Fireworks by Night… Nightmares After!
This article was written by Team Midwest Macabre on 7/5/2025.
This Team was provided complimentary tickets and promotional items in exchange for an honest blog post.
This 4th of July, we celebrated with screams at Hillside House of Hell, Glenwood’s most terrifying
haunted attraction! Fireworks at dusk. Fear all night.
Hillside House of Hell’s Fright Night Fireworks show was spectacular and ended with a bang!
Hillside House of Hell is located in Glenwood, Iowa, right on the Iowa/Nebraska border. It is a
county home turned into a haunted attraction that is genuinely haunted!
Once we arrived and pulled up to the Hillside, we could hear the music flowing from where
we parked. Parking wasn’t the greatest since we had to park on the side of the main road and
walk a way to get into the entrance. Security is very strict, with metal detectors, and you will be asked to
open your bags if you’re carrying a purse or bag. Safety is key at the Hillside, and they don’t take lightly to
hooligans and people causing a scene. Every staff worker was helpful and friendly, answering
any questions we had and pointing us in the right direction.
As this was an off-season haunt, it showed some wear and tear, with a few of the animatronics
not functioning perfectly. However, this did not ruin the experience for our team! Off-season
haunts often feel like they are hastily assembled, using whatever decorations align with the
theme, like hearts for Valentine’s Day or clovers and leprechauns for St. Patrick’s Day. In
contrast, Hillside exceeded expectations by going beyond just hanging up cheesy decorations.
They had dedicated music and actors in each room, creating a cohesive theme for the 4th of
July. The special effects in the building were impressive, particularly the use of the old hospital and
hotel closets as walls during the first half of the experience. The library was filled with an
abundance of books. The hallway walls were made of crumbling plaster and lath, with holes
leading to other rooms.
The actors were impressive with their patriotic makeup and outfits. Reusing old firefighter
turnout pants for the basic flag overalls helped me feel the spirit of independence, rather than
just attending a typical haunted house. Unfortunately, we did see some water bottles that were not hidden
and some loose wiring inside the haunt. But it didn’t take away from the experience. The
Queue actors were always on the lookout, constantly scaring the crowd and even jumping onto
the roof of the haunt! While we waited for the haunted house to open, we watched a wrestling
tournament for a little while. Throughout the night, there was also a live band performing, and they had vendors who were open all night.
Once the haunted house opened, we waited in the fast pass line for about 10 minutes, which
wasn’t a bad wait time. The general admission line took nearly one hour to wait in. Inside, it took
us roughly 40 minutes to go through the entire haunt. Everything outside, such as the bands,
wrestling matches, vendors, car shows, and fireworks, was technically free, with no admission
fee. The haunted house was the only attraction that required a payment. Admission on the night of our visit cost $39.99 for basic single tickets, while the most expensive option was a super season pass for $149.99.
The super season pass came with perks, including a free t-shirt and a year-long pass to any of
the attractions they offer. This could be a great deal for those looking to visit their other haunt, Bloodrush, or the other haunted events they offer throughout the year!
The new motel you’re seeing features an impressive new façade. I spoke with several of the
workers, and they mentioned that it took them eight days to complete the front of the building.
They also hinted that there are more unique developments coming our way in the future!
Speaking to a few other guests who were walking around, they said the Hillside’s 4th of July
event is the only 4th of July they will go to now. Hillside has a movie monster museum with quite
a few artifacts, ranging from Art the Clown to the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The gift shop
and photo op areas are directly next to the museum, with a lot of Hillside merch as well as
masks for sale. The car show brought in 15 to 20 cars throughout the day, with some cool rides
ranging from imports to American muscle.
We were invited to see behind the scenes, but unfortunately, it was late, and we had a long
drive back. Hopefully, we can get that opportunity again because we would love to meet the
makeup staff. The prosthetics held up throughout the hot night on the actors. The makeup never
smeared off, even with the high 90-degree weather in direct sunlight. I applaud you, all of the
makeup staff! And everyone at the haunt who braved the heat to put on a booming show!
Overall, we had a great time at Hillside House of Hell, and we plan to come out for the majority
of their haunts during the regular season.
We plan on visiting the next event they are having, and that is the Lights Out event on August
16, 2025.
Find more information about Hillside House of Hell HERE
Or visit their website HERE
