For James Tubberville, the mission is simple.
“My ultimate goal is not to have you scream, but to pee your pants,” he said.
And now in his seventh year coordinating the Haunted Fairgrounds, he’s seen it all.
He’s seen people vomit and even watched a child hurdle a four-foot fence to escape a chainsaw-wielding ghoul.
“We have the medics here all the time, but other than a skinned knee, we’ve never had a serious injury,” he said.
Tubberville is hoping for similar reactions this year when people step inside “Horror High.”
Haunted Fairgrounds opens tonight and coordinators have been preparing the haunt since the Kitsap County Fair & Stampede ended in August.
“Every year we completely redo the entire thing,” Tubberville said. “This week I haven’t left here before midnight.”
Haunted Fairgrounds coordinators visited Scarefest, home of the nation’s most frightening haunted houses, in St. Louis. Bruce Waterbury, with Kitsap County Parks and Recreation, wasn’t impressed.
“I thought some of our haunts are better and scarier,” Waterbury said. “And we have to tear down and rebuild every year.”
Tubberville said The Darkness, ranked one of the top three haunts in the country, uses mostly animatronics. Kitsap Haunted Fairgrounds uses animatronics, live actors, scents and sounds to “attack all the different senses.”
Roughly 120 volunteers will put their talents to good use at “Horror High,” making it the largest volunteer turnout in the event’s history.
The Dance Gallery of Port Orchard will perform for people waiting in line inside the Van Zee Building. When the wait is over, people will don 3-D glasses and walk through the expanded black light area.
The group then ventures through a maze and onto a spooky school bus.
“We have some really good actors that’ll be on it,” Tubberville said.
Upon entering the sheep barn, groups will be split into three smaller groups and forced to find their way to and through “Horror High” without a guide.
“This year you’re on your own,” Tubberville said.
People first walk down a winding trail to get to the school and it’s not a carefree stroll through the woods.
“The trees come alive, let’s put it like that,” Tubberville said with a smile.
People then navigate their way through the classrooms, cafeteria, gym, auditorium, restrooms and teachers’ lounge, encountering all sorts of teachers and students along the way.
“They say you have to have a great effect at the beginning and a great effect at the end, and boy we do,” Tubberville said of this year’s haunt.
Waterbury said they’re expecting 6,000-8,000 people to come to the Fairgrounds this year and money collected through ticket sales goes right back into the event. Any extra money goes to the county’s parks and recreation department.
Kitsap Haunted Fairgrounds is open Oct. 16 and 17; Oct. 23 and 24; and Oct. 30 and 31. The lights-on tours are 5 to 6 p.m. and the dark, full-scare events are 6 to 11 p.m.
Tickets are $10 per person or $20 for a VIP ticket. VIP ticket holders do not have to wait in line and can go through the haunt twice. People who bring a canned food donation for local food banks will receive $1 off their ticket price.
‘Zombie 4 Ransom’
Zombies will take over the President’s Hall tomorrow as The RockIt Roost hosts a one-of-a-kind zombie party.
“I wanted to have a really fun alternate for people,” RockIt Roost owner Hanah Reed said.
“Zombie 4 Ransom” begins at 7 p.m. and the event features live bands, a DJ, beer and wine garden, food and local vendors selling their goods.
Outlaw Radio will broadcast live from the event and there will be a costume contest and zombie pinup contest.
Reed said costumes are not required, but encouraged. Zombie hair and makeup services will be available before the event as well to help people look their “zombified best.”
“People have come up with some really fun stuff,” Reed said. “People are being really creative.”
There will be a caged zombie at “Zombie 4 Ransom” and she will be locked up until event-goers raise $2,500 for the Kitsap HIV AIDS Foundation.
“I really wanted to give back in some way,” Reed said. “I just feel like it’s important to give back to something.”
Reed said their neighbors for the evening, the Kitsap Haunted Fairgrounds folks, are excited to share the Fairgrounds with them.
“They’ve been really supportive,” Reed said. “They actually built our zombie cage for us.”
Advance tickets are $15 and can be purchased at The RockIt Roost, located in the HoneyBaked Ham and Chuck E. Cheese shopping center in Silverdale, or online at www.brownpapertickets.com. Tickets will be $20 at the door the day of the event.
Minder Farm Corn Maze
The Minder Farm Corn Maze, located at 1000 Gluds Pond Road NE in East Bremerton, is open now through Halloween. The maze takes about an hour to complete and the average walking distance is 2 miles. There are six checkpoints within the maze for people to find and the maze is stroller friendly. People are encouraged to bring flashlights if coming to the corn maze after dark.
People also can pick their own pumpkins. Fresh corn (while supplies last) and hot dogs, chips, soda and water will be available for purchase.
The maze is open 4-8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 4-9 p.m. Fridays; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays; and noon-6 p.m. Sundays.
Adult tickets are $8, children ages 5-17 cost $6 and 4 and younger are free. A military discount is available with ID.
For information about group discounts and private parties, call (360) 692-9271 or e-mail jcarlson@mindermeats.com.
Pheasant Fields Farm
Pheasant Fields Farm on Clear Creek, located at 13274 Clear Creek Rd NW in Silverdale, has a two-acre corn maze decorated with painted pumpkins and other seasonal items. The maze also includes a “mystery puzzle.” It is open noon-6 p.m. daily now through Nov. 1. Children younger than 15 cost $3 and it is $5 for adults.
No Ghoul, No Gore, No Scare begins at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25 at Pheasant Fields Farm. Children can tour the farm, the corn maze and listen to a storyteller. There will be campfires, music and hot chocolate available.
Nighttime No Ghoul, No Gore, No Scare events are 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Children younger than 15 are $5 and adult tickets are $7.50. Reservations are required.
Wild Woods is 7-9:30 p.m. Oct. 23, 24, 30 and 31 at Pheasant Fields Farm. Small groups will be escorted through a haunted maze and five acres of spooky woods.
Children younger than 15 cost $5 and adult tickets are $7.50.
Military discounts are available with ID for all Pheasant Fields Farm events.
For more information or to reserve a spot for an event, contact Pheasant Fields Farm at (360) 697-6224 or e-mail info@pheasantfields.com.
Haunted Ship
The Bremerton Historical Ships Association is hosting its fourth annual haunted ship to raise funds for the maintenance and restoration of the USS Turner Joy. The haunted ship is open 5:30-9 p.m. Oct. 29; and 5:30-11 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31 aboard the USS Turner Joy in Bremerton.
Admission is $5 per person.
