one of three mazes here to terrorize guests here at the Scaregrounds.
Inspired by 80s horror slashers, Camp Grizzly sends guests through a summer camp that is not the getaway one would think. Another maze, Tales From the Tomb, is a riff on classic horror comics from the past.
The final maze is the Electro-Terror Thundermaze, sponsored by the Rental Guys, a special take on the classic corn maze.
The transition to a full blown haunt event has been an interesting one.
“It’s taking the things from our past and slightly modifying it to fit the theme. A lot of the things are our past – I would say more so the past gore props,” Loch said. “We’ve had to build a lot more things also because, again, the one thing for one haunt doesn’t stretch as far as three haunted mazes.”
Outside of the scares are live entertainment with local bands such as The Critics. Food trucks will also be on site for guests who brave the roaming haunters.
A private haunted tiki lounge is also available for those who purchase a VIP ticket. The event aims to be a terrifying yet fun break from reality.
“Once you step inside, you’re immersed for the entire evening, you know?” Loch said. “We’re truly – we’re trying to make it its own world where if you want real Halloween fun you come here, and you know, totally forget about everything else just for a little bit because it surrounds itself.”
Tickets are $30 for general admission and $50 for VIP tickets which includes preferred parking, a commerative pin and access to the exclusive Phantom Tides Tiki Longue.
